The cenus figures for 2004 are out and the news isn't pretty. The New York Times summarizes them thusly, "Even as the economy was growing, income stagnated last year and the poverty rate rose, the Census Bureau reported today. This is the first time on record that household income has failed to increase for five straight years." Let that last bit sink in a bit. George Bush has been President roughly for five years and household inomces haven't increased in all that time. Yep. Despite his promise that tax cuts for his wealthy friends would drive the economy to new heights, the rest of us haven't seen much in terms of real improvement. I guess those of with jobs should just shut up and consider ourselves lucky despite the fact that
Median pretax household income, at $44,389 last year, was at its lowest point since 1997, after accounting for inflation.Poverty also rose a tick from 12.5% to 12&%. People are working more hours just to keep from sinking like stones.
Bush & Co. reached into their Iraq bag of tricks and are telling reports that hope is just around the corner because the employment market has been "improving" since 2004. Problem is, there is no trickle down in this trickle down economy. Despite the mounting evidence that Bush "plan" (or giveaway) hasn't really improved the lives of oridinary Americans, Bush and the Rubber Stamp Congress will no doubt call for yet more tax cuts for the super rich. Maybe if the likes of Kenny Boy Lay buy another vacation home or invest in some sweat shops over seas with all those tax savings, we'll all get raises.
From the New York Times, "A top Army contracting official who criticized a large, noncompetitive contract with the Halliburton Company for work in Iraq was demoted Saturday for what the Army called poor job performance." The Bush Admin has a habit of demoting people who don't go along with its agenda of fucking the poor, corportate welfare, or just plain old corruption.
NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio has this from the AP,
The head of Gov. Bob Taft's security detail has been demoted after an investigation found that he attended strip clubs in New York, tried to pick up a woman at a bar during Taft's trade mission to Asia and received phone calls at his office from a go-go dancer in Columbus.Millions missing in shady rare coin investment, millions more missing in another shady investment scheme, unreported golf trips with big donors, trips to strip clubs, calls from go-go dancers, what's next? This is all a big deal since this is the same GOP that found Bill Clinton so horrible because of his lack of "values." This is all big deal since this is the same GOP that says it's the party of values. I guess we're finding out what the GOP's values are.
Iraq burns. Oil spikes. George Bush is on vacation. Meanwhile, the NYT reports
Moody's cut Ford's long-term credit ratings by one notch to 'Ba1,' the highest junk rating, from 'Baa3.' It cut the long-term ratings on Ford Motor Credit by one notch to 'Baa3,' the lowest investment-grade rating, from 'Baa2.' The rating outlook for both companies is negative, meaning another rating cut is likely over the next 12 to 18 months.One of the corner stones of the American economy is slowly crubbling despite the Bush tax cuts and corporate give aways. It appears George Bush's legacy will be lies, lots of Americans dead because of a pack of lies, and the demise of one of the big three automakers. I can't wait for the Presidental Library in Crawford (of course that will mean Bush will have to release papers).
According to the New York Times Rumsfeld admits that the whole "turning the corner" and "last throes" talk was just that. Speaking at the Pentagon he said, "Regrettably, completing the constitution is not likely to end all the violence in Iraq or solve all the country's problems."
Yep. We have no plan. The plan we were told we have really wasn't a plan you see, it just polled well at the time.
So let me see, no WMD, no democracy, no elections as the way to ending the violence, exactly what does that leave us with? Apparently all Rummy could say is that "It has to be a heart wrenching thing for the families involved." That's it? Just "heart wrentching" to know that your daughter, son, father, mother, husband, wife, friend, etc. died for what exactly? For a constitution that really isn't a constitution? For more violence and for our leaders who were so sure about the war to not have any answers? Oh and did I mention George Bush and the Rubber Stamp Congress are still on vacation? And all they can say is it must be "heart wrenching" to know you loved one died for a pack of lies?
But hey, NFL football is almost here, and college football starts next week, and the NAStyCAR race to the Cup is heating up, and...well the new sitcoms are right around the corner.
US policy really does seem adrift. Over the past month we've been told we're close to being able to reduce troop levels, then that we're still in for a long haul, then that we'll be able to reduce troop levels soon, then we send 700 highly trained paratroopers to serve as prison guards, and now it appears that we'll have large numbers of troops in Iraq for at least four more years. CNN.com is reporting, "The U.S. Army is making plans to keep the current number of soldiers in Iraq -- well over 100,000 -- for four more years, the Army's top general said Saturday." Meanwhile, with all this flip flopping going on, Georgie is relaxing and getting away from it all. Too bad the rest of the world isn't taking August off along with Georgie.
Instead of spending time "working hard" on resolving the problems we're facing in Iraq, including the woeful state of recruiting for the army, Georgie went bike riding and took some naps. It's clear we don't have enough troops to do the job. The same CNN story noted that "the National Guard has seven combat brigades in Iraq -- the most of the entire war --
plus thousands of support troops." That sure sounds like a military stretched thin. What happens if N. Korea conducts a test launch of a nuclear capable missile? What happens if China decides to invade Taiwan? What happens if there's a major earthquake in California or a hurricane in southeast? George Bush has gotten us so bogged down in Iraq that there's no way we can respond in any effective way to any crisis.
From Reuters.com
U.S. diplomats have conceded ground to Islamists on the role of religion in Iraq, negotiators said on Saturday as they raced to meet a 48-hour deadline to draft a constitution under intense U.S. pressure.This means there will be some kind of religious-based litmus test for all laws in Iraq. It seems that Bush & Co. are willing to do anything to cut their losses in Iraq. This is the result of setting deadlines more in tune to U.S. domestic politics than reality in Iraq. This is the result of not building a real international coalition. This is the result of not having enough troops on the ground. This is the result of invading a country on a lie. A Kurdish politican said,
"We understand the Americans have sided with the Shi'ites," he said. "It's shocking. It doesn't fit American values. They have spent so much blood and money here, only to back the creation of an Islamist state ... I can't believe that's what the Americans really want or what the American people want."Of course, you could argue that what the American people want isn't really the question. it's what the Iraqi people want. But try telling the mothers and fathers in Ohio, Georgia, etc. that their sons and daughters died for this.
Via Reuters.com comes the news that, "The U.S. military will send 700 Army paratroopers to Iraq to help provide security at detention centers, officials said on Wednesday." Now keep in mind that last month Rumsfeld said, " the longer-term plan was to turn over responsibility for the detainees to the Iraqi government." Hmmm...sending 700 highly trained paratroopers "from the 82nd Airborne" doesn't sound like we're about to turn things over to the Iraqis. And one has to wonder why we're using the 82nd Airborne as guards. I guess we just don't have any other troops so we have to tie down some of the best infantry soliders we have as prison guards. One has to wonder what happens if there is a crisis somewhere in the world that requires a quick reaction force. Sure sounds like the Bush Admin has a handle on keeping our military prepared. Guard duty must do wonders for sharpening the skills of a crack infantry unit. I'm sure they'll get in lots jumps while guarding those terrorists in Iraq.
From the New York Times comes more bad news out of Iraq. Seems even those Iraqis who voted in the elections are resorting to non-democratic means to get their way.
Armed men entered Baghdad's municipal building during a blinding dust storm on Monday, deposed the city's mayor and installed a member of Iraq's most powerful Shiite militia. [. . .] "This is the new Iraq," said Mr. Tamimi, a secular engineer with no party affiliation. "They use force to achieve their goal."The armed men installed "Hussein al-Tahaan, is a member of the Badr Organization, the armed militia of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq." SCIR controls much of the soutern part of Iraq, mostly by imposing a strict version of Islamic law. It appears the PM of Iraq doesn't plan to do much about this and even seems to approve of the action. His spokesperson "gave clear indications that the prime minister would not stand in the way of the move."
This is just one result of not having enough troops on the ground in Iraq. Our failure to build a real international coalition and have enough troops to secure the cities and towns of Iraq resulted in the flourishing of militias who now seem willing to impose their will and to act unilaterally. This is not a good sign for the future of the still unwritten constitution. Bush & Co. have been pushing the idea that Iraq has been making real strides on the political front. This coup has to be seen as real set back and as just one more indication that Bush & Co. have no idea of what is really happening in Iraq. Of course, we wouldn't even be having these problems if we hadn't rushed to invade Iraq on some deluded premise cooked up in radical right wing think tanks.
Oh, and the same story mentions that on Tuesday five American soliders were killed by insurgents. Four died in Northern Iraq and one died in a car bombing in Baghdad. On Monday a U.S. Marine was killed on Monday in Ramdi. It also mentions that at least nine Iraqi security officials were killed in four incidents that involved small arms. These aren't random car bombings. These are organized attacks that are targeting specific individuals or types of people. Yet another sign that Gerogie has no idea about what is really going on in Iraq. Yet, Georgie and his rubber stamp Congress remain on vacation and don't seem all that concerned that even more chaos is breaking out in Iraq.
From the LA Times, "Another Marine in Iraq died today." 22 Marines dead in four days and my Sinclair Broadcasting owned TV news has the gall to claim Bush's vacation is a working one because he's given a speech and is meeting with the President of Columbia in between naps.
Bush should be busy on his speech announcing his and Cheney's resignation and in which he urges Tom DeLay, Sen. Frist, and the rest of the whores in Congress to resign as well.
The New York Times reports,
Fourteen marines were killed early today when their troop carrier struck a gigantic roadside bomb in the western town of Haditha.The Bush PR team will keep on insisting that we have the insurgents on the run. The facts on the ground say otherwise.
Amazingly, Bush and the Congress will remain on vacation congratulating themselves on a job well done. Amazingly, the voters in OH-2 sent another Bush rubber stamper to Congress last night. I'm sure more than a few voters in southern Ohio might be thinking maybe just maybe they should have voted for someone who will show a bit of independence in Congress. I can't think of a single Bush & Co. policy that has actually worked as promised. It's beyond time for us to stop sending people to Congress who will do nothing other than sign blank checks for George Bush. We need people willing to stand up on the House floor and bring impeach charges against Georgie and Big Daddy Cheney.
CNN.com has a clearer picture of how six of the seven marines who recently died were killed.
Insurgents attacked a group of Marines patrolling on foot outside Haditha on Monday, the Marine Corps said in a written statement. Five died in the initial attack, and the body of a sixth was discovered later a few kilometers away. All were killed by small-arms fire, the Marines said.Remember, these are the same insurgents who were crippled earlier in the summer and late fall. These are the same insurgents who our military and the Bush PR machine claimed were unable of conducting sophisticated operations. And keep in mind that there have been two major anti-insurgency sweeps since January along with a third operation that “cleaned” out insurgents between Haditha and Hit on the Euphrates. It seems to me, ambushing and killing a marine patrol with small arms fire is evidence of a fairly high level of sophistication. These insurgents didn't rely on remotely detonated bombs, didn't rely on suicide bombers, but were well trained and equipped. They were able to stand toe to toe with U.S. Marines and inflict fairly heavy casualties. This is not something an insurgency on its last legs or incapable of exerting command and control is able to do. It's clear that we've made precious little progress in disrupting the insurgency and its ability to recruit, retain, and train fighters.
No further information was released about the gun battle.
Come Aug. 15th the Bush PR machine will make a lot of noise (in fact it’s already doing so) about the progress we and the Iraqis are making. Like all the earlier claims about progress in Iraq, these claims will be more fantasy than reality.
More Americans and Iraqis die
Today, an American military spokesman, Staff Sgt. Don Dees, said in a telephone interview that seven American marines were killed on Monday, six of them during operations in the restive Al Anbar province west of Baghdad and one in a suicide car bomb attack in the town of Hit. Also on Monday, eleven bodies were found in southwest Baghdad, most shot but two beheaded.This on the same day we announced some kind of "plan" to leave Iraq bit by bit. My guess is that "restive Al Anbar province" will be one of the last, that violence will continue to rock Iraq, and Bush & Co. will leave before finishing the job in order to not have news reports of dead soliders and marines during the mid-term elections. Politics over policy.
New York Times reports that oil "jumped to a new high above $62 a barrel" today. As Larry Goldstein of the Petroleum Industry Research Foundation notes, "'The market is hypersensitive to facts, rumors and noise because the supply cushion is gone.'"
Kind of makes you wish for the good old days of September 2000 when folks were worried about oil going for $35 a barrel. Remember back then when candidate George Bush was accusing Vice President Gore and President Clinton of playing politics by releasing some 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Oil Reserve? Remember when candidate George Bush said,
We need to use our strong hand in the diplomatic circles to make it clear to our friends overseas that we don't want them holding our nation and our consumers hostage. We expect them to increase the supply of crude oil, so that the price of crude oil drops.Too bad he's squandered all that diplomatic capital. Remember when candidate George Bush said of Vice Presiednt Gore's tax plan, "You may get a break on transportation, but only if you drive around in a hybrid electric and gasoline-engine vehicle." Just imagine how much better off we'd be if five years ago the government offered tax cuts on hybrid cars instead of Hummers. Just imagine.
Those were the same days when candidate Bush declared,
Today, the armed forces of the United States are used too much and supported too little. Military commitments around the world have multiplied, stretching the services to the limit. Our military suffers from back-to-back deployments, poor pay, shortages of spare parts and equipment, and rapidly declining readiness.Things have gotten worse instead of better under George Bush. Oil trading above $60 a barrel. Our troops sent to war without the proper equipment and then stuck in a country that is spinning out of control. Facing an insurgency while lacking the proper spare parts, body armor, and other equipment that would make their job a little safer. Worst of all, they were sent there on a fool's errand with no thought of an exit strategy. The military Bush inherited fromClinton was pretty efficient and well trained. Can we say the same things today? Our military sturggles to meet recruiting deadlines. Struggles with readiness issues. And according to some reports the military is rationing equipment like body armor.
These are difficult days for the military and they will not continue. [. . .] [I will] provide the armed forces with clear missions, better pay, better housing, better training
The more one digs the bigger George Bush's lies become.
And with John Bolton's appointment to the U.N. it appears that George Bush wasn't joking when upon visiting Congress for the first time as President-elect said, "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier - just so long as I'm the dictator."
