Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Full Court Press
First Cheney and now Bush push back against allegations that our tactics in the war on terror violate human rights. Specifically, both of our dear leaders reject the notion that our little gulag down in Cuba is a problem. Today Bush stood in the Rose Garden and called allegations that we're violating human rights, "'absurd'" and characterized those making the claims as "people who hate America." Thinking that if he repeated the absurd claim more than once it would stick Bush said, "It's absurd. It's an absurd allegation. The United States is a country that promotes freedom around the world." Just to show how divorced from reality Bush is, he went on to say this about the conviction of Russian oil baron Mikhail Khodorkovsky
First Cheney and now Bush push back against allegations that our tactics in the war on terror violate human rights. Specifically, both of our dear leaders reject the notion that our little gulag down in Cuba is a problem. Today Bush stood in the Rose Garden and called allegations that we're violating human rights, "'absurd'" and characterized those making the claims as "people who hate America." Thinking that if he repeated the absurd claim more than once it would stick Bush said, "It's absurd. It's an absurd allegation. The United States is a country that promotes freedom around the world." Just to show how divorced from reality Bush is, he went on to say this about the conviction of Russian oil baron Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Here, you're innocent until proven guilty and it appeared to us, at least people in my administration, that it looked like he had been ajudged guilty prior to having a fair trial.Apparently the irony of what he'd just said was lost on Bush and those writing his remarks. I'm still trying to figure out how Bush can in the same event criticize organizations for calling our detaining hundreds of people without a trial and without access to anything that remotely resembles due process a violation of human rights and then criticize another government for arresting and putting on trial a Russian oil tycoon, no matter how "unfair" that trial was. Just another day in the twilight zone that is the Bush administration.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Georgie's Lies, Blood, and Blame.
The Star Tribune up in Minneapolis has a little editorial that takes exception to Georgie's little war in Iraq. While Minnesota has been "liberal" for quite a while, they aren't the uber-urbanized kind place that New York, or New Jersey, or Massachusetts, or... are. The Star Tribune does blame the American public a bit, but then realizes that Georgie & Co. lied through their teeth and thus the American public really aren't to blame. It is however, a wake up call to the American public. If we let Georgie & Co. continue we're to blame. We let them lie to us in 2002 and we keep letting them lie to us.
Meanwhile another 65 members of the U.S. military have been named dead in Iraq with another seven reported dead. This makes May the deadliest month this year since Jan. I'm sure that number will increase as the reports coming out of Iraq are grim. Unless we put an end to Bush's lies the blood of everyone of the dead are on our hands.
The Star Tribune up in Minneapolis has a little editorial that takes exception to Georgie's little war in Iraq. While Minnesota has been "liberal" for quite a while, they aren't the uber-urbanized kind place that New York, or New Jersey, or Massachusetts, or... are. The Star Tribune does blame the American public a bit, but then realizes that Georgie & Co. lied through their teeth and thus the American public really aren't to blame. It is however, a wake up call to the American public. If we let Georgie & Co. continue we're to blame. We let them lie to us in 2002 and we keep letting them lie to us.
In the case of Iraq, the American public has failed them; we did not prevent the Bush administration from spending their blood in an unnecessary war based on contrived concerns about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. President Bush and those around him lied, and the rest of us let them. Harsh? Yes. True? Also yes. Perhaps it happened because Americans, understandably, don't expect untruths from those in power. But that works better as an explanation than as an excuse.It's good to see the media taking sides and calling Bush & Co. to account. As Hunter S. Thompson said just after Nixon's death, "It was the built-in spots of the Objective rules and dogma [of the media] that allowed Nixon to slither into the White House in the first place." Today we have a President that gamed the system so he could swagger through the doors not once but twice. The second tiime claiming a mandate where none exists. Bush is our Nixon. Only worse because Bush & Co. have learned from Nixon and thus are able to game the system all that much more. The consequences will be all that much more tragic unless we all tune in stop Bush from taking us down into the abyss of banality that Georgie & Co. seem intent on dragging us.
Meanwhile another 65 members of the U.S. military have been named dead in Iraq with another seven reported dead. This makes May the deadliest month this year since Jan. I'm sure that number will increase as the reports coming out of Iraq are grim. Unless we put an end to Bush's lies the blood of everyone of the dead are on our hands.
Friday, May 27, 2005
The Battle for Baghdad
Reuters.com reports that Iraqi and U.S. forces are poised to launch an offensive to re-take the streets of Baghdad. Iraqi "Defense Minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi said 40,000 Iraqi troops would be deployed in Baghdad for Operation Thunder, the biggest Iraqi military operation since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Backed by the 10,000 U.S. troops in Baghdad, they will set up hundreds of checkpoints and block roads into the capital." Now I'm a little confused at this since I distinctly remember George Bush saying something at some press confernce on some air craft carrier about how the military mission was "accomplished" or something like that. If that really was the case, and who can tell with George Bush since it's all just carefully focus grouped babble, it makes this Crank wonder why we need some 50,000 troops to secure the streets of Baghdad. I do hope "Operation Thunder" is able to finally secure the road to the Baghdad airport. Of course, as everyone knows thunder doesn't really have any effect, it's the lightening you have to watch out for. Which means that for all its sound and fury "Operation Thunder" most likely won't have much of an effect on taming the streets of Baghdad. The solution to the Iraqi violence isn't more violence.
Reuters.com reports that Iraqi and U.S. forces are poised to launch an offensive to re-take the streets of Baghdad. Iraqi "Defense Minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi said 40,000 Iraqi troops would be deployed in Baghdad for Operation Thunder, the biggest Iraqi military operation since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Backed by the 10,000 U.S. troops in Baghdad, they will set up hundreds of checkpoints and block roads into the capital." Now I'm a little confused at this since I distinctly remember George Bush saying something at some press confernce on some air craft carrier about how the military mission was "accomplished" or something like that. If that really was the case, and who can tell with George Bush since it's all just carefully focus grouped babble, it makes this Crank wonder why we need some 50,000 troops to secure the streets of Baghdad. I do hope "Operation Thunder" is able to finally secure the road to the Baghdad airport. Of course, as everyone knows thunder doesn't really have any effect, it's the lightening you have to watch out for. Which means that for all its sound and fury "Operation Thunder" most likely won't have much of an effect on taming the streets of Baghdad. The solution to the Iraqi violence isn't more violence.
Oh What a Relief!
Really, I'm sure this news makes everything ok. The New York Times reports that a "military inquiry has uncovered five instances in which guards or interrogators at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba mishandled the Koran, but found 'no credible evidence' to substantiate claims that it was ever flushed down a toilet." I guess as long as the Koran wasn't flushed down the toliet that Newsweek still owes the Bush Admin. a big apology. But really, the substance of the Bush outrage at the Newsweek story was that the White House took exception to the idea that the U.S. military had done anything offensive with the Koran. I'm waiting for the non-apology apology in which some Pentagon PR hack comes out and says "we're sorry if anyone was offended by our actions. In fact, Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon spokesman comes very close to the non-apology apology at a news conference when he said:
Really, I'm sure this news makes everything ok. The New York Times reports that a "military inquiry has uncovered five instances in which guards or interrogators at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba mishandled the Koran, but found 'no credible evidence' to substantiate claims that it was ever flushed down a toilet." I guess as long as the Koran wasn't flushed down the toliet that Newsweek still owes the Bush Admin. a big apology. But really, the substance of the Bush outrage at the Newsweek story was that the White House took exception to the idea that the U.S. military had done anything offensive with the Koran. I'm waiting for the non-apology apology in which some Pentagon PR hack comes out and says "we're sorry if anyone was offended by our actions. In fact, Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon spokesman comes very close to the non-apology apology at a news conference when he said:
"We're in an environment where people react to impressions.So according to Di Rita, what matters isn't what we do or don't do with the Koran as long as the impression is ok. This sounds like the same logic Rummy used when he declared that the problem with the abuse and torture at Abu Ghraib isn't that it happened, but that there were people with digital cameras taking pictures. And so we sink ever deeper into the banality of evil.
And so what we're trying to make sure people understand is that the impression they ought to have is that the guards, the interrogators, the command down there have been extraordinarily cautious, and yet there have been instances where inadvertent mishandling has occurred or other types of mishandling,"
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Oopps.....
Yahoo! News reports that an FBI report obtained by the ACLU reads in part: "About five months ago, the guards beat the detainees. They flushed a Koran in the toilet,' the FBI agent wrote." This is the summary of an FBI agent's investigation of what's going on down at our little camp in Cuba. I wonder if the White House will be issuing a re-traction of their "Newsweek is bad" story. Really though I'm not holding my breath for a retraction.
Yahoo! News reports that an FBI report obtained by the ACLU reads in part: "About five months ago, the guards beat the detainees. They flushed a Koran in the toilet,' the FBI agent wrote." This is the summary of an FBI agent's investigation of what's going on down at our little camp in Cuba. I wonder if the White House will be issuing a re-traction of their "Newsweek is bad" story. Really though I'm not holding my breath for a retraction.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Smells Like Victory.
Yep, it sure looks like we've got the insurgents in Iraq on the run. ABC News reports,
"Some day this war's gonna end....." And when it does there's gonna be hell to pay.
Yep, it sure looks like we've got the insurgents in Iraq on the run. ABC News reports,
A car bomb exploded next to a U.S. Army convoy in Baghdad on Tuesday, killing three soldiers, while another American died in a drive-by shooting a half-hour later. Their deaths pushed the number of U.S. troops killed in three days to 14, part of a surge in attacks that have also killed about 60 Iraqis.Part of the recent upsurge in U.S. deaths is the result of our joint campaign with the Iraqi Police and National Guard to re-take Baghdad from the insurgants. It's just not U.S. soliders taking fire. The BBC reports that over the weekend at least eleven Iraqi commandos were killed in two separate incidents on Saturday. Remember, commandos are the highly trained ones and if they're not faring so well against the insurgents then things aren't going well at all. All of this should remind us that all of that talk coming from George Bush & Co. during the election about how thousands upon thousands of Iraqi police and soliders had been trained and equipped to a high level was nothing more than talk. Ohh...and apparently in Tal Afar in the northern part of Iraq the insurgents have taken control and/or there is widespread fighting between Shiite and Sunni militias. Now that we've finished with the "up is down" silliness in the Senate (errr...sorry I mean the "up or down") maybe, just maybe the major media in the U.S. will remember that we're losing a solider or marine a day in Iraqi and it isn't because of some Newsweek article.
"Some day this war's gonna end....." And when it does there's gonna be hell to pay.
Monday, May 23, 2005
This Battle Isn't New: The Filibustering of Judicial Nominations
Sarah Binder of the Brookings Institute has a nice piece on the whole filibuster issue. This Battle Isn't New: The Filibustering of Judicial Nominations Read it.
Sarah Binder of the Brookings Institute has a nice piece on the whole filibuster issue. This Battle Isn't New: The Filibustering of Judicial Nominations Read it.
Friday, May 20, 2005
News You Might Have Missed.
According to the Bush Admin. the economy is just great. Yet, according to The Economic Policy Institute (EPI),
And people still think Republicans are good for the economy.
According to the Bush Admin. the economy is just great. Yet, according to The Economic Policy Institute (EPI),
Since the beginning of this recovery (November 2001), the unemployment rate has averaged 5.7%, varying between 5.2% and 6.3%, with the average share of long-termers at 20.4%. Historically, when unemployment rates have averaged 5.7%, the average share of the long-term unemployed was only 12.3%.Amazing what happens when you look past the headlines. Many of those folks unemployed for more than six months have stopped looking for work and thus aren't counted in the unemployment figures. EPI published a nice little graphic to illustrate the problem.
And people still think Republicans are good for the economy.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...
That noise you've been hearing is the brain drain starting up in earnest. The New York Times reports that South Korean scientist have streamlined the cloning of human embroys. Reactions among stem cell researchers in the U.S. was very positive, "'It is a tremendous advance,' said Dr. Leonard Zon, a stem cell researcher at Harvard Medical School and president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, who was not involved in the research." Unfortunately not everyone agrees, "Dr. Leon Kass, chairman of the President's Council on Bioethics, said in an e-mail message that "whatever its technical merit, this research is morally troubling'." I guess that means no meaningful stem research will be happening in the U.S. anytime soon if Bush & Co. have their way. Remember these are the same "culture of life" people who support the death penalty, research into bunker busting nuclear bombs, and who came up with those innovative interrogation (torture) tactics for the War on Terror. None of which Dr. Kass has come out publicly and declared "morally troubling."
While there are serious ethical issues to consider with the science of human cloning, the bury our heads in the sand approach taken by the Bushies doesn't bode well for the future of science in the U.S. If this keeps up we'll not only be exporting heavy industrial jobs, but high tech jobs as well. Shucks...let's ban the production of or research into computer technologies that could possibly be used in stem cell research while we're at it. Or maybe we should just ditch all that research from the human genome project. Heck, let's just ditch the last hundred years or so of science while we're at it. I have a few scientific advances I'd like to see disappear starting with the atomic bomb because I find that little scientific advancement "morally troubling." Or maybe napalm or maybe plastic explosives or maybe...but research that might cure cancer or asthma or lupus or...? In fact I find the refusal to fund such research "morally troubling."
[Up Date 2:11 PM EST 05-20-05] Georgie joins the fray saying, "I've made it very clear... the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that."
And speaking of bill that would increase the number of cell lines eligible for federal funding, Georgie said,
"If the bill does that, I will veto it."
As a friend said recently, "It's telling about Georgie's character the kinds of things he remains steadfast about."
That noise you've been hearing is the brain drain starting up in earnest. The New York Times reports that South Korean scientist have streamlined the cloning of human embroys. Reactions among stem cell researchers in the U.S. was very positive, "'It is a tremendous advance,' said Dr. Leonard Zon, a stem cell researcher at Harvard Medical School and president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, who was not involved in the research." Unfortunately not everyone agrees, "Dr. Leon Kass, chairman of the President's Council on Bioethics, said in an e-mail message that "whatever its technical merit, this research is morally troubling'." I guess that means no meaningful stem research will be happening in the U.S. anytime soon if Bush & Co. have their way. Remember these are the same "culture of life" people who support the death penalty, research into bunker busting nuclear bombs, and who came up with those innovative interrogation (torture) tactics for the War on Terror. None of which Dr. Kass has come out publicly and declared "morally troubling."
While there are serious ethical issues to consider with the science of human cloning, the bury our heads in the sand approach taken by the Bushies doesn't bode well for the future of science in the U.S. If this keeps up we'll not only be exporting heavy industrial jobs, but high tech jobs as well. Shucks...let's ban the production of or research into computer technologies that could possibly be used in stem cell research while we're at it. Or maybe we should just ditch all that research from the human genome project. Heck, let's just ditch the last hundred years or so of science while we're at it. I have a few scientific advances I'd like to see disappear starting with the atomic bomb because I find that little scientific advancement "morally troubling." Or maybe napalm or maybe plastic explosives or maybe...but research that might cure cancer or asthma or lupus or...? In fact I find the refusal to fund such research "morally troubling."
[Up Date 2:11 PM EST 05-20-05] Georgie joins the fray saying, "I've made it very clear... the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that."
And speaking of bill that would increase the number of cell lines eligible for federal funding, Georgie said,
"If the bill does that, I will veto it."
As a friend said recently, "It's telling about Georgie's character the kinds of things he remains steadfast about."
Fall of Saigon, Part III or is it IV or....?
On the same day that the New York Times reports that U.S. military officials admit that maybe, just maybe they were wrong when they "concluded" that we had turned the corner a few weeks ago comes these bits of good news from the "front." PolitInfo.com reports more violence, "a senior oil ministry official was shot and killed outside his home in Baghdad, Thursday." This is in addition to a report that Brigadier General Ibrahim Khamas, a senior interior ministry official, was gunned down on Wednesday. One of the most troubling aspects of the NYT piece is this little bit about the effectiveness of all those Iraqi troops that Rove & Co. claimed were trained and ready for "combat."
Meanwhile the Senate continues to do the bidding of "Dr." Dobson, because, you know, we don't have any more pressing issues at hand. This whole filibuster "up or down vote" silliness is nothing more than a ruse (although a ruse with serious consequences) to distract the rest of us from a failing policy in Iraq, the fact that the Bush Admin. took us to war in Iraq on a fantasy of WMD and links to Osama Bin Laden (remeber him?), the failure of the Bush Admin. to deal with a nuclear North Korea, an economy that really isn't producing jobs (let alone good paying jobs), a deficit that is balloning out of control, a tax code that is being increasingly skewed to favor the idle rich instead of workers, etc. As long as the "up or down" vote silliness is sucking up airtime and column space there's little room to report on the fact that Iraq is still drowning in violence, that North Korea may be on the verge of testing a nuclear weapon, that more and more Americans don't have health insurance, etc.
On the same day that the New York Times reports that U.S. military officials admit that maybe, just maybe they were wrong when they "concluded" that we had turned the corner a few weeks ago comes these bits of good news from the "front." PolitInfo.com reports more violence, "a senior oil ministry official was shot and killed outside his home in Baghdad, Thursday." This is in addition to a report that Brigadier General Ibrahim Khamas, a senior interior ministry official, was gunned down on Wednesday. One of the most troubling aspects of the NYT piece is this little bit about the effectiveness of all those Iraqi troops that Rove & Co. claimed were trained and ready for "combat."
the buildup of Iraqi forces has been more disappointing than previously acknowledged, contributing to the absence of any Iraqi forces when a 1,000-member Marine battle group mounted an offensive last week against insurgent strongholds in the northwestern desert, along the border with Syria.
Meanwhile the Senate continues to do the bidding of "Dr." Dobson, because, you know, we don't have any more pressing issues at hand. This whole filibuster "up or down vote" silliness is nothing more than a ruse (although a ruse with serious consequences) to distract the rest of us from a failing policy in Iraq, the fact that the Bush Admin. took us to war in Iraq on a fantasy of WMD and links to Osama Bin Laden (remeber him?), the failure of the Bush Admin. to deal with a nuclear North Korea, an economy that really isn't producing jobs (let alone good paying jobs), a deficit that is balloning out of control, a tax code that is being increasingly skewed to favor the idle rich instead of workers, etc. As long as the "up or down" vote silliness is sucking up airtime and column space there's little room to report on the fact that Iraq is still drowning in violence, that North Korea may be on the verge of testing a nuclear weapon, that more and more Americans don't have health insurance, etc.
Saturday, May 14, 2005
God and Policy
Here's a little reminder of the kinds of people Georgie Bush and the Radical Republicans are putting in policy making roles. Dr. Hager is a Bush appointee to the FDA's Advisory Committee on Reproductive Health Drugs. He played a key role in the rejection of Barr Laboratories application to sell its Plan B morning after pill over the counter. In a sermon at Asbury College in Kentucky last fall Dr. Hager boasted, "'I argued it from a scientific perspective, and God took that information and he used it through this minority report to influence the decision. Once again, what Satan meant for evil, God turned into good.'" It's good to know that medical decisions are being made by people who speak to "god." The Nation has a nice piece on Dr. Hager, his role in killing Plan B, and allegations that he sexually abused his ex-wife. If the allegations are true, it just shows how much Dr. Hager respects women. Not to discount the allegations of sexual abuse, but Dr. Hager's repeated statements about the role his religious beliefs play in his medical decisions alone should be reason enough for the man to be removed from the FDA panel. Hager, the Nation notes, is "a member of Focus on the Family's Physician Resource Council" and we all know what a mainstream organization Focus on the Family is. Hager clearly sees himself as a Christian Crusader at the FDA. During the very same Asbury speech he told his audience, a" war being waged against Christians, particularly evangelical Christians. It wasn't my scientific record that came under scrutiny [at the FDA]. It was my faith.... By making myself available, God has used me to stand in the breach." By his own admission, Hager is letting his particular version of religious faith influence his "scientific" work and dictate the decisions he makes about the medical care available to Americans. For anyone with any kind of medical condition (and this means all of us) this is a scary proposition. Medical ethics is one thing. Using a particular interpretation of a particular religion that not everyone in this country is an adherent of to make medical and scientific decisions is another thing altogether.
The appointment of people like Dr. Hager by George Bush is reason enough for every American who cares about democracy, the Constitution, and its principles to stand up and resist any attempt to do away with the filibuster in the Senate. The prospect of filibuster free Senate and giving George Bush a free hand in making appointments to the federal bench, the FDA, the diplomatic corps, etc. is frightening. Compassionate Conservatism is nothing more than a classic example of bait and switch. It is nothing more than a focused-group advertising jingle. Today it’s Plan B. Today it’s attacks on the teaching of evolution in Kansas. Tomorrow it will be religious tests for holding public office. Tomorrow it will open discrimination against those who don’t hold the same religious beliefs as those in power. It is clear that people like Dr. Hager, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy (head of Coral Ridge Ministries), and others have no interest in freedom or democracy. We’re heading down a dark road unless people of conscience stand up and say no. Our little experiment in democracy, freedom, and religious tolerance is being hijacked by people who don’t believe that political power emanates from the people but rather believe that it comes from “god.” D. James Kennedy has told his “flock” that
Here's a little reminder of the kinds of people Georgie Bush and the Radical Republicans are putting in policy making roles. Dr. Hager is a Bush appointee to the FDA's Advisory Committee on Reproductive Health Drugs. He played a key role in the rejection of Barr Laboratories application to sell its Plan B morning after pill over the counter. In a sermon at Asbury College in Kentucky last fall Dr. Hager boasted, "'I argued it from a scientific perspective, and God took that information and he used it through this minority report to influence the decision. Once again, what Satan meant for evil, God turned into good.'" It's good to know that medical decisions are being made by people who speak to "god." The Nation has a nice piece on Dr. Hager, his role in killing Plan B, and allegations that he sexually abused his ex-wife. If the allegations are true, it just shows how much Dr. Hager respects women. Not to discount the allegations of sexual abuse, but Dr. Hager's repeated statements about the role his religious beliefs play in his medical decisions alone should be reason enough for the man to be removed from the FDA panel. Hager, the Nation notes, is "a member of Focus on the Family's Physician Resource Council" and we all know what a mainstream organization Focus on the Family is. Hager clearly sees himself as a Christian Crusader at the FDA. During the very same Asbury speech he told his audience, a" war being waged against Christians, particularly evangelical Christians. It wasn't my scientific record that came under scrutiny [at the FDA]. It was my faith.... By making myself available, God has used me to stand in the breach." By his own admission, Hager is letting his particular version of religious faith influence his "scientific" work and dictate the decisions he makes about the medical care available to Americans. For anyone with any kind of medical condition (and this means all of us) this is a scary proposition. Medical ethics is one thing. Using a particular interpretation of a particular religion that not everyone in this country is an adherent of to make medical and scientific decisions is another thing altogether.
The appointment of people like Dr. Hager by George Bush is reason enough for every American who cares about democracy, the Constitution, and its principles to stand up and resist any attempt to do away with the filibuster in the Senate. The prospect of filibuster free Senate and giving George Bush a free hand in making appointments to the federal bench, the FDA, the diplomatic corps, etc. is frightening. Compassionate Conservatism is nothing more than a classic example of bait and switch. It is nothing more than a focused-group advertising jingle. Today it’s Plan B. Today it’s attacks on the teaching of evolution in Kansas. Tomorrow it will be religious tests for holding public office. Tomorrow it will open discrimination against those who don’t hold the same religious beliefs as those in power. It is clear that people like Dr. Hager, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy (head of Coral Ridge Ministries), and others have no interest in freedom or democracy. We’re heading down a dark road unless people of conscience stand up and say no. Our little experiment in democracy, freedom, and religious tolerance is being hijacked by people who don’t believe that political power emanates from the people but rather believe that it comes from “god.” D. James Kennedy has told his “flock” that
Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. [. . .] As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society.So much for religious tolerance. So much for privacy. So much for life, liberty, and justice for all. So much for the principles upon which this country was founded upon (no matter how much we’ve struggled to live up to those ideals over the years). In their attempt to “save” America and transform it into an evangelical Christian nation, George Bush and his masters are destroying it. Their vision for America is not a place I want to live in. The easy route is to emigrate to Canada or Europe, but I’m going to stay and fight. They can have my civil rights, liberties, and freedoms when they pry them from my cold dead hands.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
The Fruits of Georgie's Iraq Adventure
BBC News reports that the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has concluded that "Drug smugglers exploiting internal chaos in Iraq have turned the country into a transit route for Afghan heroin." Apparently Iraq has become a trans shipment point where herion and a range of other drugs find their way into Jordan and then Europe. I'm sure this is exactly what Big Daddy, Georgie, Rummy, et al had in mind when they decided to invade. Of course, you'll never see Georgie talking about how Iraq has become a haven for drug smugglers because he still apparently believes that Iraq is "mission accomplished." Just like that hunt for Osama.
BBC News reports that the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has concluded that "Drug smugglers exploiting internal chaos in Iraq have turned the country into a transit route for Afghan heroin." Apparently Iraq has become a trans shipment point where herion and a range of other drugs find their way into Jordan and then Europe. I'm sure this is exactly what Big Daddy, Georgie, Rummy, et al had in mind when they decided to invade. Of course, you'll never see Georgie talking about how Iraq has become a haven for drug smugglers because he still apparently believes that Iraq is "mission accomplished." Just like that hunt for Osama.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
With Allies Like This
Just a few months after the Bushies decided to sell Pakistan F-16 fighter jets comes this bit of news, "Pakistan and China have agreed to co-produce a new JF-17 fighter aircraft." Yep, George Bush knows what he's doing.
Just a few months after the Bushies decided to sell Pakistan F-16 fighter jets comes this bit of news, "Pakistan and China have agreed to co-produce a new JF-17 fighter aircraft." Yep, George Bush knows what he's doing.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Marines Recall Body Armor
Somewhere in the back of my mind I vaguely remember a bunch of Republicans, including Georgie himself, vowing during the 2004 election that they would give the troops every thing they needed and would make sure they got the best of the best. Guess that was just another lie. Reuters.com reports, "The U.S. Marine Corps has recalled body armor given to thousands of troops fighting in Iraq because of questions about whether it offers adequate protection, officials said on Monday." Apparently, "The Marines acknowledged providing the vests to troops after signing waivers permitting their use, despite the fact that the equipment did not meet certain minimum standards." A rush to war, making up "evidence," failure to think about the aftermath of invading a country based on made up evidence, and now giving the troops sub-standard equuipment, it just keeps getting worse and worse. Back during the 2000 election Bush promised to bring character back to the White House. That pledge like so many of his campaign pledges was nothing more than a focus grouped bit of rhetoric.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I vaguely remember a bunch of Republicans, including Georgie himself, vowing during the 2004 election that they would give the troops every thing they needed and would make sure they got the best of the best. Guess that was just another lie. Reuters.com reports, "The U.S. Marine Corps has recalled body armor given to thousands of troops fighting in Iraq because of questions about whether it offers adequate protection, officials said on Monday." Apparently, "The Marines acknowledged providing the vests to troops after signing waivers permitting their use, despite the fact that the equipment did not meet certain minimum standards." A rush to war, making up "evidence," failure to think about the aftermath of invading a country based on made up evidence, and now giving the troops sub-standard equuipment, it just keeps getting worse and worse. Back during the 2000 election Bush promised to bring character back to the White House. That pledge like so many of his campaign pledges was nothing more than a focus grouped bit of rhetoric.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Under New Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, Food Stamps May Be Reduced
Always looking for a way to fuck the poor, the Radical Republicans have decided to reduce food stamp benefits for those enrolling in the new Medicare prescription drug plan. According to a document being circulated by the Administration, "You may qualify for extra help paying for your Medicare prescription drug costs." This sounds great until you get to this nice little bit, “If you qualify for extra help, your food stamp benefits may decline.” Elderly and poor Americans will still be choosing between medicine and food under the brave leadership of Georgie Bush. So much for making the lives of Americans better; the Radical Republican shell game continues unabated. The double speak in the document is just breath taking.
Always looking for a way to fuck the poor, the Radical Republicans have decided to reduce food stamp benefits for those enrolling in the new Medicare prescription drug plan. According to a document being circulated by the Administration, "You may qualify for extra help paying for your Medicare prescription drug costs." This sounds great until you get to this nice little bit, “If you qualify for extra help, your food stamp benefits may decline.” Elderly and poor Americans will still be choosing between medicine and food under the brave leadership of Georgie Bush. So much for making the lives of Americans better; the Radical Republican shell game continues unabated. The double speak in the document is just breath taking.
With the Medicare prescription drug coverage, you may see your food stamp benefits go down as you spend less on drugs. Using the new Medicare benefit means you will have more cash to spend on food that you used to spend on prescription drugs. If you get the $10 minimum food stamp benefit, your benefits may end. However, the extra cash you will have to spend on food makes up for not getting as much in food stamps.In the example provided by the document the fictional example "still has $25 more cash in her pocket." Of course, if the same fictional grandmother got the drug benefit and her food stamps she'd have $42 extra in her pocket. It's nice to see compassionate conservatives at work. Screwing grandmothers out of small amounts of cash so that Paris Hilton can get yet another tax cut. I can't wait to see what sort of shell game Georgie & Co. will be pulling with Social Security. I can just see it now, "Yeah, we reduced your Social Security benefits but really you're better off, trust us."
Saturday, May 07, 2005
A Death a Day...
Speaks for itself. Global Security reports 51 members of the U.S. armed forces died in Iraq in April. 306 were wounded. I'm not so good at math, but this comes out to something like more than one death a day and ten or so causalities a day for the month. The good news? Causalities are down from 362 in March and 450 in February. Not all of those wounded are battle causalities, but the way I figure it, if you're in Iraq and get hurt you're a causality. Sure you could have gotten hurt while hanging out or training at a U.S. base, but you weren't. There's a difference. Meanwhile Georgie is off promoting democracy in the Baltics because you know Iraq is "mission accomplished." I mean we kicked Saddam's ass, turned the show over to a "government," got the electricity turned back on, etc.
Speaks for itself. Global Security reports 51 members of the U.S. armed forces died in Iraq in April. 306 were wounded. I'm not so good at math, but this comes out to something like more than one death a day and ten or so causalities a day for the month. The good news? Causalities are down from 362 in March and 450 in February. Not all of those wounded are battle causalities, but the way I figure it, if you're in Iraq and get hurt you're a causality. Sure you could have gotten hurt while hanging out or training at a U.S. base, but you weren't. There's a difference. Meanwhile Georgie is off promoting democracy in the Baltics because you know Iraq is "mission accomplished." I mean we kicked Saddam's ass, turned the show over to a "government," got the electricity turned back on, etc.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Did someone say the Economy was Robust?
On the same day that IMB announced up to 13,000 job cuts (mostly in Europe) comes the news that, "Debt issued by Ford Motor Co. was downgraded to junk Thursday by Standard & Poor's." S&P also listed GM debt as "junk." Round after round of corporate welfare can't really cover up the fact that the Radical Republican economic policy is failing and failing badly. With two of the "big three" dancing dangerously close to insolvency one has to wonder how bad things could have been with John Kerry as president. Ohh...and jobless claims rose again this week. Yep, those Republicans sure are good for the economy.
On the same day that IMB announced up to 13,000 job cuts (mostly in Europe) comes the news that, "Debt issued by Ford Motor Co. was downgraded to junk Thursday by Standard & Poor's." S&P also listed GM debt as "junk." Round after round of corporate welfare can't really cover up the fact that the Radical Republican economic policy is failing and failing badly. With two of the "big three" dancing dangerously close to insolvency one has to wonder how bad things could have been with John Kerry as president. Ohh...and jobless claims rose again this week. Yep, those Republicans sure are good for the economy.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Gaining Ground?
The New York Times reports "Since Friday, more than 100 Iraqis have been killed and 200 more have been wounded." Remember just a few weeks ago General Myers said "American and Iraqi troops are gaining ground in the two-year-old conflict." What's most disturbing about the continued and increasing attacks is the U.S. military's inability to stop them. Two years after the invasion our intelligence gathering capabilities in Iraq are no better than they were before Georgie took us on this little adventure to find WMDs or was it secure the Iraqi oil fields or was it to bring freedom and democracy to Iraqi or was it...? So after two years of the military and FOX News telling us of the capture of yet another "high ranking terrorist" or the seizure of yet another laptop full of names and addresses it is becoming increasingly clear that not securing the numerous arms dumps wasn't a very good idea and that the continued presence of American troops is helping foment the insurgency. Of course, as The Sunday Times (London) reports Blair and Bush were talking about getting rid of Saddam as early as July 2002 so there really was no need for intelligence. The most damning part of the memo printed by The Sunday Times is this summary of the atmosphere in Washington in the summer of 2002,
The New York Times reports "Since Friday, more than 100 Iraqis have been killed and 200 more have been wounded." Remember just a few weeks ago General Myers said "American and Iraqi troops are gaining ground in the two-year-old conflict." What's most disturbing about the continued and increasing attacks is the U.S. military's inability to stop them. Two years after the invasion our intelligence gathering capabilities in Iraq are no better than they were before Georgie took us on this little adventure to find WMDs or was it secure the Iraqi oil fields or was it to bring freedom and democracy to Iraqi or was it...? So after two years of the military and FOX News telling us of the capture of yet another "high ranking terrorist" or the seizure of yet another laptop full of names and addresses it is becoming increasingly clear that not securing the numerous arms dumps wasn't a very good idea and that the continued presence of American troops is helping foment the insurgency. Of course, as The Sunday Times (London) reports Blair and Bush were talking about getting rid of Saddam as early as July 2002 so there really was no need for intelligence. The most damning part of the memo printed by The Sunday Times is this summary of the atmosphere in Washington in the summer of 2002,
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.Sums up the whole Iraq debacle. An administration hell bent on invading Iraq, fixing the facts to a pre-determined policy, and no thought about the aftermath. I'm just glad we had that accountability moment back in November, otherwise we might be trouble. I guess Georgie knew what he was doing when he opposed the International Criminal Court.