Reich does have a point. The Dems should not go overboard with Bush payback. But a few investigations into the abuses and excesses of the Bush years (say, the corruption in contracting in Iraq) would be justified and warranted. Yet Dems should realize that congressional hearings on policy matters (as important as they can be) are not likely, as Reich notes, to "help America dream again."

You know, David, if I break the law, I get arrested, they try me, and if they find me guilty I go to jail. Nobody asks if trying me is going to "help America dream again."

Why is George W. Bush any better than me?

Good point Don. But why go after only Bush. How many others have broke the law on both sides? The only way to "help america dream again" is to clean all the corrupt people out.

Reich goes to far and needs to get out on the streets and into the malls. Reich needs to hang out at a few gas stations and talk to the people.

Americans.. Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike ( I have engaged thousands of people on the streets in conversations by knocking on doors for other reasons like registering voters). They want to witness this Republican controlled congress (soon to change) hold someone or someone's accountable, especially for the false pre-war intelligence that was used by the Bush administration to illegally invade the sovereign nation of Iraq. Where are the results of Phase II of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence? Is Republican Senator Pat Roberts still stonewalling? Will Senator Reid have to shut down the Senate again to put this back on the media's radar?

If a Republican controlled congress found it important enough to hold a President accountable for lying about a BLOW JOB I can tell you David they are waiting waiting waiting for this Republican controlled congress to hold those accountable for the INTELLIGENCE SNOW JOB that has resulted in tens of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians and soldiers and American and coalition soldiers.

Many of the same individuals (Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, James Woolsey, Cheney, Micheal Ledeen) who lied our nation into this quagmire in Iraq have not been held accountable. In fact because they have not been held accountable they have been able to inflame the situation with Iran pushing the Bush administration towards military action in there.

This Republican controlled congress has clearly demonstrated to the American Public what their priorities are....BLOW JOBS...not INTELLIGENCE SNOW JOBS. They have to go.
( Ohio Republican Senator Dewine has been one of the most negligent, he sits on the Intelligence committee,)

Reich has gone too far with his theory. I encourage him to get out and talk to more American citizens.

David I am talking to the elderly they are pissed. The Democrats should not play it too cool, when the people are hot under the collar about this group of right wing radicals. They do need to select their words carefully.

ACCOUNTABLITY IS THE KEY WORD AND ACTION.

Accountability is one aspect of good government. A two-prong approach might work best; new policies and public reckoning on the most grevious violations of our systems of laws.

If you gotem on the Ropes, keep em on the Ropes. I say kick em in the head if you gotem down!!

Since when has "justice" become political pay-back?

I guess that happened when telling the truth and following the constitution became seditious. Maybe back when counting the votes - all of the votes - was just another kind of political ploy. Way back when we cared about the morals and values of the chief executive and his sex life. Back when the issues of peace and America as a non-aggressor nation were part of our national identity and civic pride.

But hey, we should give monkey-boy a pass on everything because it might not sell well with some of the more sensitive Americans, you know the ones that hate truth and justice?

Sounds too much like relative morals and personified justice. Is that what we should be doing? Allow the little king a pass? Let him violate any law, let him dictate what laws he and his minions will and will not obey?

Does that set the right standard? What should the next president be allowed because keeping it legal might not "play well" or might violate political cover.

Truth and justice (like peace) are the hard jobs and no such thing as cutting corners.

"In the part of this universe that we know there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and often the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of those is the more annoying." ~ Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

We either hold Bush to account or he will rub our collective noses in his BS - we have yet too see his real lame duck side. I bet after the midterms we will all wish something had been done if for no other reason - keeping the warmonger too busy to start another conflict based wholly on his previous catastrophic successes.

capt

Accountability is not going to happen, why when it gets mentioned at all it is the word following terrorist. Think that all the effort going into the last five years is going to be thrown over just because people are pissed? Nope these guys have the hubris of roman emperors and will never willingly give up their power. If they aren't reinstated by these fraudulent elections, then they will go underground and try again by the back room deal route, no matter what the only way to root out this problem is by a large scale purging of this type of politics, and it doesn't look like that is likely. Besides the dems are all beside themselves with Hillary. Why I ask? Is this just another wet dream of the bush/clinton junta that wants to control the US for the foreseeable future? How much more of this has to go on before the sheeple wake up and figure out that if you change the cover you don't necessarily change the book. Is Hillary a palatable alternative for anyone with a brain? Not for me, I reckon the local plumber would make at least as good a president as any one of the current crop of wannabes. Hell at least then the pipes might not leak. And his cousin would get the contract not Halliburton. It is just going to be a matter of which shithead you want to be in the white house, and the way the economic outlook is I don't think it really matters.

You'll be sorely tempted to showcase the Bush administration in all its lurid awfulness. Imagine an endless parade of witnesses offering shocking details of....

and it WOULD be an endless parade of shocking details, and that would be just scratching the surface. no, better to ignore all of it and hope that it just eventually goes away.
after all, the worst is over. right?

as we run from the sun
and we harbour the lies
and we leave things undone
as we cover our eyes

STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!
- bushco '08

HRC is not the right person for the job.

Whether the DNC runs her or someone else we the people will have the same choice as always - between dumb and dumber - between this figurehead or that - between two that qualify and gain the important endorsement of the energy oligarchs.

I hope I am wrong.

capt

I'm still keeping my eyes, and especially ears, on Russ Feingold.

David,
I am not so quick to jump on the wagon with Riech. His message to pull back back is not shared by me.
Isn't it accountability that provides the checks and balances of the US system of governance? Accountability and governance are not mutually exclusive. The difficulty would be for the Democrats to priortize which one of Bush's trangressions to investigate. Remembering a thread you posted some months ago..."So many scandals..." Do we citizens just shrug and walk away? KKkRove hopes that is exactly what we do. I realize coming back from vacation has you a little rusty, but come on David! You of all people should be providing a pulpit in which to hold officials in this misadministration accountable for their lies and incompetence.

But thanks anyway, I suppose being a journalist in the beltway has been fatiguing for you. I do appreciate the forum you provide me and others to rant.

Later,
th

If I Was President

Dear Cornposters:

This is an open letter on If I Was President.
1. I would carry on more dialogue and less talk of shock and awe bombings or nuclear destructions.
2. I would see to it that our troops would have the equipment to fight a war but I would not start a war.
3. Loved ones like wife and children would have decent housing, schools, and recreational areas.
4. Our troops would be well paid and if they are killed or maimed their loved ones would receive full military pay of their husbands. If they had children money would set aside for financial aid to go to college or a trade school until the sons and/or daughters were 25 years old. Medical plan would the same as the Congressional medical plan or even better.
5. Every time Congress receives an increase in salary, the minimum wage would increase and so would the increase in soldiers' salaries or for their loved ones if the soldier was killed or maimed in the military service.
6. I would have a mothers committee of no more than twenty mothers to give recommendations about going to war or not going to war.
7. I would have Cindy Sheehan and Karen Kwiatkowski in my cabinet as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense respectively.
8. I would eliminate the Supreme Court because they are irrelevant. States have their Supreme Court and they are closer to the people; plus, the justices have to run for an elected position.
9. Congress would be given more say in passing laws.
10. I would tax the rich more because they have the most to lose.
11. If the military draft would be reinstated, the sons and daughters of the rich would be drafted first.
12. All athletic contests would be stopped in time of war because overpriced athletes should also sacrifice.
13. I would eliminate financial television and radio stations in time of war because I have heard too much talk about is war good for the economy?
14. The Supreme Court building would be renovated into a museum for the holocaust victims of Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine.
15. I would match the money that is given to Israel with Arab countries but not Saudi Arabia.
16. I would eliminate offshore tax shelters for the rich and for corporations.
17. I would tax religious organizations like those of Falwell, Robertson, Hagee, and Dobson.
18. Corporations with rigged electronic voting machines would be tried for treason.
19. I would work closely with countries and governments so they would improve the quality of life for all their citizens.
20. CEO salaries would be similar to the CEO salaries in Japan.
21. Our beautiful environment will be protected and a quality education will be available for all students, K-12 grades. Higher education and trade schools will be affordable for all students.
22. Employers who hire illegal immigrants would be heavily fined, such as $250,000 per illegal immigrant. Employers would also receive a jail sentence of one year per illegal immigrant.
23. I would put Christ back into the word, Christianity. I would not be afraid to say the word Jesus because it might offend someone. People who came to the White House during Christmas would be able to see the Christ child in plain view and not given an obscure setting. Our soldiers in Saudi Arabia would be permitted to show the Cross on Saudi soil.
24. I would encourage Israel to be the Light to the World. I would also encourage the Palestinians to work closely with Israel because they could transform their land in a similar way to be beautiful. I would also hope that Lebanon could again be the Paris of the Middle East.
25. I would help to end America's perpetual nightmares and I would help America dream again of love, mercy, justice, and peace.

These are some things that I would do If I Was President.

Sincerely,

Gerald

This is a third world war, International Islamic Terror has made its objectives and aims very clear.

-- Efraim Halevy, Mossad director from 1998 to 2002, told The Globe and Mail in an interview.

International Islamic Terror
IIT - what is that, a new corporation?

the nerve of those evil other guys, maniacally attacking us over there.

I'm somewhat pessimistic about the Dems chances in November, but with that said, if they do win the House, instead of spending the next two years on ugly recriminations, they should focus on getting our nation back on track. Show the American people and the world that the United States can recover from the awful maladministration of the busheviks.

Then in 2008, the voters would have a feeling of hope and perhaps a moderate could take the WH. After the presidential inauguration in January, 2009, the new administration could show the country and the world at large that we, as a nation, will hold people accountable for their actions. Those people (the bush gang) are not

There's a middle ground between "payback" and "letting 'em off the hook" -- developed properly, the effort to hold the scoundrels accountable does not have to be all about politics.

#16 slight change...

I'm somewhat pessimistic about the Dems chances in November, but with that said, if they do win the House, instead of spending the next two years on ugly recriminations, they should focus on getting our nation back on track. Show the American people and the world that the United States can recover from the awful maladministration of the busheviks.

Then in 2008, the voters would have a feeling of hope and perhaps a moderate could take the WH. After the presidential inauguration in January, 2009, the new administration could show the country and the world at large that we, as a nation, will hold people accountable for their actions. Those people (the bush gang) are not off the hook just because they are out of office.

There's a middle ground between "payback" and "letting 'em off the hook" -- developed properly, the effort to hold the scoundrels accountable does not have to be all about politics.

Justice and politics are not two sides of the same coin. They are comletely different entities.

One does not offset the other. How could they?

capt

Speaking of going too far...

I'm waiting for all of you conspiracy theorists to publicly admit here that your first (and always first) inclination to see terrorist threats as something manufactured by the President IS DEAD WRONG and morally indefensible!

It is truly disgusting to read the tripe some of you post on this issue. If I had the time, I'd go back and quote a few of the more outrageous claims made here recently.

I am referring, of course to the news of the arrests in the U.K. as well as the mounds of evidence uncovered so far that show without a doubt the threat was very real (and immediate!)

It's just a sign of the times that so many (?) people immediately doubt our government and law enforcement in general when it comes to the seriousness of the terrorism threats we face.

Well? Let's hear it folks.

...it could be about ethics, honesty, accountability, open government, laws (not men)....

Then I woke up...

"Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint." ~ Alexander Hamilton (1755 - 1804)

#18 Yeah, I know. But it's called "perception" in the minds of the unperceptive..

Dear Cornposters, please, please go to smirkingchimp.com and read the many great articles for August 22, 2006. These articles are great reads!!!

Tim,

Don't worry about it. Most of these people are totally useless. They are the Democrats' worst nightmare. The American middle see them, and they have no alternative but to vote for Republicans, no matter how incompetent those Republicans are.

Fortunately, most of the posters do nothing but sit in front of their monitors railing at injustices, rather than trying to do something about them. They are the impotents of society, totally unproductive. They are to be pitied, not berated.

"Justice is truth in action." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

"Justice delayed is democracy denied." ~ Robert F. Kennedy (1925 - 1968)

"Justice is the greatest interest of man on earth." ~ Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852)

"Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

"Fraud is the ready minister of injustice." ~ Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

Jobs in America?

Considering the loss of good jobs, the high debt burden, and the dependence on imports, it is unclear what will enable America to pull herself out of the next recession.

Perhaps growing ranks of the unemployed will become cannon fodder for Bush's wars in the Middle East.

Cannon fodder for Hitler's endless wars must come from somewhere!!!!!

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

OFFICIAL! 9/11 Comic book!
(only $30.00 get one while it's hot!)

see the R-RUMBLE of wtc1&2 as the they mysteriously dissolve into powder while giant steel beams are ejected upwards and outwards!
marvel at the BLAMM! of flight77 slamming into the pentagon after skipping over the ground while not actually touching the ground!

oh IIT evil other guys, what have you done?

Factchecker,

Yes, you are right, but I just got my ire up while reading an article about the arrests today.

I can't pity them, however, because they say what they say with malice. I'll just remember to call them out when inevitably they start to spout off again after the next terroristic threat is thwarted by the forces for good.

Bush lied to start the illegal and unwise invasion of Iraq.

When the true believers wake up to THAT fact - moving forward with all the things the troll cannot straighten out on the own could be addressed.

Not before because to not admit the simple truth that Bush lied - there is not enough common ground or reality shared.

So how about those Bush lies? David wrote a book on it years ago, since then only more lies have been confirmed.

WSY?

capt

I am referring, of course to the news of the arrests in the U.K. as well as the mounds of evidence uncovered so far that show without a doubt the threat was very real (and immediate!)

Well, Tim, I don't know how immediate the threat was - some of these guys didn't even have passports yet. There are also reports that the Bush administration, needing some "good" news (Imminent terrorist threat! Hide under the bed and get Idiot Boy-King to protect us!), pressed British law enforcement officials to make their arrests earlier than they would have liked.

It's just a sign of the times that so many (?) people immediately doubt our government and law enforcement in general when it comes to the seriousness of the terrorism threats we face.

Perhaps if the Bush administration didn't shit the bed so much, people wouldn't "immediately doubt our government and law enforcement." The Bush administration and it's supporters use the threat of terrorism for political purposes; it is they who do not take terrorism seriously.

Spy,

Looks like the "comic book" format is just wha tht e doctor ordered for you simple-minded morons.

Maybe if you read it you'll get it.

Closing in on the Crawford Crimelord

For years -- years -- we have bashed and banged and clanged the bell on this theme over and over here at Empire Burlesque, and in the Moscow Times, and CounterPunch and anywhere else they'd let us come in with the hammer: George W. Bush and his minions are committing crimes -- actual crimes, clear-cut violations of American and international law, genuine offenses in the most literal sense, not just metaphorical transgressions against some moral law or political ideal. They are criminals by their own admission, have even boasted about their offenses: the unprovoked invasion of Iraq and all the putrid horror that has followed in its wake; the kidnapping of captives off streets all over the world and their "rendition" to secret prisons and foreign torture chambers; the "extrajudicial killing" -- i.e., murder -- of uncharged, untried individuals, including at least one American citizen; "taking the gloves off" on torture techniques that were carefully considered, in detail, in formal legal documents seen and signed by the highest government officials; and on and on.

Well, it's about time!!! Someone is finally hearing or reading my comments!!!

Don,

Just keep on dreaming. The clear of mind will let you know when it's time to wake up.

Gerald your just a useless piece of shit, no more, no less.

Tim,

That's all you got?

Lame.

Press Release
IHA/1224

Department of Public Information News and Media Division UN New York

Humanitarian Factsheet for Lebanon
The following has been prepared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): -- 1,183 dead and 4,054 wounded (according to Lebanon’≥ Higher Relief Council (HRC)). -- Approximately 140,000 returnees from Syria (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Governor of Homs ( Syria)).
Humanitarian Activities
Three Humanitarian Convoys Dispatched Today:
-- Beirut to Masnaa -- Six United Nations Children’≥ Fund (UNICEF) and 10 UNHCR trucks.
-- Beirut to Beiteddine -- Two World Food Programme (WFP) trucks.
-- Beirut to Majdil Silim -- Seven WFP trucks.
-- Total convoys to date: 52 humanitarian convoys have been dispatched since 26 July 2006 (WFP).
Tyre Humanitarian Hub:
-- Clean drinking water is priority concern -- 42 out of 70 villages have no water supply. Most villages’†water tanks and pipe networks have been destroyed or damaged. No villages have electrical power to operate water pumps.
-- Also, immediate need for mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, jerry cans, hygiene kits, soap, lanterns and baby formula in the heaviest damaged areas.
-- Municipal authorities have requested construction materials, indicating that one-room units to be built by the community with support from humanitarian agencies.
Saida ( Sidon) Humanitarian Hub:
-- Entire region (except Marjayoun) heavily contaminated by unexploded ordnance; demining will take up to six months in the region of Nabatiye alone. -- Needs include bottled water for 200,000, as well as water storage tanks; supplementary food rations for 150,000; and household items and tents for 20,000.
-- Electricity still being rationed, which is affecting water supply -–†situation unlikely to improve in short-term. -- 460,000 people fed by WFP to date (2,621 metric tons of food), including 335,000 people in Lebanon and 125,000 Lebanese returnees from Syria. -- UNICEF provided essential drugs for 70,000 people and carried out a vaccination campaign against measles for 13,000 children and against polio for 9,000. -- UNICEF also delivered water for 135,000 (35,000 in Beirut, Aley, Metn and Chouf and 100,000 in Rmeish, Hasbayya and Tyre), as well as water kits for 80,000 throughout the country. -- United Nations has facilitated entry of 135,000 metric tons of fuel for the Government and aid agencies into Lebanon between 2 and 17 August. -- United Nations agencies have worked with the Government on a public awareness campaign on the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance -- TV and radio spots aired; 100,000 leaflets and 10,000 posters distributed.

Lebanon Flash Appeal
-- To date, just under $88.9 million committed to the $165 million Flash Appeal for Lebanon -- 54 per cent of requirements. Additional $6.4 million in pledges.

Erling,

I already gave to the Lebanon relief effort when I filled up my Suburban last week...

I can't pity them, however, because they say what they say with malice
- tim

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

Don,

I just respond in kind. When you decide to post a serious response, you will likely get a serious reply.

Spy,

Apples do not equal Oranges... Well, duh!!!

God Willing

Dear Cornposters:

David Corn in his recent blog gives us Robert Reich's take on how the Democrats should deal with Bush. I have no problem with Mr. Reich's thoughts. However, I am not a politician and I am only a patriotic America who loves his country.

If God is willing and He permits me to live to 2010, I will come after the Nazis in the WH, Congress, and Supreme Court with reckless abandon with my posts. I will not let the Nazis in the WH, Congress, and Supreme Court continue to spew their demented, depraved, deranged, and diabolical ways upon the American public.

I will come after them like a junkyard dog with my fair and balanced posts!!!

Sincerely,

Gerald

Bush's Arab Dream Palace
Is it Narcissism?

Bush said again on Monday that he would keep US troops in Iraq until 2009 and argued that for the US to withdraw would send a bad message to reformers in the region. He said he is concerned about that talk of civil war in Iraq and seemed to admit that he isn't very happy most of the time about the way things are going, but added that he doesn't expect to be joyous in wartime. He admitted again that Saddam Hussein did not "order" 9/11, but went on to again link Baathist Iraq to the threat of terrorism against the US, an unproven charge.

More HERE

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

Whatever a shrink might call it Bush is not grounded in reality.

capt

OK, then David,

Just which list of attrocities should we not pursue?

Manufacturing "intelligence" and massaging information "stovepiped" to them to cow an already bovine congress and "Murkun Sheeple" into standing aside while driving this nation into an illegal and evil-gotten invasion of Iraq?

Howzabout the clear violation of the constitution that this malAdministration continues to engage in by spying on its own people without proper legal process?

Maybe just stay mute about the multiple "midnight renditions" of citizens and others to foreign nations for the purpose of torture?

Speaking of torture, should we forgive and forget the backlash of sentiment towards our nation coused by the policies of humiliation and torture, as an instituted policy in Guantanamo, Abu Garaib and elsewhere?

And lets not forget the utter (and hardly spoken of, lately) Clusterfornication that the federal gummint made of the destruction of New Orleans, post Katrina...

ETC, ETC, ad infinitum, ad nauseum....

Yeah, Mr.Reich, Mr. Corn...why would we want to persue JUSTICE for the hundreds of thousands of deaths, the destruction of billions of dollars in private property, the elimination of entire families and local cultures caused by the blatent MALmanagement of these traitorous criminals? I mean, why bother, there IS an election at stake!

Puh-Thetic!

-T

Oh, and thanks for the forum!

-T

ignored by the official 9/11 comic book is the fact that a 3rd skyscraper fell that day: wtc7.
wtc7, despite NOT being hit by an aluminum airplane with a plastic nosecone, and being subjected to minimal fires only, valiantly held out for 5 hours before collapsing in a heap, straight down thru the path of MOST resistance in 7 seconds flat. since wtc7 was a 47 story building, that means that it collapsed at a rate of 6.71 floors per second.

what did wtc lease-holder larry silverstein have to say about this extraordinary event?

I remember getting a call from the, er, fire department commander, telling me that they were not sure they were gonna be able to contain the fire, and I said, 'We've had such terrible loss of life, maybe the smartest thing to do is pull it.' And they made that decision to pull and we watched the building collapse.

what did wtc lease-holder larry silverstein mean by "pull it"? surely by pull it he meant pulling our leg.

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lord Acton

Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.

Richard Armour

duh

Lieberman and Lamont Tied in Connecticut

Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont are in a statistical tie in the race for United States Senate in Connecticut according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Among likely voters in November, 44% say they would vote for Lieberman, 42% say they would vote for Lamont, 3% say they would vote for Alan Schlesinger, and 11% are undecided.

Lieberman leads Lamont 57% to 18% among enrolled Republicans and 48% to 38% among unaffiliated (independent) voters. Lamont leads Lieberman 65% to 30% among enrolled Democrats.

A total of 56% of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Lieberman and 41% have an unfavorable opinion of Lieberman. A total of 47% of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Lamont and 34% have an unfavorable opinion of Lamont.

More HERE

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

Some fun with numbers - reading the article I thought it read like a numbers game.

capt

In a Bible study class the deacon said that in order to be close to God we must love. The reason is that God is Love. Choose love over hate! While we are on the path to meet our Father, we must keep in mind that God will be the final judge. He will be waiting for us. Will He have His hands stretched to welcome us? Will the Supreme Creator of the Universe say "Welcome home My good and faithful friend. Come I have prepared a place for you."

If there is one word that I would want to hear from my Creator, the word is "friend". For the Supreme Creator of the Universe to call us "friend" is beyond comprehension. Or, for our God to say to us "I have come not to be served but to serve." That thought is also beyond comprehension. Remember the words of St. Ambrose "I shall pass this way but once, any good that I shall do let me do it now for I shall not pass this way again."

It's not where you start the race; it's where you finish the race. The race that I am talking about is the race to be with God. Being with God you will be declared a winner. God is a Winner and when you are on His team, you are a winner.

When we grown in love for God, we will need to be more concerned for the people at the bottom of the social scale, such as the poor and needy. We will never be able to truly love God until we do care for the poor and the needy of America and of the world. We do have a daunting task before us but with our love for God we will make our world a better place for all human beings.

Always remember that when we pray, we should pray to a God of mercy. Never pray to a God of justice. When we die, we want a merciful God to judge us. If God is a merciful God, we will all have a chance for salvation but if God is a just God, very few of us will have a chance for salvation.

Please keep your eyes on the prize. The prize is to have God's arms out stretched to hug us and say, "Welcome home My dear friend."

George Warmonger Bush is insane!!!!!

Mr. Corn, we've had this discussion already. If I'm a crooked politician, and see what Bush gets away with, why should I worry about anything bad happening to me? If he can do it, I can do it. Emboldened with the knowledge that the public is asleep and the talking heads discourage legal action, I can do whatever I want, up to and including: starting a false war on phone pretenses (with rampant torture!), dismantling civil liberties, and consolidating the military industrial complex in the hands of the few and the greedy - just to name a few. What's in it for the public? How do we fit in? How do we fight the people who own our lives? What say do we have when atrocities are committed in our names? You would have us roll over and hope for a better administration next time. Mr. Corn, this is nonsense. Stop thinking with this DC logic before it's too late.

#52 goob, Americans are the mirror image of Hitler Bush!!!

What say do we have when atrocities are committed in our names? You would have us roll over and hope for a better administration next time. Mr. Corn, this is nonsense. Stop thinking with this DC logic before it's too late.

yes mr. corn - your bushco tolerance smacks of enablement. you should write a new book:
"The Sort-Of Lies Of George W. Bush"

Return of the Taliban

But there is another reality which also helps the Taliban. When the Americans arrived in Kandahar, they also brought money, rebuilding projects, jobs and the hope of stability. Power was restored and the city had electricity, especially during the summer, when temperatures reach 55C. But the Americans also left the drug mafia and warlords intact. The former Kandahar governor, General Gulagha Shirzai, and the President's brother, Wali Karzai, who now heads the Provincial Council, have been accused of drug trafficking. They, and others like them, were America's allies.

Under the American administration, "warlordism" and poppy cultivation soared. Kandahar owed its new wealth in part to drug money. But with the shift from US to Nato forces, there came a "War on drugs" and Nato launched a relentless campaign to stop poppy cultivation. Using Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army, the Canadians and the British started to destroy the poppy fields, a policy which faced opposition from both the traffickers and the farmers.

Someone, again, has to clean up Bush's mess

When he was young, caretakers picked up his toys. When he was a dissolute adult, protectors covered up for his seedy, irresponsible behavior and dereliction of duty. When he was older, his father's friends cleaned up after his business failures.

Someone has always cleaned up Bush's messes for him. He's never had to or been able to do it himself.

Violent Crimes Rise

"The Bush administration has repeatedly cut federal funding for law enforcement, and I don't think the rise in violent crime we've seen recently is a coincidence," Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a written statement. "Because of these shortsighted budgeting decisions, the Bush administration has effectively abandoned our front-line defenders against crime and terrorism."

The Bush's budget is working hard for another 911!!!

"The Lies Of George W. Bush: that I have overlooked so as to avoid rocking the boat."

Neocons Are Busy Covering Their Asse(t)s

When you see the president of the bank headed out the door with one hand holding a satchel full of cash and the other his family pictures, it might be time to make a withdrawal yourself. If you hear your town's mayor has put his house up for sale, it may be time to unload your place as well.

The NeoCons claim their policies of endless war and huge deficits are going to preserve the "American way of life," but their personal actions must make anyone wonder whether they believe what they're telling the American people. If their policies sink the U. S., don't expect them to go down with the ship. They'll be enjoying the safety and stability of Europe where they're now stashing money and buying houses.

Maybe it's time you began to cover your asse(t)s.

The Nazi Americans are so transparent!!!

"There is no shame in not knowing; the shame lies in not finding out." ~ Russian proverb

"It is better to be defeated on principle than to win on lies." ~ Arthur Calwell

"I must stand up in search of the truth, if I don't I only roll with the flow of the lie and make it stronger." ~ Sovereign

"After all is said and done, a lot more will be said than done." ~ Unknown

It would be craven for Dems to suddenly call for impeachments on information that has been known for months or years, just because they have a House majority. John Conyers and Russ Feingold have already taken this stand and their Dem colleagues hid under rocks, just as many of them did in the run-up to this ill-advised war.

There's also the problem of which crime to focus on. Bush has done so many things that are arguably criminal or impeachable -- where does one start? My vote would go to the warrantless wiretapping which was so plainly illegal. But what about breaching the Geneva Conventions prohibition of torture, an international war crime? Outing a CIA agent? Criminal negligence of the poor people of New Orleans? Conspiring to fix the 2000 (and/or 2004) election? Plotting the 9/11 attacks? (I don't believe that one, but a third of Americans do--probably not the same third that approve of Bush's performance though).

Then you've got the favorite of the finger-in-the-wind Dems: Lying us into war. As far as I'm concerned, both parties and most media outlets are co-conspirators on that one.

The Declaration of Peace

The Declaration of Peace Pledge reads in part as follows:

I join with the majority of U.S. citizens, the people of Iraq, and people around the world in calling for a comprehensive end to the U.S. war in Iraq. I solemnly pledge to

Call on the Bush administration and Congress to immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, with no future redeployments;
Urge my congressional representatives to adopt a bring-the-troops-home-now position, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive withdrawal plan no later than Sept. 21, 2006, International Peace Day, just days before Congress adjourns;
Participate in marches, rallies, demonstrations and other peaceful strategies to establish this plan
Engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, as conscience leads me, if this plan for a comprehensive withdrawal is not established and activated no later than Sept. 21, 2006.

Some prominent organizations have already signed on: Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Call to Action, CodePink, War Resisters League, and the Network for Spiritual Progressives.

The time has arrived for just such a systematic, organized national campaign to demand peace with Iraq. The time has come to employ the old movement weapon of civil disobedience. Every major movement for peace in our history was able to turn a corner finally when its members disrupted the big business of war, illegally and nonviolently.

Spy,

We need to change your name to "clueless."

You've apparently swallowed the dis-information concerning WTC-7, my friend. Try doing some research on your own!

For example. There were major fires in that building which suffered some significant damage from falling debris during the collapse of the twin towers. There is documented evidence, eyewitness accounts and photographs that establish these things as known facts.

Why do you think they had to abandon the building in the first place? Well, duh! The situation inside WTC-7 became untenable - too dangerous to remain.

You should read the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data regarding what most likely caused the actual collapse of the building instead of repeating pure speculation.

New Zogby Poll: It’≥ Nearly Unanimous

Voters Insist On Right To Observe Vote Counting
Plus Other Findings From This Unique Poll

A recent Zogby poll documents ground breaking information on the attitudes of American voters toward electronic voting. They are quite clear in the belief that the outcome of an entire election can be changed due to flaws in computerized voting machines. At a stunning rate of 92%, Americans insist on the right to watch their votes being counted. And, at an overwhelming 80%, they strongly object to the use of secret computer software to tabulate votes without citizen access to that software.

The American public is clear in its desire for free, fair, and transparent elections. An 80%-90% consensus on the right to view vote counting and opposition to secrecy by voting machine vendor is both rare and remarkable in American politics. If only the public knew that these options are virtually non existent in today’≥ election system.

More HERE

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

92% IS enough for a revolution. We should all get together on elections!

capt

I love it! Cornnuts turning on their master!

Still haven't heard from the terror conspiracy crowd re. their baseless smearing of our President and the law enforcement community.

Oh yeah, I forgot that some of the wackos here can dish it out, but can't stand the heat. It's funny how they are always spouting off that "eventually the truth will comes out!" when they are referring to their wild conspiracies, but when the truth ACTUALLY DOES COMES OUT, they are STRANGELY SILENT.

Hmmmmm. mebbe they's asleep right now...

Timeee,

You're being rather shrill... I can understand how you, "the conservative" need something...anything...to hang your straw boater on these days, but seriously, dude...must you be so rude?

-T

65-Why dont you provide a link to where you get your info? You have proven yourself full of shit before. Why would now be any differnt?

You've apparently swallowed the dis-information concerning WTC-7, my friend. Try doing some research on your own!

You should read the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data regarding what most likely caused the actual collapse of the building instead of repeating pure speculation.

more blogging genius from the genius blogger!
nice link to all the volumes of solid, scientific and engineering data!

Government officials often shape the official version of major events to fit
their needs at the time. 90 years after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake a
historian concluded the official death toll had been minimized so it would be
easier to get support for rebuilding the city on the San Andreas Fault.

The current source of innumerable conspiracy theories is 9/11. Not since the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy has there been such a flurry, such a
rich choice of conspiracy theories. And they're all out there in the blogs.

One woman in rural Pennsylvania is a blog target because she says she took a
photo of the smoke rising from Flight 93's crash site.

Arguments over the official report are debated endlessly online. Some sites such
as 911truth are focused only on the latest activity around the anti-official
versions of what happened or may have happened. Why did the World trade Tower
collapse? Did the U.S. shoot down Flight 93 in Pennsylvania? Did a plane really
hit the Pentagon? Pick your doubt...
________________

make up your own minds! don't let the govt/media make up your minds for you. don't be swayed by govt/media wannabees either. if the official 9/11 fairytale is true then you should determine that for yourselves!

Reich might have a point that democrats should not be too investigation-happy if they gain control of the House.

His reasoning is flawed, though. Using the Republican congressional attacks on Clinton as an analogy misses the fundamental issue: those attacks were vindictive and WITHOUT MERIT.

Investigating the Bush administration is fully with merit, due to evidence of corruption, deceit, and criminal activity (example: violating FISA is a felony).

Congress needs to provide checks and balances to the Executive. If a Democrat-controlled Congress fails to provide lawful oversight and enforce accountability, it will be no better than the current dysfuntional Congress.

I want my Constitutional government back!

I'm not doing any homework for any of you conspiracy theorists! Do it yourself.

My credibility doesn't depend on how many links I provide. That's pointless. For example, I could challenge someone to "prove" with links the outrageous assertions of the 9-11 conspiracy wackos, but they would simply re-gurgitate the opinions of the clueless posted on some web site.

WHAT I WANT (sorry Hajji) is for people to actually do the research, digest the information, make plausible arguments and support their conclusions! I know this is too much to ask for such a forum, but at a minimum it would be great if people would just stop repeating garbage that is in direct contradisction of known facts.

The facts are out there folks, but I am doubtful that many of you care to know what they are.

McCain faults administration on Iraq
_________________

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), a staunch defender of the Iraq war, on Tuesday faulted the Bush administration for misleading Americans into believing the conflict would be "some kind of day at the beach."

The potential 2008 presidential candidate, who a day earlier had rejected calls for withdrawing U.S. forces, said the administration had failed to make clear the challenges facing the military.

"I think one of the biggest mistakes we made was underestimating the size of the task and the sacrifices that would be required," McCain said. "Stuff happens, mission accomplished, last throes, a few dead-enders. I'm just more familiar with those statements than anyone else because it grieves me so much that we had not told the American people how tough and difficult this task would be."

Those phrases are closely associated with top members of the Bush administration, including the president.

Bush stood below a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" on May 1, 2003 after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. The war has continued since then, with the death of more than 2,600 members of the U.S. military. Vice President Dick Cheney said last year that the Iraqi insurgency was "in its final throes."
____________________

I think it was on last night's NBC news that Tim Russert said that the Whitehouse (Rove) has given the go-ahead to local, state and national repugnants to feel free to fault Bush and the Pentagon for the Iragwmire, but not for the misconception as a whole.

hmm....

-T

Kathleen, from the last thread: I just saw what you posted regarding my misundestanding of your comment. I apologize for mischaracterizing your remark as "testy" -- I take your word for it that it wasn't. How can I not? Sometimes on blogs (as in emails), one gets the wrong impression. Cheers!

right!
send in the clowns!
--
cue the link to an official report by an official govt entity stating in no uncertain terms that the govt officially did not lie to us about 9/11 and there was nothing at all amiss about 3 massive steel buildings being hit by 2 aluminum airliners (with plastic nosecones!) and explosively crumbling into powder in the same length of time it would take a billiard ball to fall to the ground from the same height.
nothing to see here - move along!

besides, reading some wack job's skepticism on this blog (wholly inappropriate!) is infinitely annoying and counter-productive to discussions of official govt malfeasance anyway.
right democrats? right. you should just shut up james!

What good are investigations if bush gets the retroactive immunity he's been seeking? And if dems like pelosi have anything to say about it I doubt if they get more than a slap on the wrist anyway.

spy,

Suit yourself: remain clueless. You have proven to me that trying to discuss serious issues with a willfully ignorant fool is pointless.

My credibility doesn't depend on how many links I provide. That's pointless. For example, I could challenge someone to "prove" with links the outrageous assertions of the 9-11 conspiracy wackos, but they would simply re-gurgitate the opinions of the clueless posted on some web site.
- tim the conservative.

oh excellent rebuttal tim! are you the same tim who told us all that you were well qualified to pronounce judgement on all issues aeronautical? i'm still waiting to hear why there is no crash debris in the official photos of the flight93 crash crater.

here. these guys are no doubt included in your all-encompassing sweeping declaration of clueless:
scholars for 9/11 truth
just to be fair and present both sides, here is a link to the official antithesis:
journal of debunking 9/11 conspiracy theories

as tim the conservative says:
WHAT I WANT is for people to actually do the research, digest the information, make plausible arguments and support their conclusions!

ironically enough, that's what i want as well!
maybe tim the conservative and james ha the other conservative are on the same side after all!
will wonders never cease?

The war that keeps on killing
Eli Stephens, Left I on the News

August 21, 2006

Israel has broken the ceasefire once again, killing four Lebanese children and wounding 21 in the last few days. What, you haven't read about it? That's because these deaths were caused by weapons fired before the ceasefire went into effect: cluster bombs. According to the U.N., these weapons, not illegal per se but illegal when fired into urban areas as they were, were fired largely in the last few days of the war, as (and these are my words, not the U.N.'s) Israel lashed out in vengeance to kill as many Lebanese as possible before it was forced to stop its deadly assault, at least temporarily.

Now those unexploded cluster bombs litter the villages of southern Lebanon, just waiting for the small children to pick them up and die, or perhaps just be crippled for life, like Sukna, Hassan and Merwa Saleh.

And, please promise not to be shocked, but the origin of these weapons...is the United States.

"You see what America is sending us," [Aisa Hussain] said bitterly. "This is their idea of democracy."
===========
They hate us for our freedoms. The freedom to democratically distribute cluster bombs and DU poisoning.

Saladin,

And which government was it that warned people NOT to return to Southern Lebanon?

C'mon, you know! Be honest about it and post the answer.

Saladin,

And who was it again that rained 4,000 rockets down upon innocent men, women and children?

You know the answer!

TIM the conservative YOU ARE MIGHTY!

US extends credit line to Israel -
Bush administration agrees to extend by three-year loan guarantees for Israel given to Israel in 2003; Israel has used USD 4.9 billion of a total USD 9 billion.
The Bush administration has agreed to an Israel demand that a loan guarantee deal be extended by an additional three years, until 2011.

The Congress needs to approve the move.

Posted Aug 22, 2006 08:39 AM PST

M. Rivero
The simple math tells me that Israel has another 4.1 billion (with a b) dollars' worth of America's tax revenue to play with until 2011.
And notice that Israel has 'demanded' that the loan guarantee deal be extended by an additional 3 years, even though Congress must approve (which we know they will) the deal.

I have to wonder about what that money could do to improve the quality of life for our vets who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
===========

Billions of dollars going to the terrorist state of Israel while our vets get their benefits cut to the bone and the Katrina victims are still living in trailers.

Katrina rhetoric fails to calm growing storm
The harrowing scenes, reminiscent of a third world camp, exposed an urban, black underclass that appeared to have been abandoned, literally and metaphorically, by the wealthiest nation on earth. For a brief period, the US was shamed into a national debate about its racial and economic divisions.
President George W. Bush acknowledged the deep, persistent poverty experienced by many blacks and blamed it on a history of racial discrimination that cut off generations from the opportunity of America.

We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action, he said.

But 12 months later, the business-as-usual atmosphere at the refurbished convention centre demonstrates how quickly the issue of social justice has fallen off the national agenda.
============
Apparently social justice means using US taxpayer money to slaughter Israels neighbors.

Saladin,

And which side is it that hides among CIVILIANS so as to ensure the deaths of civilians in a conflict?

Yes, you know the answer! C'mon we're waiting with baited breath...

spy on this,

I see where you take issue about my call for the wholesale killing of Islamofascists who intend to destroy our very existence.

I also believe in the righteousness of killing Germans and Japanese in World War II. I also believe in killing the British and Hessians in the American Revolution. I also believe in the killing of Southerners during the Civil War.

Do you believe it was wrong to kill any of the above?

Or do these thoughts offend your tender sensibilities?

Are you weak, traitorous, cowardly, or all of the above?

Yeah!

DON'T try to go home! Do NOT attempt to re-build your town! You might get 'yerself blowed up by these nifty little unexploded devices we left behind...

Same as settin' a minefield, poisoning the wells...salting the ground so it can't be cultivated. It is murder, all of it, plain and simple.

-T

Tim the so-called conservative is an idiot with a severe case of tunnel vision, which is why I don't answer him.

Saladin,

To paraphrase (correctly) "Apparently social justice means using Iranian oil revenue to slaughter innocent Israelis."

And which country is it that is taking in BILLIONS of dollars a MONTH on oil revenue and sponsoring terror in Southern Lebanon.

Why Saladin YOU KNOW the answer! Let's hear it!

Saladin,

Uh, no. The reason you don't answer is that you don't want to be shown for the Hezbollah apologist that you are.

No Hajji, not when Israel, the chosen people of God, do it! When they tell you to stay the hell out of your own country, you better listen up. Now, if Lebanon were to move 30 KM to the south and tell the Israelis that they better just back off because if they get blown up by a cluster bombs it is their own fault, well then you will hear the banshee screams and wailing from the moon!

"baited breath?" What a perfect analogy! Rotten stinking bait breath. Get a dictionary dude.

Saladin,

And which country is it that has given back terrority and still been attacked?

C'mon, you are too modest! Please share the answer with us.

BUSH: IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com

President Bush was in the midst of explaining how the attacks of 9/11 inspired his freedom agenda and the attacks on Iraq until a reporter, Ken Herman of Cox News, interrupted to ask what Iraq had to do with 9/11. Nothing, Bush defiantly answered. To justify the war, Bush informed Congress on March 19, 2003 that acting against Iraq was consistent with continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.-ThinkProgress
==========
Another one of those bush non-lies. Question is, was he lying then, or is he lying now?

"Freedom Agenda." You know, the one where you agree to a virtual police state so king george can keep you safe from those mean, scary, conniving muslamiacs!

what. are you referring to this?:

It is now time to start killing them in large quantities.

Posted by: factchecker at August 13, 2006 11:41 PM

were you referring to islamo-fascists?
IIT = International Islamic Terror corp.
you should have made that clear on the 13th when you said it. instead you led us to believe that all lebanese will be considered to be terrorists unless they evacuate south lebanon so that the israeli cowards can move the border over to include the only source of fresh water in that region.

are you mighty just like tim the conservative? (see #84)

LOWERING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Ron Paul

As a medical doctor, I’∂e seen first-hand how bureaucratic red tape interferes with the doctor-patient relationship and drives costs higher. The current system of third-party payers takes decision-making away from doctors, leaving patients feeling rushed and worsening the quality of care. Yet health insurance premiums and drug costs keep rising. Clearly a new approach is needed. Congress needs to craft innovative legislation that makes health care more affordable without raising taxes or increasing the deficit. It also needs to repeal bad laws that keep health care costs higher than necessary.

The following are bills Congress should pass to reduce health care costs and leave more money in the pockets of families:

HR 3075 provides truly comprehensive health care reform by allowing families to claim a tax credit for the rising cost of health insurance premiums. With many families now spending close to $1000 or even more for their monthly premiums, they need real tax relief-- including a dollar-for-dollar credit for every cent they spend on health care premiums-- to make medical care more affordable.

HR 3076 is specifically designed to address the medical malpractice crisis that threatens to drive thousands of American doctors- especially obstetricians- out of business. The bill provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit that permits consumers to purchase "negative outcomes" insurance prior to undergoing surgery or other serious medical treatments. Negative outcomes insurance is a novel approach that guarantees those harmed receive fair compensation, while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system. Patients receive this insurance payout without having to endure lengthy lawsuits, and without having to give away a large portion of their award to a trial lawyer. This also drastically reduces the costs imposed on physicians and hospitals by malpractice litigation. Under HR 3076, individuals can purchase negative outcomes insurance at essentially no cost.

HR 3077 makes it more affordable for parents to provide health care for their children. It creates a $500 per child tax credit for medical expenses and prescription drugs that are not reimbursed by insurance. It also creates a $3,000 tax credit for dependent children with terminal illnesses, cancer, or disabilities. Parents who are struggling to pay for their children's medical care, especially when those children have serious health problems or special needs, need every extra dollar.

HR 3078 is commonsense, compassionate legislation for those suffering from cancer or other terminal illnesses. The sad reality is that many patients battling serious illnesses will never collect Social Security benefits-- yet they continue to pay into the Social Security system. When facing a medical crisis, those patients need every extra dollar to pay for medical care, travel, and family matters. HR 3078 waives the employee portion of Social Security payroll taxes (or self-employment taxes) for individuals with documented serious illnesses or cancer. It also suspends Social Security taxes for primary caregivers with a sick spouse or child. There is no justification or excuse for collecting Social Security taxes from sick individuals who literally are fighting for their lives.
============
Some good first steps.

Saladin,

O.K., ya got me on that one!

*************************************************
"What does the phrase..'waiting with baited breath' mean, and what is it's orgin?

It is "bated breath," as in holding your breath. From Merriam-Webster online:

Main Entry: 1bate
Pronunciation: 'bAt
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): batᥤ; batᩮg
Etymology: Middle English, short for abaten to abate
Date: 14th century
transitive senses
1 : to reduce the force or intensity of: RESTRAIN

*************************************************

Saladin,

But in my own defense: From www.phrases.org.uk

*************************************************
Baited breath

Meaning

Breathing that is subdued because of some emotion or difficulty that is being experienced.

Origin

Which is it - bated or baited? We have baited hooks and baited traps, but bated - what's that? Bated doesn't even seem to be a real word, where else do you hear it? Having said that 'baited breath' makes little sense either. How can breath be baited? With worms?

There seems little guidance in contemporary texts. Search in Google and you'll find about the same number of hits for 'baited breath' as 'bated breath' - around 100,000 each. In one of the best selling books of all time - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, (whose publisher could surely afford the services of a proof-reader), we have:

"The whole common room listened with baited breath."

As so often, help is found in the writings of the bard. The earliest citation of the phrase is from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1596:

"With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse."

Bated is just a shortened form of abated (meaning - to bring down, lower or depress). So, 'abated breath' makes sense and that's where the phrase comes from.

Geoffrey Taylor, in his little poem 'Cruel, Clever Cat', 1933, used the confusion over the word to good comic effect:

Sally, having swallowed cheese
Directs down holes the scented breeze
Enticing thus with baited breath
Nice mice to an untimely death.

*************************************************

It appears I'm in good company...

oh salting the fields and wells! i forgot all about that - what an effin cowardly tactic! only an israeli could've come up with such a cowardly tactic.
remember how brave the israeli bulldozer was when it ran over the cowardly rachel corrie and then backed up again to ensure that her cowardly life was exterminated?
remember how the brave israelis sneak attacked the evil uss liberty and then were protected by an equally brave neo-cover-up?

wow tim the conservative is dwelling on the importance of good oral hygiene! hooray for tim the well qualified judge of all things aeronautical conservative!

hey if there was an official photo of what we were told was an official tube of toothpaste, but there was no tube of toothpaste to be seen in the official photo, would it still be considered to be official?

The freedumb agenda

BAA bans all passengers' cosmetics

David Millward / London Telegraph | August 22 2006

Britain's main airport operator yesterday banned all cosmetics from passengers' hand luggage unless the items were bought at shops in the departure lounge.

Under the new restrictions, imposed by BAA, travellers are forbidden to take talcum powder, lipstick, eyeliner and mascara through security control.

These items had been exempted from the ban, while other cosmetics such as lip gloss had been banned from the start of the terrorist alert. The move was designed to end confusion, said a spokesman for BAA which owns Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.

Transatlantic passengers found their position unchanged with all cosmetics and liquids banned from the flight cabin, even if they were bought at duty free shops before boarding.

It emerged last night that the BAA directive was its interpretation of the instructions issued last week by the Department for Transport.

Some airports were taking a different line. Cardiff, for example, allowed passengers to take talcum powder, lipstick and eyeliner through security as long as they were X-rayed before being allowed into the departure lounge.

Birmingham airport's website said it was still allowing passengers to take lipstick on board. However, it explicitly banned gel-filled bras.
===========
Every self respecting muslamiac knows you can easily take talcum powder, lipstick, mascara, eyeliner and gel from your bra and make a powerful explosion in the airplane bathroom! Add a little baby milk and you could potentially blow up an entire city!

I intend to write a paper and submit it for peer review entitled "Great Explosive Materials In A Pinch!"

Looks like a spokesman for the reich has all the info on BAIT but little else, ho hum, yawn! scroll, scroll.

Sal, it looks like a business BOOM for the food providers of the airlines. I wonder how long it will take them to start selling toiletries and other banned items to folks on those looooong trans-oceanic flights.

Normally I would just ignore troll comments, but I couldn't resist that one, it was just SO perfect! Baiting breath, baited with bait most would avoid. HAHAHAHA!

Thanks for proving my point Tim

DEN, they say A-OKAY to cosmetics bought from airport shops! Glory be to the free market!

BOOM! ha ha! that one is worthy of the official 9/11 comic book.

the Dr. Pepper Bandits! starring Keanu Reeves and Charlie Sheen. coming to a theatre near you.

What if someone had an oxygen tank? Will they make them leave that behind?

I will post this again in case anyone missed it from the proir thread:

Dear Dennis,

Many times I have asked for your help, and you've come through every time. Never before have I asked for your help on a matter of life and death. Before one more child is tortured, before one more woman is raped, we must urge President Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Sudan began a genocide against tribes of small farmers in its Darfur region three years ago. Militia groups backed by the Sudanese government have slaughtered an estimated 400,000 people and driven 2.5 million people from their homes. U.N. troops are on their way, but will take at least five more months to arrive in Darfur. NATO forces -- if the U.S. stepped up to moral leadership -- could end the conflict immediately.

Tell George Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force for Darfur NOW.

America was once trusted and respected around the world. People around the globe expected us to provide moral leadership and inspiration to make their lives better. It's no secret that our reputation has been tarnished over the past six years. The Bush Administration put our country's military strength and vast resources behind a reckless war in Iraq and turned a blind eye to people around the world that desperately needed our help. The U.S. military's unique assets -- our airlift capabilities, logistical support and intelligence operations -- can and must be used to assist NATO peacekeeping in Darfur.

The Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of over 100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations, has already sent one million postcards to President Bush asking for the immediate deployment of a robust peacekeeping mission. Clearly, many, many more voices are needed to get his attention -- we cannot allow the Bush Administration to stand by for five more months while thousands of civilians are dying in Darfur every month.

In May, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel called Darfur "the capital of suffering." He called on all of us to "tell the victims they are not alone." And just last week a senior United Nations official alerted the Security Council that Sudan seems to be preparing a significant military operation in the Darfur region that will leave aid workers increasingly in danger and hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

Please speak up for them and urge President Bush to take quick and decisive action.

Tell George Bush to lead the effort to create a NATO force for Darfur NOW.

The people of Darfur cannot wait five more months for U.N. troops to arrive. At the current rate of violence and destruction, another 30,000 civilians will die and another 300,000 people will become refugees over the next five months. In addition, as the international community stands by, violence and chaos is spreading to neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic. More than 100 Chadians were hacked to death in a single incident earlier this year.

I admire the African Union troops stationed in Darfur. They have done their jobs courageously and deserve the world's gratitude. But they need help. The African Union peacekeeping troops, which number just 7,000, have been unable to protect civilians or enforce a 2004 ceasefire. In the meantime, security has deteriorated dramatically.

At a time when the world is questioning U.S. sincerity and motives, what better way for the Bush Administration to show that we still believe in human rights and still have the moral authority to lead, than to step up and do our part to stop the genocide in Darfur? Tens of thousands of lives hang in the balance. So does our nation's moral credibility.

The time to act is now.

Thank you,

John Edwards

P.S. We need to raise every voice possible against the genocide in Darfur. Please forward this message to friends and family and urge them to contact President Bush immediately.

SIGN HERE

Sal, Think about this, Young suicidal Arab puts explosive chemicals into innocent lotion bottle, inserts the lotion bottle(with detonator in the cap) in the checked baggage. Halfway accross the ocean presses a single speed dial number on a cell phone and BOOM!

What could have been done to stop the event?

“Reich does have a point. The Dems should not go overboard with Bush payback."

I like many posters on this site do not necessarily believe the GOP will lose their majority. The dirty tricks of the modern political season (not to mention Diebold) have not even begun yet and the "liberal" media is already trying to scare us all into "staying the course". If bye some miracle the democrats where to take back the house or senate or both, they should do what the constitution mandates them to do, follow the law, provide oversight, politics be dammed. Maybe if Bu$chco were held accountable for some of their misadventures, they just might "change course" and actually prevail in Iraq. But maybe not.

It's funny how they are always spouting off that "eventually the truth will comes out!" when they are referring to their wild conspiracies, but when the truth ACTUALLY DOES COMES OUT, they are STRANGELY SILENT

- tim the ironically silent conservative

#7 Capt "Since when has justice become political payback?" Such a great point.

Reich is wrong.
He needs to get out and talk to some "common" folk. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike are terrified by the direction of this country under the reign of the Bush administration. They are also very pissed off about being lied to about Weapons of Mass Destruction by everyone in the Bush administration.

The Democrats need to figure out a way to constructively harness that righteous anger and come down hard, and in a level headed way on this Republican controlled congress that has not held one person or the Office of Special plans accountable for the LIES that are the direct reason for the tens of thousands of lives that are no longer.

TAKE THIS GROUP OF RADICALS OUT BY DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY....

AMERICANS ARE READY TO WITNESS THIS GROUP OF PATHOLOGICAL LIARS/KILLERS WIPED OUT BY A DEMOCRATIC TIDAL WAVE. ( There are tons of Republicans who will be voting for Congressman Ted STricland for Governor of Ohio). All Republicans are not radicals

STAYING THE COURSE OF COURSE!
- bushco '08

#111

Looks like Dufar is not the only problem.

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
27 January 2006

A top U.N. official is warning that action must be taken to prevent conflicts in several African countries from turning into genocide. Juan Mendez tells VOA the situation is particularly dangerious in Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda, and Sudan's conflict-ridden province of Darfur.

Juan Mendez is special adviser to the U.N. Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. He visited Darfur in October 2004 and in September 2005. He says that although the international community has never determined whether genocide actually occurred in Darfur, he has no doubt that war crimes have already been comitted there, and he does not rule out the possibility that Sudanese-backed militia are intent on exterminating a whole race of people in Darfur.

"The situation is very tense and very complicated and all the elements that could lead to genocide are very much in place in Darfur today. So, the task of preventing genocide is by no means complete," he said.

Mendez says early warnings of a genocide include the spread of religious intolerance, racism and xenophobia. He says his job is to monitor countries to see whether these signs are present and to issue warnings to the world community to prevent genocide.

Besides the Darfur region of Sudan, Mendez says another danger area is the Ivory Coast, where there are signs of growing intolerance against immigrants. The intolerance extends even to people who have been born in the country, but are not considered true Ivorians.

"The problem as well is that the tension is so high and there are armed militias and there is extensive hate speech, all of which creates a situation of tension that can quickly derive into mass violence and mass violence in which these so-called non-Ivorians are at risk," he said.

Mendez says he is also keeping close watch on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has a long history of mass slaughter.

"That is the one factor that every expert says is something to look at. When a country has experience with genocide or genocide situations, you look particularly at it to prevent things from happening again. In the DRC, the problems right now are happening in the eastern part and they by in large involve armed militias and guerrillas and armed movements. But, in an important way, it affects the civilian population in that area."

U.N. genocide expert Mendez says other countries of concern include northern Uganda, Myanmar, West Papua in Indonesia, Central Asia and the Caucuses and Colombia, where, he says, indigenous populations are at risk of extinction.

i have water and cans of beans stored up in case the democrats take over!

David Corn, crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted. Period. Congress needs investigations to help determine if new or different laws are required. So while moving forward, we hope, it is also necessary to clean up. I've HAD ENOUGH and I am sure I am far from alone in this.

Briefly, I do not agree with that involuted inside-the-beltway attitude!

The Democrats need to ride this Tidal Wave with a focus on accountability.. They should not be Bushcocky.

CLEVELAND -- A SurveyUSA poll taken this past weekend shows Democrat Ted Strickland has widened his lead in his race against Republican Ken Blackwell.
Strickland, currently representing Ohio's 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, gets 57 percent of the vote. Blackwell, currently Ohio Secretary of State, gets 35 percent.

Compared to an identical SurveyUSA tracking poll released two months ago, Strickland is up four points, Blackwell is down two.

More take-aways:

Strickland had led by 16, today leads by 22.

Among males, Strickland had led by 4, now 15.

Among younger voters, Blackwell had been tied, now trails by 35.

Twenty-two percent of Republicans cross over to vote for Democrat Strickland; only 6% of Democrats crossover and vote for Republican Blackwell.

Independents break 5:2 for Strickland.

Conservatives vote overwhelmingly for Blackwell, but Strickland leads among moderates 7:2.

Incumbent Republican Governor Bob Taft is term-limited. The seat is open. The election is in 13 weeks, on 11/7/2006.

Remind me to steer clear of your place when those beans start going off! YIPES!

Generally, the airline provides (online -- no code sharing services allowed) inflight oxygen service for passengers requiring supplemental oxygen -- regs differ somewhat, but the passenger is required to give 2 business days' notice that inflight oxygen is needed. A passenger cannot bring on his/her own tank(s) -- there was a time when that was possible, but that changed quite a while ago. There is a fee.

Speaking of going, I must be. Shift change @ the asylum.

crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted -- Yes, as long as they stick with crimes and not go off on tangents and wildgoose chases for payback.

no need to steer clear DEN. since the democrats are in no danger of taking over, the cans of beans that i have stored up will not have to be employed.