The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Halloween… boo.

• On Halloween, here’s some words guaranteed to make you, and many others, shiver; there’s a movement afoot to convince Laura Bush to run for President… aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
• The Democratic presidential candidates held another debate last night, and it was a group attack on ftontrunner Sen. Clinton (D-NY). Sen. Obama (D-IL) had the best, and most true I might add, line of the night when he said to Clinton; “Part of the reason that Republicans, I think, are obsessed with you, Hillary, is because that's a fight they're very comfortable having.” (Ouch. With just over 2 months before the first primaries begin, this race has all the markings of becoming contentious very quickly… stay tuned)
• Now the ball is in the Democrat’s court. “President” Bush told a group of republican lawmakers yesterday that he won’t approve SCHIP until the tobacco tax increase is removed. Fine, that was one of the things I DIDN’T like about the bill, and neither did a lot of other Liberals. Now we get to see if the Dems are serious about insuring children or if they were using SCHIP to gain ground on Bush and the republicans. Stay tuned…
• Hello kettle, this is pot. You’re black. “President” Bush blasted the Democratic-controlled Congress on Tuesday and said that “Congress is not getting it's work done.” (He did not go there…). He went on to say that; "The House of Representatives has wasted valuable time on a constant stream of investigations, and the Senate has wasted valuable time on an endless series of failed votes to pull our troops out of Iraq." (Wow, he DID go there. Let me get this straight, the House is wasting time investigating various incidents of the White House breaking the law and such, and in setting a timetable aimed at getting our troops out of Iraq – despite the majority of Americans WANTING both of those. Hmmm, maybe Rep. Kucinich was on to something)
• And have we mentioned? That the republican candidates for president have blown-off another minority debate? Barely a month after skipping a PBS debate aimed at issues facing minorities, most of the gop candidates are postponing, AGAIN, another black voter forum due to the ever-popular “scheduling conflicts.” (Fellow republicans blasted them for missing the PBS debate, and here they are doing it again. What the hell is wrong with these people?)

Get the lead out... no says Nancy Nord

With toy recalls seemingly happening every week, the Senate Commerce Committee is trying to write legislation to return the Consumer Product Safety Commission to its former strength so it can prevent things like lead-filled toys from entering the market.

But Nancy Nord, "President" (a term I use very loosely) Bush’s acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is trying to preserve republican "ideals" of small government and is asking Congress to reject legislation that would strengthen the agency by giving them more money and resources so they could properly do their job.

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With toy recalls seemingly happening every week, the Senate Commerce Committee is trying to write legislation to return the Consumer Product Safety Commission to its former strength so it can prevent things like lead-filled toys from entering the market.

But Nancy Nord, “President” (a term I use very loosely) Bush’s acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is trying to preserve republican “ideals” of small government and is asking Congress to reject legislation that would strengthen the agency by giving them more money and resources so they could properly do their job.

From the New York Times;

On the eve of an important Senate committee meeting to consider the legislation, Nancy A. Nord, the acting chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has asked lawmakers in two letters not to approve the bulk of legislation that would increase the agency’s authority, double its budget and sharply increase its dwindling staff. [...]
Ms. Nord, who before joining the agency had been a lawyer at Eastman Kodak and an official at the United States Chamber of Commerce, criticized the measure in letters sent late last week and this afternoon to the Democratic leaders of the committee. She was critical, for instance, of a provision to ban lead from all toys. [...]
She opposed making it easier to bring criminal prosecutions of companies that knowingly sell defective products and also criticized a measure that would make it easier for the commission to publicly disclose reports of faulty products.

So let me make sure I have this straight; she opposes a ban on lead in toys. She opposes making it easier to bring criminal charges against these companies and she opposes making her committee stronger...

What in God’s name is wrong with this woman? Government regulation is needed for consumer goods as it will NOT come from the companies whose primary goal is to make themselves money. Think about it; to oppose a ban on lead in toys, and on top of that refusing to explain yourself, is, at its core, criminal, especially when so many children, and adults, are at risk.

Makes you realize that the old mantra about the Bush administration is pertinent; their concern for children is conception and birth, and after that they’re on their own.

Isn’t it ironic that Nord recently complained to Congress about the agency's lack of resources, and confirmed that the commission only has one person who tests toys? Hearing that, then hearing her now makes an intelligent person, and by intelligent I mean a non-lemming, wonder – she was complaining to Congress about lack of funds and all that before, but suddenly she thinks these measures are no good... methinks Ms. Nord got chastised from someone on top above her, despite a White House spokesman insisting that the White House didn't coordinate with Nord on her comments (cause they’ve never done anything like that before) but still "shared many of her concerns."

Irony notwithstanding, the line of incompetent Bush officials never seems to end and we as a nation will be very lucky to come out of 8 years of this 'mis'- adminstration’s lies and deceptive dealings with even 50% of the national societal strength that we had at the end of the 1990's.

January 20, 2009 can NOT come soon enough...

The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Returning to normalcy… or at least something resembling normalcy.

• Mitt Romney is leading in polls in Iowa and New Hampshire… which is important; what with them being the perfect cross-sections of America. (Sarcasm is fun…)
• We reminded you last week that Vice President Dick “President” Cheney went hunting this past weekend, and when we didn’t see any news items about it I’m sure the White House was relieved. Well, a NY Daily News photog snapped a picture of a small Confederate flag that was hanging inside a garage on the hunt club’s property…
• The fallout from the FEMA fake-reporter fiasco continues as FEMA Director David Paulison has publicly criticized FEMA public affairs department. And it’s also cost former FEMA public affairs director Pat Philbin a new job. He was scheduled to become the director of public affairs for the director of national intelligence this week, but yesterday National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell said Philbin will not be getting the job. (Refreshing to see government actually taking care of someone who did some that was not only incredibly stupid, but ethically wrong. Way to go…)
• Blackwater USA just can NOT stay out of the news. First, Iraq's parliament is considering a bill that would require security companies that operate in the country to obey Iraqi laws (which they should anyway) with no immunity. Second, a US investigator allegedly offered Blackwater guards immunity from the September incident in Baghdad that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead. (Stay tuned… I have a feeling this story is just getting started…)
• And have we mentioned? That the dominoes are continuing to fall? Now it’s Rep. Tom Tancredo’s (r-CO) turn as he announced yesterday that he plans to retire from the House at the end of his term saying that he wants to spend time with his grandchildren (wow, how original). Having said that, he is continuing his bid for the gop presidential nomination. (Ok, I realize that he has little chance of winning the nomination, and he apparently knows it. Why else would you say you’re retiring in order to spend time with your grandchildren but continue to campaign for a job that, if you were to win, would keep you away from said grandchildren more than his current job… or am I putting too much thought into this?)

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Monday; yay.

• A new book about former President Gerald Ford shows that he feared that Vice President Cheney was a “liability” to Bush, that President Clinton was a “sex-addict” and the best pure politician he had ever seen, and that he preferred Rudy Giuliani as Bush's running mate... (Fascinating stuff, isn't it?)
• 75% of Americans think Congress is doing a piss-poor job. My only surprise is that the number is that LOW…
• The presidential race is heating up… actually it’s not, but I wanted to see if you’re paying attention…
• Oil prices broke through $93 a barrel for the first time today at hit $93.20. Let the panic begin!
• And have we mentioned? That the person responsible for FEMA employees portraying journalists during a presser last week has resigned? Yep, FEMA Director of External Affairs John Philbin has resigned amid the controversy. Not surprisingly, the department is denying that his resignation was involved in any way with the revelation that employees of FEMA acted as reporters and tossed softball questions during a press conference last week describing FEMA’s response to the Southern California wildfires…and if you believe that, then I have a nice bridge to sell you in Chicago…

The Weekly Rewind

EDITOR'S NOTE: Blogger bites it. I went through all the trouble of adding hyperlinks and all,and when I go to publish, they're gone. So enjoy this Non-Linked version of The Weekly Rewind:

It’s Saturday, we all know what that means; time for The Weekly Rewind…

Applaud: to having the balls to tell the truth while a member of an administration that doesn’t. Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has expressed concerns that the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have undermined the military’s ability to prevent other conflicts. Said Mullen; “Because we have had such an intense focus on the Middle East and Iraq and Afghanistan, there is risk associated with those other parts of the world.” (Ya think?)

Heckle: to what could be the worst-kept secret in Washington that DOESN’T involve Larry Craig. Considering that the administration has increasingly been throwing out threatening rhetoric on Iran, combined with Bush’s recent budget request of additonal money for wars and his request to equip B-2 “stealth” bombers with a new 30,000-pound bunker buster, many in DC and around the world are thinking that the administration has “plans for an attack on Iran”… (Look, I understand that Iran can not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, but so far there is no evidence that they do, and we are in NO position to get involved in another war right now… so I think Bush should keep his war-libido in check for a while, lest he get our beloved country into another senseless war…)

Applaud: to snarky comments from “President” Bush. During a tour of the California disaster area yesterday, he took a shot at Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, saying; “It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead.” (Yes, the Bush White House and FEMA fucked up royally, but Gov. Blanco deserves an equal share of the blame, and getting smacked down by Bush HAS to hurt…)

Heckle: to not knowing when to leave the limelight. Former FEMA director Michael “Sucks to be me” Brown, remember him, he’s the one who mismanaged the administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina, issued a press release earlier this week that said he is “available for interviews” on the wildfires. As if that wasn’t enough, he then went on to draw parallels between the current situation and Katrina. (Seriously, why is he still talking? He needs to STFU and slink away and not mention FEMA, Katrina, disasters EVER AGAIN… get a hint ‘Brownie’, no one cares…)

Applaud: to the Bush(whacked) Administration’s new “worst nightmare”, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). He’s become the administration’s nightmare because he’s a Democrat in the majority that not only has subpoena power, but also the inclination to overturn rocks.” (Keep at it Mr. Waxman, you seem to be the only one with balls…)

Heckle: to hypocrisy; presidential style. “President” Bush has been spouting off lately about being a believer of small government and budget-slashing and moderate spending. Well, according to an analysis by McClatchy, that’s a pile of bullshit as Bush is the biggest spending president since 1964, with annual growth of discretionary spending, having been adjusted for inflation, has increased 5.3% under Bush’s watch which far exceeds the spending of his recent predecessors… (I am shocked, shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment. Yes; that was sarcasm…)

Shallow Applaud: to a new “record” set by the House earlier this week as they recorded the 1,000th vote of the year. Last year’s gop-led Congress held just 543 votes. While that’s all fine and good, some of the votes they haven’t had have been ones that were important to a majority of Americans… so as I said, it’s a shallow applaud…

Heckle: to the silly-looking new logo from the CIA. Who created this, someone’s 2-year old?

Applaud: to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Washington and their plans to join California’s lawsuit that is suing the EPA for stalling on a decision about whether to allow states to force car makers to produce cleaner vehicles. (It probably won’t do much good, but you never know…)

Heckle: to a new poll that tells us what many of us already knew; that the American public not only doubts whether the Bush(whacked) Administration’s foreign policy is working, but is “increasingly skeptical about whether anything can turn the situation around,” with 79% believing that the world “has become more dangerous” for the United States, and 64 percent “think the rest of the world sees the U.S. negatively.”

Applaud: to Valerie Plame. She gave her first interview since Bush(whacked) administration officials outed her covert CIA agent status and she revealed that she was covert and that her primary function was preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon. (Oops. If Bush and his merry band of cronies were capable of humiliation, this might do it… but they don’t care what others think, so it won’t have any effect on them…)

Heckle: to $2.4 trillion, which is, according to a CBO estimate, the potentially the cost of the wars in Afghanistan Iran Afghanistan (?) and Iraq through the next decade. That breaks down to almost $8,000 per man, woman and child in the country. (And I’m sure it will only go up if we do eventually attack Iran…)

Applaud: to Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA), Mel Watt (D-NC) and Brad Miller (D-NC). Because of the hundreds of thousands of families facing foreclosure in recent months, the trio has introduced legislation that aims to protect consumers against predatory mortgages. (Good for them. Some of these mortgage companies operate barely within the law, and should be held accountable… though I have a feeling the trio’s conservative brethren might have something to say about this…)

Heckle: to White House Press Secretary Dana Perino. The CBO released a report earlier this week that total spending for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other activities related to the war on terrorism “would amount to between $1.2 trillion and $1.7 trillion for fiscal years 2001 through 2017.” When you add the $705 billion in interest, the cost of the wars could easily amount to $2.4 trillion. Perino attacked, saying that the report containes “a ton of speculation” and downplayed it as a creation “based on questions that Democrats in Congress that don’t want us to be in the war asked.” Never mind that it was prepared by the CBO. Perino then got really moronic and added that the White House is not concerned about the exact cost of the war. Yes, according to her, the White House doesn’t care how much money it costs to fail in Iraq… is it ever wonder why Bush’s ratings keep dropping. And before a conservative troll leaves a comment about why I don’t mention Congress’ low ratings, I’ll mention that Congress does indeed have low approval ratings… feel better now lemmings?

Applaud: to the Frost family for not backing down. Despite being attacked by various right wing pundits, they are not and will not back down from the fight for children’s health insurance. Earlier this past week matriarch Bonnie Frost stood up at a Baltimore church and made an appeal for broader health coverage… (Way to go Ms. Frost. I would wager that most of the “people” that attacked you wouldn’t have that kind of courage… keep it up)

Heckle: to placing blame just in order to score points with their like-minded sheep viewers. Earlier this week Fox “News” morning hosts blamed the wildfires in California on a new culprit: al Qaeda. Pointing to a 2003 FBI memo that raised the possibility that al Qaeda may try to set wildfires around the western United States they noted that men in a “hovering helicopter” saw “a guy starting one of these fires.” (Well then; it’s official. It was al Qaeda…)

Applaud: to 25%, AKA; “Bush’s latest approval rating”. And because of his “weakened approval ratings”, he’s being forced to take a “much more personal role in opposing Congress.” (Riiiight…)

Heckle: to more gop hypocrisy. Last spring, Rep. Patrick McHenry (r-NC) berated a plethora of Democrats because they were blocking his proposal that would require Members to disclose the existence and value of their personal residences. Interestingly enough, or maybe not if you know how republicans act, McHenry himself has not disclosed at least three pieces of property that he owns that are worth more than $300,000 combined… (gop fever; catch it!)

Applaud: to another Bush cabinet member biting the dust. This time it’s Richard Griffin, the assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security. He announced his resignation earlier this week… (If they keep falling off like flies in this manner, how long until one of the Bush twins is in Daddy’s cabinet?)

And now it’s time for the gop Tool of the Week. This was another close week, but this time we have to give it to Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol. Appearing on Fox “News” last Sunday, he declared that the U.S. was close to victory in Iraq and argued that the “only” concern left for the U.S is dealing with alleged Iranian involvement in Iraq. Said Kristol; “We’re winning in Iraq. That is the absolute crucial precondition to having success in the broader fight against Islamic jihadism. […] And I think we are going to have to be serious about dealing with both their intervention in Iraq — which is now the only real threat, I think, incidentally, to relative success in Iraq — and their nuclear program.” Um, okay… there’s no doubt that Iran is most likely causing some violence in Iraq, but there are more worse threats. Consider that a NIE released earlier this year concluded that Iranian involvement was “not likely” to be a major driver of violence. No, it’s not… let’s have some intelligence people…

Wanted: Employees with acting experience

Just when you thought that Bush and his merry band of cronies couldn’t sink any lower (eventually you would have to go underground; right?), they do.

Just when you think that FEMA couldn't do anything more to embarrass themselves, they do.

According to Washington Post's Al Kamen, during a presser yesterday with FEMA Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson, there were an odd number of so-called softball questions levied against him… well Kamen has revealed that the “reporters” in question were actually FEMA employees.

You read that right, FEMA employees posed as reporters in order to give their boss an easy press conference…

That’s just sad and pathetic…

From Kamen’s WaPo article:

“The first questions were about the "commodities" being shipped to Southern California and how officials are dealing with people who refuse to evacuate. He responded eloquently. […] He was apparently quite familiar with the reporters -- in one case, he appears to say "Mike" and points to a reporter -- and was asked an oddly in-house question about "what it means to have an emergency declaration as opposed to a major disaster declaration" signed by the president. He once again explained smoothly.

But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness.

Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin.”

I don’t know what’s more incredible; that they did it, or that they tried to pass it off as being okay.

When they started getting negative feedback, public affairs deputy Mike Widomski defended the propaganda pageant and insisted that FEMA staffers were simply asking the same questions that real reporters had been asking all day…

The AP does NOT agree;

“One way to get decent coverage in this rough-and-tumble city is to arrange to have your own employees interrogate you at your news conference. […] That would seem to be the strategy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, much maligned for its sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina over two years ago.”

Nor does E&P;

“It appears the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has found the answer to nosey reporters in the two years since Hurricane Katrina: have a press conference and have your own people ask the questions.”

Nor Rolling Stone;

“Somebody needs to be fired for this.”

This has to be one of the most pathetic displays ever carried out by a Bush(whacked) Administration leader… and considering the source, that’s saying a lot.

The Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Friday… you all know what to do…

• WARNING! WARNING! The Poughkeepsie Journal in New York reports that Vice President Dick "President" Cheney is going hunting this weekend. So anyone in the region should maintain alertness... don't say we didn' warn you.
• CNN headline; “Iran becoming new Iraq on campaign trail.” (Wow, they certainly are on the ball in Atlanta, aren’t they? It’s so hard to express sarcasm in the written form. I, personally, still think that Iraq is Iraq on the campaign trail; but that would be too logical, wouldn’t it…)
• The House passed the revised SCHIP bill yesterday, although once again “President” Bush has vowed to wield his veto crayon to stop it saying that is covers TOO many kids. Stay tuned, I doubt that this is the end of it…
• The Representatives who sponsored the resolution that would label the 1915 killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide have asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to delay the vote because they’re worried that it would fail. (I understand the symbolism in this resolution, but the timing is off and delaying the vote is probably a good idea…)
• Fearful of not being relevant anymore, Iowa Democrats are planning to have their caucus on January 3rd. (All fine and good, but Iowa has not been relevant in the primary process for a very long time, and the more they strive to BE relevant, the more ridiculous they look…)
• And have we mentioned? That ex-Senator, and current gop prez candidate Fred Thompson (r-TN) said that he doesn’t share Dick Cheney’s views of executive power? It’s true, he said; “No, I think the constitution in times of war, especially, is very definitive about that. […] [I]t’s divided power in the constitution. Our founding fathers divided that up. … So no one branch of the government can misuse power.” (Wow… truer words have never been spoken by a republican a politician. Too bad his campaign is already on the rocks and taking on water…)

The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

One day closer...

• Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those effected by the Southern California wildfires.
• The gop is angry because Democrats are actually trying to DO something in the House. Apparently taking a page from the gop playbook the Democrats have decided to hold the next vote on SCHIP today… when, by pure coincidence I’m sure (sarcasm alert), many republicans will be in California with “President” Bush as he tours the areas hit by the devastating Southern California wildfires… (the timing is suspect to be sure, but the tactics are nothing for the republicans to get upset about, as a quick review of history would show that the gop has done the same thing. I welcome it because it – finally! – shows that the Dems may have some balls…)
• The US has apparently taken a page from the UN handbook and has “slapped” sanctions on Iran.
• We now have an entry in the most ridiculous, inane, and unlikely-to-ever-be-kept campaign promise of this campaign as Rudy Giuliani has said that if he is elected president, he would end illegal immigration… (Uh, huh…)
• Yet another member of “President” Bush’s staff has resigned… this time it’s the State Department's chief of diplomatic security Richard Griffin. His resignation comes during the State Department getting scrutinized for the use of private military contractors after the September 16th killings of Iraqi civilians by Backwater USA… if Bush’s staff keeps abandoning the ship like this, we’ll be looking at Jenna or Barbara in the State Department... (shudder)
• And have we mentioned? That the White House is now admitting that they “heavily edited [the CDC director’s] testimony on global warming”? At first the White House denied that they had “watered down” the congressional testimony by Dr. Julie Gerberding but admitted it after they were caught with their hands in the cookie jar… (Ok, they admitted doing it, but that still shouldn’t excuse it… when the government starts censoring their own departments, they’ve crossed a line.)

Circling, circling, circling...

The standing of the US continues to circle the drain.

It should come as no surprise that a new opinion poll shows that Iran is the country most people around the world would like see having less power 39% wanting to see the influence of Iran diminished.

In second place, at 37%, is the United States.

That’s right; people around the globe put a startling 2% difference between Iran and the US when it comes to wanting diminished power for that country.

Lovely…

The poll, which was commissioned by a new think tank on EU affairs named the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), surveyed 57,000 people from 52 countries in June and August and is not entirely without positives.

For instance, it shows that a scant 14% wanted Iran to have more power but 26% thought that more U.S. influence would make the world a better place.

High praise indeed…

Having said all this, no one can actually be surprised by any of this, right? Sure, seven years ago this headline would have shocked people, now? Not so much.

Let’s face facts, it was only a matter of time before the Bush(whacked) Administration’s stumbling and bumbling drunken frat/cowboy routine put the final nail in the coffin for many folks around the world.

Add to that that another new poll finds that American's not only doubt that Bush's foreign policy is working, but they are “increasingly skeptical" as to if anything can turn the situation around. Per the poll, 79% believe that the world “has become more dangerous” for the US, and 64% thinks that “the rest of the world sees the U.S. negatively.”

We’re circling the drain, and who knows who could help? Certainly not this president, and, for now, certainly not this Congress…

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Where did Tuesday go?

• Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are being affected by the Southern California wildfires…
• Speaking of which, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael “Brownie Who?” Chertoff said that lessons learned after the Bush(whacked) Administration’s inept, non-existent, pathetic response to Hurricane Katrina are being used in responding to the fires in Southern California… and the less said about that the better.
• “President” Bush wants $42 Billion more for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq even though Congress hasn't even approved the administration’s initial request of $147 billion for the two wars… (I would like to ask the question of how he would even know he needs the $42B more when he hasn’t even gotten the initial request, but then I might get an answer, and my Doctor told me to cut down on rhetoric this week…)
• This could be filed in the ‘No Surprise to Me’ file; the White House edited congressional testimony given by the director of the CDC on the impact of climate change on health, going as far as removing specific scientific references to potential health risks. (I’m sure this is the first time they’ve ever done anything like that… he wrote, laughing himself into convulsions. How could this possibly surprise anyone, it’s the Bush(whacked) Administration and we’ve seen evidence of this before. And we’ll probably see it again before Bush leaves office…)
• What’s happening on the campaign trail this week? Pretty much the usual; pandering, spinning and sliming from BOTH sides…
• And have we mentioned? That Fox “News” is insinuating that al Qaeda is behind the California wildfires? It’s true, on “Fox and Friends” this morning, the hosts pointed to a 2003 FBI memo that raised the possibility that al Qaeda may try to set wildfires around the western United States (the memo mentioned Colorado, Montana, Utah, & Wyoming btw). They also spoke of men in a “hovering helicopter” seeing “a guy starting one of these fires.” (Now, I’m not naïve enough to not think that terrorists could very well carry out acts of terrorism in this manner. My snark is more reserved for Fox “News”. Where is the proof? Where is the evidence to support the possibility? Give more than “hovering helicopter” men and all…)

Poll Position: Approval & Economy

American Research Group published new poll results today, and it’s not good for “President” Bush as it shows his approval rating to be a lowly 25%....

I’ll pause a moment to let that sink in…

The 25% mark matches Bush’s lowest approval rating by the American Research Group.

And the bad news doesn’t end there.

In addition to the approval ratings, the poll also asked Americans about the economy, more specifically if the national economy is getting better.

It’s not…

8% of Americans say that the national economy is getting better, 18% say it is staying the same, and 69% say the national economy is getting worse.

And when they were asked if the national economy will be better a year from now, 18% say yes that is will, 27% say it will be the same as it is now, and 53% say it will be worse.

But the real tell is that a total of 38% of Americans rate the national economy as excellent, very good, or good… meaning that 61%, 61%! rate the national economy as bad, very bad, or terrible.

What does this mean? It means that the only people who believe the economy is doing good fall into one of two categories; they work/live in the White House or are goats that follow the herd.

And the only group that has lower ratings than Bush is Congress... so how's about we get off our asses out there in DC and do something like, I don't know... GOVERN?

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

Monday… let’s get it on…

• The republican presidential candidates debated again yesterday… and this time it amounted to little more than the candidates having a game of ‘my gop credentials are bigger than yours’…
• Vice President Dick “President” Cheney gave a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Studies this past weekend and said something that is sure to get things moving around the world, saying; “We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” (Uh, oh… I really need to get to work on that bomb shelter…)
• The major labor unions (AFL-CIO, Teamsters, etc) are playing their cards close to their vest when it comes to the plethora of presidential candidates, Democrat and republican… they haven’t thrown support behind anyone yet... and the candidates know this and are kissing their collective asses… so stay tuned.
• Valerie Plame Wilson gave her first interview since the Bush(whacked) Administration sold her out outed her as a covert CIA agent. In the interview she revealed that her primary job was to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon… (oops…) by delivering “fake nuclear weapons blueprints to Tehran”… (again; oops…)
• And have we mentioned? That ousted U.S. attorney John McKay revealed that, at the conclusion of the investigation, the U.S. Inspector General may recommend criminal prosecution of departed AG Alberto Gonzales. And the plot thickens… stay tuned.

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 Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

Friday is here, and my heart knows no bounds.

• Oil prices have soared to “another record high,” hitting $90.07 yesterday…
• A strategist on Sen. Clinton’s (D-NY) made a prediction yesterday and said that close to 25% of republican women could vote for her… which drew a sharp retort from one of her opponents; Sen. Obama (D-IL). (Wow… talking like that, saying that your candidate would garner votes from the opposition party, almost like he’s paid to say that and was strategizing something… … it’s so hard to express sarcasm in the written form.)
• Religious conservatives, one of the gop’s most treasured groups and a group they could always count on for bringing them votes, are having trouble with all of the gop presidential candidates. (Meh. It could only help the Dems in the end and maybe, just maybe, might bring some enlightenment to a FEW people, though I doubt it...)
• Did I mention that oil prices have soared to “another record high,” and hit $90.07 yesterday?
• Democrats failed to override “President” Bush’s SCHIP veto but are vowing to go back to the drawing board until they create a bill that will get presidential approval. Uh, huh… just like they did on Iraq… and FISA…
• Bush’s nominee to replace Attorney General Gonzales, Michael Mukasey, is frustrating Democrats with his answers on torture… (and this is surprising people because??? Despite some republican’s objections of his nomination, he IS a republican with republican ideologies, and if you were truly expecting something different, then you should get a new job… preferably one that makes use of the phrase; want fries with that?)
• And have we mentioned? That the Iraqi government has “put the U.S. on notice” that they do not want permanent U.S. bases in Iraq? It’s true… Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak Al-Rubaie gave the message “directly to Vice President Dick Cheney at the White House” and later told CNN that Iraqis say, “No, big fat no, N-O for the bases in Iraq.” (It will be interesting to see how the Bush(whacked) Administration reacts to this and what they do… though, since it IS this White House, they’ll probably do what they always do. Ignore the will of people and do whatever the hell they want… stay tuned)

And the war-drums get louder...

One truly has to wonder how “President” Bush’s logic works at times…

During his presser yesterday, Bush was asked about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and he warned for the first time, or at the least he warned for the first time in public of the risk of “World War III” if Iran gets nuclear weapons. TPM has the video HERE.

Said Bush; “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III… […] It seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”

Sure… whatever you say Mr. Bush.

What this does is make it clear that attacking Iran has replaced attacking Iraq as the official Presidential wet dream…

Like it was with Iraq, the rational from ‘diplomacy’ to ‘attack!’ shifts until something sticks or the White House confuses everybody by claiming that their shifting rationales were, in fact, serious diplomatic efforts.

The administration’s first rational was that Iran was secretly developing nuclear weapons… but that has now been debunked by UN weapons inspectors.

The second rationale was that Iranians were arming Iraqi insurgents… this too has been debunked.

This brings us to the third rationale, “possessing the knowledge to build a nuclear weapon.”

This isn’t new technology, so Iran almost certainly possesses the technology to build a weapon. So we go from having weapons, to arming, to having technology to build nukes.

So in three simple steps, the bar to attack Iran has been lowered.

On we march to war...