The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Late morning… but here ya go;

• The Feds are going forward into their investigation of Sen. Ted “Tubes” Stevens (r-AK) and they ARE using the whole fist…
• Vice President Dick “President” Cheney gave an interview to CBS Radio yesterday where he gave his support to AG Gonzales (big surprise right) while arguing that Gonzales’ credibility is not damaged and also said that he disagreed with the jury's verdict in the Scooter Libby trial… Libby was Cheney’s former ass-kisser COS. (So tell me Dick… what color is the sky in your world?)
• The people that said new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown won’t be a Bush-lapdog like Tony Blair may have been mistaken as the two, in their first meeting, strove to keep a unified front over Iraq… (no word if Brown slobbered all over Bush like Blair ever did…)
• No Child Left Behind is up for renewal… if you want more on it, go to the Cato Daily Commentary HERE. Yes… I’m pointing you to an op-ed by the Cato Institute…
• Is a split among Democrats in the House about Iraq war strategy a possibility if Gen. David Petraeus gives a good report in September? House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) believes so… and he wants his fellow Dems to tread lightly until the report is delivered… (Hmmmm… part of me thinks that he could be right, part of me thinks that he’s been brainwashed by Lieberman…)
• And have we mentioned? That more people under the age of 30, 65%, are “paying at least some attention” to the incredibly-early 2008 presidential campaign. ” The numbers, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll, are up dramatically from July 2003, when a scant 36% of those under age 30 were paying attention. (That’s all fine and good, but my question is this; can it sustain all the way to the election. We’re 15 months away from the election, and the campaigning has started earlier this year than ever before. Will people, not just under 30 mind you, get tired of the campaign and tune out? It’s possible, so stay tuned…)

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

Another week begins…

• Charlie Rangel (D-NY) is saying what many of us are thinking. Despite the, in his words, “pervasive corruption,” within the White House he wouldn’t want President Bush impeached. Said Rangel; “God forbid! I would vote against impeachment of Bush too because the corruption of the Vice President Cheney would even be worse.” (True… very, very true… and bone-tingling)
• Apparently Alberto Gonzales’ has always had trouble with the truth… (I know… you’re shocked…)
• Just in case you needed more proof that this administration politicizes everything… a 2006 surgeon general's report called on Americans to help tackle global health problems was kept out of the public’s eye by a Bush political appointee, who had absolutely NO background or expertise in medicine or public health, because the report didn’t promote the administration's policies…(I don’t think anything else needs to be said…)
• The FCC is set to rule on the rules for the auctioning of $15 billion of public airwaves, a decision that will drastically alter the nation's cell-phone industry… stay tuned and pay attention…
• And have we mentioned? That republicans are refusing to come to the aid of AG Gonzales… even on conservative-backed Fox “News”? On Sunday, Fox host Chris Wallace revealed that no conservatives would come on the air to defend Gonzales after his second disasterous appearance on Captiol Hill. Hmmmm, he seems to have lost the support of his own party… maybe, just maybe, he should consider stepping down… just a thought.

The Weekly Rewind

Applaud: to the coalition of injured Iraq war veterans that have filed a class action law suit charging outgoing Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson of “breaking the law by denying them disability pay and mental health treatment.” The lawsuit asks the federal court to “order the VA to make immediate improvements” that would, among other things, speed-up the payouts for disability, ensure fairness in the award of disability payouts as well as providing more complete access to mental health care… (Veterans are heroes, and should be treated as such. To make them go through this crap when they’ve already been through so much is both sad and pathetic)

Heckle: to Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales. Do I really need to re-hash the reasons??

Applaud: to the Senate for approving antiterrorism legislation stemming from a few of the recommendations of the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission. (It’s a start… it’s definitely a start…)

Heckle: on so many levels to the US embassy in Iraq. Besides the fact that it “epitomizes to many Iraqis” the worst of the US tenure in Iraq, it might have also been built with slave labor. During testimony before the House Oversight Committee earlier this week, Rory Mayberry, a former subcontract employee of the firm overseeing the construction, said that he thinks that at least 52 Filipino nationals had been kidnapped to work on the embassy project… click HERE to read more via ThinkProgress. (If true, an immediate criminal investigation needs to be launched… though that will do little to change Iraqi’s views of it…)

Applaud: to the plurality of Americans that are finally starting to see the light. According to a new UPI-Zogby poll, 80% of Americans believe that the “Iraq war has hurt the United States’ standing” around the world. (While it’s a heckle that our standing has fallen this dramatically, I have to applaud that more people are finally starting to realize what this administration has done to this country….)

Heckle: to talking out of one’s ass. Earlier this month “President” Bush stated his commitment to his escalation plan, saying “I’m going to remind the people in the audience today that troop levels will be decided by our commanders on the ground, not by political figures in Washington, D.C.” All fine and good, but the DC Examiner made an excellent point earlier this week that “a bunch of arm chair generals in Washington” from the American Enterprise Institute “almost single handedly convinced the White House to change its strategy” on the Iraq war… (so which is it Bush… who’s deciding what happens in this war? The “commanders on the ground” or “political figures in Washington?” Inquiring minds want to know…)

Applaud: to not falling for the spin. A few months ago, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote an op-ed piece about Lebanon… and when she shopped it around for publishing, no one wanted it. The State Department’s director of media affairs Price Floyd, said that the piece was “littered with glowing references” to Bush’s “wise” leadership and that the op-ed “read like a campaign document.” (Nice…way to sticl up for non-politicalization there)

Heckle: to even more republican and White House oppositon. At first a lot of republicans were all for the Farm Bill that would have helped struggling farmers… but then they found out that the Democrats’ proposed legislation would have been paid for by taxing US companies who hide profits in offshore subsidiaries… and then the support quickly vanished not only from House republicans, but the White House as well… and I think we all know why…

Applaud: to more plurality of Americans starting to see the light. According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, “public animosity” for Bush has hit an historic high, with 65% of Americans disapproving Bush’s job performance. The fun fact, along with the fact that Bush has “endured bad numbers” longer than any other president besides Harry Truman, is that the only president to “exceeded that level of public animosity,” was Richard Nixon, who hit 66%… four days before resigning. (Too bad George can’t get the hint that a majority of America is trying to tell him…that it’s time to resign)

Heckle: and scary as Hell. The New York Sun published an editorial a few months back called “Cheney’s Chance” that encouragied him to jump into the presidential race (eep) and now that same editor, in his review of Stephen Hayes’ new biography of Cheney, has trotted it back out saying that he believes the Hayes book is part of an effort by Cheney to “drum up support for a potential campaign run.” (Oh good God noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!)

Applaud: to the Senate for passing the “Wounded Warrior” bill that would, besides overhauling military health care, see an increase of troop pay by 3.5%.

Heckle: to elected officials in Alaska apparently not getting it. First you have Sen. Ted Stevens (r-AK) being investigated, now there’s word that Rep. Don Young (r-AK) is embroiled in an “expanding federal criminal investigation involving an Alaska oil company and state elected officials.” (I don’t quite know which way my snark should go on this one. I don’t want to make fun of Alaskans, but good God… two of your elected officials are being investigated for corruption, is there something in the water or are Stevens and Young simply putzes that don’t know any better?)

Applaud: to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). After he read an op-ed in the July 21st edition of the Washington Post called “The Phony Debate,” he decided to write a letter. In the letter, Mr. Reid responded to the paper’s opposition to the Senate’s recent all-night debate on Iraq. Said the letter; “On reading the July 21 editorial ‘The Phony Debate,’ it became clear why The Post’s editorial writers have been such eager cheerleaders for the Bush administration’s flawed Iraq policies — the two share the same disregard for the facts en route to drawing dubious conclusions.” (Well said Mr. Reid… very well said…)

Heckle: to gop presidential candidate Mitt “Rhymes with twit” Romney. It seems that he thinks the upcoming CNN/YouTube debate is too undignified for him to attend. (Uh… yeah… way to knock something obtainable by the masses there Mitt. How ya think missing a debate is going to go over with your supporters?)

Applaud: to Sen. Arlen Specter (r-PA) for not only laying the smackdown on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales earlier this week but also for announcing his plans to review Supreme Court justices’ John Roberts and Samuel Alito’s Senate testimony in order to “determine if their reversal of several long-standing opinions conflicts with promises they made to senators to win confirmation.” (very nice Mr. Specter… though I think I can help you with the latter with my unique brand of answers… YES)

Heckle: to the Department of Agriculture. According to a new GAO report, they sent $1.1 billion in farm payments to more than 170,000 dead people over the course of seven years… and 40% of those payments were to people who had been “dead more than three years.” (Wow… that’s all I can say about that is… wow…)

Applaud: to Defense Secretary Robert Gates for issuing an apology. In yet another letter to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Gates apologized for Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman’s recent attacks on her. Writes Gates, “I emphatically assure you that [the Defense Department does] not claim, suggest, or otherwise believe that congressional oversight emboldens our enemies, nor do we question anyone’s motives in this regard.” (I still believe that Edelman acted so-far outside the authority of the Pentagon that he should be relieved of his duties. Partisan or not, the letter he sent to Ms. Clinton was wrong… and I applaud Mr. Gates for knowing that it was wrong – or at the least knowing it looked wrong – and attoning for it)

Applaud: to the possible end of nepotism in political campaigns. Under a bill approved by the House this past Monday, members of Congress would no longer be able to put their spouses on their campaign payrolls and would also have to disclose any other immediate family members employed by the campaign. (while I’m sure a lot of them will find ways around it, the fact that they’re trying to outlaw it is rather refreshing…)

And TheHill.com has devised a list of the 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill… yes, you read that right… I’m not quite sure if that should be applauded or heckled, so I want all of you to click on it and let me know your thoughts…

That’s all I have, take ‘em as you will…

The Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Friday, ‘nuff said.

• The Alberto Gonzales Affair (aka; AttorneyGate) is not going away as FBI director Robert Mueller told Congress yesterday that the surveillance program was subject of debate within the Bush(whacked) administration, which directly contradicted Gonzales’ earlier testimony. (The fact that Bush continues to stand behind Gonzales shows just how little regard he has not only for the law, but for Congress and, in a broader spectrum; the country. As I’ve said before; Gonzo needs to go-zo. The sooner, the better)
• Forcing White House COS Josh Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers to talk may be more difficult than Congress expected…but then again, maybe not… but then again, it may be… but then again… well, you get the idea. This isn’t going to be resolved quickly, so stay tuned…
• It seems like the Democrat presidential campaign has officially started as Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) have started arguing about a fleeting debate question… that has so-far culminated in Mr. Obama saying that Ms. Clinton’s position on meeting with the leaders of hostile states is like that of “President” Bush and “Vice” President Cheney… (So in other words, they’re sniping at each other rather than sniping at the republican candidates. Though comparing her to the Bush-Dicks has to hurt…)
• Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is still trying to appease Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) after Pentagon policy chief Eric Edelman harshly criticized Ms. Clinton’s after she wrote a letter asking Mr. Gates for a briefing of troop withdrawal plans and Edelman sent a letter accusing her of reinforcing "enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies" by discussing a timetable for withdrawal. In his attempts to spin he has said that he is personally engaged in the development of drawdown plans… he then went on to say that those efforts constitute a "priority" for the Pentagon… (My question is; did anyone tell the White House that this was a priority? Cuz it sounds as if they’re planning on keeping an eternal presence in Iraq…)
• And have we mentioned? That republicans in the beltway are scared shitless worried (as they should be) that their political fortunes haven't changed one iota since last years mid-terms and that they could lose “even more seats” as well as the White House… (Wow… it’s hard to stifle my Emperor Palpatine laugh on this one… but we must exercise caution… lest we screw ourselves out of these opportunities that I think are highly possible… and likely…)

The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

The week is drawing to a close…

• The Alberto Gonzales train of treachery continues…and now Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is pondering a perjury investigation… (ponder no more Senator… just do it. It’s a moral imperative). This comes on the heels of an AP report that a four-page memo sent by then-National Intelligence Director John Negroponte in May 2006 confirms that a March 2004 White House intelligence briefing for top congressional leaders was on “the Terrorist Surveillance Program” even though Albatross said earlier this week that the White house briefing was about “other intelligence activities.” (And the lies continue to grow. Why is this man still the AG??)
• Are the Democrats starting to grow some balls gain some courage? Democratic leaders in Congress want to raise Congress's rock-bottom approval ratings and at the same time drive an “ideological wedge” through the republican Party on domestic issues… here comes the legislation…
• There have been recommendations to simplify the military’s convoluted health-care bureaucracy and overhaul the veterans disability system as well. The recommendations came from a presidential commission (that included, among others, former gop Sen. Bob Dole and President Clinton’s Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala) that was looking into the care given to wounded U.S. service members. “President” Bush is on record as saying that his administration will “look at every one of these recommendations” and will “implement them.” (I’ll believe it when I see it…)
• And have we mentioned? That “President” Bush has his veto crayon out again? This time over a multiyear farm bill that the Dems had (surprise, surprise) locked in with a tax increase that almost instantly drew not only the veto threat from the White House but the departure of a handful of republican supporters… (Is it just me, or is this Congress starting to behave like the previous ‘do-nothing Congress’?? Someone needs to get their ass in gear and start governing… lest we allow the White House to do everything and fall further into the abyss…)

Poll Positions

There are some new polls out, and they continue to show waning support not only for the Iraq war, but “President” Bush as well.

While American Research Group’s new poll shows Bush’s approval at an itty-bitty 25%,with his disapproval at a staggeringly high 71%, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll gives Bush’s approval above the Nixon Line (soon to be re-named the Nixon-Bush Line) at 33%, with 65% disapproving.

But let’s not get too excited just yet… while the numbers for the President are slipping further and further into the abyss, so too are the numbers for Congress, primarily due to their incredible inability to end the war.

35% said they approve of the way congressional Democrats are handling the situation in Iraq, with 63% disapproving… but Bush is not the answer either, as the poll then goes on to show that 55% of those surveyed trust Congressional Democrats to fix the Iraq war problem, and a scant 32% trust President Bush to do it.

Why?

Because Bush is too damn stubborn… or, in the words of the poll, 80% of Americans see Bush's stance on Iraq as too rigid as he has downright refused to listen to other people’s opinions.

This includes republicans, Democrats and Independents…

So I read that, and then I have faith in mankind again… but then I see something that leaves me absolutely… Be. Wildered.

Three-quarters of republicans approve of the way Bush is handling his job, compared to one in 10 Democrats and three in 10 independents giving him high positive marks.

And here’s my question; how many of these republicans actuallyactually approve of the job Bush is doing, and how may are simply saying they approve due to a sense of party loyalty?

Think about it… can the entire republican party that friggin’ moronic>? Those with a brain, and I know there must be some out there, can not honestly think that this war is going in a positive direction… let alone the country.

If they do, then they have a much worse case of tunnel vision than Bush.

And that’s downright alarmingly.

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Hump day… let’s get a humpin’…

• Alberto Gonzales time as Attorney General may be drawing to a close… his appearance on Capitol Hill yesterday was, to put it mildly, tense. Maybe he ought to ease-up on the caffeine… or the lying…
• “President” Bush’s approval ratings are… well… let’s just say his numbers aren’t good at this point and leave it at that… we’ll have more polling numbers later.
• Due to the strain on the military because of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon is sending more civilian workers than ever before to war zones to provide critical support to the troops. Big surprise… the civilians that the Pentagon sends over are getting embarrassingly insufficient treatment if they get injured. These citizens have become de facto soldiers… and should be treated as such if they get injured. The Washington Post has an excellent story on one such individual today… click HERE to read it.
• Karl Rove is traipsing across the country to get away from his problems… but even in a town with a population of 20, he still encounters hostility… (Well, that’s what happens when you’re one of the public faces of an inept administration. Want to be loved Karl, become a clown... although…)
• Here’s some news that should not come as a surprise to anyone House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) released a report yesterday that, for the first time, officially suggests that laws were broken in the attorney firings, aka; AttorneyGate. (If we had an ‘obvious’ tag, it would be placed here) It should also be noted that the Judiciary committee will vote on contempt charges for former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and chief of staff Josh Bolten today… so stay tuned.
• And have we mentioned? That we may not be done seeing Vice President Dick “President” Cheney? Back in April, the New York Sun published an editorial entitled “Cheney’s Chance.” Besides fellating Cheney, the op-ed also strongly encouraged him to jump into the presidential race (nooooooooo!!!). In a review of Stephen Hayes’ new biography on Cheney the editor of the Sun, Ira Stoll, once again asked Cheney to run, writing that he thinks that Hayes’ book is part of an effort by Cheney to drum up support for a potential campaign run… (I’ll say it again; noooooooooooooo!!! This would be a crisis of monumental proportions, and by the off chance Cheney does decide to run – which I highly doubt considering his age, health and current approval ratings – we must do everything in our power to ensure the Dems win… or God help us all…)

Here we go again...

Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales is at it again… but this time it looks as though impeachment could not only be a possibility, but a reality.

Let’s fall back a few months ago when Gonzales was on Capitol Hill regarding his and the White House’s role in AttorneyGate ®… he answered question after question with a Ollie North-like “I don’t recall.”

People on both sides of the aisle were calling for Gonzo to go-zo… but “President” Bush was satisfied and Gonzo’s job security was stronger than Dick Cheney’s clenched jaw.

Some time goes by… and Gonzales’ turn in the AttorneyGate Cavalcade is up again and no one thought that he could do worse than his first foray…

Wrong-o.

Everyone with a brain knew that Gonzales was going to be asked about his bed-side visit to a hospitalized and semi-conscious John Ashcroft in an effort to get approval on an illegal surveillance program that Ashcroft was unsure about.

Everyone except Gonzales apparently.

But Sen. Arlen Specter (r-PA) did ask Gonzales about it, and Gonzales threw down some inanity that’s so profound… it’s almost an art form;

“The disagreement that occurred, and the reason for the visit to the hospital, Senator, was about other intelligence activities. It was not about the terrorist surveillance program that the president announced to the American people.”

Really, it wasn’t?? It seems to me, and everyone else paying attention, that that’s what it was about…

This testimony might make someone wonder what the hell Gonzales is thinking… but wait… it gets better…

Gonzales: “… there are no rules governing whether or not General Ashcroft can decide, I'm feeling well enough to make this decision.”

Specter: “But, Attorney General Gonzales, he had already given up his authority as attorney general ... was no longer attorney general.”

Gonzales: “And he could always reclaim that. There are no rules...”

Specter: “While he's in the hospital under sedation?”

Gonzales: “Again, we didn't know -- we knew, of course, that he was ill, that he'd had surgery...”

Okay, let me see if I have this straight.

Despite the fact that Ashcroft had indeed surrendered his authority…

Despite the fact that Ashcroft was recovering from surgery…

Despite the fact that Ashcroft was not totally coherent… the long and short of it is that no matter what Ashcroft’s state of mind was… he could still be coerced into signing away civil rights if that's what the president wanted.

The whole thing was an amazing display by Senator Specter who refused to back down;

Specter: “How can you get approval from sedated Ashcroft?”

Gonzales: “Can I continue?”

Specter: “No, answer my question.”

Gonzales: “Obviously there was concern about Ashcroft's condition. There are no rules governing when Ashcroft decides he is well enough.”

Specter: “He had given us AG duties.”

Gonzales: “We knew he was ill...”

Specter: “Not making progress. Moving on. Do you think constitution govt can survive if Pres has unilateral authority to reject congress inquiries for Exec Privilege and prevent prosecution of claim?”

Gonzales: “Ongoing matter, I am recused, I cannot answer.”

Specter: “I am asking about constitutional law.”

Gonzales: “You are talking about an on-going issue.”

Specter: “No. Answer.”

Gonzales: “I won't answer - it is ongoing controversy and I am recused.”

[Calls for decorum as the room is protesting]

Specter: “Won't pursue. This is hopeless. You are not just AG, you are a lawyer. This is a fundamental issues separate from USA resignations. Other subject. Do you have a conflict regarding the firing of US AGs?”

Gonzales: “Yes.”

Specter:” Do you have a conflict of interest about Miers?”

Gonzales: “Yes. I won't answer.”

Specter: “Let's find one you will answer. How about death penalty case? Charlton contacted your office and said case was not appropriate for dp. Testimony that AG spent 5-10 minutes on the issue...is this accurate?”

Gonzales: “I have no specific recollection of this case. But we have a detailed process for capital case review.”

Specter: “I am not interested in that. I want an answer to my question. You don't remember a case regarding a man's execution?”

Gonzales: “I have no recollection of the conversation.”

Specter: “Do you disagree with the testimony?”

Gonzales: “I can't agree or disagree.”

Classic…

Or how about this exchange between Gonzales and Charles Schumer (D-NY)?

Schumer: I'll let you speak in a minute, but this is serious, because you're getting right close to the edge right here. You just said there was just one program -- just one. So the letter, which was, sort of, intended to deceive, but doesn't directly do so, because there are other intelligence activities, gets you off the hook, but you just put yourself right back on here.

Gonzales: I clarified my statement two days later with the reporter.

Schumer: What did you say to the reporter?

Gonzales: I did not speak directly to the reporter.

Schumer: Oh, wait a second -- you did not.
(LAUGHTER)
OK. What did your spokesperson say to the reporter?

Gonzales: I don't know. But I told the spokesperson to go back and clarify my statement...

Schumer: Well, wait a minute, sir. Sir, with all due respect -- and if I could have some order here, Mr. Chairman -- in all due respect, you're just saying, "Well, it was clarified with the reporter," and you don't even know what he said. You don't even know what the clarification is. Sir, how can you say that you should stay on as attorney general when we go through exercise like this, where you're bobbing and weaving and ducking to avoid admitting that you deceived the committee? And now you don't even know. I'll give you another chance: You're hanging your hat on the fact that you clarified the statement two days later. You're now telling us that is was a spokesperson who did it. What did that spokesperson say? Tell me now, how do you clarify this?

Gonzales: I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you.

This would be downright comical if it weren’t really happening…

This has got to be the final straw with Gonzales. He has, as Sen. Schumer stated, "deceived the committee" and continues to do so... yet he's still the AG...

It's just sad...

The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Where did Monday go???

• The Democrats had another debate last night, but this was different than anything ever seen before in a presidential debate. The debate was sponsored by CNN and YouTube and allowed anyone from around the country to submit video questions to the candidates. If you haven’t seen it, I definitely advise you to watch it…
• The House Judiciary Committee continues on its path to a constitutional showdown with the Bush(whacked) Administration over AttorneyGate and AG Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales has vowed to stay until the end of Bush’s term… (I honestly don’t know who is more delusional here; the House Judiciary or Gonzales… your thoughts?)
• As if we needed more polling data to express that Americans are fed-up with the war and with Bush’s handling of it… but a new WaPo/ABC News poll shows just that… that the American people would rather have the Democratically controlled Congress start making the decisions about the war and take Bush out of the equation… (All fine and good… but considering Bush’s insistence that he is “The Decider” , his past history of ignoring the will of the people and Congress’ incredible lack of conviction about the war; I doubt anything will change anytime soon…)
• Need more proof that Bush doesn’t care about the opinions of others? Last week he met with a cadre of Small Business Owners to discuss healthcare, but apparently Bush did all the talking and didn’t allow the others a chance to opine about the issue. (He truly is living in his own little world, isn’t he? No one else matters…)
• And have we mentioned? That former Georgia Rep. Newt Gingrich (r-GA) is suffering from some mighty-big delusions of grandeur… and overall oddness? In an interview with American Spectator, he dismissed the gop field of presidential candidates as “pygmies” and went on to say;

  “If, in mid-October, it's quite clear that one or more of the current candidates is strong enough to be a serious alternative to a Clinton-Obama ticket, you don't need me to run. […} If it becomes patently obvious, as the morning paper points out, that the Democrats have raised a hundred million more than the Republicans, and at some point people decide we are going to get Hillary unless there's a radical change, then there's space for a candidate. […] So you'll know by mid-October one of those two futures is real.”

  (So there ya go, the savior of the republican party isn’t going to be Fred Thompson, it’s gonna be Newt. I would say more, but I can’t stop laughing my ass off…)

The Weekly Rewind

This is a Harry Potter spoiler-free zone... so take a break from the 'Deathly Hallows' and read The Weekly Rewind...

Applaud: to the news that eighteen months from today, Friday July 20, 2007… a new president takes the oath of office… it can not come soon enough. The countdown begins… now.

Heckle: to the NIE released earlier this week. Okay, we (hopefully) already know that al Qaeda is back to its pre-9/11 strength… and that they are intent on attacking us again on our soil, but what you may not know is that the report also warned that Hezbollah would be “more likely to consider attacking” the US if it sees us as a threat to the group or to Iran. Essentially they’re saying to not attack Iran… and it sounds like some pretty damn good advice… so the administration is sure to ignore and disregard it.

Heckle: to what could be the most worrying thing ever said about this administration; “Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo.” The Guradian published a story this week entitled “Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran.” The articles states that Cheney may be winning the debate inside the White House over how to confront Iran… with military force. (This is absolutely unbelievable… as bad as the Iraq war is going… the readiness of our military… public opinion against military action towards Iran… and this administration is still considering it…it would be farcical if it weren’t true…)

Applaud: to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Jim Nicholson, whose primary qualification for the VA job was serving as chairman of the rNC from 1997 to 2000, for resigning. It should be noted that his department’s press release announcing the resignation kissed his ass praised him for “his leadership” in changing the “VA health care system to meet the unique medical requirements of the returning combatants from Iraq and Afghanistan.” (Uh… not really. Have we forgotten the whole Water Reed fiasco?)

Heckle: to the absurd levels of executive privilege and authority being wielded by the Bush(whacked) Administration. This past week they “unveiled” a brazen new assertion of executive authority by claiming that the Justice Department “will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated by Congress against White House officials once the president has invoked executive privilege.” This came shortly after a House Judiciary subcommittee ruled 7-3 that that the White House’s assertion of executive privilege to block the release of “documents sought in subpoenas issued to White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and the rNC was “not legally valid.” (As usual, as expected, and not at all surprising, they reacted with a huge shrug of indifference and continued to do whatever the hell they feel like doing… laws be damned)

Applaud: to 60% of Military.com readers that “believe the US should withdraw troops from Iraq now or by the end of 2008.” What’s more, more than 40% of respondents agree that the pullout should begin immediately because “we’re wasting lives and resources there.” To give you an idea of how much things have changed, in a June 26 poll, 60% of respondents “agreed (that) the surge should be given more time.” (I can applaud it all I want, it won’t do any good. Bush doesn’t give a damn about anyo ne’s opinion but Cheney’s and, to a lesser extent, his own)

Heckle: to the Pentagon for going WAY beyond their boundries. Back on May 23, Sen. Clinton (D-NY) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates that urged him to “prepare plans for the phased redeployment of U.S. forces.” This past Monday, Ms. Clinton received a “biting reply” from Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman, who told Clinton that “public discussion” of withdrawal is inappropriate: and that; “Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda…” (I’m sorry… when did the Pentagon start offering-up political analysis towards presidential candidates?? And by what authority?? This is so staggeringly outside the boundries of what they do, it’s laughable…but maybe not AS laughable as Defense Secretary Robert Gates stepping in to mediate... it's like a bad reality show)

Applaud: to the House for rejecting “President” Bush’s plan to cut public broadcasting. Voting 357-72, they rejected his plan to eliminate the $420 million federal subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting… (Excellent… about time someone in this government listens to the American people…)

Heckle: to FEMA (I know; you’re shocked) for suppressing health warnings after Hurricane Katrina. A House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing revealed that FEMA “suppressed warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers” about suspected health problems that may be “linked to elevated levels of formaldehyde gas” that was released n FEMA-provided trailers… (Lovely… what else can be said… it’s the same old, same old from that agency. All those agency reforms they babbled on and on about were apparently for naught, but at least they have 85 million pounds of unused ice in storage…)

Applaud: to something Scott and I have been saying for a while. If a Dem gets elected president, this man HAS to be on the top of the short list to be appointed AG. I’m speaking of Patrick Fitzgerald. And former Deputy U.S. Attorney General James Comey agrees, saying; “I think he would make a spectacular attorney general. […] He certainly is one of the very best federal prosecutors in America.” […] This is a guy who’s spent time in small rooms in a lot of countries around the world with people who’ve killed a lot of people. He’s not intimidated by pressure.” (Couldn’t have said it any better myself Mr. Comey… and I think a LOT of people agree with you)

Heckle: to Americans’ ratings of Vice President Dick “President” Cheney. According to the latest Gallup Poll, Cheney’s numbers are now “at their lowest point to date” with only 30% approving of the way Cheney is doing his job… (Ouch… I’m sure if he had a heart, it would be breaking…what am I saying, no it wouldn’t)

Applaud: to a new CBS/New York Times poll that finds 61% of Americans saying “the war should be funded only if there’s a timetable for withdrawal.” (Nice… too bad the republicans in the Senate don’t care what we think…)

Heckle: to a new Congressional Research Service report that shows that the war in Iraq has cost $450 billion to date, which is ten times greater than the administration predicted in February 2003. And if Congress approves the latest supplemental funding request, the total cost of the war will exceed $550 billion by October 1, 2007… (And that surprises you… how??)

Applaud: to the Senate for passing, with a 78-18 vote, a bill that would “cut federal subsidies to college student loan firms.” Firms such as Sallie Mae would see their subsidies cut by $18.3 billion and the savings would be redirected to increase student grants and ease some student loan repayment terms, making the annual maximum level for Pell grants go up from $4,310 to more than $5,000… (But, since it’s for the people, and he’s a “compassionate conservative” – an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one – Bush is sure to veto it…)

Heckle: to our old friend Tom DeLay (r-TX). At a college republicans gathering, he attempted to blame abortion for undocumented immigration,saying; “I contend [abortion] affects you in immigration. If we had those 40 million children that were killed over the last 30 years, we wouldn’t need the illegal immigrants to fill the jobs that they are doing today. Think about it.” (Pretty spacious reasoning there Tom… By your logic I could claim that this rock I have keeps tigers away… but it doesn’t, it’s just a stupid rock… want to buy it?)

Applaud: to finally getting it… while the Iraq Study Group and the Bush(whacked) Administration think that training Iraqi forces is the key to success in Iraq and thus should be a top priority, Lawrence Korb and William Odom disagree… and their argument is more sound that anything else I’ve ever heard about the matter. They say that “training or equipping these forces is not a solution. In effect we are arming different sides in a civil war. It is no accident that as the number of trained Iraqi security forces has grown, so have attacks on coalition forces, Iraqi civilians and the Iraqi security forces themselves.” (About. Effin. Time someone sees this for what it is… we’re training the people who are attacking us… but so far no one in this administration has connected the dots yet…)

Heckle: to AG Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales. He has no “regret” over pressuring a sick and bed-ridden John Ashcroft. According to chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TV), “Gonzales did not express any regret” about his controversial 2004 visit to the hospital bedside of John Ashcroft, in order to pressure him into endorsing Bush’s surveillance program. (Why does this surpise anyone? To feel guilt or regret, one has to have a heart and a soul…)

On-the-surface-Applaud: to hearing that U.N. inspectors have verified that North Korea has shut down its nuclear reactor. This is first on-the-ground achievement toward scaling back Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions since the standoff began in late 2002… (let’s hope it’s true, and that they stick to it)

Heckle: to the plight of children in Iraq. According to a senior U.N. official, children in Iraq are “much worse off than they were a year ago” and “certainly are worse off than they were three years ago.” The official went on to say that the “gains made shortly after the United States toppled Hussein’s government in 2003…had been lost.” (Wow… the administration is REALLY ignoring children all over the world aren’t they? First they ignore the plight of un-insured poor children in the US and now they all but ignore the children in Iraq…way to appeal to the masses there…)

Applaud: to “stern rebukes from lawmakers of both parties” after they were pleaded with by not only top commanders in Iraq but also the American ambassador to Baghdad to allow for more time beyond their mid-September assessment. (Though I have to include a heckle to the lawmakers who, while constantly coming out against the war, don’t have the balls to act on it. Here’s a thought; stand by your fucking convictions for once…)

Heckle: to JetBlue for caving in to Fox “News’” Bill “Want to look at my microphone” O’Reilly. After being subjected to a smear campaign by O’Reilly for its “in-kind donation” to the upcoming YearlyKos convention, JetBlue has asked the organizers to remove its name from the convention’s website. (Do you folks at JetBlue really want to tell me that you suffered enough backlash from conservatives to justify backing-out of a sponsorship agreement?? And besides, when you cave to this kind of crap, it just gives O’Reilly dellusions of grandeur that he’s right… and really; who wants that??)

Heckle: to politicizing the capture of a “top” al Qaeda leader. Earlier this week the White House announced that it has arrested the “highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.” All find and good, but the announcement came soon after the release of the NIE that said al Qaeda is back to pre-9/11 stregnth and had no visible presence in Iraq before the war… oh, and the capture actually occurred two weeks ago but wasn’t announced until this past week… uh-huh…

And last but not least… Applaud: to the news that “President” Bush is having a colonoscopy this weekend. While we all hope the doctors find his head while they’re poking around up there, the scary part of this applaud is that Bush will be ceding presidential powers to Cheney… and the less said about that the better…

All I have, take ‘em as you will…

FEMA's screw-ups continue

As mentioned this morning, FEMA hasn’t finished screwing Katrina survivors just yet… now it’s because the trailers they put people in have levels of formaldehyde that was 75 times the recommended maximum for U.S. workers…

And it seems that FEMA not only suppressed warnings from its own field workers about health problems, but they had prior evidence that the people using the trailers would get sick;

“A trail of e-mails obtained by investigators shows that the agency’s lawyers rejected a proposal for systematic testing of the levels of potentially cancer-causing formaldehyde gas in the trailers, out of concern that the agency would be legally liable for any hazards or health problems. As many as 120,000 families displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita lived in the suspect trailers, and hundreds have complained of ill effects.”

Lovely… three months after reports of the hazards first surfaced a FEMA logistics expert said that FEMA’s legal department advised officials to not do testing for hazardous materials, because it would “imply FEMA’s ownership of this issue.”

On June 27, 2006, a Slidell man was found dead in his trailer after complaining about the formaldehyde fumes. In a conference call to discuss the death, 28 officials from six different agencies recommended that the circumstances be investigated and trailer air quality be subjected to independent testing.

FEMA lawyers rejected those suggestions…

So let me see if I have this right… the Bush(whacked) Administration put people in government trailers with toxic gas… despite warnings of such… and didn’t follow-through on suggested health tests all so they could avoid court troubles…

This on top of the well-known fact that the administration all but ignored these same people in the midst of a natural disaster.

My God… it’s almost hard to believe that this administration could be this callous… but then I think about Bush’s track record and it all makes sense.

But now, thankfully, and after six years of gop-led ignorance, we finally have a (Democratically-controlled) Congress that is more than willing to conduct oversight hearings on FEMA…which is, naturally, causing a LOT of people at FEMA to scramble like mad to keep up appearances.

And this past week, on the eve of a hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, FEMA “suddenly” reversed course on the issue and said it has asked federal health officials to help conduct a new assessment of conditions in trailers.

Too little… too late…

The revelations of the agency’s earlier position of ignoring the problem has come to light, and it’s attracted some very harsh criticism… some very harsh bi-partisan criticism.

Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) decried what he called FEMA’s indifference to storm victims and said the situation was “sickening.” He said the documents “expose an official policy of premeditated ignorance” and added that “senior officials in Washington didn’t want to know what they already knew, because they didn’t want the legal and moral responsibility to do what they knew had to be done.”

Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (r-VA) said FEMA had obstructed the 10-month congressional investigation and “mischaracterized the scope and purpose” of its own actions. “FEMA’s reaction to the problem was deliberately stunted to bolster the agency’s litigation position,” Davis said. “FEMA’s primary concerns were legal liability and public relations, not human health and safety.”

It’s about time someone in Congress got these people’s backs…


Let’s hope we’re not too late…

The Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Friday… as Homer says; ‘Whoo-hoo!’ (UPDATE: Especially after reading the just-added first bullet)

• News that should make today go by that much faster... Eighteen months from today, a new president takes the oath of office... the timer starts... now!
• The Bush(whacked) Administration continues to thumb its collective nose at the law over AttorneyGate. They’ve now stated an even more outrageous claim of executive authority by saying that the Justice Department will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated by Congress against White House officials once the “President” Bush has invoked executive privilege… (And the crumbling of our society continues…)
• Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is ignoring calls for an Iraq war compromise, instead confidant that the gop will eventually give-in to public pressure to end the war. (It’s nice that Reid believes that, unfortunately, since I’m a realist… I don’t see it happening that way… but I hope I’m wrong)
• And in yet another sign that politics is starting to overtake law in this country, a federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit filed by former CIA officer Valerie Plame against Vice President Dick “President” Cheney and other top White Hosue officials over their disclosure of Plame's name and covert status to the media… (And the crumbling of our society continues…)
• FEMA is still screwing Katrina survivors with their pants on...
• The Senate has approved an overhaul of student loan programs that would pay for more than $17 billion in grants and other student aid by slashing subsidies to lending companies. (Naturally, since it’s for the people and slashes big business’ bottom line, Bush has promised to veto it. What. A. Tool.)
• And have we mentioned? That Oscar the Grouch, Mystery and all the other shows on PBS and NPR have been saved. In a 357-72 vote Thursday night, the House rejected “President” Bush’s plan to cut $420 million federal subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting… (Nice job guys… way to go. Excuse me while I go listen to ‘All Things Considered”)

A sad and pathetic threat by Bush

As I mentioned briefly in this morning’s “’BushWhack’ing”, there is a bi-partisan effort underway in the Senate to renew a program that provides health insurance to poor children, and they’ve reached a compromise that would expand the program by $35 billion over five years, an increase agreed to by both Democrats and republicans.

The program currently insures 6.6 million low income children from families that do not qualify for Medicaid, but are still too poor to afford private insurance coverage, and under the Senate’s expansion plan, an additional 3.3 million children would be covered under the program that was developed by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and republican Sens. Charles Grassley (r-IA) and Orrin Hatch (r-UT), among others…. and they plan to pay for this with a scant $0.61 increase on the federal excise tax on cigarettes.

“President” Bush opposes both.

Now I could give a rats-ass as to the cigarette tax… but the one that really frosts my preserves is his opposition to insuring more children whose only strike against them is being born into a poor family.

This isn’t a partisan issue, as republicans have tried pleading with Bush to compromise with Democrats on the legislation and he’s ignored them (and he wonders why no one likes him and why no gop candidates want their picture with him… it’s because he’s a train wreck that’s turning into a disaster who only cares about his beliefs and no one else’s, but I’m getting off-topic)

And no, he doesn’t have a better solution in mind; he wants to kill the expansion because… well, let’s let him speak for himself;

“My concern is that when you expand eligibility . . . you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government.”

You read that right… he’s essentially saying that he cares more about private insurance companies than he does about children's health, (which seems, to me, to exemplify how he and other republicans don't care about children once they are outside the womb or outside the Petri dish)

Bush went on and said that he objects to the proposal based on “philosophical grounds”…

‘Philosophical grounds????’ Whose philosophical grounds; insurance and healthcare companies?? Or more specifically, insurance and healthcare company’s political gop contributions???

And what’s more, his comments seem to imply that he wants private insurance only… now I could get into the whole socialized medicine universal health care spiel, but after reading this, I’m just too frustrated to do it.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), the House Democratic Caucus chairman, said that he’s “bewildered” that Bush would be fighting an expansion in funding for a program that is not only supported by Democrats, but republicans as well. Said Mr. Emanuel;

“This is the chance for him to finally be a uniter and not a divider. You have consensus across party and ideology, and a unity on the most important domestic issue, health care -- except for one person.”

Bush’s ignorance here is unnerving… this isn’t a program to increase handing out condoms in schools or to teach evolution, two things that cause conservative’s skin to crawl… it’s ensuring that children who can not fend for themselves and have been born into situations that they are not able to control or change have health coverage…

I mean… shouldn’t it be a necessity to ensure that children (who are, as trite as it may sound, our future) are healthy?

Billions and billions of dollars for Iraq… but let’s screw poor kids.

The man is a tool… and I hope Bush can explain to the sick and dying kids what his "philosophical" reasons are for letting them suffer… and I won’t even bring-up his pre-presidential pledge to be a “compassionate conservative” because he obviously only understands the definition of one of those words.

Your guess as to which one I’m inferring to…

The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

Week is going by slooooow...

• After an all-night session, the Iraq war vote was defeated by republicans who have put their president ahead of their country… now the Democrats seem to be regrouping and re-strategizing… at least that’s what I hope they’re all doing.
• And here’s a personal note to the republicans (Lieberman included) that blocked a Democratic bid to force a vote on U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq. A new CBS/NYT poll finds that 61% of Americans say that the war “should be funded only if there’s a timetable for withdrawal.” So continue ignoring the will of the American people… it will come back to bite you on the ass. What’s that phrase I used to always say on here? Oh yes; ‘Karma, baby!!!”
• “President” Bush has rejected pleas by republican allies that he compromise with Democrats on legislation aimed at renewing a popular and needed program that provides health coverage to poor children. And no, he doesn’t have a better solution, he wants to kill it because he says that expanding the program would enlarge the role of the federal government at the expense of private insurance… (What a moron. What an absolute ‘effin moron… Screw the children, I’m looking out for big business. January 2009 can NOT come soon enough…)
• As if you needed more proof that the Bush(whacked) Administration politicizes every damn thing they touch and every decision they make, here ya go.
• If you read the article; “The Debates’ New Face”, it seems the Washington Post just discovered/realized that YouTube and the internet are going to change the way political campaigns are done in this country. Thank you tubes!!
• And have we mentioned? That Fox “News” puppet-master Rupert Murdoch’s potential takeover of Dow Jones is worrying many employees of the Wall Street Journal. Said one reporter; “There’s a real culture of passion for the truth, for shining lights in dark places. The overwhelming view here is that under Murdoch, that gets compromised from Day One, and that idea is devastating, heartbreaking, to people.” (Letting him buy Dow Jones could very well go down as one of the biggest business mistakes EVAH...

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

We’re halfway there...

• Yawn… good morning Senators. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) organized an all-night session to debate ending the war in Iraq. Naturally, republicans whined about not having their teddy bear to sleep with having to stay up all night and have an honest discussion, but Reid stood firm, more or less, and a vote is expected later today (Theatrics or not, this is a good idea. It’s time that people start seeing that the Democrats want to end the war, much like the majority of Americans do, and that republicans are more interested in protecting the president. Keep it up guys!)
• Must read at the Washington Post: “Why Bush is a Loser.” (’nuff said…)
• The NIE released yesterday stated that Hezbollah would be “more likely to consider attacking” the US if the group sees the US as a threat to the group or to Iran. Slate’s Fred Kaplan says that “this amounts to a direct warning to the White House: Don’t attack Iran.” (And we all know how well Bush and Cheney respond to orders, so we can probably expect an attack on Iran within the year…)
• Hmmmm, it seems that Vice President Dick “President” Cheney was more involved in the Energy Report than the White House ever admitted to. (Hmmm, and water quenches your thirst? You don’t say??) By the time the group began its meetings with the environmentalists, the “initial draft of the task force was substantially complete and President Bush had been briefed on its progress.” (Nice. Always nice to have a report on meetings done before the meeting takes place…that’s talent…)
• Need proof that some in the media have been a tad slow to see the Iraq war as the debacle that it is? How about this tidbit from WaPo’s Michael Abramowitz: “New intelligence assessment raises sharp questions about the success of the White House's counterterrorism strategy, focus on Iraq.” (Ya think???? That’s some mighty nice reporting there Mike… that must have been a hard nut to crack. Being in Iraq has strengthened and, dare I say, emboldened al Qaeda… and yet Bush, along with Lierberman, McCain, et al, refuses to see that)
• And then there’s these guys who oppose the war, but refuse to do anything about it…
• And have we mentioned? That Aides to “President” Bush have acknowledged that the strategy of letting Pakistani President Musharraf contend and negotiate with al Qaeda in the tribal areas has failed… (ya think???? Wow… a glint of intelligence coming from the White House. Quick, someone call Hell to see if they’ve frozen over…)

The NIE

One of the alleged reasons that “President” Bush invaded Iraq was to fight al-Qaeda and to ensure they don’t attack us on our own soil again.

Mission. Failed.

There is a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) out (you can read it HERE).

The estimate, a comprehensive reporting containing views from the entire U.S. intelligence community, took 8-months to complete… and it points out some things that… well, you read some of them and let me know what you think:

Al Qaeda has “regenerated key elements of its Homeland attack capability”: Al-Qa’ida is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the Homeland, as its central leadership continues to plan high-impact plots, while pushing others in extremist Sunni communities to mimic its efforts and to supplement its capabilities. We assess the group has protected or regenerated key elements of its Homeland attack capability, including: a safehaven in the Pakistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), operational lieutenants, and its top leadership.

Iraq has strengthened al Qaeda, which will seek to “leverage the contacts and capabilities” gained in the war: Of note, we assess that al-Qa’ida will probably seek to leverage the contacts and capabilities of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI), its most visible and capable affiliate and the only one known to have expressed a desire to attack the Homeland.

Al Qaeda’s association with “al Qaeda in Iraq” (AQI) helps to “energize the broader Sunni extremist community” and “recruit and indoctrinate operatives”: In addition, we assess that its association with AQI helps al-Qa’ida to energize the broader Sunni extremist community, raise resources, and to recruit and indoctrinate operatives, including for Homeland attacks.

But at least being in Iraq is helping to stem the tide of terrorist activity in this country. After all, that’s why we’re there right?

That’s why we put all our military eggs into one basket so to speak.. that’s why we diverted resources from Afghanistan (where bin Laden was hiding) and sent them to Iraq so we could keep our country safe.

Not so fast says Rep. Silvestere Reyes (D-TX), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, who said that today's assessment shows that the invasion of Iraq “diverted needed resources from eliminating the threat from al Qaeda” and the “NIE released today points out that the real threat to the U.S. homeland emanates from Afghanistan and Pakistan, not Iraq…”

Wait a minute… what about all that “if we leave now they’ll follow us home” nonsense that republicans have been feeding us… that isn’t true???

Well I’ll be damned…

The Tuesday 'BushWhack'ing

Not FDA approved...

• Thought-provoking article about what could happen to Iraq when US forces leave. It has a rather right-wing tone to it, but it’s still interesting nonetheless… give it a read HERE.
• According to a congressional report, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is suffering from a shortage of inspectors that is resulting in less than 1% (1%!! of food being inspected… and the situation is likely to get worse… (Can this administration do anything???)
• More than a week after his name became synonymous with the DC Madam case, Sen. David Vitter (r-LA) came out of seclusion and attended a press conference with his wife. The only reason I’m mentioning this is because Vitter is a staunch social conservative and gave some very outspoken condemnation towards Bill Clinton when his affair with Monica Lewinsky came to light… (I love irony; love it, love it, love it…)
• Senate Dem leaders are looking to have an all-night session tonight in an attempt to hack away at republican’s spinelessness towards “President” Bush's Iraq war strategy. Supporters of the war (I know, I can’t believe there are still some left) responded by threatening a permanent Iraq filibuster while Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed “an automatic 60-vote threshold for all key Iraq amendments.” (Sigh…)
• And have we mentioned? That the 2008 presidential race is still going on? Obama is trying to widen support… Edwards is trying to put focus on poverty… Clinton just picked up an endorsement, from Joe Wilson… and on the republican side…

[crickets chirping]

...and Dick Cheney as the President

Even as “President” Bush suggests a Mid-East peace conference (I know, I know. Who wants to bet that the irony is lost on him?), Vice President Dick “President” Cheney has been pushing for a pre-emptive military strike on Iran before “President” Bush leaves office.

I'll pause a moment to let that sink in...

And Dick's pushing? Well, it's now starting to... sway people’s minds within the White House.

That’s disturbing on so many levels…

Today, The Guardian newspaper has this as its banner headline; “Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran”

Awwwww crap…

Said the article;

“The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned. […]Although the Bush administration is in deep trouble over Iraq, it remains focused on Iran. A well-placed source in Washington said: "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo.”

As I said this morning; or in more user-friendly term; Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Still in limbo??

What limbo??? Whose limbo???

Last year, Bush supported Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s position, which is shared with Britain, France and Germany, to diplomatically squeeze Iran.

But then trouble started brewing… and by trouble I mean Cheney. At a meeting of the White House, Pentagon and state department last month, he expressed frustration at the lack of progress towards Iran and (surprise, surprise) Bush came down on Cheney’s side, which caused a White House source to express; “The balance has tilted. There is cause for concern…”

Great… just great…

I’ve often wrote about how Bush will never, ever admit he was wrong about anything he’s ever done, let alone Iraq… and now, with more and more political pressure building on both sides of the aisle to end the war, Bush could be desperate enough to do something to re-focus attention… such as giving an order to attack Iran… an attack that we are certainly not prepared for.

And speaking of Cheney and Iran, I came across this tidbit from BoingBoing, via Daily Kos:

From BoingBoing:

Cartoonist and all-around seeker of unusual truths, Jay Kinney, says: "Attached is a page from T-Man comics #3 from 1952. I just happened upon it by chance and - Holy Smokes! - all was revealed. We can now grasp the origins of the Bush administration's foreign policy! It was all there in T-Man #3, 55 years ago! Perhaps Cheney read this comic in his youth and just bided his time until he was in a position to actualize it in real life."

There we go... mystery solved...

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

Think of it this way; with each passing day we get closer to Bush being out of office...

• We all know that the 2008 presidential race has started earlier than ever before. What you may not know, though you probably do, is that the campaigns are bringing in cash quicker than ever before. Problem is, they’re also spending it quicker than ever before. (Because of this, the candidates are going to have to raise more cash, which will then be rapidly spent. It’s a vicious circle…()
• Less than a week after making a 13-year old girl cry, “President” Bush is threatening to veto a bill that would expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program. (Wow George, your mother must be so proud, taking insurance away from kids…)
• Remember the congressional resolution that gave Bush the authority to invade Iraq because his Daddy didn’t? Well, it seems that some Senators, including quite a few republicans, want to update the resolution. The drive is being led by John Warmer (r-VA) who wants to amend it because it no longer covers what U.S. forces are doing or will do in the future. (And another one falls…)
• Vice President Dick “President” Cheney is making a push within the White House for US military action against Iran before Bush leaves office… and he may be winning the debate. This news comes days after the Senate passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Lieberman (I r-CT) that calls for the US to censure Iran for “complicity in the killing of U.S. soldiers in Iraq” and after Sen. Sam Brownback appeared on Fox “News” and said that he was ready to preemptively strike Iran. (I am at a loss of words other than to ask; are you fuckin’ kidding me???)
• And have we mentioned? That FEMA has 85 million pounds of ice lying around? FEMA is paying $12.5 million of taxpayer money to store 85 million pounds of unused ice that the agency ordered after Hurricane Katrina. The ice has been stored for two years, despite the agency’s regulations that they “dispose of the ice after three months.” (Heckuva job Brownie…or maybe I should say; party at FEMA's place!)

The Weekly Rewind

It’s Friday… the Weekly Rewind starts… right… now…

I said ‘right… now.’

Right no— sigh… I think someone fell asleep at the switch again… it’s a long one, so let’s jut get to it:

Applaud? Heckle? Bits of both: Not sure how to classify this, partially applaud, partially heckle. A group of conservatives are rallying behind an amendment from Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) that would implement the Iraq Study Group recommendations. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) said the proposal “won’t change one thing the president does.” (Well, neither has anything you’ve offered up…so let’s not cast stones and instead work to find a solution that a majority can get behind… in other words; quit the effin’ sniping and find an effin’ solution!!)

Applaud: to more and more Americans seeing the errors of Bush’s ways… According to a new Gallup/USA Today poll, 62% of Americans say that the “United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq.” The same respondents also gave “President” Bush an approval rating of 29%. Want more numbers? Ok… According to a new Harris Poll, Bush’s approval rating is 26% while Cheney’s is a pathetic 21%. What’s that? You want more numbers, okay here ya go; 66% of Americans believe President Bush shouldn’t have commuted Scooter Libby’s prison sentence… 70% of Americans supporting a complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq… one in five Americans think Bush's troop 'surge' theory had any effect on the war… a Rasmussen poll also shows a low number of Americans, only 19%, believe that the U.S. troop surge in Iraq was a success… and four in 10 republicans have lost confidence in Bush because of his handling of the immigration issue (Ouch, makes one wonder how much longer Bush can hold on… Think about it, mMore and more people, Democrat and republicans, are starting to see him for what he is. To them I say; Welcome to the club everyone; we’ve got jackets)

Heckle: to something that has not gotten a lot of media attention but should… A previously undisclosed Army investigation into an audacious January attack in Karbala that killed five U.S. soldiers concludes “that Iraqi police working alongside American troops colluded with insurgents.” (Nice… the people we’re supposed to be helping, the people Bush and his cronies say want us there… are helping the insurgents. If that’s not a cue to get the hell out, I don’t know what is…)

Applaud: to Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox. He’s a Republican, and this past week he “harshly criticized” Bush for commuting the sentence of Scooter. Said Cox; “It was plain wrong all the way around. We can’t let people run from the obligation of telling the truth.” (Very well said Mr. Cox… too bad the “President’ can’t understand that…)

Heckle: to talking out of one’s ass after talking out of one’s face. Last November, Michael Hayden told the Iraq Study Group that the “inability of the [Iraqi] government to govern seems irreversible”… since then, neither Hayden nor any other administration official has “publicly described the Iraqi government in the uniformly negative terms that the CIA director used in his closed-door briefing.” (Hmmmmm, I’m sure it has nothing to do with him being named CIA Director… right??)

Applaud: to reading the writing on the wall… and the petition signed by everyone who works for you. National Hurricane Center director Bill Proenza stepped down earlier this week after much of his staff signed a petition calling for him to leave. Apparently the staff didn’t like the work environment Proenza created, a working environment of “closed doors and the public airing of dirty laundry”, which they say put the “effective functioning” of the organization at risk. (Nice show of balls people… good job. Unfortunately for you, I’m relativly positive that he will replaced with someone just as bad… thus is the trackrecord of this administration)

Heckle: to something that sometimes wakes me up in the middle of the night. Undercover Congressional investigators were able to set up a bogus company and obtaine a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March that would have allowed them to “buy the radioactive materials needed for a so-called dirty bomb” and demonstrated yet again that the security measures to prevent radioactive materials from getting into the wrong hands are “insufficient”… (I would say so. Uh… maybe we should work on fixing that system.. ya think?)

Heckle: to another thing that sometimes wakes me up in the middle of the night. A new government threat assessment concludes that “Al-Qaeda has rebuilt its operating capability to a level not seen since the summer of 2001” as they’ve been able to “rebuild despite nearly six years of bombings, war and other tactics aimed at crippling it.” (Lovely… just lovely… wasn’t this whole war with Iraq supposed to destroy al Qaeda and make the country safer??? Oh wait, that was Afghanistan… which Bush promptly forgot about so he could rectify his Daddy’s screw-up. And people still support this man??? It boggles the mind…)

Applaud: to Fox “News” military analyst Col. David Hunt (yes, you read that right, I’m applauding someone from Fox… I hope this doesn’t get me put on some kind of list). The day after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that the nation is “entering a period this summer of increased risk” and partially attributed it to a “gut feeling”, Hunt criticized Chertoff’s remarks by stating, “I understand he’s got feelings. The problem is, the states and cities, who have to react to the Department of Homeland Security guidance, can’t do squat on his feelings. … It seems more politics, John, than terrorism.” (Hallelujah!! Someone has caught on. Maybe we should start a collection fund for the good Colonel…as I’m sure he’s going to be losing his job with Fox soon since he dared to speak against Fox’s master…)

Heckle: to making little girls cry. Earlier this week at a town hall event in Cleveland, 13-year old Jessica Hackerd, asked Bush what his “next step with the immigration bill” will be. While Bush’s sarcastic reply — a wry ‘yeah, thanks’ — drew laughter from the crowd of 400, it caused the yougn girl to immediately tear up… (Oh the children… won’t someone please think of the children… and impeach Bush’s sorry ass??)

Applaud: to the Fish and Wildlife Service for taking that “first step” toward declaring 10 penguin species endangered. Their survival “is deemed at risk in part because of the increasing warmth of the atmosphere and the oceans” because of global warming.” (Come on everyone, didn’t you see ‘Happy Feet’???)

Heckle: to what could very well be the dumbest thing ever said by a member of the Bush(whacked) Administration… and that’s a feat in and of itself. Earlier this week on Fox “News” (like that surprises you) White House mouthpiece Tony “Job” Snow defended “President” Bush’s Initial Benchmark Assessment Report, and attacked proposals to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, saying; “To walk out of Iraq right now would plant a seed that ultimately would lead to destabilization there, hundreds of thousands of deaths, loss of our influence in the region, would create instability throughout the Middle East throughout East Asia, throughout Europe. And sooner or later it would come to our shores, to a shopping mall near you.” (Fear mongering… the lifeline of the republican party. The problem is Tony, we’ve been in Iraq for how many years and al Qaeda is getting stronger… not weaker. Can you explain how that works??? Ya dumbass…and while we’re talking about republican and Bush fearmongering…)

Applaud: to the New York Times (I know, I feel a little dirty saying that) for challenging Bush’s fear-mongering over al Qaeda in Iraq. “The militant group is in many respects an Iraqi phenomenon. They believe the membership of the group is overwhelmingly Iraqi. Its financing is derived largely indigenously from kidnappings and other criminal activities.” (very well said guys… too bad it’s falling on deaf ears)

Heckle: to more wrongdoings and screw-ups from the Administration’s official albatross. Back in April of 2005, during a hearing on the Patriot Act, AG Gonzales testified to Congress, “There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse.” The problem with that is that six days earlier, the FBI sent Gonzales “one of at least half a dozen reports of legal or procedural violations” of the Patriot Act committed by FBI agents… (sooooooo, he lied to Congress… uh, I’m no attorney, but isn’t that illegal??)

Applaud: to a report from ABC News that says the White House is “in panic mode” over the recent defections of Republican senators on the President’s Iraq policy. (Niiiiiiiiiiice…)

Heckle: to Sara “I have a letter.” Taylor and Harriet Miers. I think we all know why…

Applaud: to Congress not taking Miers snub lying down. Charge her with contemtp… and while you’re at it, how about some make-up tips…

Applaud: to Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). Earlier this week they unveiled a bill that would require “power producers, refiners and steelmakers in the U.S to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2030.” (Hmmmm sounds like a good idea… but let’s wait to see if anything happens with it before we get to excited)

Heckle: to ‘phoning’ it in… sorry bad pun. As of now, Sen. David Vitter (r-La) is the only one who’s been named in the DC Madam’s phone records release, though I’m sure more will come out from both sides of the aisle…

And let’s end with two straight applauds for conservatives (no, I’m not ill)

Applaud: to republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo (r-CO) for being the only republican candidate with enough balls to show up at the NAACP presidential forum. An invite went out to all of the ‘official’ candidates, but the Colorado representative was the only one who showed. Part of the ‘applaud’ is taken away from Tancredo though and given to Mike Huckabee (r-AR) who was the lone republican candidate to appear at the NEA’s presidential forum. (This is absolutely pathetic… sure, McCain probably didn’t have enough money to travel now, or the person who arranges his travel plans quit, but what about the others, where the hell were they?? Here’s a chance to impress groups that lean Liberal and you skip it? It doesn’t make sense)

Applaud: to former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan. She can’t wait for Bush’s failed presidency to be over and has started calling Bush “strange” and “weird.” (Ok, when Peggy Noonan starts making fun of you, a fellow conservative, you have to realize that the rats are fleeing a sinking ship…)

All I have, take ‘em as you will...

Even more Lieberman silliness

It seems the great minds at Daily Kos and ThinkProgress are on the same wavelength as I. No sooner did I read about this via Bloglines, than it was mentioned on Kos and ThinkProgress.

Every republican’s favorite Independent Joe Lieberman (I r-CT) is at it again. It’s no secret that Lieberman is a Bush-apologist… but now he’s going even further down that dark road from which there is no return.

In an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Lieberman kissed Bush’s ass extolled Bush and his Iraq policies and echoed sentiments earlier spoken by Rush “OxyContin” Limbaugh when he stated; “Long after we’re all dead and gone, when historians who are not yet born begin to write about this era, they’re going to place George Bush in the upper echelon of presidents who had a great vision for America, who looked beyond our shores, who didn’t just restrict himself to domestic policy niceties.”

When Hewitt asked Lieberman how he thought history would evaluate Bush, Lieberman’s response dissolved any possibility that Lieberman has any Democratic XX in his body.

“And so I think overall, over time, his ratings among the historians will be greater than his ratings in the polls today.”

I love this argument. I mean, how can you refute it? it’s not like you can travel into the future, pick up a couple of historians and see if he and Limbaugh were right.

Where is Joe pulling this from? Nixon has numbers this low, and he is still viewed historically as a crook and a liar… how will Bush be any different?His attempts to do something that doesn’t involve Iraq have, by and large, failed.

Immigration reform has stalled… his lame attempt to do something with social security went the way of the dodo, and is only “victory” (a term I use very loosely), No Child Left Behind, has suffered from being grossly ineffective…

And through all that, Lierberman still believes Bush will be praised and vindicated later.

Interesting… isn’t it? The war is more unpopular than ever and Lieberman picks this time to opine that Bush is a great president and will be judged as such in the future.

Now… I’ve been writing about Lieberman all week… and I can no longer hold this in. How is it possible that a Senator who was once sensible and of sound judgement, go so completely ‘round the bend? Was it winning yet losing in 2000? Was it “the kiss?” What did it? Surely there has to be one moment that caused him to roll over and beg for his belly to be scratched by Bush…

Think back to May 2003, when Lieberman was competing for the Democratic nomination for president. He criticized the Bush(whacked) Administration for being “unprepared for the quick victory it predicted.” Then in Sept. 2003, he said that he was “shocked at how unprepared the Bush administration was for what to do afterward. They’ve left a vacuum which the terrorists, the Saddam loyalists, our enemies, have jumped into.”

From that to Bush “will be greater than his ratings in the polls today.” WTF??

Joe Lieberman needs to be a primary target the next time he’s up for re-election. We need to do everything within our power to make sure he DOES NOT get re-elected.

On the plus side, one has to think that it’s the destiniy of this adminstration to serve as an amazing warning to future administrations; examine all of their decisions and then do the exact opposite… you can’t go wrong then.