Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon

Droning on and on. “President” Bush plans to launch another PR offensive aimed at strengthening support for the Iraq war, with more of an emphasis on the high stakes and changing nature of the battle and less emphahis on progress being made (or not being made if you want to be technical). The push will start with a speech at the annual American Legion convention in Utah and will continue-on through the 9/11 anniversary. (Great… just what our nation needs, more spin. How about giving a straight answer once Mr. Bush… or is that beyond your scope?)

Out-sourcing? Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard “Dick” Armitage has acknowledged that he was the primary source (read: fall guy) for Robert Novak and Bob Woodward on Valerie Plame’s identity as a CIA officer. (Whatever… I don’t buy that it was Armitage, but this is a nice way for the republicans to defer attention and blame towards Cheney or Rove… masterfully done there guys…)

Not a surprise. How many of you saw “President” Bush visit to Biloxi, MS, earlier this week? Would it surprise you in the least to know that this “event” was “carefully scripted by the White House” as to leave little, if any at all, possibility of the president meeting-up with anger and frustration over the admisistration’s reconstruction efforts. (This doesn’t surprise me at all, as the administration has done this many, many times, before. What I would liked to have seen is Bush getting accosted by a group of residents at the spur of the moment and then see how Bush would have responded. Personally, I think the term ‘train wreck’ would have been an apt description of that event)

Delusions of grandeur. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gave a speech earlier this week in which he alluded that the Iraq war, and all other wars, are “a series of catastrophes that results in victory.,” He then demanded that Americans give unwavering support for the war, drew parallels of nations’ attempts to appease Adolf Hitler before World War II when speaking about the dangers of Iran, and blamed the media for spreading “myths and distortions…” (Uh… okay… I think it’s safe to say that Rumsfeld is losing his mind… or, at the least, losing his grip on reality…)

The chasm widens. New Census figures show that the gap between rich Americans and poor Americans is widening. An article in the ,” the New York Times suggests that policies that give strong support for public education, progressive income tax, a higher minimum wage and affordable health care are “what have been missing” from past policies. (Wow, when the New York Times can see what’s wrong with this country and politicians can’t, then there is something seriously wrong here…)

Not a surprise, part 2. It’s almost been a year since Michael “Brownie” Brown fled FEMA and drasmatic changes and additions were promised, and yet FEMA is still trying to fill some of the vacancies in order to be better prepared for the next disaster. FEMA Director R. David Paulison (who I don’t believe has ever led any type of horse-racing association, said that hiring new employees has “been a slower process than I thought.” (Looks as though we’re still in good hands everyone; so we can rest assured… it’s so hard to express sarcasm in written form…)

Hellooooo Fascism. The gop has a new buzzword in use to describe… well, anything they don’t like. Dubya used it to re-define the global war on terror (it’s now called a “war against Islamic fascism,”) and has thrown out “Islamic fascists” as well. Also, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has been using the word in various White House briefings, Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) drew parallels between World War II and the current war against “Islamic fascism,” (he stated that both required fighting a common foe in multiple countries) and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld accused critics of the administration's Iraq and anti-terrorism policies of trying to appease “a new type of fascism.” (That’s just great, isn’t it? I’d like to ask all of them if they even know the proper definition of fascism… cause odds are, they don’t. It’s another example of this administration’s ineptitude…)

Gratuitous Op-Ed Plug of the Week. Derrick Jackson of the Boston Globe.

The saga continues. Katherine Harris (R-FL) is falling farther and farther behind her opponent, Bill Nelson (D-FL) with a margin of 63% to 20%… insert your own snarky comment now…

Take ‘em as you will…

The Weekly Rewind

It’s Friday… and since my esteemed colleague and friend Scott is on vacation this week, I’m taking over this week’s Rewind.

So… without any further ado… let’s do this thing!!

Applaud: to the fact that the GOP is losing its edge in the fundraising arena… meaning that a lot of GOP incumbents are losing the money race with their Democraic opponents. As I said earlier this week, maybe conservatives will someday learn that money isn’t everything and they may have to do good things for people in order to get re-eelcted.

Uber-Heckle: to a Louisiana school bus driver who ordered nine African-American students to move to the back of the bus to the back of the bus because the driver had designated the front seats for white children. (Pathetic… absolutely pathetic. This driver needs to not only lose her job and be sued, but she should also be hit upside the head with a very thick stick…)

Applaud: to the Christian Coalition of America for LOSING a handful of state affiliates. The organization (formed in 1989 by religious tool Pat Robertson, and formerly run by failed-politician Ralph Reed) has seen its power and standing in DC weakened in the last couple of years has now been faced with three more disgruntled state ffiliates severing ties with the group. Nice… couldn’t have happened to a more-deserving group…

Heckle: to what could quite possibly be the dumbest thing to come out of the mouth of George W. Bush (and that’s really saying something.). While speaking about the war in Iraq, he used the “unseen-progress argument” in favor of the contention that “things could be even worse”… (brilliant… that makes everyone feel better now ya schmuck…)

Applaud: to the FDA for, after a delay of three years mind you, approving over-the-counter access to the Plan B emergency contraceptive. I think it’s a good thing, and I also think that limiting access to women ages 18 and older is a good thing. That sound you’re about to hear is the collective popping of conservative’s heads…

Heckle: to the federal government’s wasting of hundreds of millions of (taxpayer) dollars by awarding 70% of its contracts for Hurricane Katrina work without any competition whatsoever… at least that’s what a new report from the House Committee on Government Reform’s minority office says and, you know, based on this administration’s handling of everything Katrina-related, I have to take the committee’s word on it…

Applaud: to France for announcing plans to commit troops to a new international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. That’s great that they’re finally getting involved, but then you read that, while France helped initiate the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire, they initially faced criticism because President Chirac said they would send just 200 troops… which then makes you have a Simpsons flashback to the episode where Groundskeeper Willie calls them “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys’”… God bless ‘The Simpsons’…

Heckle: to the asinine and inane White House PR stunt this week that featured a Katrina survivor from NOLA lauding “President” Bush and thanking him and the administration for the ‘good job’ they did in reponse to Katrina.

Applaud: to a House Intelligence Committee report that’s trying to warn the Bush Administration that the U.S. has “significant gaps” in its Iran intelligenc. The reports goes on to say that this could possibly as serious, if not more serious, as the shortcomings in its prewar knowledge regarding Iraq. Wow, that just leaves you with a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling, doesn’t it? This evidently means that Washington is, at best, ill-prepared to assess the military capabilities of Iran. (Brilliant… apparently we don’t know enough about Iran’s nuclear weapons program to plan any sort of action, or reaction, properly… I have just got to get back to work on that bomb shelter…()

Heckle: to political lip service. Senator (and 2008 Presidential hopeful?) John McCain (R-AZ), who in the past had defended the war in Iraq, has changed horses and is faulting the Bush Administration for misleading the American people. (As I said earlier this week in ‘Random Thoughts’, we at TBWA have always liked Sen. McCain. Having said that, we still see this sudden change of heart as nothing more than an election-year ploy aimed at garnering some anti-war votes)

Applaud: to states that are ignoring the droning of conservatives that Global Warming is a myth and making their own changes. California (who recently introduced legislation aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions) and Colorado are leading the fight on global warming. Now… if only the federal government could see the light… we’d be doing good…

Heckle: to the pot calling the kettle black. The RNC is attacking Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas and accusing him of using “hate-filled” rhetoric. (Wow… I don’t think the definition of “Irony” could define itself better than that statement right there…)

Applaud: to the fun that is the Katherine Harris for Senate campaign. Oh, that wacky Kathy…

Heckle: to the bubble that’s about to pop… the housing bubble that it.

Applaud: to shifts in beliefs. Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) has reversed his stance on the Iraq War and is now calling for the administration to set a time frame for U.S. troop withdrawals. Slowly, but surely, everyone is starting to see the war for the disaster it is… wonder who’s next?

Heckle: to weak arguments. An AP article earlier this week blamed Bush's back-slapping idiocy and informality on the fact that "he's from Texas.” Ok… we’ll ignore the fact that Bush is actually a Yankee and was born in Connecticut but instead focus on this argument; who cares? I don’t care if he’s from Hooterville, he’s still the leader of the U.S. and he should try and show a little decorum…

Heckle: to Pat Buchanan, who states in his new book (coming soon to the $1 rack near you) that Mexico is actively plotting illegal immigration into the U.S. as a strategy of re-conquest of American territories that were once under its control. (Mommy… make the crazy man go away…)

Applaud: to Newsweek columnist Michael Hirsh for his column this week that shows Dubya’s “failure to understand his foes.” Give it a read, it’s pretty insightful…

Heckle: to what could be the weakest ‘Liberals will lose in the future’ argument I have ever heard. Wall Street Journalist columnist Arthur Brooks wrote earlier this week that “Liberal politics will prove fruitless as long as Liberals refuse to multiply.” So let me get this straight… Liberals won’t be able to stay in power for any length in time and won’t be able to make any significant gains against conservatives because not enough Liberals are having kids???? What the hell is Mr. Brooks smokin’???

Heckle: to the inane news about Pluto not being an “official” planet anymore... and to the fact that every damn news outlet used some sort of inane Disney/Mickey Mouse/Goofy reference in their headlines... Please stop the world; I want to get off now...

Rather long Rewind this week, isn’t it… with an almost fair and balanced amount of Applauds and Heckles...

Oh well, take ‘em as you will.

Give me a Break

You can almost definitely file this one under “Bush Administration PR Stunts.”

At an event earlier this week, “President” Bush welcomed Katrina survivor Rockey Vaccarella, who had clung to the roof of his house during Katrina’s aftermath, to the White House.

When the two of them met face to face, Vaccarella lauded “President” Bush and thanked him for everything that he and his administration had done to help Katrina victims.

...

You read that right... he lauded... and thanked him...

Lauded, as in extolled, celebrated... got down on his knees and kissed his ass...

Thanked, as in showed gratitude...

He lauded and thanked them for everything that the Bush administration had done for the hurricane victims.

We’ll ignore the fact that Vaccarella thanked him...

We’ll ignore the fact that Vaccarella wished that Bush could serve four more years (Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!)...

And we’ll ignore the fact that the blogosphere believes that Vaccarella was a GOP-plant (he has run for political office as a Republican using his wealth that he has built as a highly successful businessman in the fast-food industry)...

Instead, we’ll look at the absolute banality of the stunt.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that this was a anticipatory attempt to head off any “fresh criticism” of the administration's handling of Katrina as the first anniversary of its landfall nears.

But this was an insult.

This was a slap in the face to the thousands of Katrina survivors who lost their homes and businesses and jobs AND to the loved ones of those that perished.

He thanked him.

Give me a fuc**** break...

There is no way... no way in hell... that any person with a functional brain could defend or thank the Bush administration for their actions (inactions) to Hurricane Katrina before, during and after the storm.

I know this administration does not bear total responsibility... but they deserve a lot of the criticism with the aloofness that Bush and his entire administration showed during this tragic event.

The Democrats who are calling this a PR stunt are absolutely right... and if anyone (I don’t care what political affiliation they are), if anyone, believes the crap oozing out of Vaccarella’s mouth... I worry for your sanity.

Of course... that’s just my opinion...

Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon

It’s Wednesday which means that it’s time for another rip-roaring edition of Random Political Thoughts…

Strange. THIS is more than a little unsettling… and odd. A graphic adaptation (read: comic book) of the 9/11 attacks…

What? Really? Responding to a heavy incentive package from the U.S. and Europe, Iran said it was ready for “serious negotiations” about its nuclear program. That’s all fine and good, but they still “did not agree to suspend the enrichment of uranium” by the end of August as had been demanded of them. Sort of a half-hearted victory, isnt it? who will blink first, the West or Iran. It’s a scary game of chicken…

Stagnant. Bush’s approval rating, unchanged from a week ago, is still at 36% according to a New York Times/CBS poll with 51% of respondents seeing “no link between the war in Iraq and the broader anti-terror effor.” Sigh… what more can be said about his stale and stagnant numbers that haven’t already been said?

Scary. What’s scarier than Iran with nukes? Osama bin Laden’s crush on Whitney Houston. According to Kola Boof, a Sudanese poet who allegedly had a tryst with bin Laden, “he (bin Laden) had a paramount desire for Houston” (All together now; eeeeeeewwwwwww….)

Broadening. In an attempt to expand the Democratic party's nominating process, Democratic leaders voted to add Nevada & South Carolina to the opening rounds of the 2008 presidential contest hoping that it would introduce “new voices and issues” into the race for the White House.

Fueling. Throwing fuel on the fire of speculation in regards to the identity of Bob “I’ve fallen a long ways since Watergate” Woodward’s source on Valerie Plame the AP has gotten hold of an official State Department calendar that shows former Deputy Secretary of State Richard “Dick” Armitage held a one-hour meeting (marked “private appointment”) with Woodward on June 13, 2003. (Aha… the plot thickens…)

Warming Trend. 74% of Americans are “more convinced” that global warming is a reality now than they were two years ago with the majority of those polled believing global warming has in some way influenced the summer’s heat wave (65%), severe hurricanes (68%) and other weather phenomanon.

Wayward Spending. A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis concluded that the Senate's immigration bill would boost government spending to $126 billion over the next decade with the building and maintenance of 870 miles of fencing and vehicle barriers would cost $3.3 billion alone… (Ouch… gotta love it… can’t give the working poor an increase in the minimum wage, but can dole out $3.3 billion for a fence that would make our border look like a junkyard…)

The Blame Game. Senator (and 2008 Presidential hopeful?) John McCain (R-AZ), who had loyally defended the war in Iraq has switched course now and is faulting (rightfully so in my opinion) the Bush Administration for misleading the American people. (We at TBWA have always liked Sen. McCain, but, unfortunately, this sudden change of heart seems to be an election-year mood swing egged on by the thoughts of gaining voters… of course, that’s just my opinion…)

Rapid freefall. The GOP has lost the Northeast and is in serious (and quick) danger of losing the Midwest. Naturally, a republican spokesperson is claiming that the polling numbers have a liberal bias… (Uh, sure… I don’t think it’s actually possible for an inanement object to have a bias… but it’s the GOP we’re talking about, so anything is possible…)

Illegal Ruling. In what will almost certainly become fodder for conservatives, Judge Anna Taylor Diggs, she of the federal ruling against Bush and his NSA warrantless wiretapping, is a member of the ACLU. (Awwwww, crap… )

Another one. Well surprise, surprise… republican Florida Senate candidate Katherine Harris has gone through another staffer. Political Director Rhyan Metzler is no longer with the campaign as he has been the one chosen to be thrown onto fall on the sword for last weeks hilarious “rally” (in name only) at Orlando Executive Airport.

Dubya Reading? Really? The White House has released “President” Bush’s summer reading list… (uh, yeah… okay… sure… does anyone believe this list??? Anyone? Hello??? Hellloooooooo…)

Take ‘em as you will…

The Man with the Plan?

What’s the Plan?

We’ve heard the droning on and on and on and on by “President” Bush and his message of “stay the course” in Iraq.

In fact, yesterday he “defiantly reaffirmed” the administration’s “stay-the-course” message on Iraq even as a plethora of the war’s strongest defenders (Democrat & republican) have turned their backs on supporting the war.

(Bush, quite frankly, sounded a little off-his-nut yesterday during his press conference... which leads me to offer him this advice; try de-caf...)

Now… with a little over two months before voters go to the polls and decide who shall have control of Congress, Bush said something that (I think) will follow him for the rest of his presidency:

“We're not leaving (Iraq), so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake.”

Well… okay, then… that sounds pretty damn final to me so I think we, as a nation, need to start asking some serious questions in regards to Iraq.

What is the strategy Mr. President? What is the actual plan of withdrawal?

Screw the empty rhetoric that is “stay the course”… save that for your GOP fundraisers…

We as a nation need a plan Mr. President… a plan that will bring our country the victory that you promised all those years ago.

We don’t want a plan that helps preserve your legacy…

We don’t want a plan that dumps this Iraq quagmire into the next administration’s lap…

We. Want. A. Plan.

A plan that will get us out of Iraq...

A plan that will ensure (relative) safety for the citizens of Iraq...

A plan that would cease the senseless killing of our military...

In other words... an actual plan...

Does your administration have a plan?

...

I doubt it...

The Week Ahead

A few things to pay attention to as this new week gets started...

• Keep an eye on the quickly-falling apart congressional campaign of Tramm Hudson (R-FL). Let this be a lesson for all political novices out there, when running for a political seat, don’t say things like” “blacks don’t know how to swim” … Mo. Ron.
• With the 1-year anniversay of Huricane Katrina’s landfall approaching, keep an eye on Louisiana and Mississippi as a USA Today/Gallup poll results show that 32% of Katrina victims say their lives are still not back to normal.
• Also keep an eye on the Federal government this week as we get near the anniversary. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 43% of Americans don’t think the federal government learned a damn thing learn from Hurricane Katrina and that our nation is no better prepared for a major disaster than it was before.
• Unfortunately, we only have a few more months to enjoy the antics of Katherine Harris, so keep an eye on her entertaining campaign and see the fun while you still can this week. One has to ask oneself, what’s next? What can she possibly do next to out-do anything she’s done to this point? I have faith...
• Keep an eye on our nation’s economy as we quickly approach an economic slowdown. While economists don’t think a recession is likely, we are seeing a tepid job market, a change in consumer spending and inventories are starting to rise… but the administration still says everything’s hunky-dory.
• Saddam Hussein’s war crimes trial begins this week… so keep an eye on his lawyers… from a safe distance mind you…
• Keep an eye on the voting-ego of New Hampshire. Just when you think it couldn’t get any bigger – they do something to prove you wrong. With their ego in danger of being bruised, New Hampshire’s Secretary of State, William Gardner, said that he will choose when New Hampshire Democrats vote for their Presidential candidates and not the Democratic National Committee. The DNC approved a calendar that called for New Hampshire to still retain its first-in-the nation primary on Jan. 22… three days after Nevada conducts its caucuses… so they’ll still get to have the first primary, but they’re still complaining??? Give me a friggin’ break… I’ve always disliked New Hampshire being one of the key states in nominating a president, but their constant ego is getting really, really annoying…
• Keep an eye on the presidential ambitions of Hillary Clinton (aaaaaa ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!) as Time magazine’s cover story this week does the same (saving you from doing it yourself thankfully…)
• Republicans are still losing Security Moms…
• Keep an eye on GOP discourse and dissatisfaction with Dubya as conservative pundits are now starting to pile on and speak to his shortcomings and lack of (how do we say this?) … Smarts. Just ask former Republican congressman turned MSNBC pundit Joe Scarborough.
• Pay attention to our fearless leader’s standing in the international world as it continues to fall. Next on the list to spite Bush and his cronies? Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who stated in an interview that President Bush needs to stop viewing the world “from the position of a superpower.” He then said that Vice President Dick “Deadeye” Cheney should “calm down” and stop criticizing Russian leaders. Mr. Gorbachev then tied it all together nicely by saying; “Leadership should be done not by domination, not by becoming a policeman in the world, but by being a partner.” Wonderfully put Mr. Gorbachev… nicely said… too bad it will only fall on deaf ears…
• Pay attention to Pat Buchanan and his ever-dwindling common sense as he states in his new book (coming soon to the $1 rack near you) that Mexico is actively plotting illegal immigration into the U.S. as a strategy of re-conquest of American territories that were once under its control… uh… okay… sure...
• Pay attention to the money being brought in by the Democrats and the republicans as the GOP is losing its advantage in the fundraising arena. Bad news for many republican incumbents who were relying on outdoing their opponents’ fundraising to win re-election. Maybe they’ll learn someday that money isn’t everything and that they may have to, I don’t know, do good things for people in order to win…

Take ‘em as you will…

The Weekly Rewind

Well, well, well… what do you know. It’s Friday, and that can only mean one thing…

It’s time for The Weekly Rewind!!! Whoo-hoo!

It starts… now!

…

Now!

…

Now?

There we go…

Applaud: to the fact that, seemingly, the GOP is losing one of their key demographics, a group that was seen as an integral part of their victories in 2002 & 2004. The so-called 'Security Moms' (married women with children who have grave concerns about terrorism) are switching sides and many analysts believe their change in alliances may help boost the Democrats in this November’s mid-terms.

Heckle: to something we at TBWA touched upon earlier this week. A new poll revealed (not surprisingly to many, including myself) that Americans are more familiar with the Seven Dwarfs and the Three Stooges than they are with current events and world leaders with 77% being able to identity two of the Seven Dwarfs, but only 24% being able to name two Supreme Court justices. (An article I read stated that respondents were most familiar with Sleepy and Clarence Thomas… heh… sometimes the snark just writes itself, doesn’t it?)

Applaud: to the U.N. brokered Middle East cease-fire’s (brittle) success.

Heckle: to the fact that the U. N.’s plan for 3,500 “well-equipped troops” is not going as well as had been expected as no country has agreed to send any troops yet.

Applaud: to an article in Newsweek that has the balls to ask “Why haven't we made travel safer by now?” It’s a must read…

Heckle: to attempts at politicizing the war on terror. (But an Applaud within this heckle to the fact that it’s not working) Many White House strategists are very disappointed that the foiling of the UK terror plot hasn’t bumped Dubya’s job-approval ratings. Nope, they’re still stuck in the mud – much like we are in Iraq – at 37%. (Why didn’t it do anything to his numbers? Maybe because the U.S. wasn’t very involved in the foling and that much, if not all, of the credit goes to Scotland Yard and MI5. It seems as though Bush’s strategy of taking credit for other people’s work is starting to weaken more and more…)

Applaud: to telling it like it is and now kowtowing to this administration. Twenty-one former generals, diplomats, and national security officials released an open letter earlier this week that argued that the Bush administration’s stance on Iran is undermining U.S. security. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert G. Gard said; “It’s not a crisis. To call the Iranian situation a ‘crisis’ connotes you have to do something right now, like bomb them.” (Well sure, that plan worked so damn-well in Iraq… didn’t it?)

Heckle: to just now getting it. A federal judge ruled yesterday that the tobacco companies have violated civil racketeering laws by conspiring “for decades to deceive the public about the dangers of their product.” (Well, duh…..)

Applaud: to the fact that seven northeastern states made an agreement to form the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This will be a “a model rule that would create the country’s first market for heat-trapping carbon dioxide by curbing emissions at power plants.” This announcement came at the same time that a University of California, Berkeley, study found that capping greenhouse gas emissions in that state alone “would create 17,000 new jobs and add $60 billion to the gross state product by 2020.” Add that to the news that data from more than 50 climate models has revealed a direct link between rises in global temperature and damage to ecosystems. (Excellent… but conservatives still believe it’s a myth… much like their popularity come to think of it…)

Heckle: to the return of violence in the Sudan’s Darfur region. Despite signing a peace deal, which can be best be defined as tenuous, the Sudan military appears to be preparing a major offensive. Because of that, aid workers are increasingly at risk, and the Sudanese population may have to go through the horrors of late 2003 and early 2004 again. Not to mention that hundreds of thousands of lives would be at risk.

Applaud: to standing by your convictions. Three NASA advisers that spoke-out against agency budget cuts submitted their resignations earlier this week, one of whom stated that their commitment to NASA’s science program “didn’t comport with the kind of advice that the administrator and the chairman of the committee were looking for.” (Which I take to mean that the scientsts wanted to speak their minds and the administration wanted them to be mouthpieces for the “greater good.” Wow, it certainly seems as though more an dmore people are refusing to bow down to the Bush political machine… maybe good things are on the horizon…)

Heckle: to Joe Lieberman. Just because I can…

Applaud: to rumors, innuendos… and facts. U.K. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott called President Bush a “cowboy with his Stetson hat” and said that Dubya’s progress on a Middle East peace plan was “crap”, members of the Labour Party expressed broad approval with Prescott’s (rumored) opinions. (Personally, I think he was just telling it like it is…)

Heckle: to “President” Bush… as always, just on general principles alone.

Applaud: to no-shows. In a rally that was designed and planned to show everyone that Florida Senate candidate Katherine Harris still has the backing & support of her own party (I’ll pause for a moment to let that sink in) did just the opposite (if you ask me) as none of the state’s GOP heavyhitters showed up. She blamed a last-minute change of venue; I blame the fact that no one likes her. Which theory do you think is more probable? To help you answer that, let’s review; she said there was a change in venue because a tree fell on the hangar where the event was originally scheduled to be held. Airport officials said that no hangar had been damaged by a downed tree and that the rally was held in the hangar that had been originally booked… wow, looks like my theory won…

Heckle: to what could be the most idiotic comment (and I’m including Dubya’s reference to human/animal hybrids in the SOTU) regading stem cell research… and it comes from Alan Keyes (I know, the man is a tool). Keyes said that embryonic stem cell research is the “moral equivalent of Nazi medical experiments on the inmates of death camps during World War II.” He added that the result of such research would be “new legions of humans to be enslaved and brutalized.” (Wow… where do I even begin?? The man is a fuc**** idiot…)

Applaud: to the federal judge that ruled the NSA’s wiretapping program was unconstituional and that the Bush administration has been violating FISA since it started the program. Way to go Judge Taylor… way to go…

Heckle: to Dubya for saying that critics, and the judge who ruled against the NSA wiretapping program, 'Do not understand the nature of the world.' (What the hell does that mean? Give me a fuc**** break… just when you think that Bush couldn’t say anything more idiotic and condescending… he proves you wrong. What a schmuck…)

That’s all I have for this week, what are you applauding and/or heckling this week? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Take ‘em as you will…

Buh-bye NSA Wiretapping?

Well.. it was bound to happen eventually… someone in a position that could do something about it would eventually see AND pay attention to that man behind the curtain…

That time has come…

A U.S. District Judge has struck down the NSA wiretapping program in a suit that had been brought by the ACLU (meh) and has ordered an immediate halt to the NSA’s wiretapping.

Anna Diggs Taylor rendered her verdict today, and a quick peruse of Judge Taylor’s decision shows that she has categorically AND unequivocally rejected the plethora of theories putforth by the Bush administration in defense of the program. Defenses that included stating that the President had the inherent authority to conduct the wiretaps as well as the whole “state secrets” angle they tried to cover themselves with.

Many things can be gleaned from the Judge’s decision, but some of the most obvious are that Judge Taylor found that the Bush administration's warrantless eavesdropping program violated the Fourth Amendment. From the decision:

“Accordingly, the fourth amendment . . . requires reasonableness in all searches. It also requires prior warrants for any reasonable search based upon prior existing probable cause . . . and the interposition of a mutual magistrate between executive branch enforcement officers and citizens.”

Additionaly, Judge Taylor found that the administration has been violating FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) for the last five years, again reading from the decision:

“In enacting FISA, Congress made numerous concessions to stated executive needs. They include delaying the applications for warrants . . . for several types of exigencies, reducing the probable cause requirement . . . and extension of . . . approved wiretaps from thirty days to a ninety day term. All of the above Congressional concessions to Executive need and to the exigencies of our present situation . . . have been futile. The wiretapping program here in litigation has undisputably been continued for at least five years, it has undisputably been implemented without regard to FISA . . . and obviously in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

The President of the United States is himself created by that Constitution.”

Doing it as though she was picking apart a fantasy football draft sheet (whaaaaaat???), the judge’s stance on each section of the administration's specious arguments that the Bush administration forwarded to support its unconstitutional behavior and demolishes them. Readers of Glenn Greenwald and Armando at this site will be familiar with the arguments the judge adopts. For example, Judge Diggs Taylor wrote:

Judge Taylor wasn’t done… she also took aim at the Bush administration's ridiculous arguments that the President had the authority to violate FISA via the AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military Force) and Duby’a inane argument that Article II of the Constitution provides the President the power to become a King during wartime.

What does all this mean?

Well, it’s a little convoluted (and I’m sure the administration is already working on ways to get around it), but to sum it up in simple, easy to understand terms; it’s a demoralizing (for them anyway) body-blow and a resounding denunciation of the Bush administration's attempt to overturn our Constitution.

And it should also be said that this is, in no way, the final word. This is merely the opionion of a district court and the administration is already in the process of appealing.

Having said that… it’s still an encouraging first strike on the adminstration's outrageous and unconstitutional behavior…

Is this the final buh-bye of the NSA Wiretapping?

Stay tuned…

Joke of the Day

Which, as usual, comes at the expense of republicans...

"My father was a Democrat, and my grandfather was a Democrat, and that's why I'm a Democrat."

"Why, that's no argument at all. If your father was a swindler, and your grandfather was a swindler, would that make you a swindler also?"

"No... that would make me a republican."

Thank you, I'm here all week... try the veal, it's lonely...

This Explains Everything...

This makes me worried… but unfortunately doesn’t totally surprise me.

The results of a poll commissioned by AOL and conducted by Zogby, are showing a staggeringly low-level of knowledge about politics and government but startlingly high-levels of knowledge for anything pop-culture related.

The results showed that more Americans could name the members of the Three Stooges than can name the three branches of government with 73% knowing Larry, Moe & Curly and only 42% knowing executive, judicial and legislative.

Within this same group, 77% percent could name 2 of Snow White's seven dwarfs but only 24% could name two Supreme Court justices.

Is it any wonder George W. Bush is president??

The Weekly Rewind

Ok, we are getting ever closer to the mid-term elections...

Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) have both lost thier primary bids. So two huge millstones are thankfully off the DNC's neck. (Although Joe is still spouting about terror and troop withrawl)....

However we are still dealing with high energy prices, continuing crisis in the mid-east, a do-nothing congress and an ineffective administration....

Let's take a look at what has been happening this past week, it's time for The Weekly Rewind.

Heckle: to demonstrating why he lost. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) once called using national security issues for political purposes “just unacceptable and in my opinion un-American.” Yesterday he said that a timeline for Iraq redeployment (backed by 57 percent of Americans) “will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England. It will strengthen them and they will strike again.” Let the record show that we won’t miss him.

Heckle: to still not getting it. With less than 100 days until the November elections the Republicans are again demonstrating that they just don’t get it. Demonstrating this is RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt who stated "This election will be less about a political climate that is challenging for both parties, and instead about the actual candidates and how their policies impact voters on the local level". Sorry Tracey but this election is going to be an overwhelming rebuff of the President and the administrations many failed policies, not the local politician.

Applaud: to a repeat that is hard to beat. The President’s approval rating has once again “dropped to 33, matching his low in May,” according to an AP-Ipsos poll. The majority of people who voted for Bush in 2004 (57 percent) disapprove of the job he is doing. It seems that the American public is not going to be swayed by whatever smoke and mirrors the administration tries to throw at us.

Heckle: to what part of this don’t they get. Newsweek is reporting that according to a senior aide, the President will move U.S. troops out of Iraq if the country descends into civil war. Ok, now we have to ask how much more internal struggle and insurgency has to occur before it can officially be labeled a civil war?

Applaud: to 20 percent. That is Bush’s approval rating among Americans age 18 to 24, with 53 percent disapproving. The Iraq war is a major factor with this age group and the economic outlook for these young adults is not far behind.

Heckle: to needing to actually coming up with a plan. Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday the “United States should start pulling troops out of Iraq immediately.” Ok,, John, while we agree with you on the surface, we realize that the administration created a huge mess in Iraq and we cannot just up and leave without plunging the country into a situation more dire than before we invaded. We need to get out, but we need to get out smartly.

Heckle: 1,855. That is the number of bodies that showed up at the Baghdad morgue in July. Which is a 16 percent rise from June and a 71 percent increase from January. Ok, tell me again how we are making a difference, things are getting better oh yes and how we should pack up right away and leave?

Applaud: 60. The percentage of Americans opposed to the war in Iraq, the highest number since polling on the subject began with the commencement of the war in March 2003. Also, 57 percent supported a timetable for troop withdrawals from Iraq. Timetable is a step in the right direction. I don’t think that we set the table by actual ‘dates’ but instead by ‘milestones’ or ‘events’ otherwise we are looking at a very long term troop presence which no one, Democrat or Republican wants.

Heckle: to screwing the little guy. If Congress doesn’t act to raise the minimum wage by December 1, it will be the longest stretch without an increase since the minimum wage was enacted in 1938. Just another notch on the screw the average American bedpost that has been this administrations domestic policies.

Heckle: Just what are the oil companies doing with the profits? BP announced that a major section of the Alaska Pipeline had suffered corrosion to the point of a leak 'severe' enough to force the pipeline to be shutdown. This would remove 400,000 barrels of oil per day from the nations supply. As if prices aren't high enough already, be prepared to bend over and grab your ankles at the pump. I would think with billions in profits that inspections and maintenance would be a 'no brainer', but we are talking about corporate responsibility which is about as effective and trustworthy as expecting the same from Washington.

Heckle: to color us surprised on both sides. Defenders of Ann Coulter’s “scholarship” have repeatedly pointed to the hundreds of endnotes contained in her books. MediaMatters examined the endnotes of her most recent title, “Godless,” and found them “rife with distortions and falsehoods.” Just remember it doesn’t matter how blatantly offensive and misleading you are, you can always find lemmings to support your distorted views.

Heckle: to not again. The Department of Transportation announced yesterday a “U.S. government computer loaded with approximately 133,000 drivers’ and pilots’ records - including Social Security numbers - was stolen last month.” Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?

Applaud: to Scotland Yard. A plot to simultaneously blow up as many as 10 U.S.-bound passenger jets with liquid explosives hidden in carry-on luggage was foiled with the arrest of 24 suspects, British and U.S. officials said Thursday. The suspects had planned to blow up the planes using chemicals and detonators disguised as beverages, lotions and electronic devices. Exploding them over heavily populated areas in the US such as Washington DC and New York would have potentially killed hundreds. We applaud the British authorities who were watching the suspects for almost a year gathering evidence before moving in. Just remember, it doesn't matter what party holds the White House, terror knows no politics and can happen at any time.

Heckle: to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Word is that the United Nations is feverishly working on a resolution for a cease-fire between Israel and the Hezbollah faction in Lebanon. Nice idea, but you have to get both sides to agree, that will prove to be more difficult. However even more difficult will be getting all the Hezbollah ’minions’ to abide by a cease fire. These radicals are determined not to stop until Israel no longer exists.

Applaud: to integrity. Reuters has announced that it was withdrawing all the photographs (290) taken by a freelance Lebanese photographer after a review showed that at least two images of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah had been altered. We heartily approve this action as the unquestionable integrity of journalists must remain unsoiled.

That's it for this week. I could go on, but I don't have another 4 hours to type and you, don't have another 4 hours to read, so let's leave it as it is.

Be good, stay informed.... later.

Random Political Thoughts for a Wednesday Afternoon

The Rising. with an end to the war in Iraq nowhere in sight, the percentage of Americans who oppose the war has risen to an alarmingly-high 60%, “the highest number” of opposition since polling on the war commenced shortly after its start in March 2003. (Now, to anyone with a brain, that would signal that changes need to happen… but for members of the Bush Administration and an ever-dropping number of conservatives; this means steady as she goes. All of this begs the question; was their ever a tactical plan of action/success/withdrawal in place??)

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing. Upon hearing that BP is shutting down its Alaska operations (see below for more on that), the Energy Department is (finally!) considering tapping into the nation’s oil reserves. (with all the broken promises and reneging from this administration I’m gonna throw out this caveat; I’ll believe it when I see it…)

The Fallen. The approval numbers for “President” Bush remain in freefall (granted, he has enjoyed a slight up-tick, but not a lot) and now comes word that in the 18 to 24 demographic, 20% approve of his job performance. For those of you unable to do the math (that’s what calculators are for), that translates into a disapproving number of 53%. Can anyone, anyone guess what a major factor of their feelings is??? Noone? The Iraq war… I know, shocking, absolutely shocking…

Breakdown. In case you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard, BP had to shut down its Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska after it was discovered that the pipeling had suffered “severe corrosion and a small spill.” Lovely… this is the same BOP that, back in March, was criticized for “the largest oil spill ever” in the North Slope that was caused by (can anyone guess??) a rupture in one of its corroding Prudhoe pipelines. (Way to stay on top of things guys…keep up the good work. Yes; that was sarcasm)

Drop da Bomb. Ignoring bipartisan objections (I am shocked; shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment) the Bush administration has started to produce new landmines for the first time “in over 10 years. In doing this, they’ve placed the US with some terrific company like Iran, North Korea and Burma; all of whom happen to be countries that are producing landmine weapons that had been banned by an international treaty. (Nice, it’s always a pleasure when we start taking cues from the likes of those countries… nicely done BushWhackers!)

Repeat Offender. It’s happened again! A desktop computer (a desktop? How the hell can someone “lose”a fuc**** desktop comptuer???) that contains sensitive personal data of 38,000+ veterans was “lost” (gotta love the use of that word, don’t ya?) by a Veterans Affairs Department Subcontract. (Uh… yeah… maybe, just maybe, something needs to be done about this so it can be prevented from happening again… and I’m especially concerned that this one was a big, bulky desktop and not a laptop like the first time… anyone else find this disturbing??)

Short skirt, Long Jacket. For fun (and with a tip of the hat to Think Progress for this one) let’s look at the fashion sense of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. She’s been named to Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed List. Granted, I really don’t care about fashion, but putting this in the Random Thoughts allows me to use the term; audacious renegade streak. Yes… that’s how the “magazine” described her style… audacious renegade streak… a prize for anyone that can tell me what the hell that means… and by prize I mean my esteemed thanks.

Get Back. Wondering what former vice presidential candidate and Senator John Edwards has been up to? Well, on Saturday he said the U.S. should “start pulling troops out of Iraq immediately.” He certainly is talking like someone who is eying a race for the presidency, doesn’t he?

Winds of Change. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll, a plethora of Americans are describing themselves as being anti-incumbent as we approach the November mid-terms, and the poll reflects that. The number of people who approve of the job their representative's are doing is at the lowest point since 1994 with their rep’s backing of the Iraq war a HUGE factor (are you out there Sen. Lieberman?) with performance and actions being a factor as well (can you hear me Rep. McKinney?) (There are winds of change blowing, and not just for republicans and conservatives; but for Liberals and Democrats as well. Stay tuned…)

Promises, promises. A senior Bush aide, who didn’t want to be identified, told Newsweek that “President” Bush will pull U.S. troops out of Iraq if (When? Already there?) the country descends into civil war. (As I said above, with all the broken promises from this administration I’m gonna throw out this caveat; I’ll believe it when I see it…)

Smooth Criminal. The White House will ask Congress to alter the U.S. War Crimes Act in order to eliminate the “threat” of prosecution for “political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners.” (Sigh… once again, this administration is going to try and change the law to fit their own needs… when will it stop??? Make it stop… please…)

Quote of the Week: this week’s quote comes from former Democratic Presidential candidate and retired General Wesley Clark (speaking about Joe Lieberman) “You see, despite what Joe Lieberman believes, invading Iraq and diverting our attention away from Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden is not being strong on national security. Blind allegiance to George W. Bush and his failed ‘stay the course’ strategy is not being strong on national security. And no, Senator Lieberman, no matter how you demonize your opponents, there is no ‘antisecurity wing’ of the Democratic Party.”

Here are a few really random thoughts:

• The Fed is done raising interest rates… for now anyway…
• Tom DeLay is still on the ballot in Texas… for now anyway…
• Katherine Harris is still delusional & crazy as a loon… forever…
• You can now shoot first in 15 states… just like Han Solo allegedly did.

Take ‘em as you will…

Technical Difficulties

If this posting actually works we wanted to let you know that we at TBWA are experiencing a myriad (or if you will – multitude) of technical problems with Blogger right now (posts have mysteriously disappeared or just plain-looked odd) and we will be back posting regularly when the problems have been fixed.

Sorry for the delay and thank you for understanding…

The Weekly Rewind

Hmmmmm... less than a 100 days until the mid-term elections...

Less than 900 days until Commander Cuckoo-Bananas leaves office...

And we seem to have more applauds than heckles this week...

Could it be? Could the country be shifting to the left after seeing the light AND paying attention to the man behind the curtain??

Could be... but just to be sure you know what's going on, here's this week's edition of TBWA's Weekly Rewind.

It starts... now:

Applaud: A federal judge “lashed out” at the EPA under Bush for “pursuing industry-friendly regulations at the same time it missed statutory deadlines to control toxic air pollution from small industrial plants.” How did the judge ‘lash out’ you ask? By ordering the EPA to finish it’s clean air rules by 2009, that’s how. Now that’s all fine and good, but will it happen is another thing all-together.

Heckle: to the Pentagon for saying that jets were scrambled to intercept Flight 93 on September 11th when, according to some of the officials on the 9/11 Commission, they weren’t. Members of the Commission now believe that that was “part of a deliberate effort to mislead the commission” about the lack of response to the attacks. An Applaud within this heckle for the fact that the Commission believes that the false statements may have “violated the law.”

Applaud: to seeing the light. A recent Gallup poll “revealed another upward bump in the number of Amercians (55 percent) who now want a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq in the next 12 months.” At the same time, an LA Times/Bloomberg poll found major disatisfaction with Dubya’s leadership on a plethora of reasons that include, but are in no way limited to the war in Iraq (60% disapproval) and the economy (59% disapproval). Could this be a harbinger of things to come? One can only hope…

Applaud: to the fact that the top uniformed lawyers for the US Military are coming out publicly against some of the key proviso of the new U.S. plan for special military courts. What this means is that they don’t see eye to eye with some of Bush’ senior staff that developed the plan. Wow, maybe intelligence and common sense ARE contagious… then again;

Heckle: To not getting the hint and seeing the hand in front of your face. Rebuffed in every court in the land so far, the GOP is vowing to take the court fight to get Tom DeLay off the Texas ballot this November to the U.S. Supreme Court. To that I say; give it up already guys. You screwed up. You should not have let him run in the primary in the first place, but you did, now you’re screwed and trying to back out. Too bad… so sad… let it go.

Applaud: A few members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are vowing to block the confirmation of the acting head of the Justice Department’s office of legal counsel, Steven Bradbury, in order to protest “President” Bush and his dark-of-night tactical-move of denying investigators security clearances by at squashing a probe into the NSA’s wiretapping program.

Applaud? Heckle? You decide as “President” Bush will take a 10-day vacation this year, remarkably shorter than past summer breaks in his presidency. That’s all fine and good, but it doesn’t change the fact that he takes more time off than any other president… ever. And that he was vacationing last year while Hurricane Katrina hit. Taking only 10 days should be seen as what it truly is; an attempt to bolster his image. Give it up George, the majority of us ain’t buyin’ it… And did you hear that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has canceled his vacation in order to work on the Mid-East situation? Interesting… isn’t it?

Applaud: to common sense and intelligence winning in Kansas. Whew… thanks God… Pro-science moderates “are virtually guaranteed to win back” a majority on the Kansas Board of Education after yesterday’s election, which saw two far-right conservatives defeated in the Republican primary.

Uber-Heckle: to republicans for trying to tack on a tax cut for the wealthy onto a minimum wage increase. This makes me so mad the only thing I can say is this; "Fuc**** idiots."

Applaud: to the fact that this president is the president that no one wants to be seen with. Examples: Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN) and Sen. James M. Talent (R-MO) are well-known on the Beltway as loyal Republicans. In past elections past, the've both aired commercials that feature the president. But this year there's a startling trend. Startling for the GOP at least. This year, them and many others are running for Senate/Congressional seats and are airing television ads that make no mention of Bush. Heh heh heh... and the hits just keep on coming...

Heckle: to the GOP's piss-poor attempt at spin. Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee has denounced Democratic leaders this week by alluding that they would "surrender important tools" in the fight against terrorism. Never mind that members of both houses and both parties are rallying against most of the "tools" Mehlman mentions, but instead focus on the fact that instead of telling-off the people in his own party who are against these "tools" (like he should be doing as leader of the party), he's trying to paint a picture against what all the polls are saying. It's kind of sad to see them act like this, isn't it?

That's all I have for now. I may add some more tomorrow, but in the meantime, let's keep paying attention, let's continue to make our voices heard, and let's remember that the winds of change are blowing...

Wow... was that cheesy.

Take 'em as you will...

Roy isn't coy, he's 'Blunt"

I’m not a huge environmentalist and not a particurlarly large fan of nature… my idea of ‘roughing it’ is a 3-star hotel.

Having said that, it’s clear the environmental lobby has a new nemesis; House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO).

In an article appearing in today’s Energy and Environment Daily (you can click on the link if you want, but you have to have a subscription to read the article, so it may be a moot point) Blunt states that if he stays “in power” (who does he think he is? Fidel Castro?) after the mid-term elections in November, there will not be any action on global warming… ever… for the entire 110th Congress… as long as ‘he’s in charge.’

Nice…

What that means is that there will not be ANY global warming mandates.

Ever.

His reasoning? He thinks “the information (about global warming) is not adequate yet for us to do anything meaningful.”

Uh… yeah… sure…

Let’s review some things about Global Warming;

• thousands of scientists agree that global warming is actually real and is a serious threat to our planet.
• Humans ARE responsible for much of it
• If steps to combat it aren’t taken to lessen greenhouse emissions, there will be consequences… extremely serious consequences

But Sen. Blunt (who may have smoken some ‘blunts’) doesn’t believe any of the “hype.” He thinks it’s all posturing by the environmental lobby and things aren nowhere near as bad as some people say.

Ok… how about the fact that sixty-one members of the House, including Iowa’s Jim Leach – who is a Republican – gasp!, comprehend the threat of global warming and have co-sponsored the Safe Climate Act designed by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).

That bill is a practical attempt aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (see more about the Safe Climate Act HERE)

I’m a smart man… but can someone explain something to me that I just don’t get?

There is nothing in the Bible about Global Warming (unless it’s the missing commandment; 'Thou shall not interfere with the emission of greenhouse gases') , and there is nothing about global warming that empowers terrorism.

So why do republicans and conservatives have such a lax view of global warming?

Is their primary objection the fact that it might cost a lot of money? If you consider risk and do a modest cost benefit analysis (whoo-hoo! CBA’s!!) and include the risks, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

Screw it; maybe instead of building a bombshelter and wait for the mid-term elections, I should just build a rocket…