Sunday, April 30, 2006
More Signs of Progress in Iraq!
On April 29, 2006, President Bush said in his weekly Radio Address that
On April 29, 2006, President Bush said in his weekly Radio Address that
the enemies of freedom have suffered a real blow in recent days, and we have taken great strides on the march to victory. Iraq's leaders now have laid the foundations for a democratic government of, by, and for the Iraqi people.I've got news for you Mr. Bush, forming a "government" in the Green Zone doesn't do much. In fact, it's going to take more than press releases and happy talk to make Iraq a democracy. Do we expect immediate results, no. But backroom deals aren't going to do much good while a large number of Iraqis feel shut out of the political system and thus resort to guns. You can talk about progress all day long, but CNN.com reports signs of that progress,
12 bodies, all shot in the head and bearing signs of torture, were found in Baghdad.That's not a very good sign for your policies Mr. Bush. Your own State Department reports that attacks against civilians "doubled in 2005." That's not sign of progress or desperation. What it is a sign of is your failure, your incompetence, and the failure of Iraqi politicans to offer their fellow Iraqis any reason to put down their guns and join the political process. Your administration looked the other way while American contractors bribed and embezzled their way through Iraq. Your administration looked the other way while Iraqi politicians accepted bribes and embezzled funds. Your administration tried to impose cronies with little political support in Iraq and now we and the Iraqi public are bearing the fruit of your policies so stop telling us about progress.
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Saturday, April 29, 2006
It Was Nice While it Lasted
Goodbye Fourth Amendment
Goodbye Fourth Amendment
The FBI secretly sought information last year on 3,501 U.S. citizens and legal residents from their banks and credit card, telephone and Internet companies without a court's approval, the Justice Department said Friday.It was a quaint Amendment but really not worth all the trouble.
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Friday, April 28, 2006
Hitting the Bottle?
Yet another sign that George Bush may be drinking or smoking or snorting again,
Yet another sign that George Bush may be drinking or smoking or snorting again,
"My attitude is that the oil companies need to be mindful that the American people expect them to reinvest their cash flows in such a way that it enhances our energy security."If George Bush thinks the oil companies are going to do anything to reduce record prices on their own, he must be on drugs, the booze, or who knows what else. Of course, this is all just speculation on my part, but it does make me feel better that the President of the United States is only saying stupid shit because he's out of it instead of because he's that fucking stupid or thinks that the American public is that stupid.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Same Old Cycle of Violence
New PM, same old cycle of violence in Iraq. Reuters.co.uk reports,
I'm sure most Iraqis would settle for just making Iraq more secure. I'm also almost sure that when Bush says "make America more secure" he really means that if the Iraqi government takes shape in the next six months or so it will help make the re-election of the Republican Rubber Stamp Congress more of a sure thing. Otherwise, George Bush might have to take some drastic measures to ensure that he's not impeached and convicted by Congress.
New PM, same old cycle of violence in Iraq. Reuters.co.uk reports,
Iraqi police found the bodies of six young men, bound and with bullet holes in their heads, on Sunday in Baghdad's violent Sunni district of Adhamiya, where sectarian tensions sparked fierce gun battles last week.And CNN is reporting
Six Iraqi civilians were killed and two wounded early Sunday when a Katyusha rocket landed at the entrance to Iraq's Defense Ministry, located inside the heavily fortified Green Zone, police said.Oh, and
Five U.S. soldiers were killed south of Baghdad on Saturday, the U.S. military said.And,
five bodies were found in Baghdad on Saturday, their hands tied behind their backs, shot in their heads. The bodies of a woman and two men were found in southern Baghdad, and the others were found in a western Baghdad neighborhood.President Bush on hearing the news of the new PM had this to say,
This historic achievement by determined Iraqis will make America more secure.Same old tired spin. I guess George missed all the other news coming of Iraq, but that's bound to happen if you're not reading the liberal press that only focuses on the bad news. Never mind that there's clear evidence of death squads operating with impunity in and around Baghdad, we need to focus on the positive. After all, focusing on the negative will mean we've lost and then the death squads might be operating with impunity in American cities.
I'm sure most Iraqis would settle for just making Iraq more secure. I'm also almost sure that when Bush says "make America more secure" he really means that if the Iraqi government takes shape in the next six months or so it will help make the re-election of the Republican Rubber Stamp Congress more of a sure thing. Otherwise, George Bush might have to take some drastic measures to ensure that he's not impeached and convicted by Congress.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Those Were the Days!
Remember when gas was $2.00/gallon? Remember all the fuss that Republicans like Dennis Hastert raised back in the summer of 2000? Remember President Clinton claiming it was the result of price gouging on the part of the oil companies? Remember how the oil companies blamed the spike in prices on the switch to ethanol blends? From the CNN Archives comes a little reminder of the good ol' days of June 2000,
Funny too how despite all those handouts and nearly six years of practice the oil companies still haven't figured out how to switch over to ethanol blends without causing price spikes resulting in higher profits. Seems no one, despite the millions of dollars in salary, has thought to produce ethanol blends year round. Funny that.
Of course back in the summer of 2000, Dennis Hastert blamed Clinton for the $2.00/gallon gas.an energy policy a give away to the oil companies. I'm waiting for Hastert to blame Bush and Cheney for $3.00/gallon gas. It might be a long wait, but it might happen because back in the summer of 2000 he was very concerned that consumers were "paying more dollars to take their kids to daycare, to go to work, to take their family on vacation." And that was when gas was only $2.00/gallon. Shit he must be spitting mad now. Maybe if gas hits $3.50/gallon or maybe when it hits $4.00/gallon, Dennis boy will blame Bush and Cheney. Of course, before he blames Bush and Cheney, he'll push for the repeal of the gas tax because the solution to every problem is a tax cut. And don't be surprised if that tax cut bill includes another give away to the oil companies. Maybe some language about how oil companies don't have to pay taxes at all?
Remember when gas was $2.00/gallon? Remember all the fuss that Republicans like Dennis Hastert raised back in the summer of 2000? Remember President Clinton claiming it was the result of price gouging on the part of the oil companies? Remember how the oil companies blamed the spike in prices on the switch to ethanol blends? From the CNN Archives comes a little reminder of the good ol' days of June 2000,
Expressing concern that higher gas prices could keep the U.S. economy from running smoothly, Clinton suggested that crude oil prices ideally should be 'somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 to $25 a barrel.'That's right, gas used to cost $2.00/gallon and a barrel of oil a mere $32/barrel. Since George Bush and his oil man VP Dick Cheney have been in power a barrel of oil has doubled in price. That's right doubled. Of course in the nearly six years they've been in power the dynamic duo has done very little to improve the fuel economy of the cars and trucks sold by the major auto makers, to encourage conservation, or to encourage the development of renewal sources of energy. It's even unlikely that Bush ever even called up his pals in Saudi Arabia and asked them to do something about increasing the supply of oil--it's just like flicking a switch. The dynamic duo has, on the other hand, pushed for handouts for oil companies. Funny that.
That price range, Clinton said, gives oil companies 'the revenue they need ... and it doesn't bankrupt people who have to have fuel in substantial quantities.'
In recent weeks, U.S. crude oil prices have edged above $32 a barrel.
Funny too how despite all those handouts and nearly six years of practice the oil companies still haven't figured out how to switch over to ethanol blends without causing price spikes resulting in higher profits. Seems no one, despite the millions of dollars in salary, has thought to produce ethanol blends year round. Funny that.
Of course back in the summer of 2000, Dennis Hastert blamed Clinton for the $2.00/gallon gas.
Hastert said the White House has failed to protect consumers.Of course, it only took Hastert and his Rubber Stamp Congress four years or so to pass
"If we don't have an energy policy in this country and we rely too much on foreign energy, and we let OPEC dictate what the price of oil is in this country, our consumers suffer," Hastert said. "So I would think we need to have a better and stronger energy policy in this country."
Friday, April 21, 2006
$100 Oil?
With oil trading at $75.17 per barrel I sure am glad our wise leaders have seen fit to enact an energy policy heavy on renewables, conservation, and the like. Ohhh...wait...sorry, I must have been dozing.
With oil trading at $75.17 per barrel I sure am glad our wise leaders have seen fit to enact an energy policy heavy on renewables, conservation, and the like. Ohhh...wait...sorry, I must have been dozing.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
How Low Can He Go?
Even FOXNews finds George Bush's overall approval rate at a low "33 %." That's down from an approval rating of 47% last year. Bush's approval ratings have been on a steady decline, dropping from 39% a month ago. Even more notably, "66 percent" of Republicans approve of the job George Bush is doing, which is itself a twenty point drop since last year. While a twenty point drop is encouraging, it still baffles the mind of this crank how 66% of any group can approve of the job George Bush is doing as President.
The really scary thing about these low poll numbers is, given Bush's history, what hair-brained scheme will Rove cook up to distract the American public from the disaster that is Bush's presidency. Are the DHS raids on illegal immigrants just the first step in strict enforcement of the "law" as a means of looking like George Bush is actually doing something other than giving tax breaks to the Donald Trumps and Ken Lays of America? Are we going to see Bush resort to raids to enforce copyright laws? Raids to recover government documents that have been retroactively stamped "Top Secret?" Or is the U.S. just going to start bombing Iran? One has to wonder, to what depths will George Bush sink?
Even FOXNews finds George Bush's overall approval rate at a low "33 %." That's down from an approval rating of 47% last year. Bush's approval ratings have been on a steady decline, dropping from 39% a month ago. Even more notably, "66 percent" of Republicans approve of the job George Bush is doing, which is itself a twenty point drop since last year. While a twenty point drop is encouraging, it still baffles the mind of this crank how 66% of any group can approve of the job George Bush is doing as President.
The really scary thing about these low poll numbers is, given Bush's history, what hair-brained scheme will Rove cook up to distract the American public from the disaster that is Bush's presidency. Are the DHS raids on illegal immigrants just the first step in strict enforcement of the "law" as a means of looking like George Bush is actually doing something other than giving tax breaks to the Donald Trumps and Ken Lays of America? Are we going to see Bush resort to raids to enforce copyright laws? Raids to recover government documents that have been retroactively stamped "Top Secret?" Or is the U.S. just going to start bombing Iran? One has to wonder, to what depths will George Bush sink?
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Bush Code
Josh Marshall over at TPM has the following quote from Bush (though he doesn't provide a link), "Pres. Bush: 'I'm the decider, and I decide what's best.'"
Is this code for "I'm the dictator?" One really has to wonder given Bush's history of similar comments and his refusal to abide by the Constitution. You know the Constitution, the document that holds that all political power emanates from the people, the document that limits executive power, legislative power, and even judicial power? I know words like "ordain and establish" might be a bit tough to understand, but what they mean is that it is the People who have the power. These words mean that the government exists because the people want it to exist. These words mean that you, Mr. President, serve at our pleasure.
When George Bush says he's the "decider" or that he doesn't pay attention to polls, or that things would be easier if he were the dictator, it illustrates his complete and utter ignorance of the Constitution and the ideas behind it. The People in 1789 decided that the Constitution might be misunderstood and so attached the Bill of Rights to the Constitution
Mr. President, we the people, decide what rights and freedoms we will hold. We decide what rights and freedoms we will temporarily cede to the government, not you, not some shift supervisor at DHS or the CIA or the NSA. You may "decide" to your heart's content, but we decide if you have the right to sit in the Oval Office. Keep that in mind as you wander through your days ignoring the will of the people. Get off your power trip and remember you have the power to "decide" only because we allow you to have it. We, the people, gave you that power and we can take it away. Ignore us at your peril. We, the People, will not sit idly by as you raze the Constitution.
Josh Marshall over at TPM has the following quote from Bush (though he doesn't provide a link), "Pres. Bush: 'I'm the decider, and I decide what's best.'"
Is this code for "I'm the dictator?" One really has to wonder given Bush's history of similar comments and his refusal to abide by the Constitution. You know the Constitution, the document that holds that all political power emanates from the people, the document that limits executive power, legislative power, and even judicial power? I know words like "ordain and establish" might be a bit tough to understand, but what they mean is that it is the People who have the power. These words mean that the government exists because the people want it to exist. These words mean that you, Mr. President, serve at our pleasure.
When George Bush says he's the "decider" or that he doesn't pay attention to polls, or that things would be easier if he were the dictator, it illustrates his complete and utter ignorance of the Constitution and the ideas behind it. The People in 1789 decided that the Constitution might be misunderstood and so attached the Bill of Rights to the Constitution
in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, [. . .] further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added.One of the key words here is "restrictive." As in restricting the power of the government, including the President's power. The People made no exception in these "declaratory and restrictive clauses" for times of war. These clauses fly in the face of your fancy pants legal theory of the unitary executive. These "restrictive clauses" are in effect at all times and no judge, no President, no one but the People has the power to set them aside for any reason. They restrict your power, Mr. Bush, to be the "decider." And just to be sure the people in 1789 declared in Amendment Ten that
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.Got that? "[T]o the people," Mr. Bush. The people in 1789 knew the dangers of an executive, a judge, a Congress that would want to overreach and declare himself or itself "the decider" and thus the people declared that they and they alone will be "the decider." The people in 1789 declared that they have rights not enumerated in the Constitution. They declared that they decide what rights and powers they have, not some self-appointed "decider."
Mr. President, we the people, decide what rights and freedoms we will hold. We decide what rights and freedoms we will temporarily cede to the government, not you, not some shift supervisor at DHS or the CIA or the NSA. You may "decide" to your heart's content, but we decide if you have the right to sit in the Oval Office. Keep that in mind as you wander through your days ignoring the will of the people. Get off your power trip and remember you have the power to "decide" only because we allow you to have it. We, the people, gave you that power and we can take it away. Ignore us at your peril. We, the People, will not sit idly by as you raze the Constitution.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Yet More Progress in Iraq
On Monday, April 17 U.S. Marines came under attack in Ramadi. CNN reports
Meanwhile in Baghdad, the NYT reports,
Oh, and there still isn't any progress on the political front, so we can expect more violence as the Iraqi civil war continues. Everyday that the politicans can't agree on a PM is another day that Iraq moves further from the hope of ending the civil war.
On Monday, April 17 U.S. Marines came under attack in Ramadi. CNN reports
A coordinated attack from three directions on the governor's compound in Ramadi Monday left an unknown number of insurgents dead after an hourlong fight with U.S. Marines.The Marines received fire from the nearby Fatemat Mosque and returned fire in order to repeal the attack. This last bit will be sure to be a PR victory for the Marines. No matter that the Marines were responding to fire coming from the mosque, the situation will be spun by the insurgents to make it seem that U.S. Marines opened fire on a mosque. It's your typical no win situtation that has characterized the whole Iraqi invasion.
Meanwhile in Baghdad, the NYT reports,
American and Iraqi troops sealed off one of Baghdad's most prominent Sunni Arab neighborhoods today after overnight gun battles raged through the streets.It's unclear what sparked the violence in Adhamiya, but it's a bad sign that the area is again a hotspot.
Oh, and there still isn't any progress on the political front, so we can expect more violence as the Iraqi civil war continues. Everyday that the politicans can't agree on a PM is another day that Iraq moves further from the hope of ending the civil war.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Hey, pissstttt.....
you're the president, you can get on national tv anytime you like to explain things if you think people are confused .
you're the president, you can get on national tv anytime you like to explain things if you think people are confused .
"it was important for people to get a better sense for why I was saying what I was saying in my speeches."But hey, those press conferences and talks from the oval office are usually scheduled late and run past your bed time, so I can understand why you chose to whisper into the ears of willing reporters in order to set the American people straight on Joe Wilson. I mean who are people going to trust more, President George W. Bush or some reporter from the New York Times relying on unnamed White House officials, oh...right...sorry I asked.
Monday, April 10, 2006
French Labor Law a No Go
Democracy in action
The U.S. is facing similar protets (minus the property damage) over immigration reform, and one can only hope that the Congress and the President will remember the "WE the People" part of the Constitution and bow to the will of the people and not to the special interests and the lobbyists. Perhaps the only way to get the Republicans to listen is to put millions of people on the street saying no to war, no to hate, and yes to legalizing immigrants. Of course, the track record of putting millions on the street saying no to war and influencing king George and the Rubber Stamp Congress isn't that hot, but one can hope.
10 to 12 million more workers paying Social Security taxes will go a long way to keeping Social Security up and running. And just think, with all that extra revenue we might be able to fund things like schools, health insurance for all, and a whole host of things the Republicans don't really care about.
Democracy in action
French President Jacques Chirac announced today that a contested labor law would be taken off the books, handing a victory to student groups and labor unions who have demonstrated in the millions in recent weeks to have the measure scrapped.Sure it took street protests, but the French government did respond to its citizen's wishes. Would it have been better for a more sedate process to have taken place? Sure, but the French government was at the end of the day responsive.
The U.S. is facing similar protets (minus the property damage) over immigration reform, and one can only hope that the Congress and the President will remember the "WE the People" part of the Constitution and bow to the will of the people and not to the special interests and the lobbyists. Perhaps the only way to get the Republicans to listen is to put millions of people on the street saying no to war, no to hate, and yes to legalizing immigrants. Of course, the track record of putting millions on the street saying no to war and influencing king George and the Rubber Stamp Congress isn't that hot, but one can hope.
10 to 12 million more workers paying Social Security taxes will go a long way to keeping Social Security up and running. And just think, with all that extra revenue we might be able to fund things like schools, health insurance for all, and a whole host of things the Republicans don't really care about.