The Weekly Rewind

You know why you’re here, so let’s just get right to it.

Heckle: to $4.109. That was the average price of a gallon of gasoline earlier this week, setting a new record. According to AAA, gas prices have risen 40 percent in the last year. We just keep getting screwed deeper and deeper, but at least the pace is slowed from a sprint to a stroll……it still hurts like hell.

Applaud: to avoiding a knee jerk reaction. The Congress voted to override President Bush’s veto of a Medicare bill aimed at forestalling an 11 percent cut in payments to doctors taking care of Medicare patients. The House voted 383 to 41 to override the veto, while the Senate voted 70 to 26. We need a long term solution to what will become a bigger problem and we need serious thoughts and discussions NOW.

Heckle: to lives cut down due to misguided thinking. Nine American soldiers died last Sunday , in the worst violence against Americans in Afghanistan in three years. The killings illustrated the growing threat of Taliban militants and their associates, who in recent months have made Afghanistan a far deadlier war zone for American-led forces than Iraq. Which once again points to the fact that our beef is with the Taliban, (which knows no country) and not the country of Iraq who we conveniently invaded. Our focus should not be on Iraq or even Afghanistan, but on the Taliban.

Applaud: to our troops bravery and determination. It was reported that the Taliban insurgents who attacked a remote American-run outpost near the Pakistan border on Sunday outnumbered allied forces almost three to one and some breached the NATO compound in a coordinated assault that took the defenders by surprise. The attackers were eventually “driven back in a pitched four-hour battle.” Once again, our focus should be on fighting the Taliban. Ours troops should be commended for their grit and determination in fighting back this overwhelming force.

Applaud: to waking up. On Wednesday, Pentagon leaders announced that a surge in forces in Afghanistan will occur “sooner rather than later.” The moves are expected to happen within weeks, as officials prepare to lower troop levels in Iraq. And I am sure for our troops already in Afghanistan, this cannot happen soon enough!

Heckle: to the fact we cannot be this blind. In Afghanistan, “the killing of civilians in foreign military airstrikes is shattering Afghans’ support for keeping international troops in their troubled land and driving angry young men into the arms of the Taliban.” A spokesperson for NATO explained, “There is a perception problem.” You think? We seem to have a big problem in this area of the world with people’s perceptions. Could it be that we truly suck in communicating our intentions and our purpose? And maybe the fact that we don’t seem to give a crap about the people who actually live there and are just trying to live their lives and take care of their families? Yeah it’s a possibility. This administration is not known for its communicative skills.

Heckle: to combining the church and state. The Bush administration is seeking to require “all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.” The proposed rule would force hospitals, clinics and medical schools to sign “written certifications” as a prerequisite to getting federal funds. I’m sorry is the country being run by Americans or by the Vatican?

Heckle: to “remain calm, all is well”, yeah sure it is. Earlier this week, President Bush tried to calm consumers troubled by the economy, but his words had little effect. By the end of the day on Tuesday, the Dow had closed at its lowest level in two years, and the government reported that prices had jumped at their sharpest pace in 27 years. Sorry Mr. Bush, too little, way too late. Remember Kevin Bacon at the parade panic near the end of Animal House?

Heckle: to just plain criminal. According to internal Army documents, “shoddy electrical work” by private contractors at “American military facilities” in Iraq is causing more “deaths and injuries from fires and shocks than the Pentagon has acknowledged.” There were 283 fires between August 2006 through January 2007. What a surprise, the Pentagon not being honest and upfront about something as serious as this. Not only do our troops have to live with the fact that every time they go out on patrol they may not come back. They also have to worry that they may die taking a shower, or sleeping, or just relaxing back at base camp. There is no excuse for this and the companies responsible should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

Hear it is the end of another week. Time to take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of our favorite sport…politics. So lets get to the week that was in a little thing we like to call The Weekly Rewind.



Applaud: to taking action. This week, Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection launched a bipartisan, $300 million, three-year campaign to push for climate change legislation. Some of the “We” campaign’s TV ads “will team up offbeat celebrity couples” who “share a belief that it is important to address climate change,” such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and (wait for it) former Speaker Newt Gingrich. View the debut ad here. Okay, it’s not often if ever that we can say something nice in reference to Newt Gingrich, however we must give a tip of the hat to him stepping up and adding his voice to this very important issue. This is an issue that is important to everyone regardless of party affiliation, and the wait and see attitude is not gonna fly here folks.

Applaud: to taking on the establishment yet again. Director Oliver Stone currently casting his next film, Bush: The Movie. Word from Hollywood is that he’s negotiating with Elizabeth Banks (the nutty sexaholic in The 40 Year-Old Virgin) for the role of Laura Bush. Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) will play the President. And Robert Duvall is being rumored to play Dick Cheney. We hear it’s a roller coaster rid of stolen elections, strangleholds, deceit, debauchery, treachery, and a plethora of other things that you just couldn’t make up if you tried.

Applaud: to a growing number. 59 percent is the number of Doctors who “support legislation to establish a national health insurance program,” according to a new survey of more than 2,000 U.S. doctors. This number is up from 49 percent in the 2002 study. As with everything else that is painfully obvious, this country is slow to turn around, however it can be done.

Heckle: to taking a big step backwards. Fighting between Iraqi security forces and Shi’ite militiamen last month has driven civilian deaths in the country “to their highest level in more than six months,” according to new Iraqi government figures. A total of 923 Iraqi civilians were killed in March, “up 31 percent from February and the deadliest month since August 2007.” Mr. Cheney, tell us once again how we are winning the hearts and minds of those in the region now that the prior regime has been ousted from power?

Heckle: to more twisting and pulling. Prior to testimony by Gen. David Petraeus, House Republicans are launching a “full-fledged assault” on Democratic leaders, whom they accuse of trying to “legislate defeat” in Iraq. The campaign will include a “steady stream” of “op-eds and editorial board memos,” an “aggressive” TV and radio operation, and an effort to “engage conservative bloggers.” Also known as mindless drones.

Heckle: to a sad truth. While most agree the subprime mortgage crisis sparked the current economic downturn, some economists argue the Iraq war is deepening the economic pain. Even the most conservative economists acknowledge that Americans will eventually pay the price at home for a war financed entirely with borrowed money. Once again what ever happened to Iraq’s oil covering the cost of the war? Oh that’s right, that was yet another lie by the Bush‘Whacked’ Administration.

Heckle: normally on principles alone, however last month, President Bush said he would attend the Olympics in Beijing this summer because he views it as “a sporting event.” But given China’s poor human rights record, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Bush should consider “boycotting the opening ceremony.” In the words of Homer J Simpson…”D’oh”

Applaud: to not towing the party line. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, Army vice chief of staff Gen. Richard A. Cody said the 30,000-plus troop increase in Iraq and Afghanistan is “inflicting ‘incredible stress’ on soldiers and families” and posing “‘a significant risk’ to the nation’s all-volunteer military.” And just when will congress start actually listening ?.....

Heckle: to our forefathers turning in their graves. According to a secret Justice Department legal memo dated Oct. 23, 2001. For at least 16 months after the Sept. 11 terror attacks in 2001, the Bush administration believed that the Constitution’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures on U.S. soil didn’t apply to its efforts to protect against terrorism, The memo’s existence was disclosed this past Tuesday in a footnote of a separate secret memo about interrogation policy. Oh I don’t even know where to begin on this one….

Heckle: to continually looking like a clueless deer in the headlights. For a man “who came into office as the nation’s first M.B.A. president , Mr. Bush has sometimes seemed invisible during the housing and credit crunch,” writes The New York Times. Even Bush’s conservative allies say that the President “is being eclipsed and is in danger of looking out of touch.” In danger of looking out of touch!? Too late ! BTW, I didn’t know you could get an MBA from watching Schoolhouse Rock….

Applaud: to more people seeing the light. Americans are more dissatisfied with the country’s direction than at any time since the New York Times/CBS News poll began asking about the subject in the early 1990s.” The new survey found that “81 [percent] of respondents said they believed ‘things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track,’ up from 69 percent a year ago and 35 percent in early 2002. And remember folks it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Heckle: a BIG Heckle to 80,000. Which is the number of jobs the U.S. economy shed in March, the biggest monthly job decline in five years. … The March unemployment rate jumped to 5.1% from 4.8%, highest since a matching rate in September 2005. These numbers were “more bleak than expected“; economists had predicted a decline “of 60,000 in non-farm payrolls and a rise in the unemployment rate to 5%.” Just remember we are only in an economic slowdown…..

and finally it’s time for our Tool of the Week.

This week it is Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). During a hearing this past Tuesday on an aid bill for sick New Yorkers, Rep. Issa callously dismissed the 9/11 attacks as “simply” a plane crash.

The New York Daily News reports:
The California congressman who called the Sept. 11 attacks “simply” a plane crash ran for cover Wednesday under a barrage of ridicule from fellow Republicans, first responders and victims’ families.

San Diego GOP Rep. Darrell Issa was under siege for suggesting the federal government had already done enough to help New York cope with “a fire” that “simply was an aircraft” hitting the World Trade Center.

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) sharply criticized his fellow conservative’s remarks, stating, “New York was attacked by Al Qaeda. It doesn’t have to be attacked by Congress.” In his statement yesterday, Issa tried to insist that he only “asked tough questions about the expenditures” during the hearing.

Congratulations Rep. Issa you’re our Tool of the Week. Putz…..

That’s it for this week.

Be good, stay informed, later……

The Weekly Rewind

Well this has sure been one hell of a week. The Democratic candidates have been going after each other which can only serve to help the Republicans in the general election. The economy is still heading down the crapper. You know the usual stuff. Enough of the stuff you already know painfully well, let’s get to some things that may have been overlooked.

Heckle: to flip flops. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) likes to present himself as the candidate of the ‘Straight Talk Express’ who does not pander to voters or change his positions. But the record shows that McCain has changed his mind on issues such as the Bush tax cuts, immigration, torture and abortion. Sounds like the ‘Striaght Talk Express’ has taken quite a few turns.

Applaud: to delicious irony. Back in 2000, a US Senate candidate said that was “frankly disturbing” that her opponent, Rick Lazio, refused to release his tax returns, this candidate then sent a man dressed as Uncle Sam to protest at Lazio events.. .that candidate’s name was… Hillary Clinton. Sometimes the irony is so thick you need a chainsaw to cut through it…

Heckle: to the sucking sound that is the economic black hole getting larger. College students nationwide will begin to see higher costs for loans this spring, while others will be turned away by banks altogether as the credit crisis roiling the U.S. economy spreads. Over the past decade, student debt levels more than doubled to $19,200. College costs continue spiralling out of control and this is not going to help.

Heckle:to getting caught with your pants down and blaming it on Iran. Vanity Fair writes that the Bush administration’s plan to arm and train Palestinian fighters loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas backfired and led to the Hamas takeover of Gaza. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the central premise of the article “ludicrous” and said it was necessary to counteract Iranian influence.

Applaud:to speaking the truth. Adopting a message that could help Democrats to portray themselves as protecting the military and national security, Congressional Democrats will argue that getting troops out of Iraq “is the only way to rebuild a spent military.”

Applaud:House Democrats said a civil lawsuit could be filed as early as this month that challenges the Bush administration’s claims of executive privilege in curtailing aides from testifying on Capitol Hill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is pursing civil litigation because Attorney General Michael Mukasey refuses to enforce contempt citations against two White House aides. You know the administration is going to use this weasel 'executive privilege' any chance they can unless they are stopped now.

Applaud:Voters in two southern Vermont towns passed articles Tuesday calling for the indictment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney for violating the Constitution. More symbolic than substantive, the items sought to have police arrest Bush and Cheney if they ever visit Brattleboro or nearby Marlboro or to extradite them for prosecution elsewhere — if they’re not impeached first. You gotta applaud the gesture...

Heckle:talk about a dilema. If you want to prevent skin cancer, you don’t go to the beach. And if you want to avoid corruption, you don’t go to Vegas, right? Next month, however, Sin City will host Campaigns & Elections magazine’s two-day conference for lobbyists called “All Things Ethical.” Panels include “Using Phones Ethically” and “The Ethics of Deception.” It's like having an AA meeting at a brewery.

Heckle:get your boots on the crap is getting deeper. Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he does not “agree with [the] sentiment that there has been widespread corruption” in the Bush administration, suggesting he wouldn’t support independent investigations into the administration’s activities if elected. Sorry Senator that is the wrong way to try and grab the average American vote.

Applaud: to not letting this be hidden in the corner. Lawyers for Jamie Leigh Jones argued in federal court yesterday that her case should be “tried in court, not settled in private arbitration.” Jones is suing defense contractor KBR over an alleged gang rape she suffered in 2005, but the company insists her contract binds her to settle all claims through arbitration. KBR needs to taken to task over this issue and stop hiding behind some BS clause in their one sided employment agreement.

Applaud: to a new AP Poll, that shows more and more Americans are identifying themselves as Democrats, with a 7% jump since the primary season began… welcome to the club, we’ve got jackets.

Heckle: to being held to account for your actions. James Clark, the chief of staff under former Alaska Gov. Frank H. Murkowski (R), agreed yesterday “to plead guilty to concealing donations made to Mr. Murkowski’s 2006 re-election campaign” by the VECO Corporation, an oil company accused of bribing much of the Alaskan political establishment. Clark arranged for VECO to pay $68,500 without it being publicly disclosed. It's a start....


That's it for this week.

Be good, stay informed.....later.

If it walks, talks and looks like a recession.....it probably is!

In what should be a big eye opening concern for everyone, the Labor Department reports that job losses in February were the worst since March 2003. Watch for the 'Bush'-Whacked Administration to sweep this to the side and focus on the unemployment rate declining. They will tout this number while ignoring the fact that the drop is a purely statistical twist due to fewer people in the total workforce.

Another concern is that the RBC Cash Index reports that consumer confidence is at its lowest point in 6 years.

And hey, remember back in 2005 when a Republican Congress stuck it up the ass of the average American and changed the Bankruptcy laws?? Well guess what, personal bankruptcy filings are at the highest level since 2005!

add these on top of:

- Record Foreclosures

- Continuingly weak home sales

- Home Equity being upside down for the first time since 1945 !

Once again Mr. President, tell me how we are not in a recession?? Seems we need to redifine our view of what constitutes a recession.

Oh I forgot, the $600 to each taxpayer will cause the economy to surge ! yeah right....

Remain calm, all is well ! Yeah sure.....

Some observations-

- For the first time since 1945, on average, American homeowners equity in their homes has fallen below 50%. Which means that the amount of debt owed on their homes exceeds the amount of equity in the home.

- Foreclosures hit a new all time high in the 4th quarter of 2007. And the number of homeowners 30 days or more late making mortgage payments is at the highest level since 1985.

- Inflation fears are increasing, the dollar is continuing to fall against the Euro.

- The stock market continues to drop in response to warnings of bank / mortgage related layoffs and bankruptcy fears.

- Oil keeps going up because traders (aka:greed mongers) get scared every time some one blows their nose in a 3rd world country.

Now can you tell me again Mr. President how we are in a 'slowdown' with no danger of heading for a recession? Curious that actual financial experts say we are already there....

Remember, it doesn't really matter what the experts say, like a self-fulfilling prophecy, if a majority of average American's think we are in a recession......then we are ...

Hold on, the ride is just beginning.

UPDATE BY KEMP: If I may add to Scott's post here, consider that the Federal Reserve announced this afternoon that Americans’ percentage of equity in their homes "fell below 50 percent for the first time on record since 1945” that caused the Economy.com website to estimate that “8.8 million homeowners, or about 10.3 percent of homes, will have zero or negative equity by the end of the month.”

Interesting... I guess people just "built too many houses", huh? It’s the only possible explanation...

The Weekly Rewind

It’s that time again, no, no, no, not time to sit down to another full blown Thanksgiving dinner, I’m sure we are still all recovering from Thursday’s gastric distress ! No it’s time for another episode of The Weekly Rewind.

Applaud: Here’s to doing something instead of just talking about it. Former president Bill Clinton’s “eco-friendly” presidential library’s roof is now going green. Over the past two weeks, workers have been hoisting 90 species of plants and more than four truckloads of soil atop the library to provide insulation and capture rainwater that otherwise would just be wasted as runoff. Picnic on the roof anyone?

Applaud: For finally catching up to the rest of us. The number of economists forecasting the U.S. will slip into recession almost doubled over the last two months, according to a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. Thanks for getting in line with the rest of the American Public, we’ve been waiting for you.

Heckle: To the further weakening of the economy. The U.S. dollar has fallen to historic lows against both the euro and the yen as worries about the strength of the U.S. economy continue. The drop has been precipitated by the U.S. credit crisis, which has caused foreign investors to pull some of their investments out of U.S. markets and put them in other countries. I’m waiting for someone to tell me that this is good for the economy….I need a good laugh.

Heckle: To a reversal in crime statistics. The FBI released its hate crime statistics for 2006 showing an increase of 7.8 percent. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the FBI report is “severely flawed,” noting that Alabama reported only one hate crime in 2006, while Mississippi and Hawaii did not report any hate crimes at all. “In fact, the level of hate crimes in the United States is astoundingly high — more than 190,000 incidents per year.” What the hell happened to the reports coming out of the Justice Department stating that crime was being reduced across the board? Oh yeah, another adminstration fabrication….

Heckle: The truth hurts… While the violence in Baghdad declines, northern Iraq has become more violent than other regions as al-Qaida and other militants move there to avoid coalition operations elsewhere. “What you’re seeing is the enemy shifting,” Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling told reporters yesterday. I guess they are not as dumb as we thought they were…

Heckle: To more of the same. US contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan more than doubled from 2004 to 2006 to over 25 billion dollars but government oversight of the firms involved has slackened,” reports the Center for Public Integrity. Former Halliburton subsidiary KBR topped the list with more than $16 billion in U.S. contracts. When is this going to stop?

Applaud: To forward thinking. Fearing that President Bush would again use a Congressional recess to install executive branch appointees without Senate confirmation, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) gaveled in a 30-second Senate session yesterday. “This is an exercise in protecting the Constitution and our constitutional process,” Webb said. It’s pretty sad that it had to come to this, but thank you Senator for taking a stand.

Heckle: To the effects of a weakened economy. Americans enter the holiday season in a dark mood, with economic worries, security fears and a lack of confidence in government fueling growing pessimism, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday. The number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track fell from 26 percent to 24 percent in the last month, with about two-thirds believing it is headed in the wrong direction. And this is a surprise to anyone?…. I thought not..

This one could be good or bad. The Supreme Court has agreed to review an appeals court decision that struck down a 31-year-old Washington D.C., ban on pistols. The court’s examination of the meaning of the Second Amendment for the first time in nearly 70 years carries broad implications for gun-control measures locally and across the country. Personally, I would like to see gun bans repealed and while we are at it, my home state of Illinois can get it’s head out of it’s ass and pass CCW legislation for law abiding citizens.

Applaud: To thinking outside the box. Two groups of scientists yesterday revealed that they “succeeded in turning human skin cells into cells that are very similar — but not identical — to embryonic stem cells.” Experts, however, cautioned that it is unclear whether the new cells will be as effective as conventional embryonic stem cells may prove to be against certain disease. Since the administration is so narrow minded when it comes to the benefits to be obtained from stem cells, let’s see if they can embrace this ‘end run’.

Well folks, that’s it for this week. It’s Thanksgiving weekend, time to have another helping of turkey, stuffing and whatever else filled your holiday table. Raise a glass to all that you are thankful for and don’t forget to say thanks to the people in your life who mean the most to you. I’m sure they would appreciate it.

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

It's the end of the week! What does that mean? Football? sure... drinking to an excess? ok for some of you perhaps.... However for us at The "Bush"-Whacked Administration it means a look back at some of the things that you may have missed this past week, both good and bad. Hence the Applauds (good) and Heckles (bad). Ok, let's get to it.....

Applaud: to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for a soundbite from this past week’s democratic debate. The bit isn’t nearly getting the amount of airtime it should, but it is a classic. Biden described gop candidate Rudy Giuliani thusly; “There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11.” (Nicely said Mr. Biden, well done)

Heckle: to poor campaign practices. Waking potential voters up at 2 in the morning to ask them to vote for you is probably gonna have an opposite effect. Just ask Westchester (NY) County Legislature hopeful Domenic Volpe. A firm his campaign hired, and I would imagine later fired, to dispatch recorded calls asking for their support accidentally was programmed to call voters at 2 a.m. instead of 2 p.m… oops

Applaud: to Dennis Kucinich (did I really just write that?) for saying what many others are surely thinking, that Bush may need his racket restrung.

Heckle: to Vice President Dick “President” Cheney and his Dan Quayle impression this morning. During a speech in Dallas, a reporter asked Cheney about his views on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Cheney responded that the people of Peru “deserve better” leadership than Chavez… um, okay. Last time I looked, Chavez was the president of Venezuela and the president of Peru was Alan Garcia… but I could be wrong.

Heckle: to avoiding the US like we have a plague. The number of foreign visitors to the United States has plummeted since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington because foreigners don’t feel welcome,” according to tourism professionals. The decline has cost America “94 billion dollars in lost visitor spending, nearly 200,000 jobs and 16 billion dollars in lost tax revenue.” Ok, just for the record, we like visitors, we don’t like illegal immigrants.

Heckle: to knowing that almost everyone saw this coming. While there are pockets of security where life in Baghdad is starting to get back to normal, it’s not normal by most standards. Across the city Sunnis and Shiites live in sectarian enclaves, many walled off. Sunnis fear visiting Shiite areas and vice versa, even if it is just a few blocks away. Trust has broken down so much that a stranger in a neighborhood can arouse enough suspicion to warrant an attack. Nice, someone walking to the market takes a wrong turn and ends up getting killed because they are wearing the wrong scarf…sounds like what….. that’s right, major gang areas in the US. We can’t control them here, so what makes us think we could do it in Iraq?

Heckle: to proving that he needed to go. As Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld wrote 20 to 60 “snowflakes” — his trademark missives for developing policy — each day. In a sampling of them obtained by the Washington Post, Rumsfeld “argued that Muslims avoid ‘physical labor’ and wrote of the need to ‘keep elevating the threat,’ ‘link Iraq to Iran’ and develop ‘bumper sticker statements’ to rally public support. As if we didn’t already know that the administration was burning to expand our real estate holdings in the region…oh and by the way Don, no one takes anything on a bumper sticker seriously.

Heckle: to a sad reality. The number of Americans without health insurance “rose by nearly 8.6 million to 47 million from 2000 to 2006, with children and workers from every income level losing coverage,” according to the Economic Policy Institute. The increase was “driven primarily by the continued erosion in employer-provided health insurance.” I wonder how many of those 47 million voted republican in the last 2 elections. And you hope they will be smart enough to vote democrat next year. Remember the only values that the republicans care about are the values that their corporate handlers tell them to care about.

Applaud: to 67 percent: Which is the number of Americans who “support giving contraceptives to students”, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll. About as many - 62 percent - said they believe providing birth control “reduces the number of teenage pregnancies.” Thank you for exhibiting common sense.

Heckle: to One in eight: Which is the number of veterans under the age of 65 who are uninsured, a finding that contradicts the assumption many have that all vets qualify for free health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Approximately 1.8 million veterans overall lack health coverage, a jump of 290,000 since 2000. This is unacceptable. These men and women risked life and limb for this nation and this nation owes them a debt of gratitude, which includes the health care promised to them.

Heckle: to being just so damned hippocritical. Lawmakers have increasingly steered federal funds to overtly religious organizations — many of which claim proselytizing or religious conversions as their primary function — using earmarks. For instance, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) tried to earmark $100,000 for a creationist organization. Since when do we get to pick and choose when church and state are separate.

Heckle: to Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Who, according to a new book on Blair’s tenure, “turned down a last-minute offer from President George Bush for Britain to stay out of the Iraq war because he thought it would look ‘pathetic,’. Well Tony, now your position looks as pathetic as ours. Nicely played.

And finally-

Applaud: to a financial wizardseeing the light. Warren Buffett this week told CNBC that he believes there is a “fairly significant” chance that the United States is headed toward a recession. Maybe Warren should take over for Bernake for a while.

Ok, all these heckles have left me tired and depressed. That’s it for this week.

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

Well folks, here it is, your heaping helping of a tasty dish we like to call The Weekly Rewind.

Heckle: to doing only half the job. The Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday voted 13-2 to approve a bill tightening rules on government wiretapping. The legislation would also contains a “highly controversial” grant of legal immunity for telecoms, a provision demanded by the White House. Once again, a voice of common sense, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said he was not prepared to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies for their participation in the warrantless wiretapping program. “I certainly would not give them immunity retroactively on programs that we don’t know what they are,” he said. Thank you Senator! I, and many other Americans are getting tired of half-assed legislation.

Heckle: A new report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction states that U.S. attempts at political reconciliation, economic growth, and building an effective police force in Iraq “have failed to show significant progress in nearly every one of the nation’s provincial regions and the capital.” And this surprises anyone?

Heckle: 136: Number of people who were killed by a suicide bomber in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday. Thousands turned out for the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. What is is about freedom and democracy that threatens people in the middle east and surrounding areas?

Heckle: Oil prices have soared to “another record high,” hitting $90.07. Can $100 be far away? Who would have ever thought….

Applaud: Our favorite conservative, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) won second place in the annual D.C.’s Funniest Celebrity contest, beating out Wonkette founder Ana Marie Cox and Grover Norquist. Specter joked that Bob Dole once told him, “Arlen, you know [Viagra] costs $10 a pill?” “Bob, how in the hell would I know about that?,” Specter replied. “And then Elizabeth said to him in anger…’Bob, you can afford $40 a year!’” Watch it here. Nice! He’ll be here all week folks, be sure to tip your waiter…..

Heckle: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is still under the microscope from the Kentucky press over his office’s involvement in smearing Graeme Frost. In an editorial entitled “McConnell versus truth,” The Courier-Journal writes, “It’s clear what Mitch McConnell knew and when he knew it. It’s clear he deceived the public.” The Herald-Leader also weighs in. And the Georgetown News-Graphic. What do you expect when you pick the wrong side of an issue and you pick on a kid.

Applaud: to finally getting your head out of your ass. Under pressure to help override President Bush’s veto, at least five of the eight House Democrats who voted initially against expanding a popular children’s health insurance program now say they’ll switch sides.”

Heckle: to 24 percent. What is it? It’s President Bush’s approval rating in a new Reuters/Zogby poll, which sets yet another record low for the President. Can he get to the teens? He has a little over 15 months left to continue his downhill slide.

Heckle: During his townhall meeting in Arkansas yesterday, “not a single questioner criticized” President Bush. With polls showing Bush’s disapproval at record highs (see above), the White House is staging “let-Bush-be-Bush events” in front of “friendly audiences” with “increasing frequency.” Sorry guys, no one is buying it, go peddle your crazy somewhere else….

Applaud: to seeing the writing on the wall. This week, Rep. David Hobson (R-OH) announced that he will retire at the end of his term. Hobson is the 11th Republican House member to announce retirement ahead of the 2008 election.

And Finally- Colbert throws his hat in the ring. On the Daily Show this week, comedian Stephen Colbert “made a surprise appearance” to officially announce he was considering a run for president. About 20 minutes later on his own show, Colbert announced “Yes, I’m doing it!” He then welcomed CBS political analyst Jeff Greenfield to analyze his impact on the race “in the past three minutes. Could he do worse than we currently have? I doubt it…

There you go.

Be good, stay informed…..later

The Weekly Rewind

Good day sports fans. As a Chicago fan when someone is in the playoffs you’ve gotta root for them. This year it’s the Cubs. They are down 2 games in the best of 5 playoffs and tonight they either live to play another day or go down swinging… we will see what happens.

While we are waiting let’s kick back and enjoy what we like to call The Weekly Rewind.

Applaud: 70 percent: Americans who want funding for the war to be reduced. Bush’s approval rating stands at 33 percent. Just 29 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, although the public rates congressional Republicans (29 percent) lower than congressional Democrats (38 percent). Once again we yell and wave our arms, but no one in Washington seems to care.

Heckle: The Anti-Defamation League is calling on Senator McCain to “reconsider and withdraw” his comment over the weekend that the Constitution established America as a “Christian nation.” I’m sorry, I may not agree with the Senator, but I do believe that while not expressly written, that the founding fathers did have in mind a Christian nation at our founding.

Applaud: Congress is pushing legislation to give Inspectors General “greater budgetary independence.” The measure would also make it harder for the administration to fire the the watchdogs. The White House is threatening to veto the bill. Of course they are, why would they want to be held accountable for their actions this late in the game?

Heckle: The State Department launched its own blog last week, called “Dipnote.” People have already complained “that the white print on a black background makes it hard to read” Finally, “unbiased news directly from the federal government, a news source long noted for truthful, unbiased reporting,” the Washington Post’s Al Kamen mockingly writes. Nicely done Al, I couldn’t have said it better.

A sad state of affairs: There were 317,000 applications for unemployment benefits last week, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week, and the biggest jump in four months. Analysts believe the increase could be a further sign that the labor market is slowing under the impact of the worst slump in housing in 16 years. A Heckle to the administration for continually trying to tell us that the economy is great. Any working American can tell you that they are not better off then they were 6 ½ years ago.

Applaud: Bush’s veto of SCHIP has divided conservatives. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) said yesterday, “We’ve got to do what we can to try to override” the veto. “If we’re truly compassionate, it seems to me, we’d want to endorse this program,” added Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT). A big thank you to the Senators for seeing what is painfully obvious to most Americans. Let's spread some of that to you fellow 'compassionate'conservatives.

Heckle: Over and over, President Bush confidently promised to ‘solve problems, not pass them on to future presidents and future generations.’ As the clock runs out on his eight-year presidency, a tall stack of troubles remain and Bush’s words ring hollow. And we were not going to be an ‘occupying army’ in Iraq. Anyone remember that??

Applaud: With bipartisan support, the House is expected today to take up legislation that would make it clear that U.S. laws apply to all armed private contractors hired for overseas missions.” The Bush administration opposes the bill, warning it would have ‘unintended and intolerable consequences’ for national security. Why is it that every time something goes against the administration it will always be bad for National Security? It’s gotten to the point of Chicken Little….

Applaud: Final score: Boxer 3, Inhofe 0. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) has repeatedly challenged Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) authority over the Senate environmental committee. During one hearing, she had to inform him, “You don’t make the rules anymore.” Yesterday, Boxer slammed down Inhofe’s assertion that she couldn’t invite sitting senators to the hearings, pointing out that in Sept. 2006, he invited Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). “I don’t mind if we have disagreements, but…let’s get the facts right,” she admonished him. You get ‘em Senator!

Applaud: Some business leaders are drifting away from conservatives “because of the war in Iraq, the growing federal debt and a conservative social agenda they don’t share.” Some business people want bolder action on global warming as well, leaving the “core business vote” up for grabs. It’s about time!

And finally, This weeks “Tool of the Week” is the Department of Defense. Why? Well, besides being tool of the Bush Administration they are also busy thinking of ways to screw our troops. How, well consider the 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard, who when they came home from Iraq, had been deployed longer than any other ground combat unit. The tour lasted 22 months and had been extended as part of President Bush's surge.1st Lt. Jon Anderson said he never expected to come home to this: A government refusing to pay education benefits he says he should have earned under the GI bill. "It's pretty much a slap in the face," Anderson said. "I think it was a scheme to save money, personally. I think it was a leadership failure by the senior Washington leadership... once again failing the soldiers." Anderson's orders, and the orders of 1,161 other Minnesota guard members, were written for 729 days. Had they been written for 730 days, just one day more, the soldiers would receive those benefits to pay for school. "Which would be allowing the soldiers an extra $500 to $800 a month," Anderson said.

The Weekly Rewind

Well here it is the end of another week. What kind of week? Interesting always seems to describe the weekly goings on in the debacle that is the “Bush”-Whacked Administration. So let’s get right to this weeks version of The Weekly Rewind.

Heckle: Shhhh, we have a list ! The UK Sunday Telegraph reports that the Pentagon is “taking steps to place America on the path to war with Iran,” developing a list of up to 2,000 bombing targets in that country. Not a surprise at all to anyone with even half a brain. Now if you think about it, the Pentagon probably has lists of bombing targets for just about every country on earth.

Applaud or Heckle:It’s all in how you look at it. The Iraqi Interior Ministry is pulling the license of Blackwater USA, an American security firm, after the company was “allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of civilians during an attack on a U.S. State Department motorcade.” “We have canceled the license of Blackwater and prevented them from working all over Iraqi territory,” Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said. Honestly, I am torn on this one. Doesn’t the State Department have it’s own security details? On the other hand, if you attack military personel or U.S. Government representatives, prepare to kiss your ass goodbye.

Heckle: To bold (yet stupid) statements in response to token moves. Senate conservatives’ successful effort to obstruct the Webb amendment this week marked the “the eighth time this year” that Senate Republicans…blocked a Democratic move to challenge U.S. policy in Iraq. This follwoeed on the heels of Sen. John Warner (R-VA) comments earlier in the week that he was considering pulling his support for Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) measure to give the overstretched armed forces more rest. Interestingly, Warner voted for the measure last July, but he now claims to be appeased by the administration’s token withdrawal. And yes the administrations move is nothing more than a ‘token’. Call your Senators and demand their support for Webb’s pro-troop amendment. It’s never too late to reconsider this action in support of our troops and their families. Let’s keep up the pressure and use the deliberate blockage of a change in U.S. policy in Iraq when it is time to go to the polls in November 2008.

Heckle: 89.6 million: The number of Americans under the age of 65 who “had no health insurance for some or all of 2006 and 2007, according to a study released Thursday by Families USA, an advocacy group for the uninsured. The number is “almost double the number of uninsured reported by the Census Bureau for 2006.” Say it isn’t so, don’t tell me that the administration underreported a critical social number that is a sad check on our national priorities.

Heckle: 29: President Bush’s approval rating in the latest Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday, which is below his worst Zogby poll mark of 30 percent in March. I’m sorry it appears the ‘President’ may be confusing a opinion poll with a Limbo Pole, the idea here is not ‘how low can you go’…..

Heckle: What happened to paying your own way? Mary Matalin, a former Cheney aide, is working to pay the legal bills of her old co-worker, “Scooter” Libby, who the President granted clemency to earlier this year. “Make no mistake, Scooter’s battle is not yet over,” Matalin wrote in a recent fundraising letter. He “still has hundreds of thousands of dollars in outstanding legal bills from his trial” that “need to be paid immediately.” As if Kemp and I did not see this one coming from 10 miles away. Never mind that Scooter did wrong, he shouldn’t be held responsible for payment of his own bills….

Just the facts…..In a protest march in Jena, LA, this week that “filled streets, spilled onto sidewalks and stretched for miles,” it was reported that more than 10,000 demonstrators rallied to protest the treatment of six black teenagers arrested in the beating of a white schoolmate last year. Support the Jena 6 here. This story is ongoing and is far from over. It appears that all sides can share in the blame, but the main issue that cannot be lost sight of is that the administration of justice needs to be balanced, blind and fairly dealt. It wouldn’t hurt for Jessie Jackson to remove himself from the issue and stop ‘stirring the pot’.

Heckle: Whos’ bright idea was this? The appointment of Donald Rumsfeld as a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution is drawing fierce protests from faculty members and students at Stanford University. Some 2,100 professors, staff members, students and alumni have signed a petition protesting his appointment. Applaud to those protesting his appointment! Better idea, appointment to the ‘Lemming Institute’…..

Applaud: It’s about time. Earlier this week, Republicans reacted angrily to Bush’s pledge to veto increased funding for children’s health insurance. I’m disappointed by the president’s comments,” said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA). “I’m very, very disappointed,” echoed Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR). Ok fella’s we like where your heads at, however how about kicking up the rhetoric a little….

Heckle: Talk about being out of touch with reality. This week, Rudy Giuliani was “on the trans-Atlantic campaign trail…bragging about his international credentials. ‘I’m probably one of the four or five best known Americans in the world,’ Giuliani told a small group of reporters at a posh London hotel as onlookers gathered in the lobby to gawk at actor Dustin Hoffman, who was on a separate visit. Nothing like getting kicked down a few pegs after inserting your foot into your mouth.

And finally, our candidate for Tool of the Week .... Fox, Fox "News" and/or Michelle Malkin...

Since actress Sally Field won an Emmy and spoke out against the Iraq war in her acceptance speech, the right wing has been on the attack. In addition to Fox censoring her speech, conservatives continue to criticize Field for speaking out.
Taking the slander to a very personal level, right-wing blogger Michelle Malkin attacked Field’s parenting skills with a column in the National Review entitled “Sally Field Does Not Speak For Me.” In it, she writes:

• Sally Field is the mom who looks the other way when the brat on the elementary-school slide pushes your son to the ground or throws dirt in your daughter’s face.
  
• She’s the mom who holds her tongue at the mall when thugs spew profanities and make crude gestures in front of her brood.
  
• She’s the mom who tells her child never to point out when a teacher gets her facts wrong.
  
• She’s the mom who buys her teenager beer, condoms, and a hotel room on prom night, because she’d rather give in than assert her parental authority and do battle.
  

Fox and Friends hosted Malkin this morning to promote her hate-filled column. On the show, Malkin — a mother herself — posited her theory of parenting: “motherhood should bring a ferocity, and dare I say, make us more violent.”

Fox was overjoyed to have Malkin on the air. Co-host Gretchen Carlson said Malkin’s “best line in the article” was about the condoms and beer. Malkin responded, “as a Mom, I know, I’ve dealt with moms like [Fields], who look the other way.”

After a few more exchanges of laughter and contempt, co-host Steve Doocy closed the segment stating, “Hollywood probably thinks you are dangerous and offensive.” So do many others.

That’s it for this week. Let’s see what Commander Coo-koo Bananas and the Fruit Basket that is his administration can come up with next week. Till then…..

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

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…

Be good, stay informed….later.

Cheers: to a new Newsweek poll that shows Bush's approval at 26%... better watch out Dicky, Bushy is on your heels and knocking on your door...

Heckle: to still not having a clue. As my esteemed collegue pointed out earlier this week, at the nadir of his presidency, George W. Bush is looking for answers.” Unbeknownst “even to many on his staff,” Bush has summoned “leading authors, historians, philosophers and theologians to the White House” to discuss questions like, “Why does the rest of the world seem to hate America? Or is it just me they hate?” Ah, George we hate to tell you but it is you, remember that poll we just talked about? The feelings run wide and deep around the planet.

Heckle: to taking abuse of power to a new level. For the first time in his presidency, Bush commuted a sentence without running requests through lawyers at the Justice Department, White House officials said. He also did not ask the chief prosecutor in the case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, for his input, as routinely happens in cases routed through the Justice Department’s pardon attorney. And with this administrations track record this is a surprise to who?

Cheers: to the plurality of Americans finally seeing the damn light. Want proof? 69% of voting Americans “disapprove of “President” Bush commuting the 30-month prison sentence of ‘Scooter’ Libby… wow, there is hope for the country… thank God…

Cheers: to the plurality of Americans again as a recent poll by the American Research Group shows that 54% of American adults want the US House of Representatives to “begin impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney.” That includes 76% of Democrats, 17% of republicans, and 51% of Independents. Incidentaly, the same poll found 46% of voters in favor of doing the same thing to “President” Bush, including 69% of Democrats, 13% of Republicans, and 50% of independents… (The times, they are a’changing…)

Cheers: to at least doing something to challenge this abuse of power. The Washington Post reports House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers is “expected to move swiftly to conduct hearings on the commutation”, congressional sources said. We at TBWA applaud Rep. Conyers.

Heckle: to the sad fact that U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton believes that President Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison term may also wipe out his two-year probation. “Strictly interpreted, the statute authorizing probation indicates that supervised release ’should occur only after the defendant has already served a term of imprisonment,’” Walton wrote. We here at TBWA are not surprised at this turn…

Cheers: to finally growing a pair, as the U.S. this week publicly accused Iran of intervening in the Iraq conflict, claiming that its Revolutionary Guard played a role in an attack that killed five Americans and was using Lebanese militants to train Iraqi insurgents. And we are just calling them on this now?

Heckle: to a study that shows the economic American dream “that children would be more prosperous than their parents, is in question as perhaps never before.” Since 1973, “median family income has been essentially flat,” and men in their 30s “earn roughly $5,000 less than their father’s generation.” For those of us in our 30’s or early 40’s this is not a surprise at all.

Heckle: to the fact that President Bush equated the war in Iraq with the U.S. war for independence during a speech on Wednesday. Like those revolutionaries who ‘dropped their pitchforks and picked up their muskets to fight for liberty,’ Bush said, American soldiers were also fighting ‘a new and unprecedented war’ to protect U.S. freedom. I cannot even begin to express my shock at his comparison….clueless does not even touch the total ignorance of the shit that comes out of his mouth more and more.

Cheers: to the nearly half of the National Hurricane Center’s employees who urged the Bush administration to replace their boss. “The staff of the National Hurricane Center would like nothing more than to return its focus to its primary mission of protecting life and property from hazardous tropical weather,” they wrote, “and leave the political arena it now finds itself in.” As we have said before, when you start playing policitcs in the area of science no one wins…

Well folks it is getting hot here today in the midwest. Mind you not as hot as in the southwest, but hot none the less. Time to post and go for a dip in the pool!

Oh and least I forget, a very happy birthday to my collegue and co-writer, Kemp. Best friend and like minded politico, have a great day pal!

Be good, stay informed….later

The Weekly Rewind

No witty or snarky opeing line, just getting right to the business at hand….The Weekly Rewind.

Heckle: to not seeing the forest for all the trees. Fallout from the U.S. attorney scandal is starting to hit the department in federal courtrooms around the country. In a “Who couldn’t see this one coming a mile away” move, defense lawyers are raising questions about the motives of government lawyers who have brought charges against their clients, and are citing the furor over the U.S. attorney dismissals as evidence that their cases may have been infected by politics. And who couldn’t see this one coming? Thats right, the dog and pony show that calls itself the Bush administration.

Heckle: to nothing good can come of this. In Iraq’s Diyala province, U.S. soldiers are willing to risk teaming up with Sunni militias to fight insurgent groups. Ali al-Adeeb, a prominent Shiite lawmaker, said the U.S. is “trusting people who have previously attacked American forces and innocent people. They are trusting people who are loyal to the regime of Saddam Hussein.” Come on what is with the 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' crap? I think George and Dick have been watching to much TV.

Just a damn shame and inexcusable: “The Army has no PTSD center at Walter Reed,” the Washington Post reports in a new expose, and its psychiatric treatment is weak compared with the best PTSD programs the government offers. Instead of receiving focused attention, soldiers with combat-stress disorders are mixed in with psych patients who have issues ranging from schizophrenia to marital strife. As I said, this is inexcusable. Our men and women deserve better than this.

Heckle: to bringing peace and democracy to the new Iraq. Sunni families remaining in Shia neighbourhoods of Baghdad are being forced to flee their homes: A 72-hour deadline announced by militants for them to leave these areas or face death expired yesterday. One aid official said, “Dozens of Sunnis have been assassinated in their homes” since last week’s bombing of the Samara mosque. I wonder if the administration has already hired the architects to design all the hip new Iraq resorts for all the tourists who are just chomping at the bit to visit the new and improved Republic of Iraq?

Heckle: to opening mouth and inserting foot. Several conservative House members who last week “vociferously” (and falsely) attacked Rep. David Obey (D-WI) for weakening earmark disclosure rules have chosen to keep their lists of personal earmarks secret. They include House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Dan Burton (R-IN), Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC). Methinks they dost protest too much!

I am not going to applaud or heckle this one. Eight months after President Bush signed a bill authorizing the CIA to resume using ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ on terrorism suspects, the administration has been unable to agree on what constitutes ‘humiliating and degrading treatment‘ of detainees.” Call me old fashioned but if they are terrorists or suspected terrorists I am all for humiliating and degrading treatment in order to obtain information that may prevent innocent death and destruction, that is just a no-brainer for a liberal or conservative.

Heckle: to the never ending legacy of being know as the dumbest administration in history. President Bush issued the third veto of his presidency this past week, killing a bill that would have eased restraints on federally funded embryonic stem cell research — work that supporters say holds promise for fighting disease. The mantra of this administration continues to be “lie, lie and ignore the will of the people”. How about a 'Disabled Million March' on Washington to get someones attention....more than a million will work even better...

Heckle: to 1 in 8. Which is the number of U.S. veterans under the age of 65 who lack even basic health insurance or access to care at Veterans Affairs hospitals. … The ranks of uninsured veterans have increased by 290,000 since 2000. What happened to the battle cry and chest beating of the conservatives being the party that supports our troops? All rhetoric and no backbone….

Heckle: to just plain crap. The recent rise in U.S. troop deaths in Iraq is the ‘wrong metric’ to use” in assessing the effectiveness of escalation, outgoing Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Peter Pace said yesterday. “[I]t’s not about levels of violence. It’s about progress being made, in fact, in the minds of the Iraqi people, so that they have confidence in their government in the way forward.”. Excuse me Mr and Mrs American Citizen, don’t think of it 3,000 + of our sons and daughters dying, think of it as bringing our system of free elections and policital discontent to an area that may or may not want it. Give me a f**king break…

Ok folks, I think I need a shower to cleanse myself of the crap that was thrown around this week.

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

Hi folks! We have come to the end of another week, which brings us through the first 5 months of the year. Wow is the year flying by or is it just us here at TBWA? Ok enough small talk, you are here for one thing and one thing only…The Weekly Rewind…so let’s get to it!

Heckle: to a sad reality. 93.5. Is the percentage of Americans who “think U.S. troops would still be in Iraq when U.S. president George W. Bush leaves office.”

Heckle: to opening a blind eye. After announcing new economic sanctions against Sudan’s government, President Bush earlier this week called the bloodshed in Darfur a “genocide.” Last month, Bush’s Sudan ambassador Andrew Natsios resisted that label. The administration’s measures are considered too weak and too unilateral to significantly alter the calculations of the government of Sudan. Gee, we have all heard about this for a few years from the world press and the administration is just now grasping this? You have to wonder who tells George what day of the week it is when he wakes up every morning.

Applaud: to calling out the administration. Activists say President Bush’s Darfur sanctions announced yesterday are “too little, too late.” The sanctions “target three people with suspected links to the violence as well as about 30 companies” in Sudan. “Three people? After four years? And not one of them the real ringleader of the policy to divide and destroy Darfur?” asked John Prendergast of the Enough Project. Hey, isn’t that par for the course with this White House? All talk and little action.

Applaud: to cutting the cultural cord and finally seeing the big picture. Even though major Hispanic groups broke with other civil rights organizations and supported Alberto R. Gonzales’s nomination for attorney general two years ago, those same groups are now calling for his resignation. Janet Murguia, head of the National Council of La Raza, called Gonzales “a follower, not a leader.” Just to clarify, is anyone in this administration really a leader? More like followers and reactionists.

Heckle: to more of the same no matter who it is. After former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist had withdrawn his name from consideration for World Bank president. Former Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick was nominated to replace Paul Wolfowitz. Ok, but we all realize no matter who it is, it’s cronyism and more of the same.

Applaud: to feeling the heat. The New York Times finds that some conservatives in Congress are “struggl[ing] to appease increasingly restless constituents” over Iraq. “I think this is the most expensive, stupidest thing ever done,” one Republican and former “staunch backer” of President Bush now says. Wow, maybe they are actually starting to listen to the people in their home districts as opposed to the corporate lobbyists. I mean hey come on this is only supposed to be a government "for the people”…

Heckle: to an evil M&A. The Taliban has merged its propaganda and field operations with those of the global al Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden, enabling the Taliban to develop from a xenophobic, home-grown Islamist movement into a more outward looking force that is helping to advance al Qaeda’s global interests. As if either of these organizations needed help in their recruiting efforts. Am I the only one thinking Axis of Terror? Kind of like Germany and Japan during WWII…..

Heckle: to I see your lips moving but I don’t hear anything. More than a month after the Office of Special Counsel announced it will establish a task force to mount a government-wide investigation of alleged violations of the law that limits political activity in federal agencies, the group’s formation remains in the preliminary stages. Once again, is anyone really surprised?

Heckle: to being clueless. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) blames U.S. troop deaths on Congress’ Iraq debate. “Al-Qaida knows that we’ve got a lot of wimps in Congress,” DeMint said at a luncheon Tuesday. “I believe a lot of the casualties can be laid at the feet of all the talk in Congress about how we’ve got to get out, we’ve got to cut and run.” He later added that while Iraq has “gone badly and it’s a mess, it would have been worse if we hadn’t gone in.” Yes, Senator, it is a mess! And please explain to the vast majority of the nation how it would have been worse had we not gone in? Yet another person in Congress without a clue as to how we were all lied to and manipulated in order for Bush to seek some type of personal vendetta.

Heckle: to making a stupid statement that will hopefully backfire. Conservative columnist Peggy Noonan declares today that President Bush “has torn the conservative coalition asunder,” with consequences “for the American future.” This White House “thinks its base is stupid,” she writes, while “conservative Bush supporters have felt like sufferers of battered wife syndrome.” Ok, I understand all the comments with the exception of comparing party supporters to ‘battered wives’. I can’t believe how ignorant and insensitive she is to women who are victims of this unforgiveable crime…..what a tool.

Well there it is...kind of mixed with Applauds and Heckles. Which if you are a long time reader, for me is unusual.

Be good, stay informed....later.

The Weekly Rewind

In this corner, weighing in at a staggering debt load of over $8 trillion, and bloated with two-faced beaurocrats, in the black trunks, the Bush Administration. And in this corner, in the White Trunks, two guys who are not quite so much in debt, and are out to open the eyes of the willing everywhere, the “Bush”-Whacked Administration. Now let’s get ready to Rewinnnnnnnnnnnnnnd!!

Sorry folks just felt a little bit of an attitude coming on.

Heckle: We’ll send you there, but once you’re there, you’re on your own. U.S. Embassy employees in Iraq are growing increasingly angry over what they say are inadequate security precautions in the heavily fortified Green Zone. Most staff members still sleep in trailers that one described as ‘tin cans’ that offer virtually no protection from rocket and mortar fire. The government has “refused to harden the roofs because of the cost”, one employee said. When will the various agencies in our government get treatment for their Cranial-Rectal Inversion and start to take care of our people serving overseas?

Heckle: to opening mouth and inserting foot….or, just another day in the life of a conservative. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) yesterday defended the decision to place scandal-plagued Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) on the Appropriations Committee. “Where do you draw the line?” Boehner asked. “We do not want a blanket allegation to rise to the level of credibility where we are basing our decisions on it. It’s unfair.” Hmmmm, I think we draw the line at appointing corrupt or possibly corrupt officials in positions of authority…..just a thought….

Heckle: to President Bush on principles alone.

Heckle: to once again proving that this administration acts before it thinks, and then has to back track and look stupid. The White House confirmed yesterday that the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad is likely to meet in the next several weeks with Iranian officials about stabilizing Iraq, as the administration embraces a tactic outsiders have long recommended as essential to reducing sectarian violence in Iraq. Ok, we didn’t do the job right to begin with, we know you are causing trouble for us and are a main supporter of violence against us and we should do something about it, but we have lost face in the world, other countries laugh at our sabre rattling, but we want to talk and make nice…. we still hate you, but we acknowledge the power that you have in the region…..do I need to continue?

Heckle: to the sheer stupidity of a statement. Afghanistan now produces 92 percent of the worlds opium. Bush administration officials acknowledge that until recently, “fighting drugs was considered a distraction from fighting terrorists.” The problem has become so severe that American officials now “hope that Afghanistan’s drug problem will someday be only as bad as that of Colombia.” And remind me again how our ‘War on Drugs’ against Columbia is oh so succesfull ……

Heckle: to diverting funds from our deserving troops. Nearly two dozen officials who received hefty performance bonuses last year at the Veterans Affairs Department sat on the boards charged with recommending the payments. Remember all those stories about how well things are at Walter Reed, and how the VA is on the cutting edge of Technology and taking care of our troops…..I’ll continue while you keep thinking…

Heckle: to Alberto Gonzales, on principles alone, and this week also due to the allegations of former Deputy AG James Comey.

Applaud: to Bill Maher. As we’ve said before on this site, it’s not often we applaud him, but sometimes he nails it. Case in point:

New Rule: You can’t send the National Guard to Iraq and then claim it’s still here. The helicopters, the Humvees, the men…Like Dorothy and Toto, they’re not in Kansas anymore. Sorry Mr. President, but the last documented case of a National Guardsman able to be in two place at one time…was you.”

Well said Bill….

Heckle: to the continued raping and pillaging of the average American. “Households are spending about $1,000 more per year for gasoline than they were just five years ago, an 85 percent increase” according to consumer groups’ analysis prepared for the House Judiciary Committee. “In the past five years the oil industry has picked consumers pockets for 200 billion in excess profits,” said the Consumer Federation of America. Next time you fill up remember that it’s too expensive to build a new refinery, or that many Oil Company CEO’s are taking home $100 million + a year….remember that as the pump passes $50 or $75 while you are filling up….

Applaud: to not quietly taking what bones the administration is willing to throw. The Justice Department on Wednesday told an angry Senate Judiciary Committee chairman it does not have documents described in a subpoena that demands all materials relating to Karl Rove’s possible involvement in the U.S. attorney firings. Instead, it said, “ Rove’s lawyer must have them.” And if there is nothing to hide, why haven’t they been turned over….??

Applaud: to more from Gore…. Al Gore will release his new book The Assault on Reason next week. Gore tells Time that he began questioning why “our democracy hasn’t responded” to both the climate crisis and the Iraq war. “So I started thinking, What’s going on here? … Our democracy was pushed around by false impressions and wasn’t able to hold its focus,” he says. “That’s the common denominator. Once I’d thought through all of that, I couldn’t not write this book.” Does anyone else think that the contry may be better served with Mr. Gore in a Whistle Blower, serving the public interest kind of way? In that capacity he is beholden to no one….

Heckle: to more of the same old stuff. Several senators have urged President Bush to withdraw his nomination of Michael Baroody — a corporate lobbyist picked to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission — saying the candidate was “unqualified and the appointment posed insurmountable conflicts of interest.” Am I the only one that sees this as the Fox guarding the Hen House?

This one does not qualify for either an Applaud or a Heckle. Earlier this week the Senate passed a bi-partisan bill that would make the estimated 12 million plus illegal immigrants currently in the United States eligible for legal status. Some of the main provisions are that they would have to pay a fine, wait a certain period of time, and return first to their country of origin, to then enter the country legally. The bill also contained a provision to allow ‘new’ U.S. citizens to sponsor relatives for immigration using a complicated point system that rewards points based on certain competencies. Among these are if someone is a skilled/educated worker, as well as the ability to speak English. The better you are the more points you get. Right away people on both sides of this issue are crying foul. Liberals are complaining about the fines, Conservatives are complaining about this bill granting ‘amnesty’ to illegals. This story is far from over….

Well there you have it. Not too many applauds (of course), but enough heckles to go around. Don’t worry we will have more heckles next week. Until then…

Be good, stay informed…..later.

The Weekly Rewind

Hello Sports Fans! That is if your favorite sport takes place in the political arena! It’s Spring, the Bulls have advanced in the playoffs, the Kentucky Derby is this afternoon (gotta get there one year), well anyway lets get to this sport of the everyman a little thing we like to call The Weekly Rewind…..

Heckle: My boss is going to pout and stomp his feet until he gets his own way. “President Bush will not sign any war spending bill that penalizes Iraq’s government” for failing to meet the benchmarks that his own administration has set, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said last Sunday, a fresh warning to Congress about challenging him. Ohhh I am sure the leadership of the House and Senate are shaking with fear….more likely they are laughing at how rediculous George is being.

Heckle: to the Ghosts of Ousted Dictators. It is said that a member of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki’s office is reportedly playing a leading role in the arrest and removal of senior Iraqi army and national police officers, some of whom had apparently worked too aggressively to combat violent Shiite militias. Hang one and sure enough there is always another crazy waiting in the wings….

Heckle: I’ll say it again, we have way too many lawyers. The New York City Bar, one of the largest lawyers’ organizations in the country, charges that the Bush administration is trying to evade responsibility for problems at the Guantanamo Bay prison by falsely blaming defense lawyers for the trouble. The association’s criticism comes as the administration is proposing limiting attorneys’ access to detainees. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a measure Monday to force the Pentagon to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and move the trials of Al Qaeda suspects to the United States. Ok, I don’t like the administration, but I have no problem with holding detainees in Guantanamo Bay. Break em, and jail em…

Heckle: Ok, so the number is a little skewed but is anyone at all surprised? The number of terrorist attacks worldwide rose by 20,000 (40 percent) last year, mostly due to greater violence in Iraq. … Iraq alone accounts for nearly two-thirds of all terrorism-related deaths last year. I guess our presence there is truly making a difference! (it’s so hard to express sarcasm in written form…)

Heckle: This thinking would give anyone whiplash. Paul D. Wolfowitz defended himself vigorously on Monday, declaring that it would be ‘unjust and frankly hypocritical’ for the World Bank’s board to find him guilty of ethical lapses. But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct. Ok, he thinks he is innocent of ethical lapses, but he will consider resigning…..my head hurts….

Applaud: to someone finally saying what many of us have been thinking (and saying) for years. In states across the country, local lawyers, politicians, editorial writers, members of Congress and defendants are questioning what they say is a pattern of investigating Democrats. They point to inquiries that drag on for years but end with no charges, an acquittal or convictions for relatively modest infractions. To this I can only say, DUH ! , a perfect example of this is the Lewinsky ‘scandal’. When republicans could not get Bill Clinton on any ‘land deal’ issues they grabed for straws and hounded him over something that was a personal matter that had no bearing on his running of the country….and yet ‘King George’ goes unpunished for killing thousands of US Troops…

Applaud: Scott Bloch has demonstrated a willingness to go after Karl Rove, at least on the small stuff: The Los Angeles Times has learned that Bloch investigated complaints that Rove’s politically related travel had been improperly billed to the government. Bloch’s action resulted in a reimbursement to the Treasury Department for what some described as a “bookkeeping error.” You know had this not been raised no reimbursement would have occurred….how many more things need to be looked into for reimbursement, my fear is way too many with this White House....

Heckle: Heckle to the Deputy chief. Karl (Emperor Palpatine) Rove participated in a hastily called meeting at the White House two months ago to coach a top Justice Department official on what he should say to Congress about the prosecutorial purge. Investigators are suggesting that Rove’s attendance at the meeting shows that he may have been involved in an attempt to mislead Congress. No really, a top administration offical being involved in an effort to mislead Congress or an investigation, say it isn’t so! Once again it’s so hard to express sarcasm in the written form.

Heckle: Monkey see, Monkey do….. Michael Elston, the chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, made calls to the purged U.S. attorneys telling them to keep quiet about their dismissals. Elston recently told congressional investigators that those calls were placed at McNulty’s direction after he learned the prosecutors might testify before Congress about their dismissals. Do I relly need to say anything…

Heckle: It safe to say these guys don’t have a membership to the Museum of Natural History. At this weeks debate, three Republican presidential candidates — Sen. Sam Brownback, Rep. Tom Tancredo, and Gov. Mike Huckabee — said they do not believe in evolution. So I guess we just magically appeared on the planet…sign them up for Scientology!

Applaud: it’s about time. Lawmakers of both parties are making a new effort to pass a federal shield law to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their sources. Such protection would give government whistle-blowers more reason to reveal corruption when they know that reporters will be shielded in most cases from prosecutors’ efforts to reveal information. This can only be seen as a good thing by all, unless you are trying to mislead Congress….

Applaud: Go get em Henry! U.S. News reports, “One of [Rep. Henry] Waxman’s next objectives will be not only to examine false claims by administration officials to justify invading Iraq but also to expose people and companies that have profited disproportionately from the war”, congressional sources say. Hill Democrats think this line of inquiry will be explosive and will tarnish war proponents. All together now…Halliburton….

Heckle: I want what I want when and how I want it. Congressional leaders met President Bush at the White House this week to open negotiations on new Iraq legislation. Several Republican leaders said Tuesday that they were likely to “support such benchmarks”, and White House aides said Tuesday that Mr. Bush…might back such a measure — “but only if the benchmarks are nonbinding.” What a surprise, rhetoric with no accountability, the battlecry of this president.

Well folks there you have em, the few good and the many laughable, questionable or just plain sad.

Be good, stay informed….later.