Monday Open Thread
Chat away...
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Good Morning Liberal, Progressives and Democrats. May Republicans in your neighborhoods have the scales drop from their eyes and may they all change their voter registrations this week.
when the rooster crows at the break of dawn...look out your window and i'll be gone:
little red rooster
"Father, could you help an old altar boy? I'm a Cat'lick."
Giuliani’s Views on Abortion Upset Catholic Leaders
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: June 25, 2007
At first glance, Rudolph W. Giuliani should be an appealing presidential candidate for observant Roman Catholics. The grandchild of Italian immigrants, Mr. Giuliani went to Catholic schools, considered joining the priesthood, and as mayor of New York battled a museum that exhibited a painting of the Virgin Mary adorned in elephant dung.
But church leaders say they are frustrated by prominent Catholic politicians like Mr. Giuliani who argue that while they are personally opposed to abortion, they do not want to impose their beliefs on others.
One American bishop, Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, R.I., recently wrote a caustic column for his Catholic newspaper calling Mr. Giuliani’s position “pathetic,” “confusing” and “hypocritical.” Other bishops said that they would not criticize a candidate by name but would not hesitate to declare Mr. Giuliani’s stance contrary to Catholic teaching.
Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark said: “I think he’s being illogical, as are all of those who take the stand that ‘I’m personally opposed to abortion but this is my public responsibility to permit it.’ To violate human life is always and everywhere wrong. In fact, we don’t think it’s a matter of church teaching, but a matter of the way God made the world, and it applies to everyone.”
The presidential campaign of John Kerry, a Democrat, suffered in 2004 when about a dozen of the nation’s more than 200 bishops declared that they would deny him communion because of his abortion stance. A debate ensued among the bishops over whether it was right to enforce doctrine at the communion rail and whether the church had ventured too far into partisan politics.
But some American bishops who favored denying communion said that recent comments by the pope would bolster their approach. Pope Benedict XVI told reporters last month that Catholic legislators in Mexico who had recently voted to allow abortion had effectively excommunicated themselves from the church. A Vatican spokesman immediately issued a clarifying statement saying that politicians who voted for abortion rights should “exclude themselves from communion.”
bush's war of choice:
Wave of Suicide Bombings Kills at Least 30 in Iraq
Earlier, at 6:30 a.m., a suicide bomber rammed a black Chevy Caprice into a group of cadets outside the Hilla police station, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, and blew himself up, killing eight people and wounding 31, police said. Many of the casualties were caused by pieces of metal packed with the bomb to increase its deadliness, witnesses said.
"We do not know where the car came from," said Ahmed al-Mosawi, a guard at the building who was being treated for injuries to his shoulder caused by metal scraps from the bomb. "There was an explosion and a big blast and a dust cloud went up and I lost consciousness."
When he awoke, Mosawi said, "There were uniforms and weapons spread everywhere, and there were big stains of blood on the ground."
He wept. "I have been granted a new life."
Wave of Suicide Bombings Kills at Least 30 in Iraq
morning gregg, Is THIS the sucess the last 26% are raving about the surge??
The following article in TIME mag was a very enlightening one on JFK. It is called Warrior for Peace! I find it so unsettling that the Republicans are not Pro-Peace! They would RATHER the USA bomb and shoot and kill to present a picture of Strength, instead of hoping that by example they could bring World Peace. What is wrong with people like that? Where did their wiring go wrong?
"John F. Kennedy's loyal White House aides, Kenneth O'Donnell and Dave Powers, titled their 1972 J.F.K. memoir Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye—despite the fact that they had served him since his days as a scrawny young congressional candidate in Boston. So it's no surprise that Americans are still trying to figure out nearly half a century after his abbreviated presidency who Jack Kennedy really was. Was he a cold war hawk, as much of the history establishment, Washington pundit class and presidential hopefuls of both parties—eager to lay claim to his mantle of muscular leadership—have insisted over the years? Or was he a man ahead of his time, a peace-minded visionary trying to untie the nuclear knot that held hostage the U.S. and the Soviet Union—and the rest of the world?
As the U.S. once again finds itself in an endless war—this time against terror, or perhaps against fear itself—the question of Kennedy's true legacy seems particularly loaded. What is the best way for America to navigate through a world where its enemies seem everywhere and nowhere at the same time? What can we learn from the way Kennedy was trying to redefine the U.S. role in the world and to invite Americans to be part of that change? Who was the real John Fitzgerald Kennedy?
The conundrum begins with Kennedy himself, a politically complex man whose speeches often brandished arrows as well as olive branches. This seemingly contradictory message was vividly communicated in J.F.K.'s famous Inaugural Address. While Kennedy vowed the nation "would pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty"—aggressive rhetoric that would fit right in with George W. Bush's presidency—the young leader also dispensed with the usual Soviet bashing of his time and invited our enemy to join us in a new "quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all of humanity." It would be hard to imagine the current occupant of the White House extending the same offer to Islamic jihadists or Iran's leaders.
Young Jack Kennedy developed a deep, visceral disgust for war because of his—and his family's—experiences in it. "All war is stupid," he wrote home from his PT boat in the Pacific battleground of World War II.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1635958_1635999_1634954,00.html
"Full Executive Order. What is the Vice President hiding? As they like to say, if you aren't guilty, you have nothing to fear.
But once again, this Administration's philosophy is clear: We are kings and not even our own rules don't apply to us.
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/06/white-house-of-.html
Good Morning Pam, nice post on Kennedy,...thanks, I needed to remember....John Boy....
morning {{John Boy}}}
I am mind boggled at those who prefer War to Peace. That an attempt at peace means weakness, instead of intelligence.
Saw a gal with a T Shirt on TV the other day, "Brains Not Bombs"!
That says it all !
good morning, truthseekers
A Call to Bring All Troops Home
Tom Hayden
The Center for American Progress will call on Monday for the withdrawal of virtually all American troops from Iraq, for the first time--including US trainers in addition to combat forces.
::
The CAP report should lead to Congressional hearings into whether the Iraqi government and security units are human rights violators, paving the way for a possible Congressional amendment to terminate US support.
The present US "advisory mission" consists of five teams:
1. Coalition Military Assistance Team [recruiting, training, equipping, basing and sustaining Iraqi military units]
2. Joint Headquarters Transition Team [assists with command and control functions]
3. Coalition Air Force Transition Team [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance]
4. Civilian Police Assistance Training [training, equipping, organizing, mentoring Interior ministry police, commandos, etc.]
5. Ministry of Interior Transition Team [develops "law enforcement capacity"].
The CAP report further calls for all US troops to withdraw on a one-year timetable, except for troops redeployed to Kurdistan for one additional year. All US bases would be closed, and the Vatican-scale US embassy would be replaced by a network of smaller consulates to work at local and regional levels.
"Suicide bombers in Iraq have staged a deadly surge of their own, striking three targets on Monday — including the highly fortified Mansour Hotel in central Baghdad. Early reports put the combined death toll at 50, and climbing. But how are militant groups sneaking their bombs and bombers past the giant security dragnet around Baghdad? There are over 70,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers and Iraqi policemen spread across the city, conducting house-to-house searches and street patrols, walling off entire neighborhoods and setting up hundreds of checkpoints
Most of the tactics are designed to exploit the ineptitude of Iraqi security forces — the 30,000 soldiers and 21,000 police who are meant to support U.S. troops. Lacking in training, equipment and motivation, the Iraqis are the soft underbelly of the surge. A U.S. military internal assessment of the surge in late May showed that they are often unable to perform the simplest tasks, like manning checkpoints
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1636722,00.html
Take a peak at the Iraqi guard in the picture on this article! My Gawd, I think he is almost as old as the trolls on this site!!!
CIA's 1974 "Family Jewels" File To Be Finally Declassified
Just in from secret document mavens, the non-profit National Security Archive:
CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden announced today that the Agency is declassifying the full 693-page file amassed on CIA's illegal activities by order of then-CIA director James Schlesinger in 1973--the so-called "family jewels." Only a few dozen heavily-censored pages of this file have previously been declassified, although multiple Freedom of Information Act requests have been filed over the years for the documents. Gen. Hayden called today's release "a glimpse of a very different time and a very different Agency."
...
Then-CIA director Schlesinger commissioned the "family jewels" compilation with a May 9, 1973 directive after finding out that Watergate burglars E. Howard Hunt and James McCord (both veteran CIA officers) had cooperation from the Agency as they carried out "dirty tricks" for President Nixon. The Schlesinger directive, drafted by deputy director for operations William Colby, commanded senior CIA officials to report immediately on any current or past Agency matters that might fall outside CIA authority. By the end of May, Colby had been named to succeed Schlesinger as DCI, and his loose-leaf notebook of memos totaled 693 pages [see John Prados, Lost Crusader: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby (Oxford University Press, 2003, pp. 259-260.]
Seymour Hersh broke the story of CIA's illegal domestic operations with a front page story in the New York Times on December 22, 1974 ("Huge C.I.A. Operation Reported in U.S. Against Antiwar Forces, Other Dissidents in Nixon Years"), writing that "a check of the CIA's domestic files ordered last year… produced evidence of dozens of other illegal activities… beginning in the nineteen fifties, including break-ins, wiretapping, and the surreptitious inspection of mail."
good day, one and all
anyone feel a change comin'?
i do
keep it lit~
{{{fade}}}
You can feel the change coming in the air!
It is exhillarating, isn't it??
I will keep it lit, believe me! :)
Baby genius joins Mensa
Toddler becomes one of the youngest ever admitted to the high-IQ club. »
so much for the credibility of admittance to this club! LOL!
"World Bank Board to Name Next President
Monday June 25, 7:59 am ET
By Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer
Robert Zoellick in Line for Approval by World Bank's Board to Be Institution's Next President
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070625/world_bank.html?.v=4
I have no idea why the other leaders of the World Bank would allow Bush to name another of his cronys to this top position, after the scum he put in the first time!
Posted by Pam 25 Jun 2007 at 0831A
The only part of the VP's job that's discussed under the legislative branch is being the NON-VOTING (except in case of a tie) president of the Senate. It was pretty much considered a ceremonial position.
The election of the VP and his only other job under the Constitution of the United States is handled under the EXECUTIVE branch. His other job? Waiting around until the president either kicks the bucket, becomes unable to perform his job, or gets kicked out of office for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Any other jobs the VP does is at the discretion OF THE PRESIDENT.
Sounds like executive branch to me.
Of course, the Senate could investigate him, as one of their members.
I wonder what branch of government he'll decide to belong to if that happens???
I LOVE it! Democrats seek to cut out funding for Cheney's office, now that he says he is not part of the Executive Branch! Way to go, Dems! Let him pay for his own slimy, underhanded secrecy all by himself. He can afford it on his Halliburton Profits !
Gotta go ....have a great day folks....keep up the fight!.....Later.....John Boy.....
Looks like a Must read:
"BuzzFlash has read some excerpts from this book and found it spot on. It covers one of our favorite themes: Democrats generally fight elections on public policy points, while the Republicans campaign directly to emotion.
Of course, in the hands of the GOP, that has become demagouery. Nonentheless, there is a happy medium in which the Demcoratic Party can compete to the emotions of Americans without becoming demagogues.
This is an essential book for understanding the two fundamentally different approaches to electioneering by the two parties.
From the Publisher:
"The Political Brain is a groundbreaking investigation into the role of emotion in determining the political life of the nation. For two decades Drew Westen, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University, has explored a theory of the mind that differs substantially from the more "dispassionate" notions held by most cognitive psychologists, political scientists, and economists—and Democratic campaign strategists. The idea of the mind as a cool calculator that makes decisions by weighing the evidence bears no relation to how the brain actually works. When political candidates assume voters dispassionately make decisions based on "the issues," they lose. That's why only one Democrat has been re-elected to the presidency since Franklin Roosevelt—and only one Republican has failed in that quest.
"In politics, when reason and emotion collide, emotion invariably wins. Elections are decided in the marketplace of emotions, a marketplace filled with values, images, analogies, moral sentiments, and moving oratory, in which logic plays only a supporting role. Westen shows, through a whistle-stop journey through the evolution of the passionate brain and a bravura tour through fifty years of American presidential and national elections, why campaigns succeed and fail. The evidence is overwhelming that three things determine how people vote, in this order: their feelings toward the parties and their principles, their feelings toward the candidates, and, if they haven't decided by then, their feelings toward the candidates' policy positions."
Read The Full Review >>>
http://www.buzzflash.com/store/reviews/672
“Drew Westen is a must read and must hear for any Democrat. In 2008 we will win the presidency if our candidate reads and acts on this book.”
—Howard Dean, Chairman, Democratic Party
Good morning Democrats, Liberals, Progressives and all of good heart. There is even a hint of the change in the air here in the South. Looks like ol Lindsey is circuling the wagons and geuliani's guy has put yet another black eye on the Republicans. How can they persist? Their's is a rotting culture.
Good morning, all.
Pam,
I agree fully with Dean and Westen. We need to appeal to people on all levels especially the emotional. Since we are the Party of FDR, it's hard to understand why we got away from this.
Gotta run. later.
W@W !
Despite Greedy Republicans who don't want to help anybody, we Dems did okay last year when it came to helping Charities !
NEW YORK - Americans gave nearly $300 billion to charitable causes last year, setting a new record and besting the 2005 total that had been boosted by a surge in aid to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the Asian tsunami.
Donors contributed an estimated $295.02 billion in 2006, a 1 percent increase when adjusted for inflation, up from $283.05 billion in 2005. Excluding donations for disaster relief, the total rose 3.2 percent, inflation-adjusted, according to an annual report released Monday by the Giving USA Foundation at Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy.
"What people find especially interesting about this, and it's true year after year, that such a high percentage comes from individual donors," Giving USA Chairman Richard Jolly said.
Individuals gave a combined 75.6 percent of the total. With bequests, that rises to 83.4 percent
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_on_bi_ge/charitable_giving
Big Whoop D Doo!
Instead of costing me $62.20 per fillup, it will only cost me $60! The Oil Industry still raping the American public financially!
Gas Prices Drop 11 Cents to $3 a Gallon
Since we are the Party of FDR, it's hard to understand why we got away from this.
Posted by SandyH on June 25, 2007 at 09:39 AM
because we under-estimated the intelligence and the keeping abreast of Real news by the American public, and instead we are working with gullible, easily led people, who if you tell a lie to over and over, it becomes the truth to them.
under-estimated should have been OVER estimated their intelligence. Very simple minds are easily led.
Posted by mgarthoff on June 25, 2007 at 03:59 AM
THAT rrrrrrrrrreally was a good video!
WoW! I used to love ABBA! I even met them (the girls) while shopping along the GINZA. (1980 - I think) They saw ME towering above the crowd and came over to me to talk as they were also towering above the crowd at that time. We met, laughed at our height (they had huge disco type boots on) I didn't. It was a real "moment" and your video just took me back there. Thanks.
WoW, that is a great video! I for sure will pass it around.
Morning Fine Democrats!
Posted by PamB on June 25, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Hiya, bold.
One of my office staff is in France...she sent us a post card. she wrote that gas is $6 a gallon there.
I guess NO ONE believes me. But here's the link to that video. It really is good.(as dpd stated)
Go to YouTube. Search "Waterloo" and look for the picture of Scooter Libby in jail. Now!
mgarthoff on June 25, 2007 at 03:57 AM
Update on local poll results here. We had a few double votes. (tsk tsk, brats)
Posted by Esmeralda on June 25, 2007 at 11:25 AM
they've also got universal health care, and a few other things we've denied our public!
And I dare you to find one honkin cadillac, suburban or other god awful suv over there.
Hey AP and Hybrid!
Nobody's in the greetin mood today I guess. :-P
Morning {{dpd}} I was just about to leave for a more friendly blog.
Smell that? It's our Constitution slowly burning...
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court Monday upheld the legality of an internal White House office that forcefully pushes federal aid for religious charities, a case with an unusual nexus of constitutional, financial and political implications.
By a 5-4 vote, a conservative majority concluded taxpayers did not have "standing" to challenge in court the discretionary spending authority of the executive branch for its Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI).
An atheist and agnostic group from Wisconsin claimed the Bush administration had given churches and religious groups an unfair advantage in access to federal grant programs.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/25/faith.based.office.scotus/index.html
FYI Here's another Impeach Cheney email. This time I cleaned it up.
From: "The Pen"
To: radlib
Subject: BREAKING News: New Cheney Abuses of Power, and the IMPEACHMENT Surge
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:49:23 -0800
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT A LAW DEFYING, POWER GRABBING VICE PRESIDENT
OUT OF CONTROL?
There are a million things we can do, and many of them are listed
below. If you cannot make a donation to support the impeachment ads,
etc, then please just skip down to the next heading and pick at least
one thing you CAN do this week to help build the impeachment
movement. But if you can make a donation, and have not done so, or
can do it on some recurrent basis you can
1. Donate to Dennis Kucinich to thank him for leading the movement to
impeach Vice President Cheney, by introducing H.Res. 333. This easy
dual action form can do both Act Blue and mail donations:
http://www.usalone.com/donations_kucinich.php
2. Make a donation to help us run more impeachment ads. We have blog
ads running it a dozen of the biggest progressive blogs right now,
and we are starting to go mainstream. Please help us to keep this up
and do even more.
http://www.usalone.com/donations.php
HELP COLLECT VOTES FOR THE IMPEACHMENT POLL IN YOUR COMMUNITY
3. This is easy. Just print out one of the vote gathering sheets for
the National Cheney Impeachment Poll where we have already had more
that 72,000 votes, 99.22 percent saying Yes to impeach Cheney. Carry
one with you in your daily travels and get everyone you can to cast
their vote, whether it is yes or no.
http://www.usalone.com/cheney_votesheet.php
PUT AN IMPEACHMENT ACTION BUTTON ON YOUR OWN WEB PAGE OR BLOG
4. We have hundreds of action buttons posted by our participants
already. Dennis Kucinich has one himself on his own campaign web site
on all pages. If you post a button you will AUTOMATICALLY get a link
back to your own site from the action page as our server picks up the
hits. Get the code for the buttons here.
http://www.usalone.com/cheney_impeachment2.php
CALL UP RADIO SHOWS AND GIVE OUT THE CELL PHONE SHORT CODE, AND AT
RALLIES
5. At considerable expense we have fronted the money to set up the
capacity to take votes by cell phone. If you are hip to sending text
messages you can text "IMPEACH" to 30644 to vote Yes, or "KEEP" to
30644 to vote No (we haven't had any No votes this way yet even
though the option is available). Call up progressive shows and talk
about the latest Cheney abuses of power, and then ask if you can give
out the cell phone voting options. This is also a great thing to do
if you are speaking at a rally of any kind.
EVEN MORE REASONS YOU CAN CITE TO IMPEACH CHENEY NOW
The descriptions at the top of this alert are not ours. In the face
of new revelations of the wholesale dismissal of the Constitution by
the Vice President Cheney, "Power Grab" was the headline on the ABC
New site. "Defiant" was the headline of the Washington Post. By now
you could not have escaped hearing all the stories of the assertion
by the vice president's office that he is a branch of government unto
himself, and not beholden to any other. And if you have not read the
stories, they are all linked in the "Arguments" section of the main
action below. Just remember, if you are the original recipient of
this alert you have already voted in the poll, but you can send this
link to others who have not.
http://www.usalone.com/cheney_impeachment.php
Congress will NOT defy the voices of millions of us speaking out.
That's what it will take. We have over 72,000 votes already, and we
have only just begun to scratch the surface of the anger about what
Cheney and his gang have done to our great country, sucking us into a
ruinous, wrong-headed war on phony evidence they cooked themselves,
criminal illegal wiretaps, torture as official U.S. policy, while
they sell out our economy to foreign oil interests and crony war
profiteers.
Our democracy can be saved, but ONLY if we get more people to speak
out now.
Please take action NOW, so we can win all victories that are supposed
to be ours, and forward this message to everyone else you know.
If you would like to get alerts like these, you can do so at
http://www.usalone.com/in.htm
Or if you want to cease receiving our messages, just use the function
at http://www.usalone.com/out.htm
usalone78:9357
Powered by The People's Email Network Copyright 2007, Patent pending,
All rights reserved
BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 12:13 PM
So all that means is if one desires to apply for one of these faith-based initiative grants, then, one must put on the facade that they are indeed a "faith-based initiative". The religious community has well indicated their ability to lie for their objective, and they are in fact no more religious than most corporate entities. It's all about the money, and getting it to promote your club's mission, it's no more about God than it ever was. I think possibly the Supreme Court recognizes that fact.
Everybody lies!! Including the faith-based organizations, so what's the problem? Lie, to get the funds, it's America. You know, Love it, or leave?
footnote: I'm not justifying the SC decision I'm just trying to rationalize their decision in light of reality of today's America.
Good. Go get 'em John. It's about time that Dems started blasting back at the smear merchants in the media. I think a few multi million dollar lawsuits will force those lazy stenographers to start earning their pay.
Edwards Campaign Blasts New York Times Over Poverty Story.
For DEBDEB!!
NC-08: DC Dems fully backing Kissell this time
by kos
Mon Jun 25, 2007 at 08:41:51 AM PDT
~snip~
As I mentioned last week, the one race that tempered DCCC excitement over 2006 was Larry Kissell. Late DCCC polling in the race showed Hayes with a comfortable double-digit lead, and the D-trip spent their late money elsewhere. This isn't meant to beat up the DCCC -- that late money helped us win several seats (Boyda, Hodes, Hall, Altmire, etc.), but given that Kissell lost by only 329 votes, there were a lot of kicking themselves over mis-analyzing that race.
This race, in large part, led to a dramatic change at the DCCC at the behest of new chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen -- while in the past, money was the key factor in whether a candidate was "serious" and worthy of party support, the party now takes into consideration "movement". Candidates that build a grassroots army are taken more seriously than was recently the case. So while Kissell still doesn't have that much money, his grassroots army is undeniable and ready to do battle once again. As a result, DC isn't passing up this race this cycle.
The problem with the global warming debate is that those who rign tha alarum bell tend to try silencing their critics through smear tactics.
Honey denier deniers
The PROBLEM with the Global Warming DEBATE is that there is still even a DEBATE ABOUT IT for Christs sake!
Speaking of Larry Kissel I guess he's a good guy!
"Never Succumb to the Temptation of Bitterness"
by Larry Kissell
Mon Jun 25, 2007 at 09:04:23 AM PDT
Posted by davidual on June 25, 2007 at 12:32 PM
The worst part is that our government is being duped into giving all our tax dollars to these groups and there is no accountability! A report was already released indicating that the money for faith based initiatives is a complete and utter waste. Do the so-called conservatives care? No. The only time they care about wasteful spending is when a brown person, disabled person, homeless person or single mother receives needed money. Let's rain money down on the fundamentalist churches cuz we all know how needy they are!
Governor Dean's views on how Democrats should not vote in ways that will enable Republican agendas. Amen.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1356
Also the video of Governor Dean on the Tavis Smiley show.
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200706/20070614.html
Dawn, WCPT in Chicago has a commercial with the tag line "Fighting Global Warming on Mars So We Don't Have To Fight It Here". Their Station IDs crack me up, especially the ones that poke Bush with a sharp stick. Just click on "Listen Live".
IF YOU want to convince the world that an overwhelming majority of scientists do not believe in global warming, then start by ignoring scientists who are true believers. First, establish lists of scientists with your approved position (against global warming), then smear dissidents. Soon, up-and-coming scientists will be afraid to cross the rigid green line.
This sounds like exactly the tactic the anti-global warming crowd has acclimated the past twenty years, and damn anyone whom dares "to cross the rigid green line."
KOS POLL
What's YOUR stand on Impeachment? Please vote.
Poll
Congress should impeach....
Nobody. Period.
3% 62 votes
Only Gonzales. Later.
1% 12 votes
Only Gonzales. Now.
3% 69 votes
Only Cheney. Later.
0% 0 votes
Only Cheney. Now.
3% 59 votes
Only Bush. Later.
0% 2 votes
Only Bush. Now.
1% 24 votes
Gonzales & Cheney. Later.
0% 11 votes
Gonzales & Cheney. Now.
13% 297 votes
Gonzales, Cheney & Bush. Later.
1% 22 votes
Gonzales, Cheney & Bush. Now.
38% 831 votes
Gonzales now, Bush and Cheney later.
7% 158 votes
Gonzales and Cheney now, Bush later.
28% 615 votes
Gonzales and Bush now, Cheney later.
0% 9 votes
Other. Please explain below.
1% 31 votes
| 2202 votes
As long as this supreme court exists, george bush will be with us. Heaven help us.
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 12:50 PM
I usually listen to Ed on 880 Asheville's Progressive station. I've heard the Mars line thing before too... hehee!
I'm with ED on almost everything except he's too extreme on immigration imo. but otherwise I like him!
Posted by Veneita on June 25, 2007 at 12:56 PM
WoW! That's a name I've not seen in AGES!! Hey Veneita! Welcome home! ;-)
Am I the only Dem in the nation that is having a real problem with Hiliary at the top of the nomination?
...george bush will be with us. Heaven help us.
Posted by Veneita on June 25, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Speaking ambiguously will not "help us" now, or ever.
I take that back, I know I am not. Leastwise in my local area. There is a lot more than just I who will seriously consider voting third party. But I don't see this in national polling numbers which seems to suggest we are loners.
LOLOL omg this was the biggest FARCE of a court case in history. I'm so glad this dumb butt judge had to PAY.
Dry cleaner wins missing pants case
Joeh I'm not at all wild about Hillary but if she gets the nomination I will vote for her. (not happily as she'll probably LOSE)
I can't believe Iowa, New Hampshire and SC would be so blind as to NOT consider her polarization in a General Election.
Why make it difficult? Although Obama & Eddie are not good alternatives to Hillary. jmo.
I'm looking at the 2nd tier of candidates or those not entered yet (like Gore or Clark)
Today’s news got me thinking - at what point do we STOP referring to “coalition forces?” As near as I can tell, about 11,000 non-US troops have been withdrawn from Iraq. The 7,000+ British forces, as we know, have mainly been hanging out in Basra, getting bombed occasionally while dipping one toe in the waters of the Gulf of Outahere.
http://fanaticalapathy.com/2007/06/22/we-am-family/#more-916
Posted by Joeh on June 25, 2007 at 01:05 PM
There hasn't even been ONE Primary yet. Threatening to vote 3rd Party (and in effect voting FOR the Pugs) is a little premature, wouldn't you say?
If you don't like her you'll have your opportunity to choose someone else on Primary day.
If you vote for a 3rd Party candidate in the General Election you will be working to continue for 4 more years the same BS that we are suffering now. Unless that's your plan all along.
Hey, Veneita! LTNS!
Posted by Dawnie on June 25, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Hopefully, after the trial judge grants the defendants attorney fees, that idiot will know what it's like to be taken to the cleaners.
Rimshot please....
I am not threatening anything. Just stating the facts. Seems to me if we are gonna moan and groan about canidate options, now is the time to do it. Post primaries is too late.
From my POV, a Hiliary nomination is almost an assured give away to the repugs anyway. As Dawnie pointed out: "I can't believe Iowa, New Hampshire and SC would be so blind as to NOT consider her polarization in a General Election."
Since MOST of use seems to instintively know this now, why in the world are we as a collective whole carring her so high on the totum pole (Where she gets the lion's share of the media coverage)
I am personally an Edwards fan, but like Dawnie said, I do wish we had a few more options.
Posted by BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 01:27 PM
paHA!
and I agree about the word "coalition forces" that has ALWAYS been a JOKE! (yet some mindless righties will buy it)
Ed just said 40percent of the public STILL think Hussein had something to do with 911!!! That just blows my mind.
Thanks DPD!
As far as Hillary goes, I'm no fan either. Will I hold my nose and vote for her over a fear-mongering, antiConstitution, antiCivil rights, warmongering, hatefilled, borrow and spend republican??? You betcha.
Posted by Joeh on June 25, 2007 at 01:27 PM
we may have more choices before it's all over.... and I think a LOT of her popularity (personally and by watching my MOM) is because of the way she and her hubby were treated while they were in office.
MANY people would pick HILLARY JUST to piss off the RIGHT! They were SO ticked off at the crap over trying to impeach BILL for personal behavior having NADA to do with being President. Ya know?
I'm not one of those but I KNOW My MOM is...... plus she does really like BILL.
The COO of the California Republican Party is an illegal who's on the run from immigration authorities? Typical.
Michael Kamburowski, COO of the California state Republican party.
Check out the internal links.
Yep, that's right blue, even though Hillary would be extending the B/C/B/C era, she's still far better than anything coming out of the republican camp, either now, or future entrants!
Petition: Restore the Rule of Law
"We are Americans and in our America, we do not torture, we do not imprison people without legal recourse, and we do not give any president unchecked power. Congress must act quickly to rein in this over-reaching president and overturn these un-American acts."
A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to your Senators and Representative. Click on link below:
Deadly blast hits Iraq
• Suicide bomber kills at least 12, wounds 21 inside a Baghdad hotel
• 7 sheikhs -- 5 Sunnis and 2 Shiites -- and TV anchor reported among the dead
• Car bomber kills at least 8, wounds 31 at a Hilla government compound
Full Story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/25/iraq.main/index.html
Dawnie posted
The PROBLEM with the Global Warming DEBATE is that there is still even a DEBATE ABOUT IT for Christs sake!
So you would censor anybody posting studies or information contradicting the global warming theories?
How much do you want to bet this guy is a Pug?
Even the flag on their uniforms is a lie
The chances of the GOP getting my vote are slim and none, and slim left town. However, if the democrats put Hillary up, I know I will not vote for her, not under any circumstances. She is manipulative and a power mongerer. I simply do not trust her with the Constitution or civil liberties. I do not trust her to lead this nation in the direction it needs to go. If the democrats choose to put up almost anybody else, they have a better chance of getting my vote.
Given the guy's background, still think he's a Pug?
John Aravosis is a Washington DC-based writer and political strategist, specializing in using the Internet for political advocacy. He is the creator of StopDrLaura.com, Matthew Shepard Online Resources, and DearMary.com, among other activist Web sites. John has a joint law degree and masters in foreign service from Georgetown, where he studied under former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. He is an avid writer, including having worked as a stringer for the Economist magazine, and for years was the US Politics Guide at About.com. John's policy experience includes stints in the US Senate, the World Bank, and the Children's Defense Fund. John is also an occasional TV pundit, having appeared on The O'Reilly Factor, Hardball with Chris Matthews, ABCNews World News Tonight, CNN, Court TV, and more. John speaks five languages and has visited or worked in 28 countries
NOT John Aravosis. He's the guy who owns the site. That Brian Moritz guy who was charging the Government for "Made in USA" flag patches for the Military uniforms and farming out the work to sweat shops in Thailand, thereby increasing his profit.
Sheesh!
He truly IS Dr. Evil.
...[w]e’ve got witnesses who are watching him watch the World Trade Center collapse. Everyone else in the room is groaning. And he doesn’t blink his eyes. He turns around and starts working the phones again.
Cheney Author: 9/11 Didn’t Change Cheney, Gave Him Opportunity ‘To Put His Views Into Action’
The U.S. led mission in Iraq now threatens significantly the mission in Afghanistan. Canada, our greatest ally in Afghanistan, faces severe pressure at home. A large reduction in Canadian troop strength now appears imminent.
Hey, does anybody remember the "best future one world leader" poll back a year/year and a half ago, that slotted Bill Clinton as #3(?) behind Nelson Mandela and/or the Dalai Lama? GWB not even making the list!
That is why I would not be especially upset to have Bill Clinton's presence back in the White House.
Posted by Moses on June 25, 2007 at 01:56 PM
give me a break dude! I don't have the power to do squat! But if I DID have the power I would surely NOT put faux science up with REAL science!
Anyone can do a study. Even YOU. Get enough greedy PUGS with money and they will certify YOU!(example is ANYthing put out by the heritage foundation) AS all they do is LIE, CHEAT and STEAL. period. You have to figure with Lynne Cheney near the helm there's GOT to be nothing but CRAP coming from them. And that's about it.
give me a friggen brrrrrrrrreak (inhofe's crowd are all pretty much brain dead or corporate hacks)
apparently you are still pretty new at "looking up the facts."
or perhaps you are one of those that wants sooooo badly to believe dinos ran with man. PAHAHAHAHA!
I'm sorry but I've run OUT of patience with that crowd. That dog doesn't hunt.
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 02:00 PM
UNfreaking believeable DPD!!
MAN that just makes me want to SCREAM!!!
New blood is needed in the White House. The Clinton Administration, like the Bush administration ignored the testimony of United Nations Weapons Inspectors who insisted that Iraq had a very limited weapons capability. (This information began coming out heavily in 1998.)
This is not the only reason for new blood. There is, of course, a power structure that has developed over time. Political parties are one aspect of that, but even here one party must work with another to accomplish anything. Some of the old hacks play both sides of the isle for the highest bidder, not for Americans.
We need to shake up this structure. New blood is the only way to accomplish a shake up of significance. The fact that both Clintons chose to ignore good intelligence regarding the threat of Iraq just makes me all the more certain that the change is necessary.
Posted by Marine on June 25, 2007 at 02:57 PM
yea but NO ONE is gonna vote for Kucinich (unfortunately)
Posted by davidual on June 25, 2007 at 01:44 PM
I gotta say that from what I have heard from Ron Paul he's not bad. But, given that he speaks the truth about Iraq and warmongering in general, the right wing conservative will spit him out the same way they would if Jesus came back to kick their sorry Judas a@@es.
Obama voted to REINSTATE THE PATRIOT ACT!!
give me a break with Obama
he's not change
not really
Posted by BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 03:00 PM
Ron Paul! You always cause me to have the vapors!
Dawnie, it is so typical to automatically dismiss the opposing view because of who funds them. Sad.
Posted by BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Thanks so much for posting this! We credited you on the blog post here.
The problem with the global warming debate is that those who rign tha alarum bell tend to try silencing their critics through smear tactics.
Posted by Moses on June 25, 2007 at 12:42 PM
The trouble with your linked article is that it is a Commentary, an opinion item. It is not written by anyone with any knowledge of the subject. YOU could write an article either pro or con, or this could have been written by a Republican's mother.
Yes, agreed, spare me the Obama rhetoric, that guy has an agenda all his own, IMHO.
Marine,
Both Clinton's chose to ignore intelligence regarding Iraq? Hillary bought the flawed "intelligence" from the Bush administration as Senator, but what did President Clinton ignore? It was President Clinton that pre warned our present misadministration about al Qaeda's threat to strike within the US.
Whatever.
I, too, think it is time for new blood in the White House, however, if Hillary wins the Democratic nomination I will support her bid for president.
--Live long and prosper!
--"Home is to security, as opportunity is to prosperity." D.A. Semans
--Live long and prosper! Dr. Spock, Leonard Nimoy, or obviously some writer for the star trek TV show.
Oh, that makes more sense. I always thought he said "Love long and perspire".
:)
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 02:32 PM
Working the phones? Where was he (probably in a bunker) and who exactly was he calling? I think some serious waterboarding is needed on this man.
The Poodle gets a shorter leash:
According to sources close to him, [Tony] Blair is seeking a role as U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East and may be named that by President Bush before the end of the latter’s term of office ends.
Blue, you're a Lawyer. How can the Fundie right wingers on the SCOTUS claim that the taxpayers have "no standing" in that case? It's OUR money that Chimpy is using to buy votes.
We have nothing BUT "standing".
Posted by Esmeralda on June 25, 2007 at 03:04 PM
Just trying to keep your blood flowing! ;)
All I have to say about those who would either not vote at all, or vote for a 3rd party candidate should Hillary get the Nod as the Candidate, is if you care about this country, you CANNOT allow a Republican to get back in.
She is manipulative and a power mongerer. I simply do not trust her with the Constitution or civil liberties
You have Seen Hillary after 8 years of Bill, and now as a Senator. You think she would be against Civil Liberties or the Constitution???
Manipulative? Power Mongerer? After Bush that is a joke.
when you are in that voting booth on November 2009, and she might be on the ballot, will you vote against your own self and not pull the lever for her?
More poodle news.
Blair To Become Catholic; Looking For Post War Absolution?
We don't have and aren't yet able to run a future climatology scenario because (and this is a fact) we don't have the computer technology to do it with. In order to predict right down to a gnats ass, what will happen, we need to be able to have more than two sets of information varibles to do it. Current computer models will only allow two sets of varibles.
In lieu of that technology, what we do have is agreement that the planet is getting warmer. (see below and this is from Moses post) from the proponents as well as the dissenters or deniers.
With that being the case, then I think, that it is always better to err on the side of caution and maybe a policy of...... "If the boat is going to sink then maybe we ought to start bailin' instead of standing around trying to figure out when it's going to sink"
Dissenting scientists do not deny that the planet is getting warmer. As O'Brien noted, "I believe that there is global warming and it's probably due to natural as well as human causes." But also: "It's not occurring as fast as the alarmists say," and its consequences won't be as dire as they say. SEJ should see the value in skeptics who challenge the global-warming orthodoxy -- which can make global warming forecasts more concise -- instead of suggesting that no good scientists have alternative views.
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 03:24 PM
It was mostly already established by precedent that taxpayers do not have standing to challenge how taxes are spent unless they can show a direct injury. Some argue that if it was allowed, people could challenge the use of our money for all sorts of things, including THE INVASION OF IRAQ. It could be very disruptive.
It is clearly against the Constitution, though, in my mind to support religious programs.
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 03:24 PM
If the money had come from a congressional created office or legislation...we would have good standing and a right to appeal. But, since it is funded throught the white house, we don't.
Go figure.
But, Congress could take action. We can't. But, we could put pressure on Congress to.
A year earlier, the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit challenging OFBCI's spending authority. Money for the office does not come from a direct congressional expenditure, but from the White House's general "discretionary" fund.
ACTION NEEDED !
"I'm sure you've already heard that PBS will be hosting the next Democratic presidential forum on Thursday, June 28, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. What you may not know is that PBS has invited Frank Luntz, a longtime Republican pollster and strategist, to provide "immediate public feedback on the performances of the candidates" during post-forum coverage on the Tavis Smiley program.
Of course, when Luntz's appearance was announced, the press release made no mention of his Republican ties or long history of being criticized for his work.
If you don't know much about Frank Luntz, here are some important facts about this discredited Republican pollster:
In 1997, the American Association for Public Opinion Research formally reprimanded Luntz for refusing to release documentation in support of comments he made to the media regarding his polling work on the Republican Party's 1994 "Contract with America" campaign platform, according to a Salon.com article.
Washington Post polling director Richard Morin reported that the National Council on Public Polls censured Luntz "for allegedly mischaracterizing on MSNBC the results of focus groups he conducted during the [2000] Republican Convention."
In September 2004, MSNBC dropped Luntz from its planned coverage of that year's presidential debate coverage, following a letter from Media Matters that outlined Luntz's GOP ties and questionable polling methodology.
» Take Action Today
Posted by BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 03:35 PM
Executive Privilege.....nuf said. It is and was a campaign fund for the bushies without oversight and any reporting.
The 'establishment of religion' clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever from they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect 'a wall of separation between Church and State.' Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145; EVERSON v. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF EWING TP., 330 U.S. 1 (1947)
Wasn't there someone complimenting that there were a lot of terrorists killed in Iraq? Looks like that's not really the case after all !
Five years and we only got about 2000 of them? WHOOP D DOO!
Offensives Elsewhere, but Baghdad Remains Deadliest for US Troops
Baghdad, Iraq - Despite major ground-air offensives to the north and south of Baghdad, the deadliest place for U.S. troops remains the capital.
U.S. forces launched their largest assault of Baqouba, the provincial capital of Diyala about 35 miles north of Baghdad, five days ago. Since then, 29 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq - 22 of them in Baghdad, nearly all by roadside bombs, according to a tally on icasualties.org.
But the small number of enemy captured or killed, and persistent U.S. casualties in the capital relative to those in major military campaigns in the provinces, raises questions
about the efficacy of such operations
The candidates, hmmm. And what are they saying to black America?
Still listening.
Peace \/
Posted by J on June 25, 2007 at 03:57 PM
I don't think that they are saying anything to women either...or hispanics...gays...
Mostly alot of blather about nothing.
pamb posted.
Of course it was an opinion piece, as is almost everything in this blog here, and point of it was to express the dismay that the dissenting side of the global warming debate is constantly being harangued and denigrated into silence. Frankly, that is wrong. That's what happened to Galileo and Copernicus.
Also pam posted about Hillary.
No, I will not vote for Hillary. And yes, my fears about further eviscerating the Constitution and civil liberties are based partly on the eight years of Bill and how he approved roving wiretaps, email taps, and tried to do away with habeas corpus. Hillary voted, like every other Senator save one, for the Patriot Act which merely carried her husband's policies even further.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Mike Gehrke has posted a U Tube film clip of Rumsfeld's famous statement about what "what we now know..." on another thread.
Give it a viewing for old time sakes. I really miss this man's way with words. Spunky tries hard to imitate him, but nobody is as good as the Master.
Posted by Moses on June 25, 2007 at 04:25 PM
I'll vote for Hillary if she's nominated...but she better move away from globalization before it makes her look unAmerican to too many Independents and moderates.
Posted by PamB on June 25, 2007 at 03:47 PM
Operation Go Forward One and Back Two..Operation Firebrand Smoker Ass Lose a Leg...Operation Sand in Eye, Balls in Vice..Operation Mounted Fury Bend em' Over...Operation Firefox F**kemup...
They'll have to start naming all these operations like they do hurricanes. They're gonna run outta names.
Can you just see all these terrrists and insurgents sitting in a tent someplace.."Hey, mohammed, you old mullah f**ker...Did you hear the new infidel operations name??" "It's Operation Camel Tracker Thunderdome"
you idiot
I swear it's a pathological DISEASE with them.
They are not able to be HONEST about anything except their hate of Bill C (probably cuz he got him some and they're hard up) who knows.
I'm sick of their lies and their living in the past. We need to get these obstructionist OUT of the WHITE HOUSE!! Before ONE of them gets REALLY crazy and hits the big red button!~!
Pinky and the Brain need to be IMPEACHED NOW!!
And their minions and brain dead followers can all go directly to JAIL (or hail) whichever comes first!
We need our COUNTRY back!
it was to express the dismay that the dissenting side of the global warming debate is constantly being harangued and denigrated into silence. Frankly, that is wrong. That's what happened to Galileo and Copernicus.
People who have Adam and Eve riding around on dinosaurs in their "natural history" museums don't have a leg to stand on. Even toddlers know a Looney Tunes cartoon when they see one.
Posted by Dawnie on June 25, 2007 at 04:42 PM
I have been called worse by the best of them...most of them are now x-wives :)
If liberals gave blood like conservatives do, the blood supply in the U.S. would jump by about 45%.
you rrreally are an idiot!
My daughter just got BACK from giving blood as we speak. And she is 25 and as liberal as they get!
She's been donating blood (ON HER OWN) for YEARS! I used to until the coumadin now they won't let me.
The Republican Party is nothing more than a fat racist group of draft dodging, treasonous, LIARS and FRAUDS. That actively work HARD at perfecting their LIES (spin).
Posted by gnois on June 25, 2007 at 04:39 PM
gnois,
I think William Falkner had the GOP's number fifty years ago. The Ben Quicks of the Republican Party are dancing as fast as they can and still nobody is impressed with the "progress" in Iraq.
I know personalizing military engagements is standard practice and probably makes sense to some extent for those involved in the field. But nowadays it just seems to somehow trivalize the operations for civilians who are sick of four years and counting of this fiasco.
They are, after all, operations not battles. Guerilla warfare doesn't lend itself to much glory. It's mainly futility and senseless violence. Operation One Step Forward, Two Steps Back pretty well sums it up.
BlueinIdaho on June 25, 2007 at 03:45 PM
What about this, Blue?
What are the rules on funding religious activity with Federal money?
This does not mean your organization can't have religious activities. It simply means you can't use taxpayer dollars to fund them. Some faith-based organizations set up separate charitable organizations (so-called "501(c)(3) corporations") to keep programs that receive government money separate from those that engage in inherently religious activities.
I still contend that this controversy just enlightens the true mendacious, and albeit blasphemous, nature of the fbo's. They are more about money and maintaining their lifestyle than about any initiative of faith. Welcome To George W. Bush's world. Now we are seeing first hand the importance of his "victory" in 2000 and 2004.
Moses,
You're hilarious. The other day you were complaining all over the place about how the Democratic Party engages in character assassinations. And now all you can do now is attack Hillary and Bill Clintons character.
You support Obama and you support Thompson, who by the way is pro-life, pro-guns, pro-Bush, pro-Iraq War and wants to overturn Roe v. Wade.
That makes absolutely no sense.
OH and isn't it funny how the ONCE PUG supporting BEN STEIN is NOW giving money to Democrats?
He was held up as the Science POSTER boy to the PUGS. haha, now who do they have to call Dr. Science?
Maybe Frankenstein Frist can be reincarnated on the circuit again? All those kittens in all those boxes just ready for him. pffffft
ok I'm plenty angry enough for now........ time for a break
hugs to all the Democrats with the REAL grey matter!
peace
Posted by Moses on June 25, 2007 at 04:25 PM
There is a ton od dissenting evidence that global warming is not occurring at the rate that most of the established scientific community is now supporting. The argument from the dissenters is not that global warming is happening, it's the rate that they believe that it is. For the most part that is. That's usually buried in paragraph 7 or 8.
The there are the ones that don't think that it's happening at all. They are in the minority and think that it (global warming) is just part of a cycle.
Lot's of educated and scientific people once thought the world was flat too.
If there is a chance that we can have an impact on our environment and that there is also a way for us to perhaps change it in a positive way, don't you think we ought to take the chance?
Posted by J on June 25, 2007 at 03:57 PM
Hi, J.
Good point. Perhaps if young blacks emmigrated to Mexico and then re-entered this country as illegal workers they might get amnesty of at least the promise of a piece of the pie?
Blacks have become the forgotten people unless the MSM "has to" cover Obama.
Good Afternoon all,
It's a fine day to start impeaching Shotgun and Chimp.
Posted by gnois on June 25, 2007 at 04:39 PM
They already DID come up with a new name last week. I kid you not!!
They tried "Operation Iraq Liberation" first, until they figured out that the anagram was OIL, then it became "Operation Iraq Freedom" until it turned out that nobody was "freed" and then after a gazillion other names they tried "Operation Imposing Law" for the 'surge" but they ran into that OIL thing again, so last week they unveiled....
OPERATION ARROWHEAD RIPPER~!!!!!!! (Which spells OAR, which is what Chimpy finds himself lacking whilst being up a creek).
Seriously. It's like they got the writers from "Get Smart" to come up with a corny title.
Why don't they just call it by what it is?
"Operation More of the Same in order to cover W's lame ass".
The argument from the dissenters is not that global warming is happening, it's the rate that they believe that it is. For the most part that is. That's usually buried in paragraph 7 or 8.
****
gnois, that's the crux of the problem. No one really knows for sure - it may be happening slower than thought or way faster. The evidence of large ice masses melting way faster than expected implies it's actually way worst than the models predict!
Chimpy is a fool cutting funding for NOAA and NASA in this area. We need to continue making measurements to get better at the predictions. Otherwise, we just may get clobbered way sooner than expected.
Impeach Chimpy for ... just being criminally stupid!
I'll vote for Hillary if she's nominated...but she better move away from globalization before it makes her look unAmerican to too many Independents and moderates.
Posted by SandyH on June 25, 2007 at 04:37 PM
****
Hi Sandy, at this point, it's foolish for any Democrat to cling to the notion that globalization is a win-win. Many economists from the Clinton era, including Krugman, not agree that it's a net loss for the United States (though not all are up to recommended a solution at this point).
I think Hillary would be wise to sever her relationship to the Robert Rubin gang who pushed globalization so hard. She must bring in economic populists into her campaign.
Posted by gregg on June 25, 2007 at 04:03 PM
DAng, I wish I could see that, its' blocked here....
Here's an up-to-date financial outlook on the housing market:
Existing home sales fell 0.3% to an annual rate of 5.99 million units in May, just above the Bloomberg estimate of a drop to 5.97 million units, to a level not seen in almost four years. But the number of homes on the market continued to rise, increasing from 8.4 months to 8.9 months, which may continue to put pressure on prices. Year-over-year, sales are down 10.7%, marking the 10th consecutive price decline. Though the general trend indicates that sales are falling at a slower pace, there is nothing in the report that suggests the beleaguered housing market has bottomed.
****
Note there is no sign that it has bottomed out yet.
Bear-Stearns still in hot water because of a hedge fund invested heavily in subprime loans.
People are still debating global warming?
I guess polar ice caps melting must be a liberal conspiracy.
Afternoon all good Dems,
I'm baaaack! I had a great trip to Colorado Springs to attend my brother's sons wedding. This is the last child.
While we were at it, we had a family reunion with one of our three cousins from California. It was a great weekend.
While I was away I read an article by the New York Times about North Korea. They were going on and on about how North Korea may shut down their "nucular" power plant and they were being slightly negative as if to say "they may shut it down" and implied that "they" didn't trust North Korea.
They gave full credit to the bush cronies and not a mention of Bill Richardson who brokered the deal with the help of the Ambassador. This really frosts my patootie. Bill gave full credit to the Ambassador for working with him.
The bushits are most likely furious that diplomacy worked.
Bill was saying today on CNN Radio that we need to get our f-ing troops out of Iraq and work diplomatically with Syria and Iran to put a stop to the violence. He outlined exactly what he would do if he is elected. bush certainly will not do diddly but get us into a war with Iran and Syria.
Bill also mentioned that we missed a good opportunity to bring peace to Israel and Palestine but the opportunity was missed and the situation is a friggen mess. He pointed no fingers but we all know to whom he was referring. Even Jimmy Carter said that the Israel and Palestined problem is a mess. Carter went on to say that we missed our opportunity after the election of Hamas. Again we see a total screwup by the cheney administration. Their utter arrogance and confrontational attitude has to end.
Impeach cheney and bush now!!!
I heard on the news today that Jane Fonda has joined some impeach bush group. Damn, I hope she kicks them in the ass and gets this thing going. Our country cannot take one another year and a half of the bushit crime family.
That's usually buried in paragraph 7 or 8.
Posted by gnois on June 25, 2007 at 04:56 PM
As a thesis statement, or topic sentence?
"Vote Caging" Allegations Arise in Probe of US Attorney Firings
By Greg Gordon
McClatchy Newspapers
Monday 25 June 2007
Critics say top Justice official's '04 letter to Ohio judge was a partisan maneuver.
Four days before the 2004 election, the Justice Department's civil rights chief sent an unusual letter to a federal judge in Ohio who was weighing whether to let Republicans challenge the credentials of 23,000 mostly African American voters.
The case was triggered by allegations that Republicans had sent a mass mailing to mostly Democratic-leaning minorities and used undeliverable letters to compile a list of voters potentially vulnerable to eligibility challenges.
In his letter to U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott of Cincinnati, Assistant Attorney General Alex Acosta argued that it would undermine the enforcement of state and federal election laws if citizens could not challenge voters' credentials.
Former Justice Department civil rights officials and election watchdog groups charge that his letter sided with Republicans engaging in an illegal, racially motivated tactic known as "vote-caging" in a state that would be pivotal in delivering President Bush a second term in the White House.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/062507B.shtml
****
Aha! So Chimpy did steal Ohio from Kerry in 2004!
Impeach Shotgun
Impeach Chimpy
Impeach them now
Posted by gnois on June 25, 2007 at 04:56 PM
When my parents where young, everyone used coal for heating. My mother remembered the cloud of smoke that hung over the city...and how some many people had to go to sanatariums to get over the symptoms of TB.
My mother still had a lesion on her lungs from childhood when she died. I remember her heart and lung doctor pointing it out on an X ray once.
The coal companies back then fought the scientists, too, when they suggested that the pollution might be causing all this illness. The coal companies had their own scientists who said it just couldn't be so.
Wouldn't it be better to be on the safe side and cut back on the carbons just to see what might happen?
bbl.
Offensives Elsewhere, but Baghdad Remains Deadliest for US Troops
By Mike Drummond
McClatchy Newspapers
Sunday 24 June 2007
Baghdad, Iraq - Despite major ground-air offensives to the north and south of Baghdad, the deadliest place for U.S. troops remains the capital.
U.S. forces launched their largest assault of Baqouba, the provincial capital of Diyala about 35 miles north of Baghdad, five days ago. Since then, 29 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq - 22 of them in Baghdad, nearly all by roadside bombs, according to a tally on icasualties.org.
One U.S. soldier, Army Spec. Darryl Linder, 23, of Hickory, N.C., has been killed in the Diyala offensive so far.
But the small number of enemy captured or killed, and persistent U.S. casualties in the capital relative to those in major military campaigns in the provinces, raises questions about the efficacy of such operations.
Meanwhile, Iraqis huddled around televisions Sunday to watch Iraq's High Tribunal condemn Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali," and two other former Saddam Hussein henchmen to death for their roles in a 1988 campaign that killed tens of thousands of Kurds in the northern part of the country. Another two were sentenced to life in prison, while the charges against a sixth defendant were dropped.
Four Iraqi security officials touted the success of the Diyala campaign at a press briefing Sunday, saying about 57 insurgents have been killed and about 46 detained. The numbers are remarkably small considering 10,000 U.S.-led forces descended on the Diyala area, where al Qaida in Iraq imposed a strict, often brutal, brand of Islamic law.
Iraqi and U.S. military officials conceded most of the enemy fighters got away. Last week, these same officials talked of enclosing al Qaida forces to prevent them from escaping.
"Their method of fighting is by going," said Gen. Salem Karim al Utbi, who heads the Iraq Army 5th Division. "Once they feel threatened by Iraqi troops, they flee."
U.S. forces dominated the initial Diyala assault, code-named Arrowhead Ripper. Iraqi forces joined later, but the U.S. military still dominates the operation. By appearing without American military officials, Sunday's press conference - beamed to Baghdad from Baqouba - may have tried to suggest Iraqis now are leading the charge.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/062507E.shtml
****
We don't need to wait until September. The "surge" is a lie, fraud and mass deception.
Start the impeachment proceeeding on Cheney
AND THEN
Impeach Chimpy
Cheney doesn't even know if he works for the Senate or the President.
He certainly doesn't work for the American People.
Suppressing the Vote
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-06-25 21:04. Elections | Evidence
By Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation
Thanks to rigorous work by the Brennan Center for Justice and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, it is clear that the US. Attorney scandal – as outrageous as it is on its own – is part of a much broader effort by the Bush Administration to use government institutions for partisan gain.
In their report – Using Justice to Suppress the Vote – the two pro-democracy, pro-civil rights organizations demonstrate that the Administration used federal agencies charged with protecting voters' rights to promote voter suppression, influence voting rules, and gain advantage in battleground states. This was achieved through a four-pronged strategy: dismantling the infrastructure at the Department of Justice; fomenting a fear of rampant voter fraud (which has subsequently been disproved – it actually occurs "statistically…about as often as death by lightning strike"); politically motivated prosecutions; and restricting registration and voting.
The actions of two Bush appointees who recently testified on the Hill – Hans von Spakovsky and Bradley Schlozman– are illustrative of the effort to restrict voter turnout in a manner that favors Republican candidates. In January 2006, von Spakovsky was given a recess appointment to the Federal Election Commission (the agency charged with enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act – he's now having one helluva time in his confirmation hearing). Prior to that, he worked for three years as the appointed Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division at Justice.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23974
****
From Katrina, read on, read on and then
contact your Rep. Ask them to support HRES 333 - the impeachment of Cheney.
He certainly doesn't work for the American People.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 05:11 PM
****
Thene there is only one choice - impeach Cheney now!
Where is America's political power today? It is not in either political party, a look at both presidential and congressional approval ratings shows this to be true. America's political power is concentrated in with Americans, those fed up with business as usual.
He, or she, who motivates this majority has power here in America that has not been seen in generations. This is people power, as opposed to the institutional power being drawn upon now by politicians. Unlike institutionally drawn power, this power makes it possible to accomplish great things. (Institutional powers have merely delivered the appearance of greatness, much like Iraq.)
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 05:07 PM
That's okay Johnny, it's still progress. At least we are past the days where they would put all of us global warming believers on trial for heresy.
Dana Perrino is flipping and flopping on Cheney's claim that he's the President of the United States Senate.
What a laugh.
Obama voted to REINSTATE THE PATRIOT ACT!!
give me a break with Obama
he's not change
not really
Posted by Dawnie on June 25, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Thank you for the update, Dawnie. I had not heard of this yet. It will be considered.
Posted by SandyH on June 25, 2007 at 05:09 PM
Sandy, that's the origin of "Spring Cleaning". Peoples' houses and possessions were so soot covered after a winter of burning coal and oil that they used to haul EVERYTHING outside as soon as the weather broke to air it out, and scrub the walls and ceilings inside.
He certainly doesn't work for the American People.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 05:11 PM
Dick Cheney is showing us how to use the office of the Vice President as a cog to promote friendly alliances between one's most revered business associates. Furthermore, I might add, he's doin' a helluva job...
Bush to Host Putin, Americans to Protest
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-06-25 20:15. Activism | Impeachment
Thousands expected to protest while Russian leader is in Maine
By Karen Dandurant, Portsmouth Herald
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — A protest march next month, planned to coincide with President George W. Bush's meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expected to draw a crowd of thousands.
The protest march and citizens summit will be held at 1 p.m., Sunday, July 1, at the Village Green on Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport. The rally will be held rain or shine, and is being organized by The Kennebunks' Peace Department and the Maine Campaign to Impeach. Event coordinators are Kittery businesswoman Jamilla El-Shafei of the Peace Department and Deborah Gordon of the Maine Campaign to Impeach.
Rally participants will call for the impeachment of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, and for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
"When Bush is coming in my backyard, I feel I have to hold him accountable," said El-Shafei. "He and Cheney need to be impeached. This is a perfect opportunity to let national and local media know we do not stand with this president. We do not support his foreign and domestic policies. He has caused death and destruction from Iraq to (Hurricane) Katrina. His actions are unconscionable. In my opinion, he makes the Nixon administration look like the Hardy Boys. It the most scurrilous bunch of crooks in the history of the American presidency."
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23973
****
Impeachment of Chimpo and Shotgun from Maine to California. The people of this nation want these criminals out.
gnois
I think the world has been here for four billions years and has seen volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, continental shifts, mountain ranges and island built. It has seen meteors the size of a locomotive slam it. Tidal waves, monsoons, tornadoes, and a whole slue of natural events that over time has shaped the face of this planet. And in all that time, the planet is still here and will be until the sun goes out.
Is there global warming right now? Yes. Is it part of a cycle? Maybe. Is it caused by humans? Maybe that as well. Can we really predict what the weather is going to be like accurately in a week let alone ten years or twenty or a hundred? We're not even close to that capability right now.
If we really want to change the environment and reduce pollution, we have to have a world-wide massive change in infrastructure and the way we manufacture goods and transport them globally. How much will that cost? Is China going to get on board with the Kyoto accords to reduce emissions? Are they going to stop driving? Are we?
I'm saying this as someone who has never driven or owned a car that gets less than 30mpg. But, I'd rather be driving a hydrogen car or an electric. But even if somebody came up with one that I could afford, will there be filling stations on every corner to fill up? Will there be outlets in every parking structure to recharge a battery? If we suddendly came up with truly clean burning electric power, can we produce enough to supply the needs of the nation? Has somebody come up with a way to recycle that doesn't just use more energy? Has somebody come up with cooling units for refrigeration and air conditioning that doesn't cost more to purchase and that lasts as long as our current technology?
These and more are all questions that nobody has the answer to, and maybe instead finding those answers will solve the perceived environmental problems of the world.
SandyH,
When I was young my parents used coal in San Francsico in the early 1940's. We were fortunate that the climate was such that we didn't get an inversion layer causing a buildup of coal smoke.
I do remember in Germany as late as 1961 they were using coal to heat homes. On January 1, 1961 I was heading for the train station in Heilbron. It was early morning and the city was covered in this smoky, smelly, thick shroud of coal. I remember at the time thinking that this would be bad to breath all the time. I can imagine what your city was like.
I agree that we should take the path of safety and cut our emissions. If we don't, we may eventually suffer from black lung.
rjsnj,
Cheney's loose interpretation of his executive powers is going to be the straw that breaks the GOP's back.
His claims are going to make him look like a senile old war-profiteer when it's used against the GOP during the 08 election.
Marine,
Both Clinton's chose to ignore intelligence regarding Iraq? Hillary bought the flawed "intelligence" from the Bush administration as Senator, but what did President Clinton ignore? It was President Clinton that pre warned our present misadministration about al Qaeda's threat to strike within the US.
Whatever.
I, too, think it is time for new blood in the White House, however, if Hillary wins the Democratic nomination I will support her bid for president.
--Live long and prosper!
--"Home is to security, as opportunity is to prosperity." D.A. Semans
Posted by davidual on June 25, 2007 at 03:10 PM
Wrong. Senator Clinton was well aware of the testimony provided in 1998 by a United Nation's Weapons Inspector stating that Saddam lacked both the capability to manufacture weapons of mass destruction and the weapons themselves in any threatening quantity. Then she fails to look into the matter thoroughly before giving George Bush the authority to invade Iraq.
You only think that all is well here. It is not.
America's political power is concentrated in with Americans, those fed up with business as usual.
*****
That's why I turned to impeachment as the only answer to the tyranny of Cheney and Bush. The people must push for these criminals to be removed.
John Dean: Let me tell you the fastest way to get [Dick Cheney] to comply. Cut off his salary. Cut off his salary for all of his staff. And the Congress has the power to do that.
DPD,
I have often wondered how the term "spring cleaning" originated. That explains why we never did spring cleaning in San Francisco.
His claims are going to make him look like a senile old war-profiteer when it's used against the GOP during the 08 election.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 05:22 PM
****
JohnnyBoswell, I have been waiting for Bush-Cheney to get completely stupid and overtly cross the line. I believe Cheney has done so with his assertion that he is not part of the executive branch and is not subject to oversight. I think he has left us with no choice except to impeach him. HRES 333 - impeachment of Cheney - we need more Reps to sign on!
Posted by Marine on June 25, 2007 at 05:14 PM
Absolutely, Marine, however, the conundrum comes in with how to harness the great power in which all the masses inherently possess. As long as they remain splintered, or disenfranchised, the power remains moot.
Just curious:
I had a great trip to Colorado Springs to attend my brother's sons wedding. This is the last child.
Any chance the son's name was Joe and the Dad's name Mike? If so, that was my son as one of the ushers...If not, oh well.
Moses posted,
I think the world has been here for four billions years....
Is there global warming right now? Yes. Is it part of a cycle? Maybe....
Are you part of the right-wing of the Democratic Party?
With your support of Thompson, character assassinations of the Clintons and your dismissal of global warming, why don't you just join the Republican Party and stop fooling yourself.
Here we go with that "predict the weather" dodge. CLIMATE is NOT WEATHER!
We live in the Northern Temperate Climate Zone, NOT the Northern "Boy is it HOT today Zone".
If the CLIMATE of a region changes (which it IS) the plant and animal life (i.e. the "ecosystem") is adversely affected.
That can NEVER be good.
Cut off his salary for all of his staff. And the Congress has the power to do that.
****
We can do that. But, even better would be to proceed on HRES 333 - impeachment of Cheney. It's on the table!
Moses,
The son's name is Jon and the dad's name is Allan, my brother. They were married in the landmark chapel at Colorado College. I did notice that there were three weddings scheduled on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Impeachment Radio
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-06-25 13:29. Impeachment
Catch Rocky Anderson talking impeachment today on http://www.democracynow.org
Dick Cheney is a "Rogue Nation" [VIDEO]
Posted by Adam Howard at 5:00 AM on June 23, 2007.
Dick Cheney's decision to exempt himself from the laws of America can mean only one thing, that he is a nation unto himself.
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In the video to your right, Keith Olbermann deduces that since Dick Cheney insists that he is not subject to the laws of the Executive Branch and since he is not a legislator or a judge, that he must be a "rogue nation" and we should "invade him". While this recent Cheney attempt to prove he is above the law is so ridiculous that it's amusing at first, until you realize that he's completely getting away with it.
You only think that all is well here. It is not.
Posted by Marine on June 25, 2007 at 05:23 PM
No, I do not think that all is well here. But I do remember the climate after 9/11/2001 throughout the country, and the so-called intelligence used to promote the invasion of Iraq in 2002 - 2003.
I just saying that if it comes down to Hillary and you-name-the-republican-candidate, I would choose Hillary in a Cheney heartbeat.
By the way, the issue of terrorism is unrelated to the crisis in Iraq, or at least was until the Bush administration came along and invited Al Queda into Iraq. For this reason, I chose to ignore the part of your comment citing a warning of imminent threat posed by Osama bin Laden. I'll address that here.
The specific threat, involving the use of airliners as tactical weapons was prevalent throughout most of president Clinton's time in office. Steps had been taken to reduce this threat, steps that ultimately would not be fully implemented due to a lack of political popularity. These steps would have seen security measures at American Airports increased to prevent the types of hijackings that had been more popular in the Middle East. Prevention methods were based upon those used successfully in that region.
Yes, Bush was warned of this threat just as it became most concerning. The problem I have however, is that both administrations fail to take into account key pieces of information that have proven fatal.
President Clinton ignored the testimony of that United Nations Weapons Inspector and Bush ignored a CIA warning regarding the threat of an airliner hijacking/airborn missile strike.
The Bush administration took advantage of Clinton's oversight. It allowed them to force us into Iraq. Bush failed to act on intelligence provided that could have prevented 9/11.
rjsnj,
I believe that Cheney would deserve to be impeached just as anyone on this blog.
However, what's more important is getting rid of the Republican Party from any real government power.
Cheney in my mind is only part of the problem.
The real problem is the Republican Party and the neo-con movement of self-serving interpretations of the Constitution with reckless disregard.
rj,
I am pleased that Rocky Anderson is still pushing for impeachment. This guy is going to go places if he can pull it off. I like his style.
What's the matter Johnny, the truth and Bill and Hillary hurt? And where have I engage in character assasination of either? By saying that I won't vote for Hillary under any circumstance because I don't trust her? By saying that Bill insituted roving wiretaps and tried to do away with habeas corpus when he proposed and later signed the anti-terrorism act of 1996?
And where exactly have I said that I support Thompson other than saying that I think an election between him and Obama would restore some civility to the election process? And where have I "dismissed" global warming instead of merely pointing out that I question the accuracy of the alarmist claims and the dismissal of those opposing viewpoints? The sad thing is that it seems to me that many democrats don't like being challenged in their beliefs.
Here we go with that "predict the weather for 10 days" dodge. CLIMATE is NOT WEATHER!
We live in the Northern Temperate Climate Zone, NOT the Northern "Boy is it HOT today", "Yup, strange weather we're a-havin'" "Zone".
If the CLIMATE of a region changes (which it IS) the plant and animal life (i.e. the "ecosystem") is adversely affected.
That can NEVER be good.
It's probably going to take some mass demonstrations like the "million man march" to shake Congress into action on the impeachment issue. If enough people show up and tie up Washington, DC, we just might get their attention. It might also take some mass marches in red states to shake up the repigs in congress.
I believe that Cheney would deserve to be impeached just as anyone on this blog.
However, what's more important is getting rid of the Republican Party from any real government power.
****
These are not mutually exclusive objectives. At some point, we are going to have to stand up for the rule of law. Otherwise, it makes the Dems look weak ...
rjsnj,
Last Friday the blog got into an interesting discussion about Universal Healthcare (until au-grande and the chip on his shoulder decided to chime in with anger and disgust) (who know why).
Anyway, someone said that you have done much research on the subject.
Absolutely, Marine, however, the conundrum comes in with how to harness the great power in which all the masses inherently possess. As long as they remain splintered, or disenfranchised, the power remains moot.
It can and will be harnessed. Seventy percent of the population fits this category.
Moses,
I would advise you to take a closer look at Clinton's history, you appear to be way off base.
I personally would like to see where you get he had wire taps, etc. IF HE DID, it was through the proper channels, i.e. he got warrants before doing them.
And if you are basing your Global Warming opinions without having seen Al Gore's Factual movie, I would also say you should go and rent it tonight, and come back tomorrow and debate the pictures of mountain tops 20 years ago compared to today, how you can see through Antartica now, and the rest of the info he shows. I will than be more inclined to think you know what you are talking about.
OH, and to the Republicans who took offense to the article I posted about how Charities have gone way up in collections, I just want to say, NO, there is no reference to Liberals vs Republican giving in it. IT IS JUST A KNOWN FACT THAT REPUBLICANS COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE POOR, THE ELDERLY, CHILDREN, DISABLED, VETERANS, ETC. They are fond of saying they give their charitable dollars at church. Yeah, they throw in a dollar bill on the once a month Sunday they go, and that is their BIG donation.
So, bubba, drop dead!
And where exactly have I said that I support Thompson other than saying that I think an election between him and Obama would restore some civility to the election process?
****
Moses, there is nothing civil about one Fred Thompson. I don't know why you would think so.
As I see it, Thompson would be as dirty a campaigner as Bush-Cheney.
I personally would like to see where you get he had wire taps, etc. IF HE DID, it was through the proper channels, i.e. he got warrants before doing them.
****
It was through the FISA process. I like to see the prove that Bill Clinton proposed to suspend Habeus Corpus.
By the way, what is this strange conflation of Bill Clinton with Hillary Clinton? Are we assuming that what policies Bill favored would be favored by Hillary? That simply makes no logical sense.
Moses posted
The sad thing is that it seems to me that many democrats don't like being challenged in their beliefs.
You talk about Democrats in the third person as if your not a Democrat.
What's wrong Moses, I was just challenging your beliefs.
Don't you like having your beliefs challenged?
hmmm. interesting.
The proof about the roving wiretaps and habeas corpus in the the Anti terrorism act of 1996.
And you may be right about Thompson. I really don't know all that much about him, just as I don't know much about Bill Richardson, but would find his candidacy as intriguing. I don't, however, think that Thompson - Obama race would be far less caustic than previous elections and would offer a clear choice to voters that our usual lesser of two evils elections that we've have for the past four or five times.
The Bush Cheney American W Brand
How quick American values can change,
When a nation gets a corporate label
Having adopted a Republican religion
Segregating a nation in two halves,
One in lifetime Guantanamo poverty,
Other Marie Antoinette lavish riches.
Redefinitions had a totalitarian President.
Intelligence had an Iraq Civil War Quagmire.
Citibank U.S. passports outsourced Global
Devotion to public streets, null and void,
Sold to foreign investors for profits,
American workers on chopping blocks.
Corporations own their employees
By paying them minimum wages
Fraternity Patriot Act 24/7 control,
Home sweet home monitoring,
Political Frat power broker unions,
Judas’s in mass production.
GOD, Please Bless America,
I have a Cheney W nightmare
I fear opening the door
To America’s secret domination
Becoming a master slave race
Obeying CEO’s “At Will!”
Anyway, someone said that you have done much research on the subject.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 05:40 PM
****
Johnny, I done a fair amount of research on it. I come to the conclusion that the most equitable system is a single payer universal health care system. In that sort of system the government becomes the insurer. One concrete proposal is HR676. The funding for the system comes from taxes drawn from paycheck with matching money from employers. You never lose your health care even when out of work ...
Take a Health Care Now web site:
http://www.healthcare-now.org/
There are other possibilities such as a hybrid system that allows individuals to "opt out" of the system and purchase private insurance. There are also multi-payer possibilities where prices are strictly controlled as well as premiums.
The rest of the industrialized world has figured how to provide health care at a reasonable cost.
It's never for free. Even in a socialized medicine system such as in the UK where doctors work for the government, taxes pay for the system.
By the way, the sad truth is that we could have had a single payer system in the Truman administration. Sadly, the unions convinced Dems that they could do a good job negotiating health care benefits for the rank and file. That would have a good approach but business figured out how to bust unions. Now the unions all back a single payer approach.
Let me know if you want more links, etc... I have a bunch of them.
The proof about the roving wiretaps and habeas corpus in the the Anti terrorism act of 1996.
****
Moses, can you quote sections of that bill?
Did Clinton write it OR did good ole Newt Gingrich and bunch?
So does that means all the Armed Services must have passports to travel overseas because they travel on planes, and go into foreign ports?
Posted by PamB on June 25, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Pam, that's the SAME article from 2004 that was debunked at the time due to it's apples and oranges methodology. It was comparing PERCENTAGES which are relative to income and using Church donations as "charitable donations" relative to income. Dollar wise the Blue States gave more per capita than the Red States, but as a percentage of income the Red Staters appear to donate more because they make less.
It was debunked 3 years ago. me thinks we have a representative from MN here.
And you may be right about Thompson. I really don't know all that much about him, just as I don't know much about Bill Richardson, but would find his candidacy as intriguing
****
Moses,
Here's one indication for you. Thompson just hired Tim Griffin. Tim Griffin is the attorney who just resigned due to his association with voter suppression. Mr. Griffin was into an illegal practise known as "caging". That tells me that Thompson is likely to be a very dirty campaigner. Just listen to Thompson's diatribe sometime. I think you'll be convinced he is a quack and a knee-jerk right winger. Yeah, he's on TV so people think that makes him "attractive". Do we really need anothe grade B actor as President?
Educations Catacombs
Deep inside the void of education’s catacombs
Lies dilapidated graves of Public Education
Bulldozed like a Katrina Washington remark
America is about Executive Privilege classes
Congress earmark perks of Corporate members.
Small family business null and void street dreams
Bridges going to private enterprise for profits
Elevating ruling class’s right to go to college
Bankrupting people reading, writing, arithmetic
Poverty walls that outsourced dreams overseas.
I like having my beliefs challenged, John, just not mispresented. The challenge either forces me to change my mind or strengthens my beliefs. Or it makes me question things more. What I find most disheartening, particularly on some issues, is the unwillingness to allow, or worse, the attempt to silence, dissent and questioning of the status quo.
As for me being a democrat or republican as I view the two major parties, I can honestly say that both offer me something but neither commands my blind allegiance to the party line.
Marine on June 25, 2007 at 05:35 PM
I, again, refute your criticism as I am not inferring that Iraq, or Saddam, had anything to do with terrorism ala Al Qaeda. I'm just citing the mood of the country post 9/11 through 12/2003 as the Bush administration promoted their vendetta of ousting (jousting?) Saddam's regime in a context of the war on terror, and the ill intelligence that was employed. What was the vote in the Senate for invading Iraq? For some reason 97 - 3 sticks in my mind...not sure.
All I was stating was that I would vote for Hillary over any of the republican candidates if the fianl election comes down to that.
allegiance to the party line.
Posted by Moses on June 25, 2007 at 06:06 PM
****
Party line? Didn't know there was much of a party line with the Democratic Party. You have ranges of opinion from conservative Blue Dogs to liberal Progressives. The GOP seem more like the party with a rigid party line.
It was debunked 3 years ago. me thinks we have a representative from MN here.
Posted by DPD on June 25, 2007 at 06:03 PM
****
Hmmm
rjsnj,
Thompson quit the Senate because he was burnt out and couldn't handle the pressure.
He became a pampered Hollywood actor, making millions of dollars reading 10-20 lines of dialogue from a TV script.
Now he wants to become President.
He won't even officially throw his "name" into the hat because he doesn't have the courage of self conviction to participate in nationally televised debates against his fellow Republicans.
I believe it's because he doesn't have the stamina for a long campaign. It's wishful thinking that he has the stamina for 4 years.
Guiliani has a better chance of becoming President and with Whitmann, a Republican EPA appointee, testifying against him for his 9/11 leadership, I don't think that's a real possibility either.
You don't have to convince me that Thompson is nothing more that Republican wishful thinking.
Thompson quit the Senate because he was burnt out and couldn't handle the pressure.
****
Johnny, Freddy had one of the worst attendance records in the history of the Senate. Yep, I guess it was "hard work" being a Senator.
Sounds like another coconut ... namely the Bush nut.
I don't see him as qualified or likeable in any sense of the word. What is a dead giveaway about his politics is the goof ball causes he takes up such as the Scooter Libby defense fund and his absurd attack on Michael Moore going to Cuba. Oh yeah, Freddy filmed his action while sitting at home puffing away on a cuban cigar. Is this clown for real?
Moses posted
What I find most disheartening, particularly on some issues, is the unwillingness to allow, or worse, the attempt to silence, dissent and questioning of the status quo.
Who's unwilling to allow questioning of the status quo.
The Democrats for past several years have been questioning the status quo.
The Democrats have been called cut and run cowards, tree-hugging environmentalists and unpatriotic.
Now you're claiming that there are many Democrats who are afraid of having their beliefs challenged and that anyone who challenges your beliefs is really misrepresenting your beliefs?
hmmm. interesting.
Impeachment meeting held in Ogunquit Maine
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-06-25 22:18. Impeachment
By Virginia L. Woodwell, The Independent
OGUNQUIT - Maine advocates of the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney drew an audience of about 30 to a region-wide public meeting on that subject held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, at the Dunaway Center.
The event lasted just under three hours and began with two major speeches followed by an extended question-and-answer period that involved the speakers and almost all of the attendants.
First among the speakers was attorney John Kaminski, chairman of Maine Lawyers for Democracy (MLD), a group of 70-plus Maine lawyers who organized in 2005 amid concerns about what they termed "the deterioration in the health of our nation's democracy."
In April of 2006, Kaminski said, MLD issued a detailed position paper calling for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. That paper led to the formation of an organization called the Maine Campaign to Impeach, whose chief vehicle is a website at http://www.maineimpeach.org/. Those developments led, in turn, to the presentation to the Maine state legislature on May 29 of the signatures of 11,223 Maine voters who are also now calling for impeachment. Since then, Kaminski said, 1,000 more signatures have been collected, and the number continues to grow.
I understand that you would vote for Hillary over any republican, you have made that quite clear. However, I am looking at the Democratic candidates in a search for the best out there. The prospect of Hillary Clinton as our candidate then frightens me, because she may well have allowed her vote to be manipulated by sentiment rather than the facts.
There is no getting around the fact that the Clinton administration, and all Americans, were informed in the late 90's that United Nations Weapons Inspectors did not, after extensive investigation, find either Weapons of Mass Destruction or the ability to manufacture them in Iraq. I fault those 97 Senators on this, as well as on not having drilled the administration thoroughly enough to conclude that a complete strategy for invasion and exit had been developed. This is very unprofessional, but not uncommon, sadly.
These instances of failure, and there are many more throughout the decades just as bad if not worse (Vietnam for one), are prevalent and show that a leadership flaw of greater proportions has developed here in the United States. It is this lack of good judgement that I would like to see eradicated.
You don't have to convince me that Thompson is nothing more that Republican wishful thinking.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 06:12 PM
Fred Thompson is a "Johnnie-come-lately" that thinks that he will not have a better chance to win the White House than now. His selection of Tim "caging" Griffin as his campaign manager indicates what kind of campaign and election process he would need to win. I mean, really, look at this group of republican losers. They make me think that the fundies will happily accept the Bush dictatorship (after he declares martial law before the next election) just to rid themselves of these moronic losers.
Now you're claiming that there are many Democrats who are afraid of having their beliefs challenged and that anyone who challenges your beliefs is really misrepresenting your beliefs?
****
The GOP are the ones who are afraid of the changing the status quo. If the Dems suffer from anything, it's too many differing points of view.
Moses,
Ok. Ok. If you don't like having your beliefs challenged than I'll stop challenging your beliefs.
You can support Thompson if you want and you can continue to assassinate the Clintons character while complaining about Democrats are assassinating Thompson's character by pointing out that he's a former lobbyist and you can complain that the Democrats are afraid of having their beliefs challenged.
No one is trying to silence you, especially the Democrats.
By the way, I began fighting the push for an Iraqi invasion in 1999, when it became clear to me that such a push was going to be made. This coming push was clear to me because Anthrax vaccinations, produced by a manufacturer who had repeatedly failed FDA inspection, were being pushed upon Marines. This combined with the resurgence of interest in North Korea and Iran, but more so Iraq, despite the United Nations Inspection results mentioned earlier, were enough to convince me that something was under way.
Manipulation, the type that gets us into a mess like Iraq, begins long before it is visible to the general population. Why it is not resisted by all, is a question I can not answer. What I do know is that ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.
Democrats are assassinating Thompson's character by pointing out that he's a former lobbyist
****
Well now, is it no longer valid to talk about the truth? Fred Thompson WAS a corporate lobbyist for many years. If that isn't true, I would ask those for are upset by it to produce the evidence that it's false.
davidual,
Thompson needs to "shit or get off the pottie".
As far as I'm concerned not declaring your candidacy now is a sign of political opportunism and not leadership.
Bloomberg would have a free pass as an independent, however, he said that he wasn't a candidate and he said he was going to serve out his full term.
His word is at stake and if he flip flops, not only will he lose the general election but his word will forever be tainted as a spoiler and political opportunist whose public word can't be trusted.
I noticed some not so nice comments about Senator Hillary Clinton. To those who don't like her I ask you this, would you rather another Republican win? Anyway, to those who don't know much about Hillary or for those who think you may know everything about Hillary, I asked that you watch this video in the link below and listen to listen to what former President Bill Clinton has to say about her. You may be suprised to learn things about Hillary that never even knew about before.
Have an open mind as you watch this video. Message from President Clinton President. Bill Clinton talks about Hillary's life of public service and why she's the right choice to be president. Click on link below:
Maya Angelou Endorses Hillary
Poet and author Maya Angelou speaks out about her pride in and support of Hillary's run for the White House. Watch the video:
I noticed some not so nice comments about Senator Hillary Clinton. To those who don't like her I ask you this, would you rather another Republican win?
****
Kicking, actually I have started to like her a bit more. I am still not convinced she is the best candidate but I have no problem voting for her if she wins the primaries.
Manipulation, the type that gets us into a mess like Iraq, begins long before it is visible to the general population. Why it is not resisted by all, is a question I can not answer. What I do know is that ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.
Posted by Marine on June 25, 2007 at 06:28 PM
I'm thinking it's because most times said manipulation happens behind the scenes, or is out right suppressed by the very entities that is supposed to be informing the public.
JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 06:30 PM
You got that right!!
I noticed some not so nice comments about Senator Hillary Clinton. To those who don't like her I ask you this, would you rather another Republican win?
I for one am tired of having a choice of the lesser of two evils. Evil is still evil.
My daughter just got BACK from giving blood as we speak. And she is 25 and as liberal as they get!
She's been donating blood (ON HER OWN) for YEARS! I used to until the coumadin now they won't let me.
{{{Dawnie}}}
I am O neg, and every 8 weeks like clock work, they call and sign me up to give at a nearby place. My husband goes too, and both my daughters are regular donors.
If Repubs give, it must be because the Red Cross is giving cash out for it! Greedy bas-tids wouldn't part with even blood for the needy.
Hello Democrats.
You all have been really busy today. Well over 200 posts since 7:48 AM.
My only thoughts at the moment relate to the Supreme Court decision about free speech. They ruled against free speech and even decided they knew what an ambiguous statement meant. The decision, of course, was 5-4, which is the same score we got for Bu$h.
rj, some of the problems I have with Bubba's presidency are cited in this article from the Progressive.
Another, albeit more caustic, review of his policies is here.
In the court's misguided mindset, the decision was consistent with past rulings that say that a student's free speech can be limited if the speech in some hinders the legitimate educational role of a school, that is, causes a disruption. I do not however see that in this case.
Posted by rjsnj on June 25, 2007 at 05:09 PM
Hi, rj.
We probably would be better off if we impeached Cheney. Then instead of holding all these hearings that just seem to diffuse the intensity of the Bush crime family corruption, we could consolidate them all into one.
I think the list of Cheney's offenses against the Constitution and his many sordid acts of criminality would completely blow away the American Public if they saw it altogether at one time. The approval rating for Congress would skyrocket in the polls.
So here we have a Vice President who 'ucked every Bill of Right he could lay his hands on while institutionalizing human torture and domestic spying of his own countrymen. It’s his new Anglo Saxon version of the Divine Rights of Lesser Kings and Dictators.
Let the GOP trot out the same set of lawyers they used to stop the counting of votes in Florida in 2000. A little déjà vu all over again should whip the Iraqi occupation-frustrated masses into frenzy. Off with his head and his Halliburton no-bid contracts.
His word is at stake and if he flip flops, not only will he lose the general election but his word will forever be tainted as a spoiler and political opportunist whose public word can't be trusted.
Posted by JohnnyBoswell on June 25, 2007 at 06:30 PM
Johnny,
Does anybody trust him now?
'Evening Folks...I'm not the smartest guy around, so I've got a couple of questions: was I dreaming it, or didn't Bush& Co tell us at the start of his Iraq Folly that money from the sale of Iraqi oil would pay the costs of our invading Iraq?...have we not spent close to 1/2 a trillion dollars on Bush's Folly so far?.....AND, did I not see where after all the blood, sweat, tears, the Iraqi government that Bush installed is now going to give their oil business to the Chinese?....How stupid does Bush look now?......John Boy.....
JohnBoy, you were dreaming. That NEVER happened.
P.S. It's more like a TRILLION Buckeroos, now.
Posted by PamB
If Repubs give, it must be because the Red Cross is giving cash out for it! Greedy bas-tids wouldn't part with even blood for the needy.
Hi Pammy baby...
Did you see my proxy post earlier via US_ that outlined the FACTS on how people really make charitable contributions vs their political affiliations?
According to those articles I posted links to, the more conservative citizens of this great nation contribute much more that you lefties. I hope you don't mind me bringing this to you attention again but I have formed the opinion (from reading your posted messages) that you have a rather short attention span and your retention skills are low.
I'll repost the links again if you'd like, I believe my earlier proxy post have been removed by the thought police.
Hi SandyH....glad to hears that you survived your 5 hours in the hospital...seem to remember something about a woman going to her local hospital a couple of time. Wrong diagnosis, they refused to treat her on her third visit. Her boy friend called 911 and EMS refused to transport her to another hospital because she already was at a hospital. She lay bleeding on the floor of the ER for 45 minutes and then died. I am glad you got out alive Sandy....new super staff?...not so new...my daughters boy friend got it in the hospital a couple of years ago....almost lost his arm....Like I said, glad you got out alive Sandy!.....John Boy...
DPD...thx....yeah, a trillion!...I was trying to be low key and not overstate the amount....quess it was a nightmare, not a dream....thx....John Boy....
Can Congress list somewhere all the corporate contracts? Can they list all the perks? Are they not working for our accountability. Can they list any money given to private businesses? What is the percent ration of public to private give aways?
Do you think any Democrats or the media even visits here?
We probably would be better off if we impeached Cheney. Then instead of holding all these hearings that just seem to diffuse the intensity of the Bush crime family corruption, we could consolidate them all into one.
****
Sandy,
HRES 333 is the ticket.
Check this video out:
The Bases Are Loaded
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23976
Chalmers Johnson, Dahr Jamail and others talk about the permanent bases in Iraq.
MSNBC’s David Shuster Grills A Cheney Apologist
By: Logan Murphy @ 5:45 PM - PDT
David Shuster has been filling in for Tucker Carlson and today he put the screws to Ron Christie, former aide and apologist for Vice President Dick Cheney. Watching this clip I got the feeling that I was watching a real journalist at work as Shuster not only asks Christie hard questions, but follows up and calls him on his talking points and misinformation. Christie insinuates that Cheney’s role as President of the Senate somehow outweighs the job of VP and that the only reason Cheney is refusing to comply with the law is to insure the solvency of the Office of the Vice President as if it were somehow in danger. The topic turns to Scooter Libby and Shuster wasn’t having any of Christie’s spin:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/25/msnbcs-david-shuster-grills-a-cheney-apologist/
Another day in Iraq
By: John Amato on Monday, June 25th, 2007 at 10:55 AM - PDT
AP:
A suicide bomber apparently targeting a meeting of U.S.-allied Sunni sheiks penetrated layers of security and blew himself up in a hotel lobby on Monday, killing four tribal leaders and at least eight others, police reported—The attack was among five suicide and other bombings Monday that killed at least 45 people across Iraq. In an unrelated incident, the U.S. command reported a U.S. soldier shot to death Monday in south Baghdad or its outskirts….read on
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/25/another-day-in-iraq-2/
Good Evening to all,
Have you heard the latest repugnant x-tian reich strategy?
It’s the old “Good-Guy & Bad-Guy” routine!
Bush-Cheney Bad-Guys; Nut-Job repugnant x-tian reich Good-guys!
Shrub and Blind-shot will play the bad guys and the repugnant reich will be the good-guys.
The Good-Guy Bad-Guy is just bull stench cover to reprogram all the x-tain reich pug-bots to follow the lead. They are practicing this tactic at summer camp to bring the flock back to the repugnant x-tian reich message, elect people who hate government that helps people, elect cronies to help themselves to the money, lower taxes, get tax breaks…
United States of America is my Church, if the repugnant x-tian reich want to attend this church, they need to pay their tenth!
Harpo, take your Republican campaigning and stick it in yur ear. Fred Thompson is a lazy, irresponsible suit that the Republicans want to use as a front.
We'll put that in your famous prediction colomn and see how it plays out.
Harpo posted:
Holy Moses, your missing the point. If one kid holds up a sign that says "BONG HITS 4 JESUS" and no one calls him on it then the next time it will be a couple of kids or more holding up signs of their own design even more outrageous just to top the previous event. Kids do that all the time. Are you that old you've forgotten???
That type of behavior IS disruptive to schools.
It might have been disruptive to a school if the kid did it in a school. In this case, the kid was across the street from the school, on a public sidewalk. Are you that old that you have forgotten that some kids are smart enough to know the difference? And that the Supremes aren't?
If Cheyney is part of Congress then Libby has no Executive Privilege for he is under the Congress. That means that Congress has the right investigate its own members.
Good Evening Again,
Oh, my! Oh, my, gosh! Oh, my, goodness!
A Twenty Six!!
My, my, my, A TWENTY SIX!!
Thank You!
Special Thanks to all the trolls who speak so eloquently for your president!
A TWENTY SIX in the Newsweek polls!!
THAT’S AN ALL TIME RECORD!!
Keep up the great work repugnant!
Newsweek poll taken last week showed the presidents job approval rating at 26% and disapproval at 65% with 9% unsure "of the president name!"
“We the people” in fraternity’s shams
Neglect from Washington’s power brokers
“We the people” taking over State Parties
Independent Freedom Democracy.
Individual rights, checks and balances,
National Parties decentralized,
Corporation’s Washington negated
National leaders need confirmation.
Gosh trolls, Please do a faster job of reducing the presidents poll rating. I need to start printing t-shirts with the teen numbers in approval rating.
Holy smokes - Newsweek poll show VPee Blind-Shot with a 30% approval rating!!!
No wonder the VPee is telling shrub to go fuck-off regarding his presidential decree!
If I was an Artist I would draw a bridge to nowhere. On the island I would have RIP Graves Public Education, Main Street, jobs, future, Democracy, Freedom and other. I would title it Bridge to Creative Congressional Corruption. Can someone draw it and sent it to a newspaper.
I am just David with a pebble, and all I can do is toss it among the ripples.
It's good to know that folk like Harpo and the Republican moral squad believe that divorce is totally unimportant in relationship to a presidential candidate; but that even saying you believe in gay rights makes you unfit.
What a load of crap.
For those that already know this my apologies; but "Live long and prosper," is actually a paraphrase of a line in Deuteronomy.
dick lugar, surrender monkey?
GOP senator says Iraq plan not working
WASHINGTON - Sen. Richard Lugar, a senior Republican and a reliable vote for President Bush on the war, said Monday that Bush's Iraq strategy was not working and that the U.S. should downsize the military's role.
The unusually blunt assessment deals a political blow to Bush, who has relied heavily on GOP support to stave off anti-war legislation.
It also comes as a surprise. Most Republicans have said they were willing to wait until September to see if Bush's recently ordered troop buildup in Iraq was working.
"In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved," Lugar, R-Ind., said in a Senate floor speech. "Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term."
Only a few Republicans have broken ranks and called for a change in course or embraced Democratic proposals ordering troops home by a certain date. As the top Republican and former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Lugar's critique could provide political cover for more Republicans wanting to challenge Bush on the war.
Lugar's spokesman Andy Fisher said the senator wanted to express his concerns publicly before Bush reviews his Iraq strategy in September.
"They've known his position on this for quite a while," Fisher said of the White House.
However, Fisher said the speech does not mean Lugar would switch his vote on the war or embrace Democratic measures setting a deadline for troop withdrawals.
In January, Lugar voted against a resolution opposing the troop buildup, contending that the nonbinding measure would have no practical effect. In spring, he voted against a Democratic bill that would have triggered troop withdrawals by Oct. 1 with the goal of completing the pull out in six months.
Next month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to force votes on several anti-war proposals as amendments to a 2008 defense policy bill. Members will decide whether to cut off money for combat, demand troop withdrawals start in four months, restrict the length of combat tours and rescind Congress' 2002 authorization of Iraqi invasion.
Expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass controversial legislation, the proposals are intended to increase pressure on Bush and play up to voters frustrated with the war.
It took me forever just to read through this blog this evening; but fortunately there wasn't much crap from the Repuglicans.
I'll be late getting here again tomorrow; and all the interesting stuff will be over by then.
If you go to Youtube you can see that I rated Clinton as the fourth worst president behind Bush II, Reagan, and Bush III. Clinton was too right wing for me; but he was still a lot better than the idiot in chief we have now.
howdy j. good to see you. just in time to say goodnight:)
goodnight!
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