the american public does not care about the lies. they do not care about the scadals, the plame gates, WMD's, etc. we don't care about anything.

Hell, Tom Delay gave up his post as Speaker to stand trial for a federal indictment for campaign finance shenannigans; he has been shown to be on the take from Jack abranoff; His plane tickets are on jack's credit card!

Yet Texas Republicans still give him the republican primary... WTF!

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/US/Midterm_Elections_2006

Some times i am embarassed to live in texas.

Yes, he did lie. And just about every nutball that voted for him got in line to "support the war". They didn't bother to think that this administration is full of corporate crooks and cronies, more eager to line their own pockets and consolidate power than serve the american public. Bush is the worst president in american history. If you still don't know this, you haven't been paying attention.

...Pillar said that he believed that the "main motivation" of the Iraq war was the Bush gang's desire "to stir up the politics and economics of the Middle East and use regime change in Iraq as a stimulus for regime change and other changes in the region." That is, it was not the WMD threat supposedly posed by Saddam Hussein's brutal regime or the purported tie between Baghdad and al Qaeda....

Pillar...remarked, "it is important to bear in mind that we don't know if Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon."...And he explained that there is a "good analytic basis" for assuming this is indeed what Tehran is doing. But, he emphasized, "we don't know that." The same, he said, is true for North Korea. The lesson of Iraq, he commented, is that "analytical judgments too often get asserted as statements of fact." A judgment, he repeated, is not a fact.
=================================================== IF Pillar is a typical career Intelligence analyst, it sure explains why our `Intelligence' is not up to snuff!

Bush & Co. had a whole host of reasons to go into Iraq (which Pillar partially cites but in a denial way) and WMD & 9/11 were certainly the most `sexy' reasons. Old news!

What really alarms me is his apparent insistence that we base actions SOLELY on facts. Let's see, I tell my kids to get a good education based on my judgement that their futures will be better. Do I know for a FACT that will be the case?

The more Pillar talks, the more our enemies will rejoice as to our `Intelligence' agencies. Why even call it `Intelligence', let's call it `Reality' apparatus with the motto that we don't do SHIT without (PROVABLE) FACTS.

BTW, let's ask the North Koreans to just show us their nukes. If they say they have it, it's good enough for most thinking persons.

Today's WST Op-Ed has an article "Seven Pillars of Folly" on the bulging treasuries of the Gulf Arab countries.

Though I don't agree with all "Seven Pillars", the article do help us to look into the future; IF one knows how to interpret it. This Op-Ed also ties very well into the current Business Week lead story on Petrol Dollars.

Those with investments are advised to read up on these mega trends. Later or another day!!

Lots more red arrows!

STOCKS SLIPPING

David, are we supposed to believe the CFR wasn't completely aware of the plans for this war, which have been in the works for over 10 years? That they are clueless about the inner workings of the PNAC? Do they sit around all doe eyed and shocked at the thought that bushco lied? PUUHHLLEEEAASSEE!!

Things are going "great" in Iraq today.Yesterday the top general in Baghdad was killed. The news ignored the whole story. The incident caused the formation of the Iraqi government to come to a halt. The news ignored the whole story.

Today in Iraq

Did anyone think there would actually be a functioning govt. in Iraq?

Wow things are gonna be great! Large corporations will continue to merge together into giant monster companies that will crush the hopes of the American small business owner. Congress will continue to erode regulation that will make products safe for American consumers ( all that stuff about lead and mercury being bad for your brain is made up by hippies). The new Supreme court will declare all laws that protect the rights of workers unconstitutional. People will work 90 hours a week in dangerous conditions with no overtime. The American people will become zombies, too tired and overworked to care about anything. The government will continue to ignore the Bill of Rights. Privacy will be nonexistent. The "Long Global War Against Global Terror" will go on forever, gobbling up freedom and the American dream as it bludgeons its way stupidly across the earth. Reporters who try to hold government accountable will be jailed. Fear and intimidation will squash the ideas of democracy and free speech. Its gonna be great and its just getting started! I always wanted to live in Nazi Germany!

Bulk Ammunition Shortages in USA
______________
Being curious as heck about this, I called tech support for one of these stores and asked the obvious question: "What gives?" The answer was surprising. "Well, the military has been buying up all kinds of ammo - it's not just the 7.62 - it's other stuff too, like 9 millimeter pistol ammo in quantities. We get a few boxes in now and then, so you might want to call back every few days. But like I said, the military is buying everything they can get."

So I brought this up to Panama Bates (our resident retired SF/Ranger security chief). "Funny you would mention that...I haven't been able to find MRE's either." Bates, a retired soldier, usually has a stash of MRE's about (we have a few here and there, too).

I was surprised to hear about MRE's though, so I put in a quick call to Scotty at out Emergency Essentials (www.beprepared.com, 1-800-999-1863) to find out if MRE's had in fact "gone missing." Turns out Scotty was out till this morning, but his staff advised me that yes, they are out of MRE's - and they also were kind enough to advise me that the ones that may still find on eBay could be old stock (be sure to get dates!).

Now, here is what I've some to as a possible "bottom line."

The military (and not just the US military, I was told) is indeed buying up huge amounts of ammunition. Not the kind of thing I would expect if the war in Iraq was going at all well. I read the ammo part of the story as "more war - bigger war - to come."

The food purchases are also worrisome because it indicates to me that the current levels of military activity (or higher) are to be continued for some time.
______________

Not to mention that the guns of private citizens are useless without ammo!

-T

Hajji, I was just reading that! If you can't grab the guns, take away the ammo!

Members of Aipac have been lobbying representatives on the hill hard this week . They have been pushing for military action in Iran and to pass H.R. 4682 which would cut funding even further for the Palestinians.

I have personally talked with numerous representatives who hav been intimidated by this organization and other Jewish organizations when they attempt to honestly address the disproportionate amount of power and influence that these Israel firster groups have over U.S. foreign policy.

Call your reps this week and let them know that you want them to vote against H.R. 4681. An that you want the "alleged" nuclear developments in Iran to be handled by Iaea's Mr. El Baradei. Not Dick "cakewalk" LIAR Cheney , Aipac or any other Jewish Lobbying group.

I have gotten the word that reps are hearing from thousands this week in regard to AIPACS INFLUENCE OVER OUR FOREIGN POLICY...KEEP CALLING

CALL WRITE NOW....NOT TOMORROW..SPREAD THE WORD

David,
Perhaps a more salient arguement might be that this administration is pernicious. Pernicious in almost all aspects of its office. From domestic to foriegn affairs, from the insider jobs to the extrinsic. One can measure the degree of harm this (b)administration has engendered, indeed the whole party of GOPers has inflicted on the nation and the world. Even by doing nothing when they could act leaves a trail of dead bodies, take New Orleans, for example.

The group think that pervades the nation and slug- minded Bush apologists are as pernicious as anything we have witnessed in our modern history. But the (b)administration is actually taking chunks of history from the Library of Congess. Why?...do they hope to not be caught by the future historians?

The argument of dishonesty has no traction, I do not know why. But the argument of pernicious behavior and actions can be observed and measured. Perhaps that is where the argument lies.

Thanks for your open blog.

Later,
th

Duh David...some of us on this site have been after you and many other reporters for quite some time to ask some logical questions about the claims being endlessly repeated about Iran's "alleged" nuclear developments. I guess it takes Pillar to help american reporters turn the lightbulbs on. Not logic or that the same folks who brought us the "cakewalk" in Iraq have been headed towards Iran and Syria for quite some time.

Scott Ritter has been writing about this ever since the invasion or Iraq.. repeating that the MSM (including you David) have been "sleepwalking" our nation in to military action against Iran.
NOW... YOU JUST MIGHT ASK SOME QUESTIONS DAVID, NOW THAT YOU HAVE HEARD THIS FROM PILLAR..PITIFUL JOURNALISM PITIFUL

I have not heard one not one american reporter ask a serious question about this issue. Here is one if you can not think of one. "WHERE IS THE IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THEIR REPEATED CLAIMS ABOUT IRAN" WHERE?

I did hear one British reporter ask Jack Straw this question. Straw's answer was there is no solid evidence, there is highly supspicious behaviour on the part of Iran"

DAVID..When will you ask some hard questions of the Bush administration about their endlessly repeated claims about IRANS "alleged" nuclear development ? I WILL NOT BE HOLDING MY BREATH..WAITING

I guess you will keep busy writing about, Cheney's shooting, the Rolling Stones, Springsteen does Seeger etc, etc, important things.

Sorry, but I'm still trying to recover from Hajji's revelation on the last thread that our plastic dining ware will ultimately be manufactured from bacteria shit.

Condoleezza Rice, IMO, played a major role in selling bush's War of Choice in Iraq. She comes from the POLICY OF FIXED IDEAS school of thought -- one of her "fixed ideas" was to eliminate the United Nations' inspections in Iraq so that the busheviks could get down to business and get their war started. (th -- "fixed" ideas could be pernicious? Both can be equally destructive.)

This gang of thugs in the WH made up its own version/vision of what Iraq was all about and then started a war based on a hypothetical. One may refer to the hypotheticals -- in this case -- as outright lies.

Her husban...oops, George Bush ate out of her hand.

Don,

Your alcohol is Yeast-Shit...so whazza prollum'?

-T

David, I appreciate that you bring balance to your blog by writing on a variety of topics. But, in your spare time, would you kindly get to the bottom of EVERYTHING! I know you can do it if you'd give it a try! Any journalist can.

At the risk of sounding like an apologist for David Corn, I will say that I think it's important that we are reminded about the broad range of shenanigans of this neocon gang. By writing on various subjects, even if they are not the most pressing issue of the day, readers are reminded that our system of government is in need of urgent repair -- many of the problems are interrelated. (BTW, we're not the only ones who read David's stuff.)

bush's Iraq War of Choice is a really lousy product, just like most "products" from the busheviks. When they try to re-package their product, someone like David comes along and knocks 'em down, a reminder.

I'm glad (not happy) to be reminded everyday that bush is a big fat liar and that he and his gang had war on their minds before bush was even inaugurated. That's something that the American people are slowly, but surely, FINALLY getting.

encounter with scarcity

micki,

I have to disagree with you , micki. I believe the only thing the American people are getting is dumber.Just check out the Gallup poll today that says the American people believe man was created exactly as described in the Bible. The Bush regime knows this. They can do anything they want now, the herd is plump and willing to march into the slaughterhouse. You could have video of Karl Rove personally reprogramming voting machines and play it 24 hours a day and nobody would care. They would go to work the next day, pick up the kids at soccer practice, and go shopping at Wal Mart like nothing ever happened. We deserve this.

Was I hallucinating when I heard that the legislation giving Emporer Bush even MORE POWER,
a line item veto, was introduced by JOHN KERRY?!!?
These guys are hilarious. The democrats are even more helpful the formation of American facism then the republicans are.

Like ben said in the first post, "the American people don't care about anything". That is the problem. You can write stories, video tape chronic lying by the President, start action comittees, or whatever you want. Elections are irrelevent. Whoever has the most money and the best P.R. aparatus will win. Money is our GOD.
As long as corporations leave we the people enough crumbs to buy a new big screen T.V., nothing will change.

You just had to remind me of that, didn't you, Hajji?

"HERE'S TO YEAST SHIT! The cause of and solution to all of life's problems!"

- Homer Simpson [paraphrased]

We are taught to pick a career path, something we can do to make someone else rich, and stick to it.
That is the American dream. If you don't you will become one of the invisible millions who work in fast food restaurants. Those of us who have "made it" never question this system. Not even when we are actually forced to see the poor, like during Katrina, do we seem to question it. We are mindless automatons who busily run through our rat race lives. As long as you squeak out a mortgage payment every month, nothing else matters. I think that is the problem. We the people surrendered control of our own fate as a nation.

Case in point. How much do you think the jerk who posted 24 and 25 cares about his country? Anything for a buck.

America wants dvd's and tivo's! America does'nt care about the Constitution. We need more flag stickers for our new SUV's! America does not want freedom of speech! We want more sex toys and mood enhancement drugs! America does not want the truth. We love Fox News!

Dripping with sad irony - The US State Department's human rights report haughtily passes judgment on Venezuela as having issues with limits on the freedom of press, corruption, harassment of opposition figures and politicization of the judicial branch.

Link to the story in Spanish can be pasted from here:

http://www.globovision.com/news.php?nid=22717

#21 Corky -- Oh, I was referring to bush's War of Choice in Iraq, and only THAT, as far as the American people finally "getting it." By "getting it" on Iraq, the seeds are planted that they might "get it" on other important matters eventually.

It's a start.

I pretty much agree with what you said, but I hold some hope that the "getting it" will spread.

yea corky, but look on the bright side... You now know where to get van morrison tickets... life is good.

and check that out... we can find porn too... What would we do with out the moral party.

thank you "sex site"

Democracy is so "20 th century". Despotism is the wave of the future!

Great one stop shopping! Now I can get my gay sex toys, my dvds, my Steroid festival tickets, and hook up with my christian chat room buddies ALL ON ONE CONVIENIENT PLACE!!!! Thank You David Corn Post for making my life so much easier!

Snotty McClellan having it both ways on responding to state laws and once again showing the hypocrisy of the busheviks -- abortion and assisted suicide. LIES, LIES, LIES.

MCCLELLAN: The state law, as you know, bans abortions in all instances with the exception of the life of the mother.

QUESTION: And not rape and incest. And so, therefore, he must disagree with it, doesn’t he? Doesn’t he, Scott?

MCCLELLAN: The president has a strong record of working to build a culture of life, and that’s what he will continue to do.

QUESTION: I know, but you’re not answering my question. You’re dodging it.

MCCLELLAN: No, I’m telling you that it’s a state law.

QUESTION: Is he opposed to abortion laws that forbid it for rape and incest; isn’t that true, Scott? That’s what you said.

MCCLELLAN: Let me respond. Look at the president’s record when it comes to defending the sanctity of life. It is a very strong record.

His views when it comes to pro-life issues are very clearly spelled out. We also have stated repeatedly that state legislatures, when they pass laws, those are state matters.

When they need to satisfy their base, the bush administration has no problem giving an opinion on state laws.

QUESTION: Does the Bush administration still believe it’s wrong for Oregon and other parties to permit physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

# 18 Hey Micki how do things look when you have your head up Davids ass?

While I appreciate David's willingness to allow the "little folks" out here to share their opinions. It is o.k. to criticize what he chooses to focus on. I think David should be able to take a little constructive criticism.

Do you really think that it is o.k. that David along with most other reporters in the U.s. have not asked any hard questions about the endlessly repeated claims that the Bush administration has been making about Irans "alleged" nuclear developments the past year and a half?

Do you think this kind of negligence is o.k.?

This is not just some other story. The neo-cons ability to keep the media sleepwalking on this issue has been astounding. Especially after what we watched in the run-up to Iraq.

Bolton has been able set up a way to move forward with sanctions against Iran even if Russia and China vote against sanctions. You just watch. And the american media (including David Corn) have been sitting on their collectives asses on this one.

You can keep brown nosing with David. I plan to keep asking questions where it seems important, even of David Corn.

March 8, 2006

Christian Peacekeepers Kidnapped Twice: Once By Terrorists, Once By The Media (1 comments )
READ MORE: Iraq, Paris Hilton, New York Times
The kidnappers of four Christian Peacemakers released a videotape of their captives yesterday, and the U.S. media has responded with a virtual news blackout on the event - at least so far.

This stands in stark contrast to their response whenever videos have been released of kidnapped truck drivers, or other presumably "non-political" abductees.

But then, the low-key response to this tape is consistent with the pattern the media's followed since these Peacemakers were first abducted (see Christ Kidnapped In Iraq).

Why the difference between the coverage of this kidnapping and so many others? Presumably because this story threatens two cherished media narratives. The first media narrative is that conscience dictates support for this war and for this President, whatever evidence may be provided to the contrary. The second is that "Christians" or religious people in general - a group that's been stereotyped by the media - are inherently conservative: pro-war and pro-Republican.

That's also why this apology for the war in Iraq, issued to the world by U.S. Christian leaders, got far less coverage that Pat Robertson's latest fulminations.

The teary interviews with friends and family that the media so cherishes wouldn't provide nearly as good a "human interest" angle in the Peacemaker story. There would be too much talk of conscience, morality, and war; too much challenging of cherished assumptions; too much that would make reporters and their employers uncomfortable.

Tom Fox, the one American among the four kidnapped, was not shown on the tape. This has raised concerned about his well-being. Didn't know that? How could you? As of this writing, the story does not appear anywhere on the following websites:

CNN.com
ABCNEWS.go.com
CBSNEWS.com
MSNBC.com
NYTIMES.com

What does appear? "Court to Paris Hilton: Stay away from man."

Tom Fox is a profound, complex, and brave man. He and his fellow captives are about to pass their 100th day of captivity, beneath the layers of darkness that hide them.

Kathleen, you seem to be laboring under the false impression that asking a question gets the results you want.

BTW, my head is in the clear and my nose is not brown. I suggest you take your nose out of the air, Missy.

Not a big Clinton basher, but an interesting and revealing article by Dick Morris who wrote `Power Plays' in 2002 (one of few political books I read), served Bill Clinton and who is also obsessed about an `08 Rice vs. Clinton race. Redacted to focus on the Dubai Port deal.
=================================================
The Clintons pass in the night
By Dick Morris in conjunction with Eileen McGann

Bill and Hillary Clinton are the first couple to appear simultaneously and independently on the national political stage.....

And now, this heavy-footed pas de deux straddles the issue of whether a Dubai company should run six American ports.

Are we truly to believe Hillary's insistence last week that she knew nothing about Bill's counseling of his friend and benefactor the crown prince of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, on the ports deal? Do Bill and Hillary Clinton ever speak to each other, or do they just attend funerals, fundraisers and Billy Graham crusades together for photo-ops?

Bill is, after all, a regular in Dubai. The crown prince, that is, the government —†contributed to his presidential library and pays him $300,000 per speech. Recently, Yucaipa, an American company that has Bill Clinton as a senior adviser and pays him a percentage of its profits, formed a partnership with the Dubai Investment Group to form DIGL Inc., a company dedicated to managing the sheik's personal investments.

No doubt Bill Clinton was brought in to cement this lucrative deal from which he and therefore Hillary will likely make millions. Neither Bill nor Hillary will disclose how much he is paid, but her Senate financial disclosure says that he will make more than $1,000. They also won't say how much Dubai royalty gave to the Clinton library.

So when Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) broke the story that the administration had approved the Dubai ports deal and Bill Clinton started to defend it in public, are we to believe that Hillary did not know that the sheik had called him to ask his advice, and are we to believe that Bill's defense of the deal was unrelated to his myriad financial ties to Dubai?

Hillary stands to gain millions in income from her husband's Dubai connection. She knows he flies there very, very frequently. And she must realize that Bill is close to the Dubai royal family.

So why did she dump on the port deal? Likely to cover herself. If she were anything less than front and center against the Dubai port deal, she would vulnerable to criticism over Bill's involvement with the Dubai royal family. So she held marathon press conferences denouncing the deal and professed not to realize her husband was defending the deal at the sheik's request.

What's really going on here is that Bill Clinton is trying to please his Arab patrons and business partners at the same time that Hillary Clinton is trying to capitalize on American stereotypes about Arab terrorists.

More important, she's desperately trying to distract attention from the Dubai dollars that flow into her family checking account from Bill's political and business dealings with the Dubai crown prince. What better way than to attack them?

We should insist that:

Bill Clinton register as an agent of a foreign principal.

The Clintons say how much he makes from Dubai.

The Clinton library tell us how much Dubai royalty gave to the library.

And Bill disclose, in the future, whenever he is speaking as an ex-president or as a paid public-relations flack.

Morris, a former political adviser to Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and President Bill Clinton, is the author of Condi vs. Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race.

America wants dvd's.....America does not want the truth....

order the FREE DVD: 'CONFRONTING THE EVIDENCE'

by going here :: reopen911.org

From #5
Lots more red arrows!
STOCKS SLIPPING

Posted by: corky at March 8, 2006 11:02 AM
=================================================
Thanks for the `Alert', Corky! But it really isn't necessary. If you know anything about the stock market at all, just so you know, from this investor of 20+ years experience, the market always, always, always...goes up or down, and once in a blue moon, stays flat. Mostly it moves just a bit; but sometimes, it moves a lot!

From #9
Wow things are gonna be great! Large corporations will continue to merge together into giant monster companies that will crush the hopes of the American small business owner. Congress will continue to erode regulation that will make products safe for American consumers ( all that stuff about lead and mercury being bad for your brain is made up by hippies). The new Supreme court will declare all laws that protect the rights of workers unconstitutional. People will work 90 hours a week in dangerous conditions with no overtime. The American people will become zombies, too tired and overworked to care about anything. The government will continue to ignore the Bill of Rights. Privacy will be nonexistent. The "Long Global War Against Global Terror" will go on forever, gobbling up freedom and the American dream as it bludgeons its way stupidly across the earth. Reporters who try to hold government accountable will be jailed. Fear and intimidation will squash the ideas of democracy and free speech. Its gonna be great and its just getting started! I always wanted to live in Nazi Germany!

Posted by: Happy to live in a Dictatorship at March 8, 2006 11:42 AM
=================================================
I think I know who this Happy is but I don't much care. Imitation is the highest form of Compliment; even when espousing `fake Happy' views. It simply says that Happy is more crdible! In fact, please fill this blog with Happies!!

#39 I know brown when I see it.

[SPLORP]

Only to happy to oblige! Get it? My name is Happy, and I'm actually happy! Damn, but I love the stock market! And the Boy King, let's not forget how much I love him!

All righty, time to get back to contemplating my tiny nubbin of a prostate! Cheers, everybody!

[SPLORP]

#43 Hmmmm...what if I said it was Black?

Micki and Kathleen,
I don't want you guyz fighting. We're all on the same team, against these crooks and liars.
*passin' peace pipe*

As I am counting up my gains for today, I thought I repost my other `selves' here for more exposure; David surely appreciates more, not less, Posts:

From #9
Wow things are gonna be great! Large corporations will continue to merge together into giant monster companies that will crush the hopes of the American small business owner. Congress will continue to erode regulation that will make products safe for American consumers ( all that stuff about lead and mercury being bad for your brain is made up by hippies). The new Supreme court will declare all laws that protect the rights of workers unconstitutional. People will work 90 hours a week in dangerous conditions with no overtime. The American people will become zombies, too tired and overworked to care about anything. The government will continue to ignore the Bill of Rights. Privacy will be nonexistent. The "Long Global War Against Global Terror" will go on forever, gobbling up freedom and the American dream as it bludgeons its way stupidly across the earth. Reporters who try to hold government accountable will be jailed. Fear and intimidation will squash the ideas of democracy and free speech. Its gonna be great and its just getting started! I always wanted to live in Nazi Germany!

Posted by: Happy to live in a Dictatorship at March 8, 2006 11:42 AM
==================================================
From #44

[SPLORP] Only to happy to oblige! Get it? My name is Happy, and I'm actually happy! Damn, but I love the stock market! And the Boy King, let's not forget how much I love him!

All righty, time to get back to contemplating my tiny nubbin of a prostate! Cheers, everybody!

[SPLORP]
Posted by: Happy with my head up my ass at March 8, 2006 03:58 PM
==================================================

I spend far more productive time online making money than playing with you Motley Fools but I have no problem Re-posting all Happy Posts; when I catch `myself' here.

Anyone recall some blog post awhile back that talked about how America has had seasons of going to dangerous routes but would self correct. Examples were Alien & Sedition Act, setting aside Habeus Corpus (under Lincoln), McCarthyism, Civil War/Slavery, Nixon's political power abuses. In these cases, correction soon came, the blog author noted that these current abuses may push beyond a reasonable amount of time to be corrected.

Since then I was thinking how consummate the Bush Admin is with this dangerous abuse areas. Is there something in the past that he is not reviving now through his administration?

The recent moves to gag reporters for being responsible for leaked information (notably much of the info is critical of the administration)... alien & sedition act

The habeus corpus for all the gitmo and wiretapping.

The civil war/slavery is represented by the "abstracted institionalized racism" as once described by Lee Atwater himself about the Southern GOP strategy that affects Katrina Recovery. Not to mention the perception of Blue states versus Red states being a nation dividing factor from the so-called uniter. Also note it seems that most Red states were slaves states, highly divisive states pre-civil war, or low population terrorities.

Business scandals of Teapot dome and more... read a Molly Ivins book for details and look at the Abramoff connections or Duke Cunningham to see that this has gone off the scale.

Political power abuses... uh what's left to be said about the abuses of Rovian tactics that go after the administration's enemies.

Bush has brought it all on... he even reintroduce fear and panic into the American psyche that makes many debates/discussions impossible.

What noble and good thing has George Bush done for this country? Except bring enimity between the people and classes, as well as undoing any positive characteristics about America... including possibly its ability to auto-correct from pursuing a bad course.

Thanks Alan. I just do not think it is wrong to ask questions or put out challenges even of Corn.

Micki I did not have to get so personal. It just seemed like you were sucking up to me. Truce.

I can disagree more politely.

AIPAC sure has turned up the Iran rhetoric this week. Please call your reps letting them know that you oppose H.R. 4681.

Happy, don't forget me when you host a 'house party' to watch this film when it's released. I know you'll be one of the first to offer to have one at your 70'above sea level abode. LOL
*nudge nudge*

DeLay investigation is topic of scathing new documentary
Congressman's lawyer says film offers little balance

Coming to churches, bowling alleys and living rooms near you: The Big Buy: How Tom DeLay Stole Congress.

As former House Majority Leader DeLay readied himself Tuesday to accept his party's nomination for another congressional term in Washington, D.C., two Texas filmmakers announced plans to release a scathing documentary in DeLay's Sugar Land district, criticizing the popular politician. Tentative plans also call for a screening in Houston, they said.
==================
Wait, y'all need to see this line in the article...

Dick DeGuerin, DeLay's attorney, said the film offers little in the way of balance.

"I think it's about as fair and balanced as Michael Moore's stuff or Fox News," he said.
====================
haha His lawyer is a Democrat, by the way, which is how he knows how rediculous Faux News is. Plus, you don't think Tommy-boy would risk his life with a crony lawyer, do you? He needed someone who actually knows how to do his job.

Alan, you old peace broker you! Why don't you get into the diplomatic corps and pass that pipe around?

However...Kathleen, I am not opposed to asking questions or challenging anyone, if warranted. How you can extrapolate from what I've written that I oppose questions is a mystery to me. It has been my nature to ask questions all of my life.

Exercepts From `The Strata-Sphere
by A.J. Strata
March 8, 2006

Four Senate Republicans, all critics of the program, proposed a plan that would authorize the National Security Agency to eavesdrop without a warrant for 45 days but require the White House to justify every decision to continue beyond that timeframe.

The legislative proposal, titled the Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006, also would force the eavesdropping program to cease after five years unless renewed by Congress.

Well now. The Senators are now part of the war effort. They get to review those under scrutiny and determine for themselves if the evidence rises to the level of concern. And do not underestimate their new powers. When the FISA judges revolt again they will be up in front of Congress to explain why they are so prudish as to disallow evidence from the NSA just because it is from the NSA.
===================================================
Well, seems a bit short of my pre-New Year's Prediction on clarifying Executive/CIC Power to fight Terrorists. In any case, some progress! Sorry, Lefties!!

Kathleen, one of my reps is Ms. Swinestein, do you really think she gives a damn what I oppose? Or her war profiteering husband? Don't make me laugh, war means big bucks. Any idea how much money she gets from AIPAC? Her career total to date is $114,842. Still think she will listen? Here is something for you to read, then you will see what we are up against.

WHO IS THE US CONGRESS
LISTENING TO?
They didn't listen to these people.

#52 Go away.

Another good Murtha interview on US and Iran...

great points, said well.

• this admin has been optimistic about Iraq, how can we trust what they say about Iran
  
• Iran is 4x bigger and twice the population of Iraq
  
• Our intelligence on Iran is no better than it was on Iraq
  
• we are stretched thin and the enemy knows it
  
• with a coalition in '91, we didn't pay the $40 billion war costs, today we have paid 460 billion for the 2nd war
  

Of course there is the theory that the admin/oil industry doesn't want Iran, they want the South-Western province of Khuzistan that has most of the oil, and has a heavy Arab population (compared to Persian). Can you say a US held "Guantanamo in Iran"?

There's also the theory that, like Iraq, switching away from the petrodollar will get your ass kicked everytime!

micki

Go F**K yourself!!!!

Saladin

You can go F**K yourself also!!!!

That's polite?

That does not sound like Kathleen. If it is she is having a very bad day.

It's apparent to me that it's not Kathleen. If so, she's schitzoid (sp?)

Congress Renews Patriot Act; Bush to Sign
---------
We are finally free of that danger to society known as the constitution and the even worse Bill of Rights.

the khuzestan gambit

Radar glitch delays O'Hare arrivals for 3 1/2 hours

Phone link shut off during maintenance

Hundreds of flights bound for O'Hare International Airport were delayed for about 3 1/2 hours Monday when a telephone link used by air-traffic controllers was accidentally shut off during routine maintenance, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Radar serving the airport was never lost, but the line that was shut down by a telephone company about 3:30 p.m. and restored about 7 p.m. linked the air-traffic control tower at O'Hare to a radar facility in Elgin where controllers direct flights arriving in and departing from the Chicago area, said FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro.

Controllers at the two facilities hand off flights to each other in Chicago's crowded airspace.

As a precaution, the FAA switched to a backup radar system that's located in south suburban Tinley Park used primarily for flights at Midway Airport.

O'Hare sits on the northernmost edge of the Tinley Park backup radar's coverage area.

To maintain safety Monday, controllers in Elgin spaced planes approaching O'Hare 5 miles apart horizontally instead of the normal 3 miles. This added spacing, combined with poor weather conditions, resulted in about 60 flights per hour landing at O'Hare, down from up to 100 flights hourly before the phone problem, officials said.

"I'm just happy to be on the ground," said Nathan Davis, 26, of Chicago, who was traveling Monday with his wife and their two hungry toddlers, who missed their dinner because of a two-hour delay in the arrival of their flight from New York. "They were screaming their heads off."

"It felt like we could have been flown to Europe," said his wife, Perl, 24.

Airports nationwide were forced to hold dozens of flights on the ground that were bound for O'Hare to accommodate the reduction in landings here until the problem could be fixed.

"It's always something coming out of O'Hare," said Candace Smith, who was returning to Chicago from Dayton, Ohio. Her flight was delayed 45 minutes, she said.

FAA officials said normal operations had resumed at O'Hare by 9 p.m.

The problem did not affect flights operating at Midway, officials said.

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

Came to me via: Suspicious Computer Problems in Airports Nationwide at Infowars.

capt

"The most effective means of preventing tyranny is to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts.": Thomas Jefferson

=
"The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair." : H.L. Mencken

=
"To consider judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.": Thomas Jefferson

===

Thanks ICH Newsletter!

DeGuerin slams FOX News (link)

There must be something to all those rumors about FOX News being pretty slanted to the right after all. Tom Delay's lawyer made this comment while talking about a new film coming out about his client.

"Dick DeGuerin, DeLay's attorney, said the film offers little in the way of balance."I think it's about as fair and balanced as Michael Moore's stuff or Fox News," he said."

Challenging the mighty dollar

If major nations trade on Iran's oil bourse, it may start a 'dollar flight' effect

It's becoming increasingly obvious that there is a looming crisis brewing over Iran. The true 'whys' and 'what's' of the issue, however, are clouded to the American public due to our modern press and to the nature of the underlying stakes involved.

What people read is that there is a growing threat of a nuclear Iran that will threaten the safety of the West. Yet, that's essentially all that is said or written on the issue. However, to critically thinking people who turn to the internet and to foreign press for their news, the brewing crisis most likely has to do with intricate issues involving our incessant dependencies, not just on oil for our transportation and industrial needs, but more importantly for the means by which our modern economic system operates in the US, UK and much of the rest of the industrialized western world (strong hint: It's not a truly "free market").

More HERE

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

Truly a "free market"? Laughable! The market is neither free or fair, it is an open market and the wealthy and elite are the shopkeepers.

capt

Hardball for the left, softball for the right (link)

. . . after documenting dozens of examples of Matthews proffering conservative misinformation on Hardball, Media Matters for America crowned him "Misinformer of the Year" -- succeeding Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly. And as this brief study documents, the views expressed on Hardball are "more conservative than people think": Republican/conservative guests have dominated Hardball panels since 2006 began.

#57 & #58
That doesn't make sense -- telling me AND Saladin to do that?! Someone is not happy today. Who is it?

Alan, please light up the peace pipe again and pass it around, would ya?

This is from Harry Reid (in part)

"We cannot effectively legislate on the NSA spying issue if we do not know the facts, and we will not know them if the Republican-controlled Intelligence Committee persists in refusing to do its job. My colleague, Ranking Member on the Intelligence Committee, Senator Jay Rockefeller, said it best:

"For the past three years, the Senate intelligence committee has avoided carrying out its oversight of our nation's intelligence programs whenever the White House becomes uncomfortable with the questions being asked.

"The very independence of this committee is called into question as we are continually prevented from having a full accounting of pre-war intelligence on Iraq, the CIA's detention, interrogation, and rendition program, and, now, the NSA's warrantless surveillance and eavesdropping program.
"If we are prevented from fully understanding and evaluating the NSA program, our committee will continue its slide into irrelevance."

We need to act if Congress is ever going to hold the Bush Administration accountable.

link to take action

Act? I have the pitchforks, who's got the torches? We'll also need a large supply of tar and feathers.

NeoCon allies desert Bush over Iraq

These are the right-wing intellectuals who demanded George Bush invade Iraq. Now they admit they got it wrong. Are you listening, Mr President?

William Buckley Jnr

INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE COLUMNIST AND TV PUNDIT

'One can't doubt the objective in Iraq has failed ... Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an army of 130,000 Americans. Different plans have to be made. And the kernel here is the acknowledgement of defeat.'

Francis Fukuyama

AUTHOR AND LONG-TERM ADVOCATE OF TOPPLING SADDAM

'By invading Iraq, the Bush administration created a self-fulfilling prophecy: Iraq has now replaced Afghanistan as a magnet, a training ground and an operational base for jihadists, with plenty of American targets to shoot at.'

Richard Perle

ARCH-WARMONGER AND PIVOTAL REPUBLICAN HAWK

'The military campaign and its political aftermath were both passionately debated within the Bush administration. It got the war right and the aftermath wrong We should have understood that we needed Iraqi partners.'
Andrew Sullivan

PROMINENT COMMENTATOR AND INFLUENTIAL BLOGGER

'The world has learnt a tough lesson, and it has been a lot tougher for those tens of thousands of dead, innocent Iraqis ... than for a few humiliated pundits. The correct response is not more spin but a sense of shame and sorrow.'

George Will

RIGHT-WING COLUMNIST ON 'THE WASHINGTON POST' AND TV PUNDIT

'Almost three years after the invasion, it is still not certain whether, or in what sense, Iraq is a nation. And after two elections and a referendum on the constitution, Iraq barely has a government.'

*****End of Article*****

He will not listen to his sycophants so you know he wil never listen to the people.

capt

I have torches!

I have the hope. (some) I'll give up when I'm dead.

Be Happy Happy Happy All the Time

Polar bears are drowning but what the hell. Don't worry, be happy.

At least that's the Republican philosophy as spelled out - at last! - by a letter-writer to the Boston Globe. According to her, Democrats are miserable. Republicans are happy. It's as easy as that. Where have liberals gone wrong?

Headlined "Conservatives Have More Fun," the writer lays it out with a simplicity that is nothing short of breathtaking. "Could it be that we conservatives have a more positive world view?" she says. "How about a more positive view of the future?"

How can you be happy, she asks, when you think your country "consists of imperialist occupiers trying to take over the world." But if, like her, you "realize the true road to freedom happens when democracies lead to thriving societies, you're feeling pretty good right now."

More HERE

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

I could not resist.

capt

Who says I've given up hope? I'm just done waiting on those traitors in DC to get off their ass and do something. If we the people don't do it, no one will.
Kathleen, if that WAS your post to micki and I, I would like to clarify what I meant by my comment. You insist that phoning and writing our reps will persuade them to listen and do the right thing. Most of those reps take political contributions from AIPAC, and have been doing so for a long time. Do you really believe they will blow off one of the major hands that feeds them? That would be akin to trying to talk cheney into ignoring halliburton and forcing them to abide by the laws we have to abide by. Could you ever see that happening? I'm sorry if that attitude pisses you off, join the club of pissed off people who spin their wheels everyday trying to wake up this comatose country.

Sorry to say but all the petitions we sign, all the letters we write do nothing. I've watched what happens to every crusade I sign on to and nothing changes. The black hats are winning and nobody listens to us. Period. I'm not saying any of should quit trying, I'm just sayin'.....

US calls NKorea a threat after 'mistake' missile fire

The United States on Wednesday called North Korea's missile programs a global "threat" after the Stalinist nation reportedly fired two missiles.

Washington also urged Pyongyang to abide by a moratorium on missile tests.

"As we have continued to point out, North Korea's missile program and activities are a threat not only to the region, but the international community at large," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

More HERE

Micki,
I was at my precinct caucus last night and I heard people talk about the movie "good night and good luck". They said it was excellent. When it comes out as a DVD I'm going to buy a copy.
You recommended that one didn't you?

Saladin,

I agree with your post #76. AIPAC seems to have all the power these days, (or I should say for the last decade). The media won't touch them with a ten foot pole for fear of being deemed anti-Semitic. Most of my "liberal" friends refuse to see the AIPAC connections in our multi-flawed foreign policies. If the Republicans, Democrats, television and print media won't stand up to AIPAC who will?

You know Kathleen,
How do you know David didn't ask a question? I didn't read "I kept my mouth shut the whole time". I don't know what his column is going to be tomorrow. I don't know what he's researching at the moment.

And the last few lines of the column are pretty important considering there are people who still believe Bush didn't lie. I heard a woman at my precinct causcus last night who believes Bush is a very bad president but wasn't so sure he actually lied. This woman was intellegent and articulate.

To have people this high up in the government not defending Bush is a pretty profound statement in itself.

When I think of someone like Paul Pillar I think of a career person. The President is the Commander in Chief. As crazy as it got with Clinton with the foolish impeachement hearings how many Paul Pillars did you see come out against Clinton? I don't remember any doing it. Career people do their job. They stay in the background and they follow orders.

Richard Clark was a career person. I didn't know he existed until he went against the president. Why did he criticize the job being done in the White House? Because nation comes first. Nation comes first for Paul Pillar.

Did David ask the questions you wanted him to ask? Probably not. Why not? I don't know. But I bet he does. I think he knows how to do his job. There is nothing I hate worse than somebody telling me how to do mine. He's one of the good guys Kathleen.

Thanks, Jeanne. I couldn't have said it better.

Here's an interesting article on the breaching vs. overtopping of the levees.

AP: White House compared overtopping to breaches

Although many critics on the right have been harshly criticizing a recent Associated Press article for 'misreporting' that President Bush, despite stating otherwise, had been warned that Hurricane Katrina might breach levees, the A.P. fires back by using the White House's own 'lessons learned' review, RAW STORY has found.

Late Friday night, the Associated Press issued a clarification to their March 1 story, after being attacked by many on the right for initially reporting "federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees" when the released partial transcripts to the leaked video only specifically mentioned "overtopping."

But the A.P. cites a report issued by the White House called "The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned" which compares the two terms.

Overtopping is a term used to describe the situation where the water level rises above the height of the levee or floodwall and consequently overtops, or flows over the structure. A breach is a break in the levee or floodwall. A prolonged overtopping can actually cause a levee or floodwall breach," the review said.

"In general, a breach can lead to more significant flooding than an overtopping since breaches take time to repair and until repaired continue to allow water to flow until the water level has receded below the height of the breach. Overtopping, on the other hand, will stop as soon as the water level recedes below the top of the levee or floodwall."

"Although the consequences are significantly different, from outward appearances, it is often difficult to differentiate a breach from an overtopping," the report said.

In addition, the A.P. article also refer to interviews with officials from the Corps of Engineers and former FEMA chief Michael D. Brown to show that the debate over the two terms is more of "a matter of semantics."

....But civil engineers understand that once a levee is "topped," floodwaters can rapidly erode the structural base of the levee and nearly always result in a breach, according to AP interviews with officials from the Corps of Engineers and others.

The White House's own "lessons learned" review of the federal response issued last month compared overtopping to a breach of a levee.

...Brown said Bush and other top officials knew from those briefings there was a serious chance that New Orleans' levees would be breached. "Everybody else knew and clearly on our conference calls it was being discussed," Brown said in a March 1 interview with The Associated Press.
--------------

You're welcome David.

#81 Jeanne, hear! hear!

#79 Jeanne, I also have to commend you on your memory (or your organizational skills, or both)...yes, I did recommend "Good Night, and Good Luck." That was a while back...

#12 Kathleen sez "I have personally talked with numerous representatives who hav been intimidated by this organization and other Jewish organizations when they attempt to honestly address the disproportionate amount of power and influence that these Israel firster groups have over U.S. foreign policy."

You may think I'm piling on, but I'm not...I just re-read your comment and thought, well, if Kathleen has this information has she shared it (with facts, documentation, sources, etc.) with someone who could follow up. It's hard to follow up on heresay. This is your project.

I'm just saying...

Kathleen,

Did Bush Exploit Fear? Did He Lie?

What's with the question marks?

Report: Only $25m of $2b Katrina relief aid has been spent

Just $25 million of $2 billion in funding designated for states afflicted by Hurricane Katrina has been spent, a new report from the Center for Public Integrity will report late Wednesday afternoon, RAW STORY has learned.

The shocking revelation that evacuees have been turned out while more than a billion dollars remains in relief aid comes as President Bush visits New Orleans today for the 10th time since Hurricane Katrina struck. Billions of dollars designated for hurricane relief have gone unused by state governments.

Jenni Bergal, the reports' author will write, "Just weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Congress scrambled to pass an emergency bill that gave states access to $2 billion to help low-income hurricane victims scattered across the country...But more than five months after the bill was signed into law, only 12 states - including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama - have taken Congress up on its offer."

...Among the states that did request the contingency money are Florida, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota and Michigan.
---------------------
This is just crazy. The survivers of Katrina are being victimized over and over. Why? The money is there to help them. What happened to federal and state government that they stopped paying attention to things like this.

I don't get it. If the state of MN hadn't collected the money, we would have been out the money. We have to educate the kids from NO. We have to shelter the families. We have to help them get them started on a new life. The money is there to do that. So why aren't the other states collecting the money that has been set aside to help this process?

I don't know what's really happening but it seems like the ball is getting dropped with everything. States should have been on top of this from the start. So why aren't they?

In five or ten years Eric Alterman can write a couple of new chapters in the second edition of his book "When President's Lie." Oh, I forgot...I think he made the point that he wasn't going to focus on Nixon's lies because wanted to write about presidents he respected. Never mind.

Old article (6 days) but a good "war" update, by the traitorous former weapons inspector, marine intelligence officer turned "anti-American opportunist. Speaking of career people.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002835259_scottridder01.html

micki, I just read # 37 and can't stop LMAO - Someone suggesting that YOU of all people is brown-nosing. How out of touch and tone deaf can some people be???

Abramoff talks to Vanity Fair

The piece makes much of many prominent Republican's denials of having worked with Abramoff. Abramoff reminisces about jokes President Bush, who now claims not to remember him, made about his weight training program. Abramoff also recalls discussing the Bible, opera, and golf with Tom DeLay.

Abramoff also alleges that RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman provided Abramoff political favors--including aiding in the removal of a State Department official.

Abramoff also claims to have funneled $50,000 donated by clients to a charity he set up to pay for a golf trip for himself, Ohio Republican Bob Ney, and former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed (currently seeking the office of Lt. Governor for the state of Georgia). Reed also once served as Abramoff's projects director.

The article is supported by images of Abramoff with everyone from Ronald Reagan (left, joined by Abramoff and Grover Norquist) to Newt Gingrich, and is prefaced by a two-page spread of the lobbyist golfing with Tom DeLay. The Gingrich photo is signed, "Your friend, Newt Gingrich." "I have more pictures of New than I have of my wife," the fallen lobbyist tells the magazine.

The article also notes that the photographs taken with President Bush, which are in Abramoff's possession, are the lobbyist's sole "potential source of funds."

Abramoff says it would be "stupid" to send him to prison, saying he'd rather sweep floors at an Indian reservation.

"Let me teach English, history, music," he quipped. "Or let me sweep floors at the reservation. Instead you'll be paying to feed me to sit in a jail."
--------------------
Prisons have floors, don't they? The one he's going to is going to love having him 'visit'. Theirs will be the cleanest prison around.

Actually, any prison would be happy to have an educated person willing to teach English, history and music. Jack could teach public speaking. Seriously, if he taught that to intersted prisoners he would be giving those prisoners more confidence when they leave prison. I have a friend who started a Toast Masters in a prison near me. It made a huge difference in the lives of the guys he helped.

The Towering Solons of Abortion
by Molly Ivins

South Dakota is so rarely found on the leading edge of the far out, the wiggy, the California-esque. But it has now staked its claim. First to Outlaw Abortion This Century. The state legislature of South Dakota, in all its wisdom and majesty, a legislature comprised of sons and daughters of the soil from Aberdeen to Zell, have usurped the right of the women of that state to decide whether or not to bear the child of an unwanted pregnancy. They will decide. Women will do what they decide.

These towering solons, representing citizens from the great cosmopolitan centers of Rapid City and Sioux Falls to the bosky dells near Yankton, are noted for their sagacity and understanding. When you think “enlightenment,” the first thing that comes to your mind is “the South Dakota Legislature,” right?

As well it might. The purpose of the law is to force a decision from the United States Supreme Court, where the appointments of John Roberts and Sam Alito have now shored up the anti-choice forces.

The South Dakota Legislature has made it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion under any circumstances except to save the life of the mother. There are no exceptions for rape, incest or to preserve the health of the mother. Should this strike you as hard cheese, State Sen. Bill Napoli, R-Rapid City, explains how rape and incest could be exceptions under the “life” clause. Napoli believes most abortions are performed for “convenience,” but he told “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” about how he thinks a “real-life example” of the exception could be invoked:

“A real-life description to me would be a rape victim, brutally raped, savaged. The girl was a virgin. She was religious. She planned on saving her virginity until she was married. She was brutalized and raped, sodomized as bad as you can possibly make it, and is impregnated. I mean, that girl, could be so messed up, physically and psychologically, that carrying that child could very well threaten her life.”

Please stop and reread the paragraph above. See? Clearly Napoli’s exception would not apply to the South Dakota woman also interviewed by the NewsHour. “Michelle” is in her 20s, has a low-paying job and two children. And says she simply cannot afford a third. She drove five hours to the state’s only abortion clinic.

“It was difficult when I found out I was pregnant. I was saddened because I knew that I’d probably have to make this decision. Like I said, I have two children, so I look into their eyes and I love them. It’s been difficult, you know, it’s not easy. And I don’t think it’s, you know, ever easy on a woman, but we need that choice.”

But who is she to make that choice when Bill Napoli can make it for her? He explains: “When I was growing up here in the wild west, if a young man got a girl pregnant out of wedlock, they got married, and the whole darned neighborhood was involved in that wedding. I mean, you just didn’t allow that sort of thing to happen, you know? I mean, they wanted that child to be brought up in a home with two parents, you know, that whole story. And so I happen to believe that can happen again. ... I don’t think we’re so far beyond that, that we can’t go back to that.”

I find this so profound I am considering putting Sen. Napoli in charge of all moral, ethical and medical decisions made by women. Certainly lucky for the women of South Dakota that he’s there, and perhaps that’s what we all need—a man to make decisions for us in case we should decide to do something serious just for our own convenience.

Look at some of the incompetent women we have running around in this country—Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright, now there are a couple of girls in need of guidance from the South Dakota legislature. Female doctors, lawyers, airplane pilots, engineers and, for that matter, female members of the South Dakota Legislature—who could ever trust them with an important decision?

In South Dakota, pharmacists can refuse to fill a prescription for contraceptives should it trouble their conscience, and some groups who worked on the anti-abortion bill believe contraception also needs to be outlawed. Good plan. After that, we’ll reconsider women’s property rights, civil right and voting rights.

For years, the women’s movement has been going around asking, “Who decides?” as though that were the issue. Well, here’s the answer. Bill Napoli decides, and if you’re not happy with that arrangement, well, you’d better be prepared to do something about it.

"Abramoff talks to Vanity Fair"

I bet all the good pictures are gone. How the hell can Delay win his primary in Texas. What the f@#k is going on?

Speaking of brown noses, #12. I must have missed previous posts where you explained why we should care if further funding to Palestinians is cut? We should fund a region that elected a known terrorist organization to lead it? I say not one more penny.

#94
I was thinking about that. Who votes in a primary? I'm assuming all the DeLay people went to the polls. I'm assuming all the people who won't vote for him just didn't go. So DeLay won. Will he win in November? I don't think so because the Republicans who are disgusted with him are going to stay home. And I don't blame them. He is a traitor to this nation.

kaff, why not? We fund Israel to the tune of billions every year, and they are one of the worst terrorist nations on the face of the earth. Democracy can be a real bitch, especially when the people don't vote for who we approve of. But the poor Palestinians didn't really have much of a choice, did they? They're in the same boat we are. Shall it be war mongerer #1, or war mongerer #2? Gee, I just can't wait until Diebold decides, I am on the edge of my seat! Though I am aware that David does not give any credence to that particular conspiracy theory either.

a known terrorist organization to lead it? I say not one more penny.

what about israel? they get caught red handed committing false flag terror attacks time after time, and not only do they never have to answer for their crimes, they are the only recipient of U.S. financial aid that are not required to pay any of it back.

#96

Don't "misunderestimate" the neoconsuperfratboy network. While the MSM pretty much ignores Delay, he is operating behind the scenes. The Republican Party is well engaged at raising money for Delay's, Libby's, Ney's, etc. legal defense funds. They don't put their neck out on T.V. but they all want him back guaranteed. So Delay won? You answer your own question. The fact that the “Party” even let him run say’s it all.

DeLay won the GOP primary becau$e he $pent the mo$t dollar$. Turnout wasn't that great and he had three GOP challengers splitting up the vote. The DeLay reliable-base lemmings slithered to the polls just as they would have for bush, even as a total loser and a total crook.

November, he's toast. Back to killing insects.

Saladin, What particular conspiracy? (Joke). I like your analogy relating us to the Palestinians, sad but true. Funny how things work? Oppression, victim, reparation, victory. Oppression, victim, reparation, victory, etc.

Micki,

I hope your right. But I won't be suprised if he gets back in. He knows where "all the bodies" are buried. (figure of speech).

Alan, please light up the peace pipe again and pass it around, would ya?

Micki, I'm still at #69, so I'm thinking it's been covered already, but just in case...I don't think that was Kathleen. It sure didn't sound like her and you and Sal both didn't take the bait. *propz to ya bof*

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!

These three leaders of the religious right were part of Jack Abramoff's gambling machine. Former Christian Coalition Director Ralph Reed took money from gambling interests to rally religious opposition to projects opposed by Abramoff's casino and lottery clients. Focus on the Family's James Dobson recorded ads at Reed's request that benefited gambling interests -- at the same time he was preaching against gambling. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition was paid $25,000 by online gambling outfit eLottery to lobby Congress.

Don't let them get away with it -- take action now. Send them this letter and and tell them to practice what they preach.

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

Kind of like asking a skunk to quit stinking but . . .

capt

Kind of like asking a skunk to quit stinking but . . .

hahaha That's a good one.
K, I'm caught up now, where da fk is everybody?

Al Franken's Fox Security ad

LOL

Fox security, brilliant. I heard old Bill telling his listeners "we have you phone #" etc. What a tool. I wonder if Al can be more effective in the US Senate. That bit of sarcasm is pretty effective. Minnesota’s gain might be Air Americas loss..

Would he have to leave the radio?
Here in Houston, one of the biggest conservative radio mouthpieces ran and won his primary to be a state senator (I think...it might be a rep). The guy's name is Dan Patrick, and he fkn owns the radio station.

Republican conrolled congressional panel votes 62 - 2, to block the UAE ports deal. Frist and the senate are the opposite, blocking the vote from even coming up. I wonder if dumya bought him off with a blowjob.

GOP House Panel Votes to Block Ports Deal

Republican leaders are trying to block a vote on the ports deal through a procedural vote that could occur as early as Thursday. That tactic is likely to fail, which could prompt Republicans to pull a lobbying reform bill from the floor in order to avoid defeat on the ports measure.

new dictionary entry :

Bill Napoli
napoli (not to be confused with the proper noun, which indicates the Italian city)
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): napolied
Pronunciation: nA'poli

1. To brutalize and rape, sodomize as bad as you can possibly make it, a young, religious virgin woman who was saving herself for marriage.
2. To hella rape somebody.

Etymology: From State Senator Bill Napoli's (R-SD) description of an acceptable rape that would merit an exemption from South Dakota's abortion ban.

Broadbanders, watch this trailer.

Why We Fight

It's only 2 or 3 minutes long, so dial-ups too.
K, then you can "enter" the site and see more clips of this movie.

LOL Look at this 'toon.

Chimpy plays cricket

Ever notice every time Corky posts, he gets really wordy spam?

I have.

'toon time...
Why repugs voted down the ports deal

It all started with this

then on to here

'course this is a crossroads we all had to take at one time or another

Republican conrolled congressional panel votes 62 - 2, to block the UAE ports deal.

Did you ever consider this a way for the Righties to prove they were not really GW's lapdogs. Maybe Rove put this out on purpose? South Dakota bans Abortion, Missouri claims Christianity as its state religion. Tom Delay wins his primary. Dick Cheney threatens Iran with certain annihilation + shoots friend in face. The republicans in the House and Senate are standing up to the president? Ya GW has some oversight now@!

Alan...The last time I posted yesterday was after you offered the peace pipe...and called truce.

#81 Jeanne if you go back and read what I wrote at #14 you may realize that what I was challenging David Corn about was not having asked more questions about the claims being made about Iran over the last three years. The Bush administration/neocons have been building this case against Irans"alleged" nuclear developments for quite some time, and the majority of american reporters have just accepted the rhetoric without question.

I was challenging him on why he waited to hear the question posed by Pillar about whether the claims being made about Iran had any legs to stand on. I was asking Corn why he has not focused on such a logical question long ago.

Micki obviously did not like me challenging Corn (and I have noticed this before)

I finally heard a BBc reporter ask the logical question that the MSM in this country (including David Corn) have not been asking about the claims being made against Iran. Like "where is the verifiable..irrefutable evidence to back up their claims?" This time around the Bush administration has not even had to come up with some "Niger documents". Now all they have to say is what Jack Straw answered when he was finally asked this logical question "there is no solid evidence, just suspicious behaviour".

My challenge to David Corn and many other reporters is ..if they would do their jobs and ask these logical reasonable questions about such serious claims...maybe just maybe the inflamed rhetoric by Cheney, Rep. Lantos, and many others about Iran would not spin out of control. Maybe just maybe a powerful group like Aipac could have been stopped in their tracks in regard to their push for U.s. military action in Iran. (this is what they did all of this week)

Maybe if american reporters would zero in on such an important topic earlier (instead of writing about Springsteen, The rolling Stones, and Cheneys shooting accident) more serious issues could be resolved without escalating to the point where the Iran situation is now.

Maybe as the Iaea's Mr. El Baradei said yesterday about Iran "cooler heads could prevail".

Heres one for Happy jobless people!

JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE

#119
Corky,
Are we surprised?

#53 Saladin..the last time I posted yesterday was #49

Feinstein should step down or be removed from her position on the SSCI Phase II. The spotlight should be turned on her conflict of interest. I will not hold my breath.

#60 Saladin
#61 Carol...thanks that was not me.

#76 Saladin..I do believe that petitions, phone calls, e-mails, lobbying really does effect our representatives. I will not go into specifics (because some on this site think one is bragging if you get to specific). Although I have had and continue to have direct experiences where these means have a direct change on policy. I really believe that if the american people actually participated more within the system more would change.

#77 Carol...I know that these efforts can make a difference. Not so much the massive emailings that MOVEON and others do, but personal or small group petitions, lobbying efforts, etc.

Even though I think Aipac's influence is out of control. Their lobbying efforts are very effective, although I believe their abuse of campaign funds and targeting candidates is criminal.

#86 Micki.. I accepted Alans peace pipe and offered it to you, but you refused. We disagree on constructively criticising David Corn. I stand by that I have noticed that you have a problem with questioning David. I could go back and find some examples of this but I am not going to spend anymore time on this.

I do not question his focus at all times, in fact I have been appreciative for the open site and the constructive dialogue. Although I will not back down on where I see weaknesses (a matter of opinion) in what he chooses to focus on.

On the Iran issue I believe american reporters (including David Corn) have allowed the Bush administration to build unquestioned momentum for the last three years on their repeated claims about Irans nuclear program. (Bolton has been very busy, he will trump whatever the UN security council decides) I have followed his actions closely. I sincerely wish professional journalist would have been keeping the spotlight on this very serious issue.

I really do not care if you believe what I have said about speaking with representatives (both Senators and Congress people) about the influence of the Aipac/Jewish lobby. All of these conversations were in confidence and there were other people at these meetings, so that if I needed to prove it this would not be a problem.

#95 Kaff... taking the time to read about the history of Zionism and Israel is enlightening.

Why not dialogue with Hamas?..the U.s. negotiated and created the state of Israel with many Jewish terroist. Why not with the Palestinians?

Kathleen,
Do you realize how much energy you take from the blog when you make the critical statements you make? You sometimes become a negative force. If Micki has an opinion I think she has the right to state it without being told by you that she's got her head up David Corn's ass.

You wrote:
"While I appreciate David's willingness to allow the "little folks" out here to share their opinions. It is o.k. to criticize what he chooses to focus on. I think David should be able to take a little constructive criticism."

A little. Give me a break. Get off the guy's case.

"The last time I posted yesterday was after you offered the peace pipe...and called truce."

Then kathleen broke her own truce by going on and on and on.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS LAUNCHED AGAINST DIEBOLD IN FLORIDA!

Leon County Election Supervisor Alleges 'Breach of Contract' After Security Test Revealed Hackable Elections Possible on Diebold Optical-Scan Systems!
E-Voting Monolith and 'Competitors' All Refuse to do Business with County Unless the Elected Ion Sancho is 'Removed from Office'

Ion Sancho is fighting back. Sancho, the Election Supervisor of Leon County, Florida who exposed a number of security flaws in Electronic Voting Machines made by the Diebold corporation of...

Ion Sancho is fighting back.

Sancho, the Election Supervisor of Leon County, Florida who exposed a number of security flaws in Electronic Voting Machines made by the Diebold corporation of North Canton, Ohio, today launched legal "breach of contract" proceedings against the company. The action has been filed on behalf of the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office.

In a conversation moments ago with Sancho, he confirmed to The BRAD BLOG that "we filed a breach action this morning, pursuant to a contract which notifies Diebold we are pursuing all available options."

The breach concerns Diebold's refusal to deliver their latest operating system for the optical scan voting systems which had previously been used in Leon County -- until Sancho discovered an alarming security flaw in the system at the end of last year.

"According to our contract with Diebold," Sancho explained, "we have to give them 30 days notice. And so we are requiring them to answer by March 21, as to how they intend to repair the breach."

The only two other Voting Machine Vendors, ES&S and Sequoia Voting Systems, have now officially refused to do business with Leon County and Sancho in the wake of a series of security evaluations held last year in the county on actual Diebold equipment. With the state threatening Sancho with legal action themselves if he is not able to implement a voting system which requires with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA), Sancho had been forced to attempt to do business again with Diebold.

The most infamous of the security evaluations held last year by Sancho was a "hack test" in December of Diebold's optical scan voting system. That mock election test revealed that election results could be completely flipped on Diebold's optical-scan system without a trace of the hack being left behind.

With all three companyies now refusing to do business with him, and pressure being applied from Diebold as well as state and local officials to do "do something about Sancho" - he now finds himself with no other choice but to fight back against Diebold, and face this "titanic clash" head on...

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This is what they need to do in California.

Kathleen, the only reason AIPAC has so much influence is because they are operating with a bottomless pit of money! And guess where they get much of that money? From John Q. taxpayer, that's where! Actually, that's not quite accurate since tax money doesn't even cover the interest on our stratospheric debt, We are BORROWING money from all over Asia to give to AIPAC to bribe OUR reps to promote Israel's welfare over our own. Our infrastucture is being sold off, our schools are a pathetic disaster, we can't seem to get decent help and care to the Katrina victims, huge swaths of people are without any kind of health care benefits, all this is because they say they need to tighten the budget. Funny how Israel never suffers from any of this budget cutting. Someone mentioned fifth columnists and referred to any and all dissenters as the target, but the real fifth columnists have already staged a successful coup, they are dragging this country into hell, and when they are finished America will be a distant memory. I maintain that pleading with any rep that accepts AIPAC money is a waste of time, they have already shown their allegience, they have climbed into bed with a country that tried to sink the USS Liberty and killed and or seriously wounded many of our servicemen, then covered up and ignored this heinous crime, they are traitors and deserve nothing less than to be booted from public FOREVER and sent straight to prison! If they put Israel first, they should pack their bags and get the hell out of this country, they aren't helping us at all. In fact, they are contributing to it's demise. But I'm sure diebold will do it's part to make sure they stick around forever.

Little Manchurian Candidates