Two guys trying to make Sense more Common and who are out to prove that 50,456,002 Americans were wrong...and by the way, we're left.
"I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." - Will Rogers
Another document has been released that shows Iraq is failing to meet a majority, if not indeed all, of the US-set benchmarks.
The latest is a GAO report that was leaked to the Washington Post, that states; “Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 18 congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress, according to a draft of a Government Accountability Office report. The document questions whether some aspects of a more positive assessment by the White House last month adequately reflected the range of views the GAO found within the administration. […] The strikingly negative GAO draft, which will be delivered to Congress in final form on Tuesday, comes as the White House prepares to deliver its own new benchmark report in the second week of September, along with congressional testimony from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker. They are expected to describe significant security improvements and offer at least some promise for political reconciliation in Iraq.”
Keep in mind that this GAO report comes a few days after the new NIE was released that reported the very same thing… that Iraq is not meeting their benchmarks… and went even further and questioned some of the leaders in Iraq.
It also comes a few weeks before Gen. Petraues’ the White House’s testimony to Congree about the situation in Iraq.
Is it any wonder then that the public doesn't trust the White House to report honestly on the progress? In fact, the Bush(whacked) Administration is already in top spin mode regarding the “strikingly harsh” GAO report on Iraq.
The precise reason the GAO report was leaked to the Washington Post was because the source feared that the administration would try to “water down” its conclusions… well, and this really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, the Pentagon is indeed watering-down the report, with Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell saying that after reviewing a draft of the GAO report, Pentagon officials made what he called, “factual corrections” and then offered some “suggestions” on some of the actual grades that the GAO had assigned.
Said Mr. Morrell;
“We have provided the GAO with information which we believe will lead them to conclude that a few of the benchmark grades should be upgraded from ‘not met’ to ‘met,’”
The DOJ’s Inspector General suggested earlier this week that he is investigating whether or not outgoing-AG Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales gave misleading testimony to Congress… (and here he thought resigning would save him. Odds that Gonzo “suddenly” decides to resign earlier than his Sept. 17th date…)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is open to compromising with republicans over Iraq troop deployment. (Yesterday I said that Democrats need to unify and focus on a single message… it’s clear that an immediate and full withdrawal from Iraq ain’t gonna happen while Commander Cuckoo Bananas is in office, so a compromise may be the only ‘best’ option available. A limiting of troops is better than nothing at this stage of the game…)
Health and Human Services has toned down their ads pushing breast-feeding. That’s not so much the thing that struck me in the article as were these words that I never thought I would see… “politically powerful infant formula industry.” (Uh… okay…)
And have we mentioned? That the mortgage crisis is ending? “President” Bush is getting involved now… so everything should be hunky-dory within days… (Sarcasm? You think I’m being sarcastic? Whatever gave you that idea????????)
The GAO is set to release a report that finds little or no progress from Iraq on US mandated goals (I know, you’re shocked aren’t you?). The report will be delivered to Congress next week a few days before the White House’s own report on progress in Iraq… or lack thereof. (It should be interesting to see how the White House spins this… and what, if any, effect it has on its own report by Gen. Petraeus. I’m guessing none, and that they’re report will be filled with rose-colored glass goodness…)
The immigration debate is heating up again… and yet no one is really saying anything or suggesting anything, just offering more rhetoric and more “plans for the future”
Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has publicly ordered his huge militia to "freeze" operations for up to six months, meaning no more insurgent attacks by his forces. (I’ll believe it when I see it…)
The fall of Sen. Larry Craig continues as his fellow republicans circle the wagons throw him under the bus and are calling for him to resign.
And have we mentioned? That it seems as though the Democrats are falling under the republican spell and are not only starting to throw away money on “portraits”, but are also having a difficult time agreeing on anything? They couldn’t create a single message on Iraq, they allowed the administration to get their way with warrantless wiretapping, and are kowtowing to every White House request… things they promised to NOT do if elected… (This is NOT good. Scott and I both said before last November’s midterms that it would be all find and good if the Dems won control of Congress, but that it wouldn’t mean anything if they didn’t unite as one and maintain a single goal and strategy… not it looks as though they’re falling apart and arguing among themselves. Way to fuck up control of Congress guys! Get your collective heads out of your asses, pry some lips away from Bush’s ass and GET TO WORK!!!! Or you will find yourselves losing the majority and the country falling further into the abyss…)
It’s been two since since Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans and the gulf coast of Mississippi… two years, and out of the 115 “critical priority projects” that NOLA city officials identified as such… none, have been completed.
While touring the city today, Bush remarked that his administration has a “strong commitment” to rebuild the city.
Too bad he didn’t have a “strong commitment” to protecting the city 2 years ago… too bad he didn’t have a “strong commitment” to installing someone into FEMA who knew what the hell they were doing… too bad he didn’t’ have a “strong commitment” to visit the ravaged areas sooner than he originally did…
Bush’s lack of action 2 years ago and his audacity today does nothing to impede the fact that Katrina continues to stand as Bush’s largest domestic failure…
Sen. Larry Craig says it’s a vast conspiracy brought by the Idaho Statesman newspaper that made him get arrested in a bathroom at the Minnesota airport and made him plead guilty… (yeah, it looks as ridiculous as it sounds…)
Proving that they don’t really care about their own, Senate republican “leaders”, rather than circling the wagons for Craig, are calling for an inquiry into him. With friends like those, who needs enemas?
The White House said yesterday that “President” Bush is willing to fight for the right Attorney General candidate, one that agrees with his policies and will not consult the Democrats on the nominee… (Essentially he’s saying he’s going to pick whoever the hell he wants, as long as they are a Bush crony and does and thinks the same way Bush does. I guess that means that it’s entirely possible that we might see our first Chimpanzee as Attorney General…)
Proving once again that he not only doesn’t care what Congress thinks but doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the people of this country, “President” Bush is planning on asking Congress next month for an additional $50 billion in Iraq war funding… so rather than drawdown troops like a majority of the American people want and a small group of Congress wants, he’s going to, once again, do whatever the hell he pleases. The man is a tool, and January 20, 2009 cannot, repeat CANNOT, come soon enough…
And have we mentioned? That Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) made his first public appearance yesterday since undergoing emergency brain surgery last December and proudly announced; “I am back.” Johnson expects to return to work on Sept. 5. Welcome back Senator, welcome back…
Gonzo is gone-o, who’s next to leave from the cavalcade of constitutional ignoring… stay tuned.
After serving a 2-week tour of duty in the reserves, Sen. Lindsey Graham is now calling for a continuation of the “surge.” (Oddly enough, no one is saying what exactly he did while serving there, other than he was dressed in fatigues and armed with a Beretta. So there you go… take it as you will)
News is coming out that Sen. Larry Craig (r-ID) was arrested months ago for ‘inappropriate conduct’, a charge he pleaded guilty to… but now he’s denying anything happened. (Uh, okay…) The Idaho Statesman wrote an editorial saying that “Sen. Craig owes Idahoans an explanation. […] This is a painful time made worse by the fact that Craig so far has been less than forthcoming. […] Voters now deserve the full story from their senior senator.” (Yeah, good luck getting that from a republican senator…)
The Washington Post is reporting that Gen. David Petraeus altered the NIE’s judgments about the violence in Iraq after he was able to review an early draft. (Wow… censoring federal documents, if it was any administration but this one I would be surprised. Since it is this one, I’m only monumentally pissed!)
And have we mentioned? That Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) isnt waiting for the Democrats to win the White House in 2008 as he has suggested that Patrick Fitzgerald, as well as former Deputy AG James Comey, be considered as possible replacements for Gonzales. (Nice… while Durbin acknowledged Fitzgerald would be a ”long shot” for the job, I think a more apt deascription of the possibility would be “snowballs chance in Hell”… but I still like Durbin suggesting it…)
The albatross has been removed from around the neck as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who came to exemplify the Bush(whacked) Administration’s complete disregard for the law, has resigned.
I’ll say it again to make sure it sunk in… and the fact that it feels so damn good to say it…
The resignation was “grudgingly” accepted by “President” Bush.
A White House official, speaking on Gonzales’ decision to resign, said that “the unfair treatment that he's been on the receiving end of has been a distraction for the department.”
Unfair treatment?
In the end, the only support Gonzales had was Bush’s. Sure, some would say that was enough, but it turns out it wasn’t.
And with Gonzo going bye-oh, the rumor mill is agog in DC over who Bush will tap to succeed Gonzo, with the early favorite being current DHS Chief Michael Chertoff..
Chertoff would come into the job with a lot more experience than Gonzales had as Chertoff was a federal judge and an assistant attorney general.
The question than falls to who would replace Chertof, and with that we get to see that the Bush cronyism is alive and well in our nation’s capital as Clay Johnson III, the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget would likely get the nomination, despite having absolutely NO experience in immigration, air travel security, disaster response, or any other aspect of homeland defense. So what makes him qualify for this post?
It’s Monday, and rumors suggest it could start off with a bang...
Rumors are swirling around Washington DC that ‘embattled (and that’s putting it loosely) Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales will be resigning todayEmbattled (and that’s putting it loosely) Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales has resigned… press conference later this morning. Allegedly he gave his resignation on Friday but the administration waited until after Gonzo had talked to “President” Bush. (I’ll believe it when I see it and hear it… There was probably a time when US Attorney General was a respected and well sought-after post… now I’m not so sure)
California is looking to change the way their electoral votes are rewarded… As it stands now, the winner of the state's popular vote takes all electoral votes (makes sense), but the new initiative looks to award one electoral vote for every congressional district a candidate wins, with the statewide winner getting two more electoral votes… (Uh…no. I think we need to keep the system the way it is… or totally eliminate the electoral college altogether…)
Reports are coming out that former congressman Mark Foley “is unlikely to face criminal charges” for sending sexually explicit e-mails to teenage boys… (Lovely… nice message to send there everyone…)
As we marvel at yet another rat leaving the sinking ship that is the Bush White House, let’s marvel at yet another republican switching ‘aisles’ on the Iraq war. Originally Sen. John Warner (r-VA) didn’t want Congress to set a timetable, yesterday, he said that he may have to support Democratic legislation that would order a withdrawal, saying “I’m going to have to evaluate it. I don’t say that as a threat, but I say that is an option we all have to consider.” (And another domino falls…)
And have we mentioned? That “President” Bush is relying on a familiar strategy in his (vain) attempts to bide time for his surge strategy… he’s launched a spin campaign whose aim is to persuade the people to see things his way… (There are so many jokes right there, that I can’t decide on just one…)
Hello fellow politicos, it’s me Scott, back in the trenches, fighting the good fight. The past few months, ok basically all of 2006 have been interesting for me. I won’t bore you with the details.
“Big Brother” has kept me from having access to the blog and posting. Never the less, be assured I have been here all along in the background, collaborating with my good friend Kemp on many of the various posts and weekly rantings that you all know and love, adding my two cents to the snarky banter that is The “Bush”-Whacked Administration, or as we like to call it TBWA.
I would like to thank Kemp for running with the postings for all these months and for always keeping me in the loop and asking my thoughts on a myriad of issues to include in our postings. He is the best friend a guy could ask for. A tip of the hat to you my friend. Thanks for having my back.
Alright let’s get down to business! We are here to point out the good, the bad, and the ever so present ugly that is the life and times of The “Bush”-Whacked Administration, in what we like to call, The Weekly Rewind.
Heckle: to blowing your military load (aka: Premature Troop Ejacu..err Exhaustion). According to military documents and interviews conducted or reviews Associated Press, military documents and interviews The Army has nearly exhausted its fighting force and its options if the Bush administration decides to extend the Iraq buildup beyond next spring. The Army’s 38 available combat units are already mobilized, leaving no fresh troops to replace five extra brigades that Bush sent to Baghdad this year. Ok, not only did we piss poorly plan this from the inception, obviously no one has had a light bulb moment along the way, what’s next? Somehow I don’t want to know…
Applaud: to at least talking about moving in the right direction. U.S. military officials are narrowing the range of Iraq strategy options and appear to be focusing on reducing the U.S. combat role in 2008 while increasing training of Iraqi forces. Gee could it be due to the fact that we are due to run out of fresh troops ??? It’s so hard to express sarcasm in the written form.
Applaud: to standing up for your principles. The American Psychological Association, the nation’s largest group of psychologists, voted to restrict members from taking part in interrogations at U.S. military prisons that involve “any of more than a dozen specific practices, including sleep deprivation and forced nakedness.” The APA voted against a broader proposal to ban involvement in any interrogations that lack adequate human rights protections. Nice effort guys, but somehow I don’t think the Pentagon is losing any sleep over this…
Heckle: to the never ending story. This past Monday at 2:30 was the deadline for the White House to turn over materials regarding the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Even though the White House already received an extension from the original July 18 deadline, White House counsel Fred Fielding had stated that the administration will also miss Monday’s date. You know, somehow it wouldn’t surprise me if they tried to delay turning over materials until January 19, 2009!
Heckle: to color me not surprised. Vice President Cheney’s office responded separately from the White House to a Senate subpoena for documents on warrantless wiretapping. The response from the vice president was more surprising, because the White House was believed to have abandoned the argument that Cheney is a hybrid entity with both executive and legislative powers. Not surprising from the ‘Man who would be King’.
Heckle: to distorting the economy and having your own report biting you in the ass. The NY Times reported Americans earned a smaller average income in 2005 than in 2000, the fifth consecutive year that the average income was less than pre-Bush levels. Incomes have been on the rise since 2002, but the growth in total incomes was concentrated among those making more than $1 million while more people were dividing up the national income pie. Wow, imagine that, income rising for the elite and distorting the national picture. Once again, so hard to express sarcasm in the written form..
Heckle: to a crisis that needs to be addressed now. Members of the National Guard are just as likely as active duty soldiers to develop post-traumatic stress after leaving Iraq. Guard members who have had “deployment-linked money trouble,” which affects approximately 26 percent of the soldiers, are six times more likely to have mental-health problems. Ok,Congress and the Pentagon need to put politics aside and petty bickering aside and act now before the situation worsens!
Heckle: This is not a surprise anyone. A White House manual released recently discloses extensive instructions given to White House staffers in the art of “deterring potential protestors” from Bush’s public appearances. The manual demonstrates “that the White House has a policy of excluding and/or attempting to squelch dissenting viewpoints from presidential events,” said ACLU lawyer Jonathan Miller. Wow, imagine the administration teaching people to ‘quash’ opposing viewpoints. I am shocked.. shocked I tell you, to find gambling in this establishment.
Heckle: to President Bush, usually on pirnciples alone. However, as someone who avoided military duty in Vietnam, he is now ready to open a new theme in support of sticking with the battle of Iraq today by warning Iraq critics against committing the errors of Vietnam. Applaud to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who responded that “the fundamental difference” between the conflicts is that Bush generated support for “the invasion of Iraq under false pretenses.” Thanks Senator, I am glad that someone other than the american public is stepping up to the plate and calling out our war ‘dodging’ commander in chief.
Heckle: The Bush administration plans to screen thousands of people who work with charities and nonprofit organizations that receive U.S. Agency for International Development funds to ensure they are not connected with individuals or groups associated with terrorism. But the government does not intend to tell groups deemed unacceptable why they are rejected. Yeah because the the Salvation Army is what… an Army? And terrorists are just itching to get their hands on $2 used Docker shorts which would endanger the supply of donated articles to the general public. What’s next, screening everyone who works at 7-11 or Dunkin Donuts for explosive custard filling? How about putting those dollars to work screening cargo coming into the nations mostly unprotected ports.
At Lastly….. The United States’ largest and costliest embassy, a heavily fortified compound in Baghdad with its own power plant and lighted softball field, is on track to be completed next month, on time and within budget. But remember we do not intend to be an occupying Army, nor have a substantial presence after ‘success is achieved’.
Well that's it for this week folks. It’s good to be back. Till next time…
Ever since “President” Bush compared Iraq to Vietnam earlier this week, I’ve been trying to figure out just what to say about it.
Obviously Bush’s comparison is so-far off the mark, that a plethora of people on all sides of the political spectrum are voicing their disagreement, and it’s not likely to get any better.
Now we have a republican senator who has been one of the most outspoken supporters of the war, John Warner (r-VA), is calling for a pullout of US troops by this winter.
Surely Bush has to see that support is crumbling faster than Nicole Richie’s jail sentence.
Add that to (outgoing) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Peter Pace, who, according to an as-yet unpublished report, wants to urge Bush to cut US troops in Iraq, saying that keeping "more than 100,000 troops in Iraq through next year would severely strain the military.” (ya think????)
Now we know why Bush didn’t’ nominate Pace for a second term as chairman… Pace apparently likes to use his own brain.
The liberation of Iraq… begetting the establishing of Democracy for Iraq… begetting the “surge” for stability....
Well, with all this ‘begetting’, no wonder Bush is getting desperate and throwing out the Vietnam card.
The problem is… the comparison doesn’t work.
As Jim Hoagland says in his Washington Post op-ed, “Bush's Vietnam Blunder”, his invoking of ‘Nam doesn’t create a rationale for continuing our military presence in Iraq, but rather invites “examination of the mounting damage that his approaches to the war in Iraq, and to national security in general are doing to U. S. institutions.”
Having said all this, keep in mind that there are some parallels to Vietnam and the Iraq war. First, both are quagmires with little chance, if any, of success. Both wars were based on spurious reasoning and both wars are highly unpopular at home.
And now he’s going to compare the two and hope for a favorable response?
Wan Kim, the head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is resigning at the end of August… (I know I’ve said this many times before, but will the last Bush appointee in DC turn off the lights?)
Late again… how about we blame the bad weather in Chicago this time…
“President” Bush is getting desperate. Despite arguing, as recently as 2004, that Iraq was nothing like Vietnam, he’s now comparing the two, saying that a withdraw of U.S. troops would lead to widespread death and suffering… just like it did in ‘Nam. (Now, I am not a veteran… but if I was called to serve, I would. Having said that, someone who dodged military service in Vietnam shouldn’t be bringing it up. Also, the amount of military experts that are calling Bush out for this should make the White House consider backing off the statement, as it could very well come back to bite him in the ass. I’ll have more on this later today I imagine… so stay tuned)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki isn’t happy with the US, and he’s not holding his feelings in as he has “strongly” rebuked American politicians for threatening to withdraw support from his government. He then went on to suggest that if he were to be abandoned by the US, he could easily “find friends elsewhere.” This came days after very public calls to oust him were made by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Bush… who first distanced himself from him than immediately ran back to his warm embrace. (This makes me chuckle but it also infuriates me. Who the hell does al-Maliki think he is? I, personally, find the “find friends elsewhere” comment a veiled threat towards insurgents and such… and if he thinks we are his lapdog, things need to be done to make sure he knows which side his bread is buttered on. An immediate withdrawal of US troops would get that point across nicely…)
The White House is declaring yet another office above the law as they are saying in court papers that the White House Office of Administration is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act… (give me a break. Will someone, Dem or republican, in DC grow some balls and call them on it????? Someone?? Anyone???)
And have we mentioned? That there’s a “Lobbying War” brewing? And we don’t mean lobbying reform. In an attempt to negate organized labor’s ‘Americans United for Change’, the republicans have unleashed ‘Freedom’s Watch’ (wasn’t that a lobbying group in the TV show The West Wing?) to lobby people to support the Iraq war. (And with Ari Fleischer on the board, how can it fail… it’s so hard to express sarcasm and snark in the written form)
Apparently the CIA failed to carryout any sort of strategy in finding and eliminating al-Qaeda in the late 90’s… but former director George Tenet says the report is “flat wrong.” (Ok, we all knew that President Clinton dropped the ball regarding al-Qaeda during his term, and so did/has “President” Bush… but how about we forget all that and concentrate on GETTING THEM NOW… and no, they AREN’T in Iraq…)
No-bid contracts are on the rise within the federal government… seeing as how it’s this administration, does this really surprise anyone?
The original August-recess plan for Democratic leaders was to up the ante on republicans to secede from “President” Bush’s Iraq war strategy… that didn’t work out so well, so now they’re gone back to the drawing board. (Some Dems need to grow a set, get their heads out of their respective ass and DO SOMETHING… otherwise they’re gonna go down in the books as big a ‘do-nothing Congress’ as their predecessors… and that won’t help us in ’08. Get off yours asses and ACT!!!!!!!! Was that too over the top?)
The Federal Election Commission is busy hastily trying to fix a campaign finance provision that SCOTUS “blew up” years ago and are using SCOTUS's opinion as a guide. The FEC’s aim for the rule will be to make clear when an ad is lobbying Congress on an issue, and thusly allowed, and when an ad crosses the line into electioneering. (Got that? Make sense to everyone? Yep… this should end well…)
And have we mentioned? That the White House has a manual that gives White House staffers “extensive instructions” in deterring potential protestors at Bush appearances? Yep, the instructions include things like saying only those with tickets can get it (shouldn’t that one be common knowledge?), the tickets should be tightly controlled by event organizers, anyone entering must be screened in case they are hiding secret signs and it instructs staff that if an anti-Bush demonstrator manages to get in and start protesting, they should be shouted down by “rally squads” ( What is this, a high school pep rally??) that are stationed in strategic locations. And yet the White House still has the audacity to say that they aren’t against dissention… (Uh-huh…)
A new AP-Ipsos poll finds that Liberals read more books than conservatives.
I’ll pause to let THAT shocking news sink in…
According to the poll, 34% of conservatives have not read a book within the past year.. as opposed to 22% of Liberals and moderates.
The president of the American Association of Publishers, Pat Schroeder, tried to explain it thusly; “The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: ‘No, don’t raise my taxes, no new taxes. It’s pretty hard to write a book saying, ‘No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes’ on every page.”
Ouch…
Naturally this bought a harsh attack from White House spokesman Tony Fratto; “Obfuscation usually requires a lot more words than if you simply focus on fundamental principles, so I’m not at all surprised by the loquaciousness of liberals.”What?? Because we read?? Well then, by that logic, couldn’t we call conservatives gun-toting crazies???
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has declared that the government of Iraq is “non-functional” and that the parliament should oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his cabinet if they can’t forge a political compromise with several rival factions within a matter of days… (wow, haven’t people been calling for someone to show some balls and give Iraq’s “government” – a term I use loosely – some “tough love”… stay tuned…)
The Bush(whacked) administration has announced new policies that are going to make it very hard for states to insure all but the lowest-income children… this comes as the administration is already engaged in a Congressional battle about expanding a popular children's health insurance program. (I understand that republicans want a smaller government and all that jazz… but I don’t understand how kicking children’s healthcare to the curb helps… anyone?
And have we mentioned? That consumer advocates are criticizing and accusing China and the Bush(whacked) Administration of not only impeding attempts to strengthen rules regarding lead paint in children’s toys but also impeding efforts to increase inspections? (Nice… really, really nice. You add that to the news above and you can’t help but think that this administration doesn’t like kids… maybe I’m wrong, but it’s hard not to think that… isn’t it?)
Once again he’s letting his conservative/republican tendencies show and is pushing for some sort of military action against IraqIran Syria…
He wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (who aren’t even waiting until the sale to Murdoch is complete before becoming conservative media-whores) that stated that the US “road to victory” in Iraq is through Damascus, so, naturally, he’s now urging Congress to “send a clear and unambiguous message to the Syrian regime.”
Wrote Lieberman;
“The United States is at last making significant progress against al Qaeda in Iraq–but the road to victory now requires cutting off al Qaeda’s road to Iraq through Damascus. […] It is therefore time to demand that the Syrian regime stop playing travel agent for al Qaeda in Iraq. […] When Congress reconvenes next month, we should set aside whatever differences divide us on Iraq and send a clear and unambiguous message to the Syrian regime, as we did last month to the Iranian regime, that the transit of al Qaeda suicide bombers through Syria on their way to Iraq is completely unacceptable, and it must stop.”
This is nothing new. Not long after the Iraq invasion, Lieberman claimed the war in Iraq would bolster our ability to take on Syria, and now, with Iraq going oh-so-well (it’s hard to express sarcasm in the written form), he figures it’s time to act… the only problem is… no one else does.
Let’s face some facts, Lieberman’s approach to confronting terrorism in the Mid-East has only produced more violence and chaos. It isn’t diplomacy… it’s yet another step towards military confrontation… a miltary confrontation that we as a nation can NOT afford.
Yaaaaaawwwwnnn… weekend wasn’t long enough. But at least it was wet.
“President” Bush’s vision of ending global tyranny and installing democracy worldwide has, to be nice, stalled because his administration is in a quagmire (giggety!) of bureaucracy and, well, ineptitude. (And how does this fit into the plans of all those conservative pundits who claim his legacy will be grand??? Not well I suspect…)
Seeing as how the presidential race has started WAY too early, Democrats and republicans in Congress are “mounting a fierce battle” in order to manipulate the masses and garner them votes. (Get ready for politics 24/7. Once upon a time, one would have to wait until an election cycle to be inundated with political ads, but now… we don’t have that luxury and will be swamped with ads every month… get ready)
A Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has ordered the Bush(whacked) Administration to respond to a request for orders and legal papers regarding the scope of the government’s authority to engage in the secret wiretapping of Americans. (Ok… the request was brought by the ACLU – whom I am not generally a fan of – but I am this time because I want to see how far and deep this goes… and while they’re at it, how about giving the American people an example of the eavesdropping actually working??)
Today is the deadline for the White House to hand over materials regarding the NSA’s eavesdropping program to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This would be the secon “deadline” as the White House received one extension of the original July 18th deadline… and don’t expect them to meet today’s either; because they won’t. In fact, White House counsel Fred Fielding has already stated that the administration will also miss today’s 2:30 deadline (And the Bush(whacked) Administrations flipping-off of the law continues…)
And have we mentioned? That former FEMA director Michael Brown (remember him? I thought so… it’s hard to forget a person that mismanaged the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina) is now consulting and “offering disaster relief” for businesses that work with the federal government? (Can’t decide whether to laugh or cry can you? That was my reaction as well…)
What else is there to say about this op-ed but wow...
As responsible infantrymen and noncommissioned officers with the 82nd Airborne Division soon heading back home, we are skeptical of recent press coverage portraying the conflict as increasingly manageable and feel it has neglected the mounting civil, political and social unrest we see every day. (Obviously, these are our personal views and should not be seen as official within our chain of command.)...
In short, we operate in a bewildering context of determined enemies and questionable allies, one where the balance of forces on the ground remains entirely unclear. (In the course of writing this article, this fact became all too clear: one of us, Staff Sergeant Murphy, an Army Ranger and reconnaissance team leader, was shot in the head during a "time-sensitive target acquisition mission" on Aug. 12; he is expected to survive and is being flown to a military hospital in the United States.) While we have the will and the resources to fight in this context, we are effectively hamstrung because realities on the ground require measures we will always refuse — namely, the widespread use of lethal and brutal force....
Political reconciliation in Iraq will occur, but not at our insistence or in ways that meet our benchmarks. It will happen on Iraqi terms when the reality on the battlefield is congruent with that in the political sphere. There will be no magnanimous solutions that please every party the way we expect, and there will be winners and losers. The choice we have left is to decide which side we will take. Trying to please every party in the conflict — as we do now — will only ensure we are hated by all in the long run....
In the end, we need to recognize that our presence may have released Iraqis from the grip of a tyrant, but that it has also robbed them of their self-respect. They will soon realize that the best way to regain dignity is to call us what we are — an army of occupation — and force our withdrawal.
You can read the whole thing HERE... and I highly suggest you do...
It’s Friday, take a break from watching High School Musical 2 and soak-in the beauty that IS… The Weekly Rewind.
Applaud: to the slew of republican resignations this week. Karl “President” Rove… Rep. Dennis Hastert (r-IL)… Deb Pryce (r-OH)… possibly Rep. Chip Pickering (r-MS), and soon; Snowjob himself, Tony Snow, who signaled in an interview earlier this week that he will not stay until the end of the term. Snow then went on to say that “probably a couple” of other high-level resignations are “coming up in the next month or so.” (Niiiiiiice… will the last republican leaving Washington please turn out the lights??)
Heckle: to Rudy Giuliani for claiming that he was at Ground Zero “as often, if not more” than 9/11 rescue workers. To even suggest that is an insult to the men and women who DID the recovery work, and now we have proof that he’s a tool as a review of mayoral archives reveal that Giuliani was at Ground Zero for “a total of 29 hours” from Sept. 17 to Dec. 16, 2001… during that time, a lot of rescue and recovery workers were putting in daily 12-hour shifts. (I’m no mathamatician or statastecian, but I don’t think that equals up… I’m just sayin’)
Applaud: to Rep. Hastert (r-IL). Yes, he is a republican tool, but with his resignation announcement he said that he intends to add one “last hurrah” to his career, and that is “enacting climate change, energy legislation” with the woman that done him wrong took his job as speaker; Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). (Yes, I know it’s probably political grandstanding but, as most of you know, political grandstanding does work sometimes in getting things done)
Heckle: to what could be the most bizarre, ironic and frightening thing I’ve ever heard. Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales visited Iraq last Saturday to to help fashion the country’s legal system… (my head hurts just thinking about this…)
Applaud: to proof that it’s not only the Federal government who’s screwing Katrina victims with their pants on. An investigation has shown that a plethora of associatess of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (r) are profiting from Hurricane Katrina, including Barbour’s own family and friends who have “earned hundreds of thousands of dollars from hurricane-related business.” (It’s just sad…)
Heckle: to Karl Rove. During an interview with Rush “BFI” Limbaugh, Rove claimed that the people criticizing “President” Bush are “sort of elite, effete snobs who can’t hold a candle to this guy. What they don’t like about him is that he is common sense, that he is Middle America.” (Who was born on the East Coast). Limbaugh then suggested that Bush’s critics are frustrated that the President “outsmarts ‘em.” (First of all, Bush couldn’t outsmart a pretzel. Second, if I was ever outsmarted by this man, I would kill myself…)
Applaud: to republicans speaking the truth. I know, it’s a phrase not often seen, but in this case it’s true. Thomas Pauken, the former chairman of the Texas republican Party said earlier this week about Karl Rove: “It is dangerous to put political consultants in charge of policy. [..] The combination of big-government conservatism and the extraordinary neoconservative influence on foreign policy has been devastating.” (Succinctly put Tom… nicely done)
Heckle: to former CIA director James Woolsey, who was one of the earliest advocates of invading Iraq, for his recent fear-and war-mongering. During an appearance on CNN’s Lou Dobbs, Woolsey claimed that Iran “could have” a nuclear bomb in “a few months.” The problem with that statement is that it isn’t true. according to Joseph Cirincione, the director for nuclear policy at the Center for American Progress, “Iran is still probably five to 10 years away from gaining the ability to make nuclear fuel or nuclear bombs.” (Here we go again…)
Applaud: to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for writing a letter to “President” Bush asking that he give all documents and other information sought by the House and Senate Judiciary and Intelligence Committees so they can conduct oversight into FISA’s implementation (and I’m sure that after someone reads the letter to Bush, they’ll get a response of ‘No’)
Heckle: to the news coming out of Iraq that the country is “generating enough power to meet only half the nationwide demand” and that almost all Baghdad residents are down to “an hour or two of electricity a day.” According to Electricity Ministry spokesman Aziz Shimari; “These shortfalls are the worst since U.S.-led forces ousted Saddam Hussein back in 2003.” (Glad to know our occupation of Iraq is doing so much… it’s hard to express sarcasm in written form…)
Applaud: to the American public and the return, it seems, of common sense (we hope). In a slew of polling results released this week, the public is starting to wake from the common sense slumber that had entranced it since 2000. First, the public is starting to see the Fourth Estate for what they are; politically biased, inaccurate, and uncaring with 59% saying their reporting was wrong and 64% saying the reporting was politically biased. And according to a new CBS News poll a strong majority of Americans, 60%, want a drawdown. The same poll shows that 46% of Americans believe the U.S. presence in Iraq is creating terrorists. Add to that the results of a CNN poll released earlier this week that shows 53% of Americans suspect that the military assessment of the Iraq war is being manipulated in order to make it sound better than it actually is, with another 43% saying they they don’t trust the reports at all. (Are we really seeing a return of common sense? One can only hope…)
Applaud: to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for asking the DOJ’s Inspector General to “investigate potentially false or misleading testimony given by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales during his appearances before various congressional committees.” (Keep the pressure on ‘em Pat, it will work eventually)
Heckle: to the White House for having the audacity to propose limiting the appearance of Gen. David Petraeus to only a private congressional briefing, once again denying the American public their right to see what their government is up to. Their reasoning (if you can call it that) was that the believe that the administration’s progress report on Iraq should be delivered to Congress by the secretaries of state and defense… (Um, yeah…)
Applaud: to Army COS Gen. George Casey. Earlier this week he stated that lengthening the tours of duty would be too stressful and risky for troops, saying; “I don’t see going beyond the 15 months. [..] Any more than that, it puts our soldiers at a level of stress and a level of risk that right now I’m not comfortable with.” (About time someone in this administration realizes that…)
Heckle: to the Primary Wars. Good grief people, just do a National Primary and get over it. At this rate, Fred Thompson won't be in the race until after the Iowa caucus.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the primary waters…
Michigan has now entered into the primary fray as they look to hold their primary on January 15th, which is days before South Carolina has theirs scheduled written in pencil for January 19th.
Ok… since their arrogance dictates that their respective primaries be first in the nation, New Hampshire will have to move its primary into the first week of January, when everyone is recouperating from the holidays) and Iowa will probably push theirs further into 2007… essentially turning it into a repeat of last week’s pathetic gop straw poll.
And for the record for all our ‘friends’ out there in Iowa and New Hampshire, the American people do not appreciate or like your stranglehold positioning in our primary process.
According to a new Rasmussen poll, few American voters are committed to Iowa and New Hamshire being the first primaries of the election season, and the proof is in the pudding as a scant 21% “believe that Iowa should always have the first Presidential caucus” and a just-as-scant 22% “believe New Hampshire should always have the first Presidential Primary.”
“Having a national primary day is the most democratic thing to do… and it would ensure that every person in the United States that votes would have an equal say in who would get that party’s nomination.”
Stay tuned, as I’m relatively positive this madness isn’t anywhere close to being over.
Notes released Thursday from FBI Director Robert Mueller contrasts with testimony last month from AG Albatross Gonzales… (Which shows once again that Gonzo was lying through his teeth… but there he remains in Washington. The absurdity of this is getting ridiculous…)
gop presidential candidates Mitt “Like my Hair” Romney and Rudy “9/11” Giuliani are sniping at each other just like Dem candidates Obama and Clinton… (which leaves me to ask; do we really have 10 more months of this???)
Is it me or are republican representatives dropping like flies? Hastert (IL)… Pryce (OH)… and now Pickering (MS)… can the Dems pick up all of those seats? I think we could easily snare two of three, so stay tuned.
Remember how Rudy Giuliani claims that he was at Ground Zero “as often, if not more” than 9/11 rescue workers? Big shock, he was exaggertaing as mayoral archive records reveals that, from Sept. 17 to Dec. 16, 2001, “he was there for a total of 29 hours.” In that same period many rescue and recovery workers put in daily 12-hour shifts… (I said when he entered the race that Rudy can only ride this 9/11 wagon for so long, and already the wheels are falling off. The more he brings it up, the more intense the scrutiny of his post-9/11 record will be… lo-and-behold; I was right)
And have we mentioned? That PETA is outraged that Karl “President” Roveplans to go dove hunting his first free weekend after resigning? That’s all fine and good, it’s their beliefs, but of all the things that the man has done, to be upset about dove hunting is rather silly… but then again, it’s PETA.
Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes can’t at least… look at what he says about Rove;
“Rove is the greatest political mind of his generation and probably of any generation. He not only is a breathtakingly smart strategist but also a clever tactician. He knows history, understands the moods of the public, and is a visionary on matters of public policy. But he is not a magician.”
Seriously? That’s what you think?? Tell me Fred, what color is the sky in your world??? Rose-colored, or is that color reserved for your official glasses?
And just in case you need more proof that Rove gets it wrong more often than he gets it right, during an interview with Rush “BFI” Limbaugh this afternoon, Rove said that the people criticizing Bush are “sort of elite, effete snobs who can’t hold a candle to this guy. What they don’t like about him is that he is common sense, that he is Middle America.”
Limbaugh then suggested that Bush critics are frustrated with Bush because he “outsmarts ‘em.”
There are so many things wrong with those statements that I don’t even know where to begin…
For far too long politicos have swooned over Karl Rove like he was Corbin Bleu…
Granted, he did tower over his peers in the Bush(whacked) Administrationostly by just being competent. But it’s high time someone tells it like it is: Karl Rove has, for all intents and purposes, destroyed the republican party…
Rove was wrong about a LOT of stuff… actually let me rephrase that, he wasn’t just wrong… he was spectacularly wrong.
Yes, pandering to the republican base worked in the current, but it’s beginning to look more and more like the long-term effects of Rove’s wheelings and dealings could be potentially fatal to the gop.
When Rove entered the White House, he had visions of a “permanent” republican majority… and now, after 6 ½ years, the chances of that happening are highly unlikely...
A permanent 51% majority is an idea so utterly devoid of logic, that it’s hard to imagine someone taking it seriously… even if you did believe in it – and anyone with a brain shouldn’t - the smallest demographic shift would undermine this "brilliant" strategy.
In politics, there is nothing permanent about 51%… Joe Lieberman deciding to stop being a schmuck and acting like a Democrat again would alter that scant margin.
But Rove didn't just break the gop… he broke a president, an army, a plethora of laws, and the country.
And now… with Rove officially walking the plank… the fourth estate is having its way with him
And while the television media was kneeling in front of Rove toasting Rove yesterday, the print media was able to actually analyze Rove’s roll in the Bush presidency and this morning a lot of them unleashed polar opposites of what TV pundits had said (Hat tip to ThinkProgress…)
Bloomberg: “[Rove] is quitting his White House job with little likelihood that the political agenda he set will be fulfilled…more recent attempts at major changes in the law — overhauling the Social Security and immigration systems — failed. … Rove’s vision of an enduring Republican majority was deat a blow by defeats in congressional elections last November.”
New York Times: “Mr. Rove leaves the White House anything but victorious. His legendary reputation…was seriously diminished by the Republican defeats of 2006. He is blamed in Republican circles for many of the political problems President Bush has suffered in a difficult second term.”
Chicago Sun-Times: “[I]t’s hard to believe he’d be going home if his grand vision of Republicans forever had held together instead of imploding.”
Salt Lake Tribune: “Fortunately, reality finally is catching up with Karl Rove. Lincoln famously said that you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time. Rove has pushed those boundaries, but ultimately, he could not escape them.”
LATimes: “[T]he politics of polarization that once served President Bush so well eventually undermined his quest for a legacy of achievement in office, while deflating Rove’s own dream of a Republican ascendancy at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. On Monday, Rove quit while he was behind.”
Now with Rove gone, Bush is left to deal with the presidency using his own brain…
Sources close to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (r-IL) are saying that he will announce his retirement this Friday. Since losing the speaker position, his incredible lack of political power has been staggeringly noticeable and he has faded into the background. To his retirement I say; good riddance. Though if he’s serious about wanting to add one “last hurrah” to his career and enact climate change and energy legislation with Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the woman who took the Speaker’s gavel from him, then I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
This administration just won’t be happy until they get the country into a war with Iran will they…
Thank GOD someone in this administration gets it… Army chief of staff Gen. George Casey has said that lengthening tours of duty would be too stressful and risky for troops. Said Casey; “I don’t see going beyond the 15 months. Any more than that, it puts our soldiers at a level of stress and a level of risk that right now I’m not comfortable with.” (About. Effin. Time)
The 2008 presidentialrace continues an— ah who cares… it’s still too early…
And have we mentioned? That Fox “News” much-trumpeted right-wing answer to ‘The Daily Show’, ‘Half Hour News Hour’, has been canceled by Fox execs after incredibly dismal ratings followed the incredibly dismal reviews the show received when it debuted. My favorite review was from Philadelpha Inquirer, which wrote; “The 1/2 Hour News Hour is slow torture all by itself.”
In the interest of full disclosure; yes… I am a Liberal.
But… I also support the death penalty.
But this information coming out about Attorney General Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales… it’s just wrong on so many levels.
The DOJ is finalizing parts of the Patriot Act that will include regulations giving Gonzales wide-ranging power over death penalty cases in California and other states, including the “power” to shorten the time that death row inmates have to appeal convictions to federal courts.
What does this mean exactly? It means that those facing the death penalty would get fewer opportunities to appeal and less time between sentencing and execution… that’s all fine and good considering John Wayne Gacy was on death row for 14 years… but to give an attorney general who has completely lost the faith of not only congress but also the vast majority of Americans, unprecedented power to essentially kill people is staggeringly mind-boggling…
My problem more so lies within the underlyring question of why in the HELL are we taking that authority out of the hands of federal judges (where it currently is) and giving it to the Attorney General of the United States???
Aren’t republicans supposed to be the ones who want to take power away from the federal government and give it to localities???
The disdain demonstrated by this administration for Congress, the people, law and life has now reached its zenith.
Using a “little-noticed” provision in the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, Alberto “Albatross” Gonzales will have greater influence over death penalty cases in California and other states… including the ability to “shorten the time that death row inmates have to appeal convictions to federal courts.” (What?? How in God’s name does this fall under the authority of the US Attorney General?? I support the death penalty in most cases – yes, a Liberal who supports the death penalty – but giving the US AG that much power is an infringement on state’s rights… and isn’t that something that republicans are supposed to be against??)
And have we mentioned? That ever since White House “war czar,” Gen. Doug Lute suggested that reinstituting the military draft should be kept on the table, people on both sides of the aisle having been coming out against it and for it… this will end well…
The Svengali of the Beltway… the King of the Swamp… the head rat of the sinking ship… Karl Rove is resigning.
According to an interview in the Wall Street Journal (new motto: “Now with more right-wing”) Karl Rove is resigning as White House Supreme Commander Deputy COS effective Aug. 31 in order to, as usual, spend more time with his family… though it’s anyone’s best guess if they want to spend time with him.
Rove’s resignation is a major turning-point for the Bush(whacked) Administration as one of the most polarizing figures in this White House leaves and, as the WSJ article states, signals the “effective end of the lame duck administration's role in shaping major domestic policy decisions.” (Not that it was doing that well with Rove involved anyway…)
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, “Obviously it’s a big loss to us. He’s a great colleague, a good friend, and a brilliant mind. He will be greatly missed.”
During the interview, Rove couldn’t help himself and had to offer his opinions on just about everything, saying that he expects the Democrats to give the 2008 presidential nomination to Sen. Clinton (whom he described as "a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate – hello kettle, this is the pot; you’re black) and that republicans have “a very good chance” to hold onto the White House in next year's elections… (not unless Ronald Reagan comes back from the dead to run…) Rove also expects Bush's approval rating to rise again, that conditions in Iraq will improve as the U.S. military surge continues and that Democrats will become divided this fall in the battle over warrantless wiretapping.
Never mind that his prognostications have lately been WAY, WAY off… the most glaring being his declaration on NPR about a week before the midterm elections that there would be “a republican Senate and republican House” when, back here on planet earth, the Democrats won both the House and the Senate in 2006…
And lest Rove think he’s getting away with something; his resignation will NOT help him avoid Congressional investigation as Senate Judiciary Chair Pat Leahy issued a statement today vowing to continue the investigation into Rove's involvement in the prosecutor purge.
One of the bottom tier gop presidential candidates has left the race after an incredibly poor showing at the Iowa Buying Your Votes straw poll. No, not that one… the other one; Tommy Thompson has dropped out of the race after finishing sixth in the Ames, Iowa straw poll. (Meh)
Last week Congress folded like origami and passed an expansion of FISA that moved the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program “out from under any real legal restrictions.” But this past weekend the Washington Post added more details today about two court rulings against the program, writing; “But in a secret ruling in March, a judge on a special court empowered to review the government’s electronic snooping challenged for the first time the government’s ability to collect data from such wires even when they came from foreign terrorist targets. In May, a judge on the same court went further, telling the administration flatly that the law’s wording required the government to get a warrant whenever a fixed wire is involved. […] The rulings — which were not disclosed publicly until the congressional debate this month — represented an unusual rift between the court and the U.S. intelligence community. They led top intelligence officials to conclude, a senior official said, that “you can’t tell what this court is going to do” and helped provoke the White House to insist that Congress essentially strip the court of any jurisdiction over U.S. surveillance of communications between foreigners.” (So once again, the administration ignores the law and does whatever it pleases…I would say more, but what’s the use?)
The Jack Abramoff storylines just won’t go away with news now coming out that the COS for Rep. Bob Ney (r-OH) wore a wire in order to snare his boss…
And have we mentioned? That all republican Iowans at the aforementioned straw poll are not happy that Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and John McCain did not make an appearance at the poll and are promising to “remember” the snub? (Man, those Iowans are a whiny haughty bunch… personally I think that the reason they didn’t attend is that the three of them – and please remember that Thompson isn’t even an official candidate yet – know that Iowa is becoming less and less relevant in the whole primary process, and the candidates are focusing on states that can deliver more)
Not a good week as I really had to struggle, and at times reach, to find some ‘applauds,’ but here’s your Weekly Rewind:
Applaud: to retired steel worker Steve Skvara. He asked what could possibly be the most emotional question ever at a presidential debate. Now I can only hope that someone will read Mr. Skvara's question at the next gop debate. After he asked the question and sat down, he received a standing ovation from the crowd and led MSNBC host Chris Matthews to wonder aloud afterward, "if that wasn't a moment that's going to change American political history." Watch it here and tell me if you don’t agree with Chris.. and with me…
Heckle: to the flip-flopping panderer himself, John McCain (r-AZ).Last month, during debate in the Senate, he attacked colleagues who demanded a strategic redeployment out of Iraq by asking them, “The terrorists are in this war to win it. The question is, are we?” Well… it seems as though McCain has answered his own question, and the answer was ‘no.’ During one of his fundraisers earlier this week, McCain conceded that “I’m not positive we can win this fight.” (Wow… I guess watching almost every member of your staff quit and a once-promosing campaign turn so quickly can make even the most optimistic person see the light… now, if only we could get Lieberman to see it…)
Applaud: to not being another British lapdog for Bush. New UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is pursuing a tougher line with the U.S. than his predecessor ever did, as evidenced when Britain called for the Bush(whacked) Administration to release five British residents held at Guantanamo Bay earlier this week… (way to pave your own way there Mr. Brown. Jolly, good show)
Über-Heckle: to Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stu Byokofsky, who wrote earlier this week; “One month from The Anniversary, I’m thinking another 9/11 would help America.” (What a fucking tool. Regardless of your politics… regardless of what you think of America’s current government… regardless of your thoughts on the war; suggesting that we should be attacked again and that that attack would help us is not only wrong, but proves just how unintelligent you are…you should be ashamed)
Applaud: to finally getting it. Sure, it took them months and months to figure it out, but FEMA has finally done an “about-face” and will immediately stop using, buying and selling disaster-relief trailers because they could be contaminated with formaldehyde.” (Heckuva job FEMA… heckuva job…)
Heckle: to even more waffling. First it was September that the surge could be assessed, but now U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker is saying that there are no “defining moments” in Iraq. Said Crocker; “I don’t think there is a date on the calendar, whether it’s in September or any other time in which you can say, ‘This is the defining moment. It’s all coming together, or it’s all falling apart.’ It’s an enormously complex situation.” (It’s been falling apart for quite some time Ryan, so I don’t think you have to worry about being able to identify that moment… now we’re simply looking for a way out…)
Applaud: to not believing the hype, even when it comes from two of your colleagues. Center for Strategic and International Studies military analyst Anthony Cordesman published a report and alleged that “significant changes [are] taking place” in President Bush’s escalation, potentially ushering in a “sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with” in the future. This was a direct counterpoint to a New York Times editorial by Brookings analysts Michael O’Hanlon and Ken Pollack that said the surge was working and Iraq is getting better. (It should be noted that all three went on the same trip to Iraq… with the same group… and came back with decidedly differing views. Hmmmm, makes you wonder who drank the Kool Aid?)
Heckle: to former NYC Mayor and current gop presisidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. Yesterday he said; “I was at ground zero as often, if not more, than most of the workers. […] I was exposed to exactly the same things they were exposed to. So in that sense, I’m one of them.” (Uh, yeah… not so much there Rudy…)
Applaud: to the head of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association in New York, Battalion Chief John McDonnell, who responded to Giuliani’s ridiculous comments by saying; “I think he’s really grasping and trying to justify his previous attempts to portray himself as the hero of 9/11.” (Well said John… however, I don’t think grasping is a strong enough adjective… and someone really needs to tell him that he ain’t gonna get elected just because he says ‘9/11’ every 2 minutes…)
Heckle: to the Pentagon for losing track of approximately 30% (190,000 AK-47’s and pistols) of the weapons given to Iraqi forces… (essentially meaning that the US is now helping to arm the insurgents) The GAO reported that the way the weapons were distributed “was haphazard and rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005, when security training was led by Gen. David H. Petraeus.” (Yeah… great,and guess who’s in charge over there now?)
Applaud: to the House for “declaring a new direction in energy policy.” Last week the House approved $16 billion in taxes on oil companies, which also provided billions of dollars in tax breaks and incentives for “renewable energy and conservation efforts.”
Heckle: to the Wall Street Journal. Apparently they’re getting ready for their new owner Rupert Murdoch. Despite at least nine other major newspapers coming out against the new law, (who called it things like “unnecessary” and “dangerous.” WaPo wrote that Congress was “stampeded into another compromise of Americans’ rights.”) the WSJ has come out and is praising the administration’s new FISA law, writing earlier this week; Opposition from the Democratic left to this intelligence program isn’t merely part of the partisan blood feud against a weak President near the end of his term. It is part of a far larger ideological campaign to erode Presidential war powers. Goaded by the ACLU and much of the press corps, many Democrats want to use the courts and lawsuits to restrict Mr. Bush and future Presidents in their ability to gather intelligence in the war on terror.” (Sigh… nothing like eliminating the Constitution to get conservatives raring to go. How about an actual example of this having worked and stopping an actual attempt – and I don’t mean a group of men who couldn’t screw in a light bulb let alone carry out an act of terrorism – I want to see an actual example…)
Half-hearted Applaud: to the four republican presidential candidates who have now agreed to participate in the CNN/YouTube debate. Mark my words – after the debate, regardless of their performance, each one who participates will try to discredit it… it’s the republican thing to do…
Heckle: to even more vacation time… oops, sorry, I meant “recess” time. “President” Bush is flying to Kennebunkport for the weekend before going down to his Crawford ranch for what the White House says is not a “vacation,” but rather a “recess.” (Figures Bush would want to call it a recess… he at times has the mind of a grade schooler... I’m sorry, that was mean and insulting to grade schoolers everywhere… )
Applaud: to websites that help to show just how myopic “President” Bush can be at times. Someone has taken the time to choose the Top 50 religious “Insights” by Bush… and some of them truly make you wonder what the hell 50,000,000+ people were thinking… some of the best; “I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Hanukkah.”, “God would tell me, 'George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did.”, “It's also important for people to know we never seek to impose our culture or our form of government. We just want to live under those universal values, God-given values.” (Yeah… I’m not gonna say a word… I’m just gonna smile and leave it alone…)
Heckle: to administration arm-twisting. During last week’s debate over FISA, Mike McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence, told congressional leaders that he was getting intense pressure from “the other side” even though he had doubts about the bill. (Nice… nothing is above or below this administration. They’ll do whatever they have to do to get what they want…) It should also be mentioned that his change of heart on the bill left some members suggesting that he “had become a puppet for the White House.” (Well duhhhhh. Did it really take some people that long to figure that out??)
Heckle: to even more warmongering. Political website McClatchy is reporting that Vice President Dick “President” Cheney has “proposed launching airstrikes” at training camps in Iraq that are suspectedly being run by the Quds force, which is, according to the site, a special unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. (I don’t even know what to say anymore…)
Heckle: to seemingly lying out of one’s ass. During Bush’s press conference yesterday morning (his last one before going to “recess”), WaPo’s Peter Baker asked him if he “had read” a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross that “has found an interrogation program in CIA detention facilities, [that] used interrogation techniques that were ‘tantamount to torture.’” Bush’s response? “Haven’t seen it; we don’t torture.” (Well, thanks for clearing that up…)
Heckle: to father-son issues; presidential style. The New York Times reported this week that President Bush’s unpopularity is taking a toll on his father and that it “wears on his heart…and his soul” according to longtime aide Ron Kaufman. Read the article, it’s an incredibly insightful peace that at times shows just how much of a putz Dubya can be… and how much Bush Sr. wanted Jeb to be the the successful politician…
Heckle: to Cindy Sheehan. I don’t see how running against Nancy Pelosi is going to accomplish anything you want accomplished Ms. Sheehan… once again, you’re taking the wrong path to achieve something. And we’re still not entirely sure what it is that you are trying to achieve…
Heckle: to the continued jockeying for position in the presidential primaries. Yes, Iowa and New Hampshire’s time has passed to lead the nation in that regard… yes, at times the two states, more so New Hampshire, are so arrogant about their primary that it makes others cringe… but to have a primary the year BEFORE the election is not only inane… it’s completely unneccsarry. I can solve the dilemma in two words: National. Primary.
Whew... that's all I have this week. Take ‘em as you will...
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