Mr. David Corn,

Great post. Newt . . . Naw, I have nothing worth saying. SOTU? Too predictable. I cannot watch the lipless lizard speak from my TV - dangerous for the TV. HA! I look forward to reading some good commentary after. I am sure it will be interesting.

Thanks for all of your work.

Kirk

Is it true the Capitol is in lock-down?

capt -- here's something for you to do during the SOTU. It's a lot more fun!

HAIRBALL BOWLING

No, it wouldn't do the trick. BJs are just so passé as a reason for impeachment now. That was then, this is now.

...wait a minute, now, if Newt was caught giving bush a...oh nevermind.

I'm taking back my country

Diebold with their rigged voting machines is guilty of treason.

We need to promote the common good for the common man.

The Real Bush

Say what if Bush got a BJ while giving the SOTU?

Here is my rebuttal to the SOTU!

Breaking Wind

Gerald is a busy little commie these days. Whom has the onions to ask him about Ariana's H's skirt and the wicked spiritual power of metal chains with little balls hangin on them. You patheic loser libs need a change of scenery. I hear China is nice this time of year.

A BJ on prime time television would raise Bush's ratings by 25 points!

A BJ on prime time television would raise Bush's ratings by 25 points!

Gerald's right. His supporters would praise him for full exposure, er...full disclosure.

We all know Bush has ED (Electile dysfunction)

He could only raise his numbers 12.5% in the polls and that is with little blue pills and a pump!

capt

I'm taking back my country

The commie label is so lame. According to my test scores I am a socialist and I am concerned about the common good for the common man.

Biting the hand of friendship

WASHINGTON - Large majorities of Iraqis believe that the United States has no intention of ever withdrawing all its military forces from their country and that Washington's reconstruction efforts have been incompetent at best, according to a survey released here on Tuesday.

At the same time, however, only 35% of Iraqis - most of them Sunni Arabs - believe coalition forces should withdraw within six months, although if they did so, a majority said it would have a beneficial impact, as many prominent Democrats and other war critics in the US have argued.

Skepticism about US plans in Iraq is particularly pronounced among the country's Sunni population, who were far more negative about virtually every aspect of post-invasion Iraq than their counterparts in the Shi'ite and Kurdish communities, which together are believed to account for 75-80% of the country's population.

Indeed, despite the strong Sunni Arab participation in December's parliamentary elections, a whopping 88% of the community approves of "attacks on US-led forces" in Iraq, with 77% voicing "strong approval" - a level of hostility that presents a serious challenge for US officials now negotiating with Sunni insurgent leaders, as reported in the February 6 issue of Newsweek magazine.

By comparison, 41% of Shi'ites said they approved of such attacks, while 16% of Kurds agreed, by far the most pro-US of the three groups.

The survey, the latest in a series that has probed Iraqi opinion since the March 2003 US-led invasion, was designed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland for WorldPublicOpinion.org and conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,150 randomly selected Iraqi adults in all 18 Iraqi provinces in early January, three weeks after the December elections.

While Sunni Arabs were over-represented in the sample, the data were weighted according to each group's actual estimated share of the total Iraqi population: Shi'ite Arab, 55%; Sunni Arab, 22%; Kurd, 18%; and other groups, 5%.

*****end of clip*****

Maybe the US should change sides? We might be better off?

capt

Micki,

Thanks for the hairball bowling! My better half is a crazy cat lady. Yes even hairball bowling is cat stuff so . . .

Thanks

capt

Iraq is another Vietnam

US shifts Iraq loyalties

WASHINGTON - Two major revelations this past week show how far the administration of US President George W Bush has already shifted its policy toward realignment with Sunni forces to balance the influence of pro-Iranian Shi'ites in Iraq.

US Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad revealed in an interview with Washington Post columnist David Ignatius that he has put the future of military assistance to a Shi'ite-dominated government on the table in the high-stakes US effort to force Shi'ite party leaders to give up control over key security ministries.

Khalilzad told Ignatius that, unless the "security ministries" in the new Iraqi government were allocated to candidates who were "not regarded as sectarian", the United States would be forced to re-evaluate its assistance to the government.

"We are saying, if you choose the wrong candidates, that will affect US aid," Khalilzad said.

He had previously demanded that the Interior Ministry be given to a non-sectarian candidate, but he had not backed up those demands with the threat of withdrawal of assistance. He has also explicitly added the Defense Ministry to that demand for the first time.

Implied in Khalilzad's position is the threat to stop funding units that are identified as sectarian Shi'ite in their orientation. That could affect the bulk of the Iraqi army as well as the elite Shi'ite police commando units, which are highly regarded by the US military command.

Khalilzad's decision to make the US threat public was followed by the revelation by Newsweek in its February 6 issue that talks between the US and "high level" Sunni insurgent leaders have already begun at a US military base in Anbar province and in Jordan as well as Syria. Khalilzad told Newsweek: "Now we have won over the Sunni political leadership. The next step is to win over the insurgents."

As this sweeping definition of the US political objective indicates, these talks are no longer aimed at splitting off groups that are less committed to the aim of US withdrawal, as the Pentagon has favored since last summer. Instead, the Bush administration now appears to be prepared to make some kind of deal with all the major insurgent groups.

US military spokesman Rick Lynch said, "The local insurgents have become part of the solution."

*****end of clip*****

Did we ever hear the Bush plan - you know the one he had BEFORE we invaded? Maybe the one he claimed to have before the ’∞4 election?

The ONLY plan we have heard so far is "It will get worse" - that is not a plan that is a formula for failure. No wonder we are shifting like sand dunes in a Sahara wind.

capt

David:

Somehwat confusingly, you say "Optimism? Regarding Iraq, Iran or North Korea? Global warming? The health care system in the United States? The deficit? The long-term price of energy (as China's appetite for energy grows astronomically)? I don't counsel pessimism. But neither do I want reporters simply to echo the White House's silly happy-talk spin."

Politicians are usually in the business of dishing out optimism in the face of intractable problems (could explain why Dems can't win on straight-ticket non-stop pessimism witch hunt).

So, what are the Antique Media reporters supposed to after the SOTU Speech? If they go `negative', their partisanship will be on display. They can't go `positive' since they are biased. Could they give in-depth analysis, like liberal think tanks such as the IPS that counsels the House Progressive Caucus, and lay out the Pros and Cons?

I read your link and wish the 62-member Caucus well. The domestic issues are many and IF the Caucus will line up behind Bush on national security (including Iraq), then just perhaps, the political focus WILL SHIFT to social/fiscal issues where the GOP is more vulnerable. I wonder if Joe Lieberman is in this Caucus?

Part I: Iraq is another Vietnam

Iraq and Vietnam

I hope the correction is made.

Thank Senators for Trying to Stop Alito

Last night, the attempt to filibuster Samuel Alito's nomination was defeated and this morning the full Senate voted confirmed him to the Supreme Court. Twenty-four Democrats and one independent voted for a filibuster doing everything in their power to prevent Samuel Alito from replacing Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. We can encourage more senators to show this kind of bravery by thanking those who stand up for our values. Please take a minute to write a quick note of appreciation and we'll pass it on to the 25 senators who supported the filibuster.

*****end of clip*****

If you signed the petitions or sent the emails you will likely have a few of these already. Those who did not can still thanks the senators that showed some spine.

capt

Kerry's email...

Yesterday, 25 Democratic Senators joined our effort to filibuster the Alito nomination -- that's more votes to filibuster the Alito nomination than there were votes against Justice Roberts' nomination itself just a few months ago.

This morning, 42 Senators voted against Alito's nomination. That's the highest number of votes against any Supreme Court nominee since Clarence Thomas in 1991.

It's hard to lose -- but it's important to fight for what we believe in. I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of you who signed our petitions, called your senators, wrote letters to the editor and, most important, refused to stand silent while President Bush worked to pack the highest court in the land with far right ideologues. We fought a fight that needed fighting.

We made sure the nation knew the truth about the Alito nomination. We made sure America heard how a right wing ideological coup sandbagged Harriet Miers' nomination and replaced her with Judge Alito. No one will be able to say, in five to ten years, that he or she is surprised by the decisions Judge Alito makes from the bench. People who believe in privacy rights, who fight for the rights of the most disadvantaged, who believe in balancing the power between the President and Congress had to take a stand.

We also made it clear to the Bush administration that no matter what they throw at us in 2006 -- whether it's extreme nominees, special interest giveaways, shortsighted policy or Swift Boat-style attacks against Democratic candidates -- we will never surrender. We will always fight back.

Now, we must be clear about something else. Winning the 2006 congressional elections is the only way to change the dangerous path George W. Bush has put us on. We need to defeat those Republicans who have overlooked this administration's incompetence, turned a blind eye to its failures, and lent a helping hand to its dangerous ideology.

Together, we have to act to make sure 2006 is the year Americans, led by Democrats, stand up to incompetence, cronyism and corruption, take back Congress, and get our nation moving in the right direction again.

I look forward to fighting alongside you.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

Sad. So Sad.

The once great blog of Mr. David Corn is now the Gerald and Capt club. All day, all channels. In a word BORING!

My two cents? Thank God for President Bush and his nomination of Judge Alito!

In surveying the State of the Union, I am struck by the stark contrast between the actions of our present leaders and an under-reported incident that occurred during the Roosevelt administration. I refer, of course, to the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, during which period FDR refrained from invading Brazil. This is all the more remarkable when it is noted that there may have been rumors at the time of a meeting between Brazilian and Japanese agents in Prague.

Wearing his best "Bush never lied" tee-shirt or is the the "second coming of Bush" hooded sweatshirt? Thank which God for the liar and theif?

Nevermind I already know. MARS - the God of war because the God of Abraham, Judaism and Christianity is against war, is against povery and does not like people to be hatin' not even those with which you disagree.

Too effin funny?

Like "Bush never lied" was not a major YAWN like years ago?

ROTFLMAO! Thanks for the chuckle!

capt

OMG,

The Frickin' ORIGINAL Tim (not the extra bitchy variety) pokes its head out of its turtle shell. Talk about Old Trolls!

While you're thanking God, remember to tell 'im I said "Hey!" It sure has been a while since he bestowed any blessings upon my tax bracket! Maybe I should be itemizing my prayers?

Oh, and tell him when I dreamt about the wife a'runnin' you over with the tractor...I felt bad, the whole next day!

-T

p.s. most of that "ShinerBackwash" is still in my brother's garage. Nobody seems to want it!

Realists, Isolationists, and Neocons: A Primer

You're right that there are now radically divergent views among people who, for the most part, supported Reagan during the '80s. It can't be denied that most "movement" conservatives support Bush's foreign policy, by which I mean people tied in some way to the Republican establishment and the larger number of people who identify with it. But there are significant pockets of dissent, both among realists – prudent internationalists who on balance would have found Eisenhower an excellent president – and among the heirs of the old isolationist tradition. I've learned quite a lot from isolationists in the past few years; they are invariably a repository of sharp insights and good polemics. But I'm probably closer to the realist tradition myself. I basically respect what the United States did after World War II to restore the Western world. I don't think we could have avoided the Cold War, or the Second World War. But after the Soviet Union imploded, I began to think it was time for the United States to pull back and become (as I think Jeane Kirkpatrick said at the time, before her neoconservative friends reminded her that she shouldn't say stuff like that) a "normal country" again.

My own thoughts (because I had been a neoconservative, used to write for the magazine Commentary, was comfortable and friendly with the Committee for the Free World crowd) evolved fairly slowly, but by the late 1990s I thought we should not be bombing Serbia (though it hasn't seemed to have turned out disastrously), and I certainly opposed the attack on Iraq in 2003. Our magazine is open to both the Taftian and Eisenhower perspectives, but we are, overall, a minority faction within the conservative movement.

*****end of clip*****

neoconservative are neoliberals and trotskites. Democracy at the tip of an M16 is neoliberal and the concept of a dictator is communist through and through. Nothing conservative about anything this radical WH has done.

Time for impeachment.

capt

A New Face in Congress?

Dear Cornposters:

Cindy Sheehan has said that she may run against Diane Feinstein for the U.S. Senate. I do not know if Cindy can beat Diane but she would be a face that I would want to see in the U.S. Senate. A mother who would challenge the war hawks and the chicken hawks in Congress would be great for our country. Remember we need courage in politicians who shake up the status quo. Faces like Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Hillary Clinton, and Condi Mushroom Cloud Rice need to be extinct in American politics. They advocate death and destruction. We do not need women like that in Congress just like we do not need the 95% thugs and goons who are in Congress now. Rice is not in Congress but she is doing damage to our country in the State Department. Actually, as a Nazi, Rice may be serving her Death Party well but she is not serving the American people's best interests.

Sincerely,

Gerald

President Bush will be torturing the american people tonight during his State of Denial.

I am going to keep a running tally of how many times he says......1. SPREADING DEMOCRACT

2. TERROIST
3. FUTURE
4. PRE 9/11 THINKING..POST 9/11
5. IRAN
Probably will not mention Iraq very often, the over 100,ooo dead Iraqi people.

WILL PUT BIG MONEY ON THAT HE WILL NOT SAY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ.

TONIGHT IT WILL ABOUT THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN IRAN...AND THE GRAVE AND GATHERING DANGER

.HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU THINK HE WILL MENTION IRAN?

Old tim new tim tim l tim h they are all too too tragic.

Funny they all agree on one thing - Bush never lied!

Too effin funny. Odd they would all have the exact same delusion. And all end up here, and never at the same time? Neoconmen and cyber-snakes and creeps. We are suppose to take the DOT seriously?

Hmmmm - you can do the math on that one.

capt

Sure makes one wonder about the timing of these cartoons out of Denmark....I had read that Norway had decided to BOYCOTT ISRAELI products and that Denmark was considering doing the same.

Sure makes one wonder about the timing...Does anyone know about the individual or paper that released them?

OK commie Gerry, you may think you are a darling socialist of virgin test scores. To most you are still the broken record, playing your tunes obsessed with hate for America, capitalism, righteousness, and freedom. Those in the light can easily view your hard heart of darkness as you claim to be a servant of the common good and man. Were did you misplace your John Kerry rosary?

ROBB #232 FROM LAST THREAD:
I'll try your great idea! I'll put on some Herbie Hancock " Maiden Voyage" (Blue Note), Wes Montgomery/Jimmy Smith "Dynamic Duo" (Verve), McCoy Tyner "Time For Tyner"(Blue Note), Miles Davis "Miles Smiles"(Columbia), John Coltrane "A Love Supreme"(Impulse),and some Jazz Crusaders "Live at The Lighthouse"(Pacific Jazz/Blue Note).

Can't find a cartridge for my old Technics turntable(an 1981 sl-200, belt-drive, adjustable pitch),so I'm buying either a Stanton or Numark direct-drive next month. Can't afford the Technics pro models at $500-550 a pop.
VINYL LIVES!!

Fatwa issued against Danish troops

The fatwa comes as the offices of Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, which published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that have caused uproar across the Muslim world, had to be evacuated due to a bomb threat.

The paper's offices in both the northern town of Aarhus and in downtown Copenhagen were evacuated, according to an AFP reporter at the scene in Copenhagen, adding that the threat had been called in.

*****end of clip*****

Seems odd that we just got a new Al-CIAda tape just in time to bolster the Bunnypants bounce?

Too many coincidences and we all know Homer J says "coincidence doesn’t just happen" dontchaknow.

capt

kathleen, he will be claiming (falsely) unprecedented powers that were "given" to him by the Congress.

He will lie and tell the American citizens, in Louis XIV-style, L'etat, C'est Moi -- "I am the state."

He will do it subtly, but he WILL do it. He will no pass up this opportunity.

My vote for the statement that Bush will repeat the most often tonight will be " SPREADING DEMOCRACY AND PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST".

SOTU address? Hell, I'd rather listen to my ol'wino schoolmate Perry! At least he makes sense sometimes.

KATHLEEN #40, I agree!

Sorry for the long post, but I think it's needed.
This is from the People For the American Way.
=========================

We are, of course, deeply disappointed that the Senate voted to confirm Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court moments ago.

But we are heartened by the fact that despite overwhelming odds from the beginning, PFAW activists never gave up. You sent over 600,000 faxes and emails to the Senate in the last five days alone! Thank you for all your hard work!

We fought hard up until the final vote, convincing 42 senators to vote against Alito's confirmation. We even helped inspire 25 progressive senators to stand on principle and attempt a filibuster even though the odds were against them.

Now that the fight is over, it's important to let the senators who fought Alito know you appreciated their standing up for our rights -- when the next fight comes, they'll be in a stronger position to lead if they're confident they'll have our support. Also let senators who voted to confirm Alito know that you'll remember their votes when they're up for reelection.

Here's how senators voted on the filibuster and on the final vote. Call your senators and let them hear your appreciation or disappointment.

Share your thoughts on your calls by visiting http://www.SaveTheCourt.org/CallReport.

--Your Allies at People For the American Way

Alaska
Lisa Murkowski voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6665
Ted Stevens voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3004

Alabama
Jeff Sessions voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4124
Richard Shelby voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5744

Arkansas
Blanche Lincoln voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4843
Mark Pryor voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2353

Arizona
Jon Kyl voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4521
John McCain voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2235

California
Barbara Boxer voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-3553
Dianne Feinstein voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-3841

Colorado
Ken Salazar voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5852
Wayne Allard voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5941

Connecticut
Christopher Dodd voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-2823
Joseph Lieberman voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4041

Delaware
Joseph Biden voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-5042
Thomas Carper voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2441

Florida
Bill Nelson voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5274
Mel Martinez voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3041

Georgia
Saxby Chambliss voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3521
Johnny Isakson voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3643

Hawaii
Daniel Akaka voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6361
Daniel Inouye voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3934

Iowa
Tom Harkin voted against confirming Alito and supported the filibuster but did not vote.
(202) 224-3254
Chuck Grassley voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3744

Idaho
Larry Craig voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2752
Michael Crapo voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6142

Illinois
Richard Durbin voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-2152
Barack Obama voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-2854

Indiana
Evan Bayh voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-5623
Richard Lugar voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4814

Kansas
Sam Brownback voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6521
Pat Roberts voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4774

Kentucky
Jim Bunning voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4343
Mitch McConnell voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2541

Louisiana
Mary Landrieu voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5824
David Vitter voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4623

Massachusetts
Edward Kennedy voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4543
John Kerry voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-2742

Maryland
Barbara Mikulski voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4654
Paul Sarbanes voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4524

Maine
Susan Collins voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2523
Olympia Snowe voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5344

Michigan
Carl Levin voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-6221
Debbie Stabenow voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4822

Minnesota
Mark Dayton voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-3244
Norm Coleman voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5641

Missouri
Christopher Bond voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5721
James Talent voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6154

Mississippi
Thad Cochran voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5054
Trent Lott voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6253

Montana
Max Baucus voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2651
Conrad Burns voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2644

North Carolina
Richard Burr voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3154
Elizabeth Dole voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6342

North Dakota
Byron Dorgan voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2551
Kent Conrad voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2043

Nebraska
Ben Nelson voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6551
Chuck Hagel voted to confirm Alito but did not vote on the filibuster.
(202) 224-4224

New Hampshire
Judd Gregg voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3324
John Sununu voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2841

New Jersey
Frank Lautenberg voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-3224
Robert Menendez voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4744

New Mexico
Jeff Bingaman voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5521
Pete Domenici voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6621

Nevada
Harry Reid voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-3542
John Ensign voted to confirm Alito but did not vote on the filibuster
(202) 224-6244.

New York
Hillary Clinton voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4451
Charles Schumer voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-6542

Ohio
Mike DeWine voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2315
George Voinovich voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3353

Oklahoma
Tom Coburn voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5754
James Inhofe voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4721

Oregon
Ron Wyden voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-5244
Gordon Smith voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3753

Pennsylvania
Rick Santorum voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6324
Arlen Specter voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4254

Rhode Island
Jack Reed voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4642
Lincoln Chafee voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2921

South Carolina
Jim DeMint voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6121
Lindsey Graham voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5972

South Dakota
Tim Johnson voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5842
John Thune voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2321

Tennessee
Lamar Alexander voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4944
Bill Frist voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3344

Texas
John Cornyn voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2934
Kay Bailey Hutchison voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5922

Utah
Robert Bennett voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5444
Orrin Hatch voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5251

Virginia
George Allen voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-4024
John Warner voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-2023

Vermont
Patrick Leahy voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-4242
James Jeffords voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-5141

Washington
Maria Cantwell voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3441
Patty Murray voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-2621

Wisconsin
Russell Feingold voted against confirming Alito and voted for the filibuster.
(202) 224-5323
Herb Kohl voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-5653

West Virginia
John Rockefeller voted against confirming Alito but voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6472
Robert Byrd voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3954

Wyoming
Michael Enzi voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-3424
Craig Thomas voted to confirm Alito and voted against the filibuster.
(202) 224-6441

Kenny-boy and Jeff Skillings' trial starts this week!! The court should've picked our good friend and fellow poster ALAN to be on the jury(he lives in the Houston area)!
Hopefully, one big perp-walk for mankind!!!

Bush: 'L'etat, c'est moi'

WASHINGTON -- We are now learning what President Bush considers to be the limits of his power -- nothing.

In public appearances this week, Bush defended his program of domestic spying without court approval, citing the inherent war powers of the presidency under the U.S. Constitution.

The President points to his status as commander-in-chief and the resolution -- approved by Congress three days after the 9/11 attacks -- authorizing him to use "all necessary and appropriate force" against the terrorists. It is an obvious overreach of presidential prerogative; thin justification for what amounts to a snooping foray against Americans and others in the U.S.

It all smacks of France's Louis XIV's famous dictum: "L'etat, c'est moi"-- "I am the state."

The administration is on shaky legal ground. Last week, the Justice Department issued a 42-page analysis declaring the President "will exercise all authority available to him, consistent with the Constitution, to protect the people of the United States."

The Justice Department brief also contended that some presidential powers are simply "beyond congressional ability to regulate."

But the law is the law. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 -- which was enacted after in-depth congressional hearings on domestic spying-- established a special court to issue warrants for electronic eavesdropping on suspected foreign agents inside the United States.

So far, that court has been basically a rubber stamp for government petitions, rarely turning down a request at crisis times. The court permits emergency wiretaps without court approval for up to 72 hours.

If court procedures tie law enforcement's hands, Congress is open to fixing it. "I know of no member of Congress, frankly, who, if the administration came and said, 'Here's why we need this capability,' that they wouldn't get it," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

But the Bush administration wanted unfettered freedom to spy on who they want, when they want, with no legal constraints whatsoever.

The President and his cohorts are engaged in a full court press to justify their dubious legal position.

*****end of clip*****

I get Sylvester Stallone from "Judge Dredd" saying: "I am the law!"

capt

ALAN #43, THANX, GOOD LOOKIN'OUT!!
Still no School Finance Bill in TX.

Hey Gerald, Take it easy on Condi. Her job is to keep the president abreast of what is going on abroad. ( My most chavuinist remark ever. Oops sorry)

Good idea, bro.tex. I picked up an AudioTechnica direct drive last summer for about 400 new. Not highend by any means, but sounds pretty good anyway. OK, we better quit, there are audiophile forums for this kind of talk...

Some Coleman Hawkins and Miles tonight.

Three cheers for the senators from the great state of Michigan!

pete stark must have been reading Gerald's posts.

Ol' is right. Just fill in the blanks and hope for the best with George.

I hope some "insta-pundit" points out tonight after bush's platitude-filled SOTU address that it's pretty damned ironic that he's calling for HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS on the same day it is reported that the savings rate has been negative for an entire year only twice before -- in 1932 and 1933 -- when Americans depleted their savings to cope with massive job layoffs and business failures caused by the Great Depression.

How can people "save" what they don't have?

Micki, Micki, Micki,
How could George know that the subjects' savings accounts are dry? And really, the health saving accounts aren't for the common man to use to their advantage, but just to be suckered into so that his friends have another way to make billions in profit.

THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS YOU WILL NEVER HEAR!

When we think about outsourcing we usually think of its economic impact; and not about its political impact. Politics and economics are two sides of the same coinѴhey are inseparable. However, there is ңonflicting and confusingӠphenomena occurring--with one side of the coin our government jeopardizes the value of American labor and with the other side of the coin they ҰropagandizeӠthe American public into a nationalistic fervor.

҂eware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.ӊ

A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD

Exactly what is a citizen of the world? Well, it means something very special to big business it means—áLOBALIZATION—°n economy WITHOUT defined borders. NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) enacted in 1993 under the Clinton administration, served as a catalyst for the creation of multinational corporations not bound by economic borders, whose only purpose is to procure profits and to create a cross-cultural global elite. Prior to globalization, an economic marketplace existed that supported the bargaining rights of U.S. Workers. There was an understanding or a SOCIAL CONTRACT that upheld laws and customs to ensure that regulations existed to prohibit exploitation. There was some semblance of corporate allegiance to workers, i.e.; what is good for General Motors becomes good for America or Ford's famous slogan "Quality is Job One." BUT THIS KIND OF THINKING IS A RELIC OF THE PAST as archaic as Ford’≥ Model T.

Today there is no such thing as loyalty—©t is profit at any cost. The objective is to get the job done as cheap as possible, by who ever can do it! And with a global job market available to all CEOS the American worker’≥ bargaining position has been diminished to the point of being extinguished.

WHO’ì RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS!

The Reagan/Bush administration had taken the first steps to initiate NAFTA, but it was Clinton in 1993 that signed sealed and delivered it with Al Gore’≥ help. Instead of trying to push through a universal healthcare system Clinton/Gore aligned with big business to do a number on the working-class. Clinton may have gotten impeached for having fellatio with Monica Lewinsky; but he should have been impeached for SCREWING THE AMERICAN WORKER!

I am bringing up this issue, because with the 06 and 08 elections in the offing we need to know where Democrats stand on the issues; we canմ assume anything; workers and the poor should not be taken for granted and used by any political party! I wish there was a viable third party candidate, but no such ҡnimalӠexists. It costs some $550 million dollars to elect a president, so by the time ҳomeoneӠhas accumulated that amount of dough they have compromised every last ethical bone in their body. We need ҳeriousӠcampaign reform so that every candidate is guaranteed equal and free access to mainstream media. Until that happens itճ a game of compromiseѳo it is important not to be duped but mindful of what each candidate really stands for.

AMERICAN WORKERS ARE INTERESTED IN REAL VALUES! We need to have Democrats who DEFINITIVELY TELL US THEIR POSITION ON IRAQ; OUTSOURCING: HEALTHCARE; EDUCATION; POVERTY; CIVIL LIBERTIES: CIVIL RIGHTS: WOMEN’ì RIGHTS; CORRUPT LOBBYISTS; AND CORRUPT ELECTED OFFICIALS; etc…†

The Bush/Republican and Clinton/Democratic administration constructed an agreement with the wealthy and the powerful to create a NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT—Øne that globally excluded the working-class and poor.

OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING—óHAT IS IT?

879,280 U.S. JOBS WERE LOST FROM OURSOURCING: 1993 –†2002

Proponents of Free Trade Agreements frequently claimed that such deals create jobs and raise incomes in the United States. These claims are based only on the positive effects of exports (known as "export effects"), ignoring the negative effects of imports (known as "import effects"). Such arguments are an attempt to hide the NEGATIVE costs of new trade deals in order to boost the reported benefits.
The problem with these claims is that they misrepresent the real effects of trade on the U.S. economy-- trade both creates and destroys jobs. Increases in U.S. exports tend to create jobs in this country, but increases in imports tend to reduce jobs by displacing goods that otherwise would have been made in the United States by domestic workers. Ignoring imports and counting only exports is like balancing a checkbook by counting only deposits but not withdrawals.

We are losing all manufacturing jobs –≠THE ONES THAT HAD SOCIAL CONTRACTS—¥he ones with good hourly salaries, benefits and job security. These same jobs are being replaced with lower paying positions and no benefits. Why you might ask, because we are all becoming citizens of the world. PROFITS ARE THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS! Workers are losing their bargaining power as corporations dismantle unions and replace them with outsourced jobs.

OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING
Offshore Outsourcing and Foreign Worker programs are devastating the U.S. working-class. The IT workforce is especially affected by offshore outsourcing, because much of this technology, research and development are taking place offshore. In the worst case scenario, outsourcing technology could even place our nation at risk. Imagine if all digital technology was developed and controlled offshore? Who needs a conventional military attack if you can control and manipulate all digital transactions—óE’ñE created a technological Neutron Time Bomb!

American companies can save large amounts of money by building and or/documenting products in low-wage countries and then selling them right back to the U.S. Not only are manufacturing products sold back to the U.S. after the labor is outsourced; but so are computer software programs, websites, and other goods and services. We’≤e no longer talking about rubber dogs from Taiwan—∑e are talking about software/programs that control Key business processes in the U.S.—•ven defense related technologies.

WHEN DOES GREED BECOME TRAITOROUS?
Millions of workers are being sold-out by our government

U.S. based defense contractors ҳub-outӠwork to companies in offshore nations. There is no way to track this kind of electronic activity. But it seems that U.S. security is no longer an issue as long as businesses do not have to pay an American IT worker $50.00 per hour; when he can pay a worker at an Indian firm $6.00 per hour. Some of this ҳub-outӠwork could be sensitive in nature, with descriptive details about combat systems. In the world of national defense, we are often told by politicians that we must plan for all possibilities. Isnմ that why our government implemented the Patriot Act? Our elected leaders are permitting warrantless domestic surveillance of innocent U.S. citizens, but donմ seem to care that greedy corporate CEOS undermine our national security.

FOREIGN WORKER/ IMMIGRATION

Businesses have been taking advantage of H-1B and L-1 Workers programs. The H-1B visa program allows American companies and universities to import foreign scientists, engineers and programmers. This is known as ҳponsoring,Ӡwhere a company or educational institution can appeal on the foreign workers behalf to the U.S. Government for legal rights to work here for a specific period. The L-1 Visa is available to Intra-company Transferees who have been employed outside of the U.S. for at least one of the prior three years. L-1 Visas poses no limits to immigrant workers who come to the U.S. and replace American Workers. THE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE TO COMPANIES IS THAT THEY DO NOT PAY THE FOREIGN WORKER THE PREVAILING U.S. WAGE; BUT INSTEAD, A LOWER SALARY OR HOURLY RATE. THIS IS WRITTEN IN THE FOREIGN WORKERSՠSPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT. So American Workers will train their foreign replacement, who will work in the U.S. using a visa and get paid at a much lower rate doing the same job! CORRUPT GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, CAUSED BY CROOKED LOBBYLISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTROYING THE AMERICAN WORKING-CLASS!

The public is told that offshore outsourcing frees up labor that can be redeployed—¢ut does not make sense to a U.S. worker who has been laid off and can’¥ find another job?
RECENT REPORTS INDICATE THAT BY 2015 the acceleration of outsourcing will result in 3.3 MILLION AMERICAN JOBS MOVING OFFSHORE.
The total tax loss over the next five years because of outsourcing comes to 13 BILLION DOLLARS—∑.5 BILLION IN LOST SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE REVENUE, 4.4 BILLION IN FEDERAL REVENUE AND 1.5 BILLION IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAXES. IS THIS WHY BUSH WANTED TO TAMPER WITH SOCIAL SECURITY—àIS CORPORATE BUDDIES CAUSED THE DEPLETION OF SOCIAL SECURITY REVENUES, BY OUTSOURCING AMERICAN JOBS, AND THEN HE WANTS TO FORCE THE AMERICAN WORKER TO PAY FOR CORPORATE GREED.

60,000 AUTO WORKERS DRIVEN OUT OF JOBS

General Motors' plans to eliminate 30,000 hourly jobs by 2008, this was announced on Monday in Detroit, it will have devastating consequences for cities in the United States and Canada; its ripple effects will hit working class communities throughout the two countries. The closure of twelve facilities will reduce the auto maker's manufacturing jobs in North America by nearly a third.

Taken together with hourly and salaried job cuts already announced this year by GM, Ford and the auto parts makers Delphi and Visteon, Monday's announcement brings the total of auto jobs targeted for destruction to 60,000, and this does not take into account the impact of Ford's downsizing plan. The number two US auto maker has made clear that it intends to eliminate thousands of jobs and permanently close a number of factories.

Since 2000, more than 100,000 hourly and salaried automotive jobs have been eliminated in the US. The latest GM cuts are part of a longer-term trend in which corporations have wiped out jobs that once provided a relatively stable livelihood for manufacturing workers. Through major struggles in the 1930s and into the post-war period, workers were able to win concessions in pay and benefits. This was particularly the case in the auto industry; however, outsourcing has eliminated workers’†power to bargain and has destroyed the SOCIAL CONTRACT that upheld laws and regulations that prevented exploitation.

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY GLOBALIZATION—âN OTHER WORDS, THE CORPORATOCRACY SAYS THAT THE WORLD IS FLAT, AND YOU ARE NOW A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD—âS THAT THEIR THEORY OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN?

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD?

TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND CITIZENS OF THE WORLD DIE EACH DAY FROM STARVATION!

EIGHTY MILLION CITIZENS OF THE WORLD ARE BEGGARS!

When the Great Wall of China started to crumble by the SUNUMI CALLED U.S. CAPITALISM, politicians and CEOS saidѴhis will make China more like the USA. But what happened was the REVERSE-- Outsourcing has made the USA MORE LIKE CHINA! China without any doubt is a CAPITALISTIC/DICTATORSHIP! They have billionaires who live in palaces not ҍcMansions,Ӡand there is NO POLITICAL FREEDOM! Recently Yahoo who works for China, handed over by request (not compelled) the computer files of someone who e-mailed criticism against the Chinese Government. This Chinese Citizen were arrested in China and given a 10 year prison sentence.

CHINA HAS A VERY EFFECTIVE DOMESTIC SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM! WILL OUR U.S. GOVERNMENT ASK FOR CHINA’ì HELP TO CREATE A SIMILAR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM?

WILL WE OUTSOURCE AND ADOPT THEIR SOFTWARE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS?

IS EXPLOITATION AND REPRESSION THE REAL MEANING OF THE TERM--A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD?

SUPPORT THE TROOPS: END THE WAR NOW!
Democratic elections are tough to come by; as we all know from the U.S. Presidential elections in 2000 and 2004, so to hear that Iraq inherited our fraudulent election ҧenesӠis not surprising; after all arenմ we cloning a ҤemocraticӠnation. Election officials had to annul about 53 fake ballot boxes because they contained too many votes. A total of 1,985 complaints were lodged overall.
Final election results have been delayed by Sunni Arab complaints of fraud. Although leading politicians have expressed hopes a government could be formed in February, most experts and officials agree it could take two to three months. It warms my heart to see a true democracy in action, and the wonders of how a Ұurple index fingerӠcan do so much in securing ballot validity. But I think that purple finger ҡwardӠshould be delivered to our government with a note stating IRAQ IS A MESS AND WE NEED TO END THE WAR NOW!

There have been 2,418 coalition deaths and 2,300 Americans deaths.
Last week DefenseWatch released a secret Marine Corps report that determined that 80% of the 401 Marines killed in Iraq between April 2004 and June 2005 might have been saved if the Interceptor OTV body armor they were wearing was more effective. The Army has declined to comment on the report because doing so could aid the enemy, an Army spokesman has repeatedly said.

More than 100,000 Iraqis have died during the American-led occupation according to a study posted on The Lancet medical journal's website. Previous estimates of the number of Iraqis killed during the American-led air strikes and occupation has ranged from 10,000 to 30,000ђMORE OR LESSӠaccording to Bush.

The report in a British journal is based on the work of teams from Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University and the Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad. The authors acknowledge that the data cited in the study might be of "limited precision."

However, similar methodology was used in the late 1990s to calculate the number of deaths from the war in Kosovo.
The information was obtained as Iraqi interviewers surveyed 808 families, consisting of 7,868 people, in 33 different "clusters" or neighborhoods spread across the country.
In each case, they asked how many births and deaths there had been in the home since January 2002.

That information was then compared with the death rates in each neighborhood in the 15 months before the invasion that toppled president Saddam Hussein, adjusted for the different time frames, and extrapolated to cover the entire 24.4 million population of Iraq.

$$$$$$ Whose counting now? $$$$$$$

The cost of the Iraq war could top two trillion dollars, far above the White House’≥ pre-war projections, when long-term costs such as lifetime health care for thousands of wounded U.S soldiers are included. We are spending $177 million per day, $7.4 million per hour and $122,820 per minute.

"Whether you are a critic or supporter of President Bush's policy in Iraq, two points are clear: Iraq was a war of choice, and the United States is bearing virtually all of the cost," said John Podesta, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress. "At a time when there are many competing security priorities- ranging from strengthening our conventional military to securing weapons grade nuclear material around the world, to protecting our ports and chemical plants from terrorist attack to putting more police on the street, it's important to recognize the opportunity cost of the choice to invade Iraq at the time and in the manner that we did."

Columbia University economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes included in their study disability payments for the 16,000 wounded U.S. soldiers, about 20 percent of whom suffer serious brain or spinal injuries. And we’≤e not out yet—≥o there will unfortunately be plenty other seriously wounded soldiers that will require a lifetime of medical care.
They said U.S. taxpayers will be burdened with costs that linger long after U.S. troops withdraw.

Unemployment in Iraq is 60 percent. Massive unemployment creates a disenfranchised population who are eagerly enlisted into the insurgency—¥hey have lost everything and are willing to fight to the death to remove U.S. occupation from their country. Working on the infrastructure is almost impossible because of attacks by insurgents. Incidents have increased from 150 a week to over 700 a week in the last year.

Little is said about Afghanistan, but recently more than twenty people were killed and twenty wounded in a suicide bomb attack in the southern Afghan town of Spin Boldak, bordering Pakistan. Earlier, a suicide bomber hurled himself in front of an Afghan army vehicle in the provincial capital, Kandahar, 70 miles to the north, killing three Afghan soldiers and two civilians.

VOLUNTARY ARMY BUSH’ì BEST FRIEND
I am convinced that if there was no voluntary army but a draft the same people who so proudly impale a sticker saying ҳupport the troopsӠwould be defecating in their pants if they thought ҴheirӠlittle Tommy or Betsy could be drafted. The streets again would be filled with the now apathetic youth, or had no time to remove their iPods to cast a vote in the 2004 election. However, these young Americans would suddenly come to life, after receiving notification from the military that their BUTTOCKS ARE ON THE LINE!

But now they can remain drowsy knowing that the all-volunteer army is doing the dirty work. And Bush and his advisors are well aware of this; and since they themselves evaded military service (Cheneyճ five military defermentsѡnd Bushճ non-service in the National Guard) and are basically cowards, they will not ҲeadilyӠreinstitute the draft for fear of a nation wide civil rebellion.

But eventually they will have to risk civil disorder, in order to fill the ranks of our thinly stretched military if they plan on invading Iran. How could this beleaguered voluntary army who is now serving four and five tours of duty be furthered stretched into three simultaneous offensives on three fronts--Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan—°nd then what would hinder a terrorist incident from occurring in a fourth country? Maintaining a global empire is a messy job!

AND NOW IRAN
United States is gearing up for an attack on Iran, Bush will never mention oil as a reason for going to war. As in the case of Iraq, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) will be cited as the principal justification for an American assault. "We will not tolerate the construction of a nuclear weapon [by Iran]," is the way President Bush put it in a much-quoted 2003 statement. But just as the failure to discover illicit weapons in Iraq undermined the administration's use of WMD as the paramount reason for its invasion, so its claim that an attack on Iran will be justified because of its alleged nuclear potential.

Iran occupies a strategic location on the north side of the Persian Gulf, it is in a position to threaten oil fields in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates, which together possess more than half of the world's known oil reserves. Iran also sits adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which, daily, 40% of the world's oil exports pass. In addition, Iran is becoming a major supplier of oil and natural gas to China, India, and Japan, thereby giving Tehran additional clout in world affairs. It is these geopolitical dimensions of energy, as much as Iran's potential to export significant quantities of oil to the United States that ultimately determines our government’≥ military strategy.

Iran's nuclear facilities are scattered throughout the entire country. To launch an aerial attack, you would need many more fighter jets than were used in Iraq. How many civilians would be annihilated by missiles that don’¥ always have that pin-point accuracy to reach just the right target, and what further insurgencies will an attack like that incite. In addition, if these nuclear facilities were attacked, military strategists say that steps would need to be taken in order to prevent large-scale nuclear contamination from the resulting damage done to the reactors.

Bush, is not willing to rule out the use of force against the mullahs.

capt -- notice any apt comparisons?

Louis XIV brought France to its peak of absolute power and his words 'L'etat c'est moi' ('I am the state') express the spirit of a rule in which the king held all political authority. His absolutism brought him into conflict with many, with damaging repercussions. His many foreign wars became a financial burden, yet his long reign (72 years) is associated with the greatest age of French culture, often because of its extravagance of the very wealthy.

Gawd! 72 years! Maybe Gerald is right...

#33 kathleen, please share with us the count. I will not be watching him. Thank you!

#54 micki, if Bush was in the WH for 72 years, we would suffer from ongoing American Traumatic Stress Disorder. micki, people make mistakes in life but Bush has been a continuous screw-up in all phases of his life. Bush is just a loser. Other than winning his elections due to fraud, his rule has been a disaster.

BroTex and Robb,

Up until the time I left Boston, I could boast that I could get a cartridge or stylus for just about any turntable. Even had a guy at CSW who'd clean, refurbish and calibrate any decent turntable for $100. I wonder if he's still around?

I'll make some calls/e-mails...

I was just thinkin' 'bout the vinyl when I was at Mom's... Still some good stuff in the back of the closets.

-T

So, in the State of the Union address tonight:

-How many seconds into the speech before Bush mentions 9/11 as a form of justification for an otherwise unacceptable policy?

-How many times will 9/11 be used as an excuse, justification, or fear tactic to encourage the continuation of this administration's policies?

-How much longer can this administration be allowed to use the 9/11 trump card while avoiding a truly independent investigation?

and remember:: behind every terrorist is a bush.

I'm watching the Young Turks. They are talking about the record oil profits and the 12 billion the companies got the subsidies. Will the subsidies be used inovation, research and development and a way to wean us off dependence of oil? No, they can use the money what ever way they want.
Very gross.

Hajji,

I still have my collection in the music room. Lots of rare ones to boot. There is a guy here locally who can convert them to CD. Thinking about it with regards to the ones you can't find on CD.

Voices heard from inside the Oval Office
Voices sound a lot like Bush and Rove

"Eye of Newt, ear of Alito
2006 mid-terms, the Dems are finito!"

Now they wouldn't go that far would they?

This could actually make it worth watching!

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Cindy Sheehan said she will be part of the live audience during the president's State of the Union speech to congress Tuesday. Bay Area Congresswoman Lynn Woosley gave anti-war activist a gallery pass late Tuesday, just hours before the planned State of the Union speech. Sheehan was in Washington to protest the president during his national address, but then came word she was invited to see the speech live. A spokesman for Sheehan says she decided to accept the invitation two hours prior to the speech. The spokesman also said that Sheehan will be respectful and listen to the address because she is a guest of a member of congress. Sheehan is expected to fly back to Berkeley Wednesday. She announced over the weekend that she is considering running for Senate against Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Source

The front page of Truthout has a picture of Alito leaving Maria Cantwell's senate office yesterday, presumably after pinning a lapel flag on her and making her an honorary right-winger. So, fellow Washingtonians, who shall we write in on the November ballot in place of Ms. Cantwell?

Ha-ha-ha. pResident Jump Jaw is a laugh a minute!

On health care, Bush plans to say, "Our government has a responsibility to help provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility. For all Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care ... strengthen the doctor-patient relationship ... and help people afford the insurance coverage they seek."

The president plans to address the growing controversy over newly disclosed government spying without warrants in the United States to combat terrorism. bush contends the surveillance is legal although Republicans and Democrats alike have questioned his authority.

Bush also is to press Congress to renew the anti-terrorism law, the USA Patriot Act, set to expire Friday and blocked by lawmakers insisting on privacy safeguards.
++++++++++++
THERE! No reason to watch the bull...

Kennedy's rant before the Senate was a disgrace. However, his last words were about 36 years past due, "I understand my time has expired.

Teddy Kennedy, the Archie Bunker of the Senate.
He's a hoot!

Hey, DrewP, go here:

http://www.votemark.org/

Mark Wilson is a long-shot, but he's challenging Miss Maria in the Dem Primary.

Take a look.

Cindy Sheehan has been arrested in Washington DC

Micki - #54

Too many and WAY too much the same!

capt

This headline wouldn't play in Peoria!

"New S.F. Museum Chief Has a Passion for Art"--headline, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 31

"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt." -- John Philpot Curran: Speech upon the Right of Election, 1790. (Speeches. Dublin, 1808.) as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

=
"But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing. It behooves you, therefore, to be watchful in your States as well as in the Federal Government." -- Andrew Jackson, Farewell Address, March 4, 1837

=
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in men, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1799

===

Thanks ICH Newsletter!

I really don't care for the hypocrital conservatives, the Newts and Limbaughs of the world. They squeal the loudest about what everyone else is doing, while the whole time they are in the dirt up to their ears. Limbaugh and his drug addiction, Newt and his little ethics problem. I say shoot Newt and flush Rush.

Is this saving a life or prolonging the suffering of a fetus?

"A local baby made medical history by becoming the first in the world to undergo a unique heart surgery before she was even born," reports Washington's WJLA-TV: Performing a procedure that had never been done anywhere in the world, doctors sliced a hole in Grace's grape-sized heart and propped it open with a stint [sic]. Then, 13 days later she was born naturally.

Jay,

Flush Rush was good but your are not serious about Shoot Newt are you?

Alan

Is this popular in Texas?

(1/31/06 - BRYAN, TX) - Watching a pornographic DVD inside their car got three brothers in trouble with authorities. The men were waiting in line at a McDonald's drive-through this weekend, playing the X-rated DVD on a ceiling-mounted television inside the vehicle when people in the car behind them saw what was on the screen, according to authorities. The woman in the car behind them filed a complaint with Bryan police. Authorities located the vehicle with the brothers and gave the driver, Thomas Nicholas Godoy, 23, a citation for obscene display, a misdemeanor. Police then learned that his sibling, Jose Godoy Jr., 24, had three arrest warrants for failing to appear in court. He was taken into custody, the Bryan-College Station Eagle reported. The third brother, Rito James Godoy, 21, was arrested after police found part of a marijuana cigarette in the car's ashtray. He was later released on $2,000 bond on a drug possession charge.

Gawd, I can't bring myself to even hear W's voice on TV much less see his face and that of Alito and his weepy wife. On MSNBC Pat Buchanen and Joe Scarbourgh were laughing and ridiculing the democrats for appointing Alito. They were gleeful and offensive as usual. They emphasized how shocked the nation would be to see how conservative he REALLY is - tee hee hee. I didn't hear them talk like that before his confirmation. I couldn't think of a better place to be during the painful SOTU address. I might have to get drunk. Cheers.

Kaff,

You're waaaaay behind most of us!

-T

The Outback by the Mitsubishi dealership where I met Jill tonight is offering "down-unders", a $1 shot of Cuervo with its Marguertias. SC just recently got rid of the mini bottles. I'ma take my book and go to bed, now...

-T

p.s. Will somebody tell me why that "Ugly Media Whore", Cindy Sheehan, got arrested tonight when she showed up at the STFUA address (shut the fuck UP asshole!) in the morning?

I know who I'm talking to, do you?

G'nite!

Kaff,

I'm not watching and I voted for him. I'm watching a re-run of South Park on Comedy Central.

I saw it on Young Turks. I think it was because she unfurled a flag in front of the capital. That's illegal.
IS it true? I don't know.

The play by play on Young Turks sounds like Mystery Science Theater. pretty funny.

Activist Cindy Sheehan Arrested at Capitol

WASHINGTON - Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who reinvigorated the anti-war movement, was taken into custody by police in the House gallery Tuesday night just before President Bush's State of the Union address.

Police escorted Sheehan from the visitors' gallery above the House chamber after she caused a disruption, said a Capitol Police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the incident were sketchy.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., had invited Sheehan to the address as her guest.

"I'm proud that Cindy's my guest tonight," Woolsey said in an interview before the speech. "She has made a difference in the debate to bring our troops home from Iraq."

Woolsey offered Sheehan a ticket to the speech —†Gallery 5, seat 7, row A —†earlier Tuesday while Sheehan was attending an "alternative state of the union" press conference by CODEPINK, a group promoting the end of the Iraq war.

Sheehan was arrested in September with about 300 other anti-war activists in front of the White House after a weekend of protests against the war in Iraq. In August, she spent 26 days camped near Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he was spending a working vacation.

Hajji,

It is odd that she would be arrested because she said she would be on her best behavior since she was a guest of Congress. It will be interesting to see how this story plays out. It's being reported on Drudge that she created a disturbance, but that could simply just be her showing up!

CNN is reporting Cindy Sheehan unfurled an anti-war banner - but she said she would be respectful. Hmmmmmmm

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House chamber after she unfurled an anti-war banner before President Bush's State of the Union address.

i just read on MSNBC that Sheehan refused to cover up a T-shirt she was wearing and they arrested her. You know they didn't want America to see her face in the crowd tonight!!

#83

they didn't want America to see her face in the crowd tonight!!

Thank God, it was dinner time on the Left Coast, we need not see her mug while eating.

The real question with regards to Sheehan is who is they? Was a promise made to Woolsey that was not kept? Did she refuse to abide by a request what would have been made of any guest, not just Sheehan? Maybe the National Enquirer will sort it all out.

#72

Just speaking figuratively, although....

jay,

although...how bout boot, mute, moot or neuter Newt? I find it hard to believe you would actually shoot him. Unless it was with a water gun a la Tom Cruise.

From CNN:

Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House gallery after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush's State of the Union address.

There was no banner. This was more bullshit from the white house: "An early report from a senior House official indicated that Sheehan was arrested for unfurling an anti-war banner, but that was later found not to be the case."

Unbeliever

That is my point. This request would have been made of any guest, not just Sheehan. Her refusal to abide by the request got her tossed out. Seems to me like she lied to Woolsey. Do you think any guest wearing a shirt that read "Why don't you tell the truth about how you raped Juanita Broderick" would have been allowed to stay at a SOTU address during the Clinton years? Bet not!

Cindy Sheehan's arrest tells you all about the State of the Union.....

Did Bush say switch grass?....

It is really time to leave the country...

Guess who is going to be all over the front page tomorrow morning?

Cindy Sheehan should have attended the SOTU speech and be polite until the cameras zoomed in on her. She then could shake her head "NO" and the viewers would have gotten the point.
Cindy blew a golden opportunity to make a statement. We will have to wait for more details to surface.

Cindy Sheehan at the SOTU address, what a cunning stunt!

What was the switch grass comment about? I was only half listening.

Matriotism is one of Cindy's best articles.

Matriotism

So the first half of the STATE OF DENIAL was focused on terroism...Bush stayed completely on the FEAR FACTOR.

You know all of those terroist from Saudi Arabia that HE never mentions.

It wasn't just Iran that he mentioned as a country that needed some democratic rearranging but, Syria, N Korea ...he mentioned Burma...do you think they have WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION TOO? Next stop on the Neo Con war train...Burma. Well wait a minute do they have oil or gas?

He sure focused on that the war on terroism, you know the one that Cindy Sheehans son was murdered in by Bushs orders. The one that we were told was about WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. The WAR WITH NO END IN SIGHT to spread democracy and freedom across the middle east. That certainly insures the weapons industry a bountiful future.

Prior to the speech even the Republican pundits said that if he did not offer the american public some hope that his effectiveness would decrease even further.

Oh yeah he just could not forget the PERMANENT TAX CUTS....THIS GUY REALLY HAS NO SHAME AND ABSOLUTELY NO CONSCIENCE.

The only hope he offered was when he spewed out the term "HOPEFUL SOCIETY" two or three times. No matter how often he says it I think the american public have been busy believing their eyes instead of the persistent LIES. said that

What's next I ask you?

New Patriot Act Provision Creates Tighter Barrier to Officials at Public Events

WASHINGTON - A new provision tucked into the Patriot Act bill now before Congress would allow authorities to haul demonstrators at any "special event of national significance" away to jail on felony charges if they are caught breaching a security perimeter.

Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored the measure, which would extend the authority of the Secret Service to allow agents to arrest people who willingly or knowingly enter a restricted area at an event, even if the president or other official normally protected by the Secret Service isn't in attendance at the time.

The measure has civil libertarians protesting what they say is yet another power grab for the executive branch and one more loss for free speech.

"It's definitely problematic and chilling," said Lisa Graves, senior counsel for legislative strategy at the American Civil Liberties Union , which has written letters to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, pointing out that the provision wasn't subject to hearings or open debate.

Some conservatives say they too are troubled by the measure.

"It concerns me greatly," said Bob Barr, former U.S. prosecutor and Republican representative from Georgia. "It clearly raises serious concerns about First Amendment rights."

But not everyone agrees that rights are being trampled on by the additional provision. In fact, some say the ACLU is the problem when it comes to protecting national security....

...."[The administration] has certainly demonstrated a desire to have carefully-controlled events," said Graves.

John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, an Alexandria, Va.-based clearinghouse for domestic and international security information, said he "could certainly understand why the Secret Service would want that legal authority," given the enormous burden of making venues safe for VIPs today.

"However, I think many people have concluded that the way it is being used has nothing to do with protecting the president from Usama bin Laden and everything to do with suppressing dissent and making sure the protesters don't get on TV," Pike said.

Bush is not the first president to flex his authority in this area, said Kopel, who pointed out that beginning with Reagan, presidents have created a larger security bubble and greater distance between themselves and dissenters at public events. The 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States just intensified the situation, he said.

"I think the concerns about free speech in areas where the president is speaking long pre-date Bush. They were an issue in the Clinton administration, the first Bush administration and began as an issue during Reagan," Kopel said. "I do think the ACLU has legitimate concerns about the breadth of the new language and how it could be applied."

Graves points out that conservative "pro-life" groups will be the target of the new provisions, too, a scenario that could raise the concerns for those who are typically critical of the ACLU, which she said is necessarily concerned about other provisions in the bill that impinge on civil liberties.

House and Senate leaders, who return to Capitol Hill this week, are trying to renew the Patriot Act by Friday. Democrats and four Republicans in the Senate who filibustered a final vote in December after raising concerns about preserving civil liberties instituted a short-term extension of the previous bill, which was set to expire on Dec. 31.
-----------------
You know the Republicans are going to shove that through even though they are damning the illegal spying out of the other side of their mouth.
I want to scream at the senate,
"For God's sake, you people, you are giving the administration who started an illegal war more power. Does nothing get past the ears and into the brain?"

AOL's poll...

How convincing was Bush's speech?
Not at all 48%
Very 41%
Somewhat 11%

How would you rate the state of the union?
Poor 39%
Excellent 31%
Good 17%
Fair 13%
Total Votes: 67,921
---
Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the war in Iraq?
Pessimistic 59%
Optimistic 41%
Total Votes: 36,551
---
Do you support Bush's surveillance program?
No 55%
Yes 45%
Total Votes: 24,134
---
Do you agree with Bush's tax cut program?
No 55%
Yes 45%
Total Votes: 23,826
---
Do you support medical liability reform?
Yes 60%
No 40%
Total Votes: 23,488
---
''The administration is falling behind in... preserving the environment, keeping our workplaces safe... keeping jobs in America.''
-- Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, delivering Democratic response
Do you agree with this statement?
Yes 64%
No 36%
Total Votes: 5,784

I have to tip my hat to ABC news. They haven't withdrawn all their newspeople from Iraq because of the Woodruff incident. They are even braver than the country of Spain. Kudos!

I hope we never have to depend on them for our defense like they depend on us!

Campaign promises
The incoming Harper government has promised to strengthen Canada's military with thousands of new troops. Hillier has said the military can easily handle the new soldiers, as long as the government also provides funding to equip and train them. Recuiting and enlisting the promised 13,000 soldiers and 10,000 reservists presents a formidable challenge on its own, but that too can be handled if the money is there, said Hillier."And then can we absorb them and train them and get them ready to be deployed? Darn right we can," Hillier said. The Forces are currently authorized to have 60,000 in the ranks for army, navy and air force. There are only about 55,000 currently trained and operational soldiers, however.

There's a new Jon Stewart bit on crooks and liars. The James Frey lie vs. the lies in the news.

TDS: Oprah vs News

Greetings everyone.
TRH 73, those cops in Texas have obviously rounded up all the REAL criminals and have no one better to harass! Crack me up!
Jeanne 79, I guess all the bad guys in DC have been taken care of as well.
You know, our country has passed the point of no return, don't you? Once basic freedoms have been sacrificed, you never get them back.

Saladin,

Sometimes makes me wonder how long she watched before calling the police. Maybe they didn't get directed to the "penalty box" to await their special order.

Saladin,
There is no return. But what is the future. This power grab is held by one person, Cheney. He couldn't be president because he wasn't well liked so he used Bush to become president. Bush was likeable. He isn't anymore. 39% approval rating. I know that group is powerful but their power is starting to crumble.
Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like the house of cards is fluttering away.

Is this popular in Texas?

I've seen it a few times myself, yeah. It's always the brothers in a big SUV, trying to show off and shyt. 'Look at me, ain't I cool?'.

That might be 'cool' down on the Richmond Strip on Friday or Saturday nights with the young people, but I think it's wrong anytime. I didn't know we had a law against it though. Maybe 'we' don't, but that town does. That's were A&M is, so it's red-as-it gets there.

#89

Actually, TRH, it's call freedom of speech, which apparently we don't have any more. Maybe it's time you read the constitution.