GONEzo Gets Some Brownie Points

Via ThinkProgress:

“‘In the middle of all this, my wife sent [Alberto Gonzales’] wife an e-mail,’ said Michael Brown, the chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during Hurricane Katrina and no stranger to Category 5 storms of public ridicule. The e-mail message reassured her, simply, that ‘there’s life after Washington.’ Mr. Brown, who calls Mr. Gonzales a ‘true gentleman’ and a ‘friend,’ nonetheless subscribes to the belief that Mr. Gonzales is going down.”

Heckuva job GONEzo...

As of now, there is no word from the Judicary Committee on whether or not they will need to subpoena bush administration wives' Emails just in case White House officials were using those Email accounts to illegally hide more official government business from the regulations of the Hatch Act. /snark

What the Left is up against

Sadly No! points to this farcical story:

Utah County Republicans ended their convention on Saturday by debating Satan's influence on illegal immigrants.

The group was unable to take official action because not enough members stuck around long enough to vote, despite the pleadings of party officials. The convention was held at Canyon View Junior High School.

Don Larsen, chairman of legislative District 65 for the Utah County Republican Party, had submitted a resolution warning that Satan's minions want to eliminate national borders and do away with sovereignty.

In a speech at the convention, Larsen told those gathered that illegal immigrants "hate American people" and "are determined to destroy this country, and there is nothing they won't do."

Illegal aliens are in control of the media, and working in tandem with Democrats, are trying to "destroy Christian America" and replace it with "a godless new world order -- and that is not extremism, that is fact," Larsen said.

At the end of his speech, Larsen began to cry, saying illegal immigrants were trying to bring about the destruction of the U.S. "by self invasion."

Republican officials then allowed speakers to defend and refute the resolution. One speaker, who was identified as "Joe," said illegal immigrants were Marxist and under the influence of the devil. Another, who declined to give her name to the Daily Herald, said illegal immigrants should not be allowed because "they are not going to become Republicans and stop flying the flag upside down. ... If they want to be Americans, they should learn to speak English and fly their flag like we do."

Sadly NO! This is not satire (At this point in the post I had to click through on the link to make sure this wasn't a spoof!), but just a small except of the complete disaster that has become the Republican party. There is much more... There is so much worth noting that I am unsure what to excerpt and what to bold?

Letters supporting the re-election of party chairwoman Marian Monnahan and secretary Susan Bramble were mailed in envelopes bearing the party's return address, causing delegate Russell Sias to demand they be removed from office. A spokesperson for Alexander's Print Advantage, which handled the mailing, spoke at the convention, saying employees had mistaken put the address on the envelopes and the company took full responsibility for the snafu.

In a speech, Enid Greene, state Republican Party chair, announced to applause that she will remarry in a few months. Greene's first marriage came to an infamous end during her tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives when her husband, Joe Waldholtz, who was her campaign manager, was charged with embezzling. He eventually pled guilty to campaign fraud and other charges.

You would think that it can't get any worse than this... But it can and does:

All of the speakers praised those gathered. Lt. Governor Gary Herbert said Utah County Republicans are "guided by correct principles" and are the "best of the best" of the Republican Party.

Cough, cough... And I still haven't even excerpted all of the good stuff, leaving the real analysis to Sadly No!, and proving that it is certainly true when they say:

Truth is stranger than fiction.

And yes, this truly is representative of what the Left is up against across the country as the GOP only begins to exhibit how low they can really go. smirk

Obama Draws Racist Attacks

Just as almost any story at the Danbury NewsTimes might have comment threads laced with bigotry, it seems that articles on Barrack Obama have a tendency to draw comments from the worst that America has to offer:

Via CBSNews.com :

Today CBSNews.com informed its staff via email that they should no longer enable comments on stories about presidential candidate Barack Obama. The reason for the new policy, according to the email, is that stories about Obama have been attracting too many racist comments.

"It's very simple," Mike Sims, director of News and Operations for CBSNews.com, told me. "We have our Rules of Engagement. They prohibit personal attacks, especially racist attacks. Stories about Obama have been problematic, and we won't tolerate it."

CBSNews.com does sometimes delete comments on an individual basis, but Sims said that was not sufficient in the case of Obama stories due to "the volume and the persistence" of the objectionable comments.

There is no racism in America...
As long as you continue to ignore it.

Larson Joins the Chorus To Neuter Bush

Via Matt Browner Hamlin at MLN:

Just in my email box from Rep. John Larson (CT-01):

"I am pleased that my colleagues in the Senate have raised the issue of revoking President Bush's authority to wage war. The President callously and carelessly entered this war. Clearly, things have gotten worse and not better. We cannot afford to have a President that continues to abuse his authority and not listen to the Congress or the will of the American people. Taking this action would be another important step to keep the pressure on the President. Congress also needs to look to address the Congressional War Powers Act to ensure that this kind of an abuse of power never occurs again. In March, I introduced similar legislation in the House and hope that we can work together to take this critical step that can aid in ending this war."

Obviously I'm happy to see Larson take this opportunity to renew his pressure on President Bush for ending the war in Iraq.

Yesterday I posted on Gov. Bill Richardson and Hillary Clinton joining the calls to strip bush of war powers:

De-Authorize the War Now, No Residual Troops

There would be no need to negotiate the withdrawal with the President, and he could not veto the resolution.

The time has has come for Congress to stand up to this President who refuses to recognize that his war is bleeding our military and weakening our country. He believes mere stubbornness is a foreign policy and that he can just ignore the will of the American people. In the interest of our national security, he must be stopped.

Congress has the ability to end this war under the War Powers Act -- let's not wait or waver while more people die. And de-authorizing the war should mean removing all our troops. Every last one.

Hillary Clinton has joined Robert Byrd in calls for the same:

Via the NY Times:

Mrs. Clinton’s proposal brings her full circle on Iraq — she supported the war measure five years ago — and it sharpens her own political positioning at a time when Democrats are vying to confront the White House.

“It is time to reverse the failed policies of President Bush and to end this war as soon as possible,” Mrs. Clinton said as she joined Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, in calling for a vote to end the authority as of Oct. 11, the fifth anniversary of the original vote.

Her stance emerged just as Congressional leaders and the White House opened delicate negotiations over a new war-financing measure to replace the one that Mr. Bush vetoed Tuesday.

In spin that only a right wingnut could choke down the NY Times also says that it is not clear if Congress has the power to withdraw the power that only they can empower upon the little brat...

Even if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Byrd succeed in their effort, it is not clear whether President Bush would have to withdraw troops, or if he could resist by claiming that Congress cannot withdraw its earlier authorization but instead has to deny money for the war to achieve that result.

Sure... bush can claim it, but that does not make it credible in any way, shape, or form.

Can you say IMPEACH?



Yep...
No More Kings!

If you are unclear on the many reasons why the little brat needs to be impeached here is one of them:

“The Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a law that would halt dozens of lawsuits charging phone companies with invading ordinary citizens’ privacy through a post-Sept. 11 warrantless surveillance program.”

Richardson: "De-Authorize the War Now"

Gov. Bill Richardson joins the calls to strip bush of war powers:

De-Authorize the War Now, No Residual Troops

There would be no need to negotiate the withdrawal with the President, and he could not veto the resolution.

The time has has come for Congress to stand up to this President who refuses to recognize that his war is bleeding our military and weakening our country. He believes mere stubbornness is a foreign policy and that he can just ignore the will of the American people. In the interest of our national security, he must be stopped.

Congress has the ability to end this war under the War Powers Act -- let's not wait or waver while more people die. And de-authorizing the war should mean removing all our troops. Every last one.

Hillary Clinton has joined Robert Byrd in calls for the same:

Via the NY Times:

Mrs. Clinton’s proposal brings her full circle on Iraq — she supported the war measure five years ago — and it sharpens her own political positioning at a time when Democrats are vying to confront the White House.

“It is time to reverse the failed policies of President Bush and to end this war as soon as possible,” Mrs. Clinton said as she joined Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, in calling for a vote to end the authority as of Oct. 11, the fifth anniversary of the original vote.

Her stance emerged just as Congressional leaders and the White House opened delicate negotiations over a new war-financing measure to replace the one that Mr. Bush vetoed Tuesday.

In spin that only a right wingnut could choke down the NY Times also says that it is not clear if Congress has the power to withdraw the power that only they can empower upon the little brat...

Even if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Byrd succeed in their effort, it is not clear whether President Bush would have to withdraw troops, or if he could resist by claiming that Congress cannot withdraw its earlier authorization but instead has to deny money for the war to achieve that result.

Sure... bush can claim it, but that does not make it credible in any way, shape, or form.

Can you say IMPEACH?



Yep...
No More Kings!

If you are unclear on the many reasons why the little brat needs to be impeached here is one of them:

“The Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a law that would halt dozens of lawsuits charging phone companies with invading ordinary citizens’ privacy through a post-Sept. 11 warrantless surveillance program.”

When GOP Political Stunts Go Bad

They really go bad...

Via AMERICAblog:

Steny Hoyer and John Conyers just pulled a fast one on the GOP. The GOP has been refusing to support the hate crimes bill because it doesn't include members of the US Armed Forces and senior citizens. Conyers just rose and basically said, okay, I'll add them. The Republicans' response? Uh, no.

The Republicans have been railing for days about how this legislation doesn't cover our Armed Forces and senior citizens, and now that the Dems offer to put our Armed Forces and seniors in this legislation, the Republicans said no and affirmatively stopped the Democrats from doing it anyway.

That means the Republicans had no intent on helping our Armed Forces and seniors, on protecting them. It was just a stunt. The GOP leaders in Congress just got up and used our Armed Forces and seniors as political fodder when they had no intent on actually doing anything to help our Armed Forces and seniors.

A litlle bit of humiliation for the GOPeeons that play politics with the soldiers lives (and seniors too...)

Props go out to Conyers and Hoyer for pointing out how the GOP constantly uses the soldiers as political props in their propaganda.

Clinton Wants to Strip Bush of War Authority

Via the NY Times:

Mrs. Clinton’s proposal brings her full circle on Iraq — she supported the war measure five years ago — and it sharpens her own political positioning at a time when Democrats are vying to confront the White House.

“It is time to reverse the failed policies of President Bush and to end this war as soon as possible,” Mrs. Clinton said as she joined Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, in calling for a vote to end the authority as of Oct. 11, the fifth anniversary of the original vote.

Her stance emerged just as Congressional leaders and the White House opened delicate negotiations over a new war-financing measure to replace the one that Mr. Bush vetoed Tuesday.

In spin that only a right wingnut could choke down the NY Times also says that it is not clear if Congress has the power to withdraw the power that only they can empower upon the little brat...

Even if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Byrd succeed in their effort, it is not clear whether President Bush would have to withdraw troops, or if he could resist by claiming that Congress cannot withdraw its earlier authorization but instead has to deny money for the war to achieve that result.

Sure... bush can claim it, but that does not make it credible in any way, shape, or form.

Can you say IMPEACH?



Yep...
No More Kings!

[update]If you are unclear on the many reasons why the little brat needs to be impeached here is one of them:

“The Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a law that would halt dozens of lawsuits charging phone companies with invading ordinary citizens’ privacy through a post-Sept. 11 warrantless surveillance program.”

Rell's Moody Period is Back

tparty over at MLN picks up on another one of Rell's Moody periods:

• Jodi Rell, forgetful wanker, on April 20th:
  
  

  Legislative Democrats on Thursday threw pointed questions at Gov. M. Jodi Rell, asking if her Capitol staff worked to solicit campaign cash from arts and tourism leaders whose groups depend on state funds to operate....

  
  Rell's press office did not return several calls from The Courant beginning late Thursday afternoon....

  
  A month ago Rell's press secretary, Chris Cooper, acknowledged that Moody, Dukes and other Rell staffers "could have" provided the address list to the campaign although they "do not specifically remember" doing so. That prompted Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo to request the current probe. "How could they not remember?" she asked.




• Jodi Rell, wanker with a memory, today:
  
  

  "The campaign received this list through Lisa Moody. The lists were provided on a computer disc. ... I believe all of the individuals on the list were mailed a letter," Kevin M. Deneen, the lawyer from Windsor who managed Rell's successful election effort last year, wrote in a letter faxed Wednesday to two Democratic state legislative leaders who had asked questions about the campaign solicitations.

When was the last time Rell had a Moody period?

Garfield only released part of the story:

Report: Top Rell Aide `Misled' Committee:
"Gov. M. Jodi Rell's chief of staff, M. Lisa Moody, 'misled' a legislative committee by giving sworn testimony that was 'not credible' regarding a Rell fundraiser last year, according to a draft copy of a new legislative report.

The report, obtained Wednesday by The Courant, also says that state elections enforcement chief Jeffrey Garfield should face 'some form of reprimand or censure' because he deleted important information from an investigative report and released the unedited version only after hearings were completed last spring."

Just in case you follow the FIC line of thought and didn't know, misled is another word for LIED, as for Rell's original reaction to her Moody Period:

Moody was suspended by Rell for two weeks after admitting that she handed out invitations to commissioners on state time. Her actions led to seven days of often-contentious legislative hearings in May. Sixteen of Rell's commissioners or deputies were fined $500 each to settle a case under a state law that prohibits those officials from soliciting campaign contributions from their subordinates.

The 14-page report quotes Moody as telling at least one senior staff member, "I am not twisting your arm, but I am," regarding the fundraiser.

The report also states that Moody told one deputy commissioner that "this meeting isn't happening" and another that "it's after 5" - meaning that the workday was officially over for state employees.

Also, we all know that "she testified at a legislative hearing that she did not fully read an ethics memo that it turned out she had edited." But I am betting there are alot more juicy details in the full unedited report that was released in a redacted (lying) version.

Go over and read it at the courant to see some of the reccommendations to stop this sort of waste of our government employees time. As for now I'll leave you with this last little snippet:

The report calls for Garfield's censure or reprimand because his investigation report deleted certain facts that the committee never knew about until after the hearings were closed. That included deleting the chief state's attorney's "interview notes" from two investigators who had spoken to Rell late last year, and deleting all references to DPUC Commissioner Anne George, "who kiddingly referred to Ms. Moody as `John Rowland.'" [...] Dan Moreland was said to have told investigators that when Moody handed George the fundraiser invitations, George responded, "Are you nuts?" George then told Moody, "OK, John Rowland" - a reference to the former governor who served a federal prison sentence on a corruption-related charge.

Goes to show that even the insiders know that Rowland politics are alive and kicking in the Governor Rell's office. As for Garfield, if he absorbs the bulk of the blame in the cover up of Rell's Moody period, wouldn't that make him the political equivalent of a used tampon? Time to trash him...

I wonder who will end up being the tampon that gets flushed this time around? Or maybe, just maybe, Rell and Moody will actually take responsibility for their own illegal and unethical campaigning actions for a change?

WestConn War Protest in Danbury

Undoubtedly in consideration of the preznit playing politics with the soldiers lives by vetoing the funding bill in an effort to push failure of the Iraq war on to the next administration, the NewsTimes covers one of the smaller war protests in the State of Connecitut and the nation yesterday:

DANBURY -- About 30 people protested the Iraq war at the center of Western Connecticut State University's midtown campus Wednesday, calling the war a human and environmental disaster.

Josh Durkin, a freshman from New Milford, cited the human toll, saying more than 3,340 U.S. military personnel have died, and there is no foreseeable end in sight.

"This is really history being repeated," Durkin said, mentioning how the French fought in civil wars in Algeria and Vietnam and had to leave. He said the Soviet Union ran into the same problem in Afghanistan, and the U.S. faced the same problem in Vietnam.

"The strategy is broken," he said.

And as sure as the fact that the conservative party has succumbed to fringe thinking wackos, the comments head right towards illegal immigrants.

Posted by: sage Thu, May 03 2007
I gotta' solution that would satisfy a lot of the patrons of this blog, a solution that would effectively kill 2 birds with1 stone: draft all the illegals in this country into the armed forces and make them serve in the army for 4 years. After they have served their country, then they can attain citizenship.

So put your money where your mouth is illegal. You say you love this country and you say you want to win the war in Iraq. Well here's your chance. The only catch is you only have 2 options: I either you accept this "invitation" to defend your country or you are given a one-way ticket back to Latin America. And this is not negotiable.

Another ill conceived idea from the failed "great republican experiment"...

Drafting illegal immigrants into a high tech military and then having to train them would pose many problems for the immigrants that cannot read english all that well (I know that is not the case for most of them! But for some, language is a bit of a barrier). Yay! The military will have to train them even more than usual!

For those of you "deferement type republicans" that haven't a clue about the military, never mind the modern day one, even the Infantry and Marine ground pounders need to be prepared to learn a lot of high tech material these days. That is why they had standards for enlistment. At least they had standards before bush broke the military and they had to lower them to meet enlistment quotas...

You conservatives sure come up with some wacky fringe thinking ideas that can never work out in the long run. (See Iraq)

Not knocking the NewsTimes on their story, but the participants in the comment threads are nutjobs. Who could've predicted that a comment thread on protesting the war at the NewsTimes might degenerate into another round of "Deport Them!" fringe thinkers bashing illegal immigrants?

HatCity BLOG

People speak out against comments laced with racism and bigotry in the News-Times comments section. From Saturday's article on an illegal immigration forum. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/ - May 2, 2007 - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FORUM VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Members of the community and students protest ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/anti-immigration-forum-video-highlights.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

... illegal aliens; it has to do with drunk driving.” Incredibly, a similar argument has erupted locally, in the comments section of the Danbury News-Times. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/news-times-faces-more-criticism-over.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

illegal immigration forum (a.k.a. fear mongering) round-up. Sunday, April 29, 2007 Time: 8:03 PM ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/illegal-immigration-forum-aka-fear.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

The picture tells the story: Volume 1 · illegal immigration forum (a.k.a. fear mongering) ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/news-times-failed-to-get-real-story.html - May 2, 2007 - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

Danbury, home to an estimated 9000 to 20000 illegal immigrants, gained national attention this year ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2005_12_04_archive.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

illegal immigration forum (a.k.a. fear mongering) ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi... Henry Rollins: This is how I protest the war ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2006_10_29_archive.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

From today's Danbury News-Times. I was very pleased to read the comments of the Rev. ... How does Marcianoor the CTCIC know that illegal immigrants bring ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/immigration-control-president-shows.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

Advocates enraged over the federal roundup of illegal immigrants at Kennedy ... in the Danbury News-Times that there would be an increase in immigration ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/danbury-11-press-conference-video.html - Similar pages

HatCity BLOG

As of mid-June 2006, over 2000 illegal immigrants have been arrested, over 800 of which were ... Criticsim over News-Times comments section intensi. ... hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2006_09_17_archive.html - Similar pages

While the small vocal minority (can you say shrieking?) of illegal immigrant bashers try to stay on their bigoted message, ctblogger is busy Blogging about what is really going on in Danbury that should infuriate its residents:

There been an alarming amount of misinformation from those who are pulling all the political tricks in order to push this so-called "parade ordinance" through the system.

From the misinformation regarding the impact this new policy will have on spontaneous celebrations (e.g. immigrants World Cup festivities), to the possible constitutional problems, which could ultimately cost the city a GREAT deal of money in legal fees, more than ever, it's important for people to have a better understanding about what Mayor Boughton is attempting to push through the Common Council.

Since the News-Times failed to fully inform the public, I felt it necessary to pick up the slack and do the job that the mainstream media refuse to do.

Army Puts a Chokehold On Military Blogs

The Army makes a move that could effectively shut down the military Blogosphere:

Army Regulation 530--1: Operations Security (OPSEC) (.pdf) restricts more than just blogs, however. Previous editions of the rules asked Army personnel to "consult with their immediate supervisor" before posting a document "that might contain sensitive and/or critical information in a public forum." The new version, in contrast, requires "an OPSEC review prior to publishing" anything -- from "web log (blog) postings" to comments on internet message boards, from resumes to letters home.

Failure to do so, the document adds, could result in a court-martial, or "administrative, disciplinary, contractual, or criminal action."

Despite the absolutist language, the guidelines' author, Major Ray Ceralde, said there is some leeway in enforcement of the rules. "It is not practical to check all communication, especially private communication," he noted in an e-mail. "Some units may require that soldiers register their blog with the unit for identification purposes with occasional spot checks after an initial review. Other units may require a review before every posting."

But with the regulations drawn so tightly, "many commanders will feel like they have no choice but to forbid their soldiers from blogging -- or even using e-mail," said Jeff Nuding, who won the bronze star for his service in Iraq. "If I'm a commander, and think that any slip-up gets me screwed, I'm making it easy: No blogs," added Nuding, writer of the "pro-victory" Dadmanly site. "I think this means the end of my blogging."

Active-duty troops aren't the only ones affected by the new guidelines. Civilians working for the military, Army contractors -- even soldiers' families -- are all subject to the directive as well.

There won't be much interesting coming out of the MilBlogs any longer if it all has to be Pentagon/White House approved propaganda...

Feingold Won't Back Down

Senator Russ Feingold, showing he has a spine, writes over at HuffPo:

After the Veto

The ink on the President's veto is barely dry, and already, a lot of Washington insiders - including some Democrats -- are saying Congress should just give in to the President. Never mind how hard people have pushed to bring Congress to this point, when we are finally standing up to the President's disastrous Iraq policy -- they want to give up on the binding language in the bill requiring the President to begin redeploying troops from Iraq.

But that's just letting the President have his way all over again. That's the kind of thinking that got us into this war in the first place, and it's not going to cut it anymore.

We can't keep giving in to this Administration on Iraq. Every time the Administration gets its way, it means that our troops will remain stuck in the middle of Iraq's civil war, and our national security will continue to be undermined. With so many Americans demanding that our involvement in this war come to an end, backing down is not the answer. No one else should die in Iraq to give political comfort to dealmakers in Washington.

Well I know whats right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin me around
But Ill stand my ground and I wont back down

Here's to you Senator Feingold:

Anemic Republican Response to Veto

Here is the anemic Republican response to their own failure to fund the troops:

“Several Republican leaders said Tuesday that they were likely to support such benchmarks, and White House aides said Tuesday that Mr. Bush…might back such a measure — but only if the benchmarks are nonbinding.”

Bush tells Americans that Congress can't have a say in what is going on because:

He said the measure would “impose impossible conditions on our commanders in combat” by forcing them to “take fighting directions from politicians 6,000 miles away in Washington, D.C.”

If bush really thinks this, why doesn't he just make those soldiers enlistment contracts "non-binding" and let them decide who they want to "take fighting directions" from? heh According to a January poll in the Military Times:

Only 35 percent of the military members polled this year said they approve of the way President Bush is handling the war, while 42 percent said they disapproved. The president’s approval rating among the military is only slightly higher than for the population as a whole.

I wonder where they would poll now considering the continued failures?

Anyways... What do Americans want their Congrees critters to do?

Do Democrats take John Edwards's suggestion, as relayed in his new campaign ad, and "send [Bush] the same bill again and again"? Or should Democrats and Republicans in Congress work with the White House to find some sort of solution that isn't likely to give either side a complete political victory?

A Pew Research Center poll released on April 26 suggests that the American public favors the Edwards approach, with each side standing their ground rather than compromising.

snip

Roughly six-in-ten people in the Pew sample (59 percent) said they want their member of Congress to back an Iraq funding bill that includes a timeline for American troops to begin withdrawing.

They want Congress to demand binding timelines. And they are right.

[Update]I just wanted to add these two responses to the Veto via The National Security Network:

Today, two retired Generals who led troops in Iraq expressed outrage at the President's veto of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act.

The President vetoed our troops and the American people. His stubborn commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is incomprehensible. He committed our great military to a failed strategy in violation of basic principles of war. His failure to mobilize the nation to defeat world wide Islamic extremism is tragic. We deserve more from our commander-in-chief and his administration.
--Maj. Gen. John Batiste, USA, Ret.

This administration and the previously Republican controlled legislature have been the most caustic agents against America's Armed Forces in memory. Less than a year ago, the Republicans imposed great hardship on the Army and Marine Corps by their failure to pass a necessary funding language. This time, the President of the United States is holding our Soldiers hostage to his ego. More than ever apparent, only the Army and the Marine Corps are at war - alone, without their President's support.
--Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, USA, Ret.

'Nuff said.

You Can't Veto The Truth!

Tell George Bush:
You can veto a bill.
But you can't veto the truth.

Call: 202-456-1111

AmericansUnitedForChange.org

A Little Bit of History

"Today in History" via The Library of Congress:

On May 1, 1931, with the press of a button in Washington, D.C., President Herbert Hoover turned on the lights of the Empire State Building. This event officially opened the edifice, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in New York City, to the public. At 102 stories, it reigned as the world's tallest skyscraper until 1974.

Twin Towers (WTC) constuction via Wikipedia:

In 1970, construction was completed on One World Trade Center, with its first tenants moving into the building in December, 1970. Tenants first moved into Two World Trade Center in January 1972. When the World Trade Center twin towers were completed, the total costs to the Port Authority had reached $900 million. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was on April 4, 1973.

snip

When completed in 1972, 1 WTC became the tallest building on Earth, unseating the Empire State Building after a 40 year reign. 2 WTC became the second tallest building in the world when completed in 1973. The difference in height between the two towers was because of a Port Authority request to have two floors, the 43rd and the 67th, in 1 WTC raised, the lower of the taller floors being a cafeteria for PANY workers. 2 WTC did not need these facilities, so it remained 1,362 feet. Regardless, the WTC towers held the height record only briefly. As the building neared completion in 1973, work had already begun on Chicago's Sears Tower, which ultimately reached 1,450 feet (442 m). With the World Trade Center's destruction, the Empire State Building again became the tallest building in New York, after spending almost 30 years as the third-tallest in the city.

Today marks the 4 year anniversary of bushies infamous aircraft carrier campaign speech:


Bush never said "Mission Accomplished" on that aircraft carrier - though the picture speaks a thousand words - BUT he did say it a month later while addressing soldiers in Qatar:

We've seen a lot of fine sights, but there's no finer sight than to see the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America.

I am happy to see you, an so are the long-suffering people of Iraq. America sent you on a mission to remove a grave threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been accomplished.

It is sad to think that 4 years after "Mission Accomplished" bush is still asking for a blank check in order to continue to run Iraq into the ground. Now, bush wants to build walls to keep them liberated:

According to Iraqi reports, US troops began building the wall around the predominately Sunni district of Al-A'zamiyah in Baghdad. The wall, which is comprised of reinforced concrete blocks, each of which weighs more than six tons, will be 5.4 km long. The general tone of Iraqi reporting is negative and critical, with some outlets media outlets comparing it to the Berlin Wall and the containment wall first implemented by Israel's former Prime Minister Aiel Sharon, while others opine that it is a sign of a failed US policy to curb sectarian violence in the city.

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

THAN THIS ONE SPEAKS VOLUMES!

CLICK ON THE PIC!
(and Imagine 3, 4 or 5 thousand)

If Congress gives bush a blank check
EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME.

Another Casualty of the DC Madam

You can add this man to the casualty list:

Likely to be among those called to testify is military strategist Harlan K. Ullman. Two weeks ago, Palfrey alleged that Ullman, creator of the "shock and awe" combat theory and now a scholar with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, was a customer of her business. Ullman has said that the claim was "beneath the dignity of comment."
(ABC News)

A Littlemore background on Ullman via Sourcewatch:

In 1996, Ullmann, then an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), published Shock and Awe: Achieving Rapid Dominance. The premise of the book was that, rather than relying on old-fashioned gimmickry like destroying the enemy's military capability, we could instead win wars by "sufficiently intimidating and compelling factors to force or otherwise convince an adversary to accept our will." Ullman approvingly cited the nuking of Hiroshima and the Germans' blitzkreig as examples of shocking and awing civilian populations into submission.

Ullman was the youngest officer to ever serve as Professor of Strategy at the National War College. He taught strategy to Colin Powell when Powell was a Colonel attending the NWC. In his autobiography My American Journey, Colin Powell was effusive with praise for Ullman:

"A teacher who raised my vision several levels was Harlan Ullman, a Navy lieutenant commander who taught military strategy. So far, I had known men of action but few who were also authentic intellectuals. Ullman was that rarity, a scholar in uniform, a line officer qualified for command at sea, also possessed of one of the best, most provocative minds I have ever encountered."

Ullman, a 1963 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, retired as a Commander. His career included commanding a Swift Boat in Vietnam, as well as a Navy Destroyer (USS Dupont DD-941) in 1980-1981.

Also, a bit more on Center for Strategic and International Studies via sourcewatch:

Originally CSIS sprung out from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, and many of principals were also faculty members at the university. For some time CSIS had an office on the Georgetown campus. Several of the principals were "Cold Warriors" and made a little industry out of finding "communist influence" around the world. During the war against Nicaragua, CSIS produced several documents "proving" a communist plot, etc. For many years, CSIS was also seen as a think tank where right-wing "officials-in-waiting" could wait until their next appointment in government.

Woohoo! Mcarthyism in it's lowest form... (IE: disguised as "thinking")

Ullman joins Tobias in the republican sin-bin:

The Blotter gets the scoop on Tobias:

"Deputy Secretary of State Randall L. Tobias submitted his resignation Friday, one day after confirming to ABC News that he had been a customer of a Washington, D.C. escort service whose owner has been charged by federal prosecutors with running a prostitution operation. Tobias, 65, Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), had previously served as the Ambassador for the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief.

A State Department press release late Friday afternoon said only he was leaving for 'personal reasons.' On Thursday, Tobias told ABC News he had several times called the 'Pamela Martin and Associates' escort service 'to have gals come over to the condo to give me a massage.' Tobias, who is married, said there had been 'no sex,' and that recently he had been using another service 'with Central Americans' to provide massages.

Tobias' private cell number was among thousands of numbers listed in the telephone records provided to ABC News by Jeane Palfrey, the woman dubbed the 'D.C. Madam,' who is facing the federal charges."

These guys just can't seem to get enough of the Randy "Duke" Cunningham treatment.

The DC Madame, with noted GOP clientele and connections, has promised to drop dimes on many more of her pant dropping District of Columbia elite customers in the hopes of avoiding jail time and because she isn't "shy about bringing in the deputy secretary of whatever."

The real kicker on this one?

As the Bush administration's so-called "AIDS czar," Tobias was criticized for emphasizing faithfulness and abstinence over condom use to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Another fine chapter in "the never ending lies" as more extreme hypocrisy eminates from the stink pile of the failed and unethical bush administration.



Sure he does... The only time bush has a problem with their ethics is when they get caught with their pants down...

Think Progress provides an update on Tobias:

"Former U.S. AID director Randall Tobias, who resigned yesterday upon admitting that he frequented a Washington escort service, oversaw a controversial policy advocated by the religious right that required any US-based group receiving anti-AIDS funds to take an anti-prostitution “loyalty oath.”

Aid groups bitterly opposed the policy, charging that it “was so broad — and applied even to their private funds — that it would obstruct their outreach to sex workers who are at high risk of transmitting the AIDS virus.” But President Bush wouldn’t budge. He signed a 2003 National Security Presidential Directive saying prostitution “and related activities” were “inherently harmful and dehumanizing.”"

This could be be some must-watch TV:

Watch "20/20" this Friday at 10 p.m. EDT for ABC News' Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross' exclusive interview with the D.C. Madam, Jeane Palfrey.

You have to wonder if these guys are just "low ranking teasers", and if there will be any bombshells on the show Friday?

Good thing it won't interupt my regular viewing of KO on Countdown! heh

Gen Petraeus: Iraq will “get harder before it gets easier”

The story president poopypants is afraid to tell you:

WASHINGTON - The top US commander in Iraq admitted yesterday that the conflict would “get harder before it gets easier”, providing further ammunition for Democrats determined to face down George Bush in their constitutional clash over the Iraq war.Hours before the Senate passed legislation ordering troops to start leaving Iraq by October, General David Petraeus said the conflict was “the most complex and challenging I have ever seen”. Gen Petraeus, who was put in charge of the Baghdad troop “surge” to pacify the Iraqi capital, warned of the enormous commitment and sacrifice facing the US in Iraq.

His downbeat assessment, in contrast with Mr Bush’s optimistic statements, stiffened the resolve of Democrats in Congress pushing for an early withdrawal of US troops. Yesterday the Senate followed the House of Representatives in backing legislation that calls for most US troops to be out by spring 2008.

The bill is expected to land on Mr Bush’s table on Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of the speech in which he prematurely declared an end to hostilities. Under the legislation billions of dollars of military funding will be withheld unless Mr Bush sets in motion the withdrawal timetable.

If president poopypants takes his ball and goes home (ie: vetos this} like the crybaby that he is, then just send it back to him with more restrictions. Keep sending it back with more and more restrictions.

Oh... And most Republicans in the Senate and House, like Lieberman and Shays, are too chicken to stand against president poopypants and do what they promised to do before the elections.

FU Lieberman and Shays... Be adults for a change and do your jobs.
(And no! I don't mean Friedman Units. You ran out of those in my book not long after the soldiers started dying for your incompetence.)

Get Bucks To Blog For ThinkProgress

Just think of all the skittles and beers you could buy!

New Fellows Program:
Get Paid To Blog For ThinkProgress:

"Today, ThinkProgress is launching a blog fellows program.

ThinkProgress Fellows will be drawn directly from our readership and other progressive blogs, and will become an integral part of our team — writing for ThinkProgress and the Progress Report e-newsletter, monitoring media outlets and conducting other research projects.

Fellows will serve six-month terms, receive a monetary stipend ($3,000), and travel to Washington D.C. for a weekend of training at the Center for American Progress. You’ll be asked to work about 20 hours/week, and you don’t need to reside in Washington.

Applying is easy: just fill out this application and submit it to tpfellows@americanprogressaction.org by May 6. You can also email that address with questions."

I think it is safe to say that Republicans need not apply, unless they have no scruples? (Which is usually the case. heh)

Just do us all a favour and PLEASE disclose that you are paid by ThinkProgress should you be one of the ones that gets the gig. Keep it honest and ethical. Nobody wants to be the next Dan Gerstein...

Simmons confirms the reason for Cappiello's limp into CT-05

I posted this last week on Cappiello limping into the 5th district:

Hobbled by his connection to the most corrupt group of politicians ever assembled under any political party's history, the GOP's David Cappiello will toss his name into the meat grinder that almost every GOP candidate will have to face in the state of Connecticut because of the meat grinder they have created for the soldiers in Iraq.

Unofficially it began Nov. 7 of last year. Officially the race for the state's 5th District Congressional seat started Wednesday when five-term state Sen. David Cappiello announced - more than 18 months before Election Day - that he's challenging freshman U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy.

"I've accepted that I'm the underdog and that I'm going to have to reach as many voters as I can," Cappiello said in telephone interview during a break from Wednesday's marathon session at the state Capitol. The Danbury senator, a 38-year-old mortgage broker, may be the first Republican to file paperwork for the 5th District contest with the Federal Election Commission, but it's likely he won't be the last.

The state's Republican party took a hit in 2006 when 12-term incumbent Nancy Johnson lost to Murphy and three-term incumbent Rob Simmons lost the 2nd District race to Democrat Joe Courtney.

The GOP... Just call them the hamburger party. No word yet if Joe neocon Lieberman will have any beefs with his fellow Republican David Cappiello, and if he will cross the aisle and support Murphy in the first truly bipartisan move of his recent career.

Yesterday, Connecticut Local Politics points to the fact that even Rob Simmons recognizes that his is the hamburger party and why:

From the LA Times:

Three-term Rep. Rob Simmons of Connecticut, who lost his seat last year by 83 votes, said he turned down an appeal from the GOP to run again in 2008, partly because of the dismal political climate. In a district dominated by Democrats, he said, it has become impossible for even a moderate Republican like himself to win — especially since he voted to authorize the war in Iraq.

The real humour here is that Simmons thinks he is a moderate... Sure he is, and so is his fellow Republicon and RADICAL AMERICAN CENTRIST Joe neocon Lieberman! I like to think of Simmons as a flame broiled member of the hamburger party.

In January I wrote about this mythical "Radical American Centrism" claimed by pure far right wingnuts:

Radical American Centrism: THE BIG LIEberman

The center is such a hard thing to nail down for Joe, at least, as long as it keeps moving EVEN FURTHER to the left of Joe than it was before.

According to C&L:

Military Times: (h/t Hugh)

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Approve 35%
Disapprove 42%
No opinion 10%
Decline to answer 12%

A few more stats from Gabe at CLP:

TPM Election Central's Eric Kleefeld neatly rips this absurd argument to shreds (click through to read the whole thing and see the video of McCain making the claim):

First, let's take a look at Connecticut's exit polls. They show that sending more troops had the support of — get this — 15% of voters! Meanwhile, 63% of voters said some or even all troops should be withdrawn, in complete opposition to Lieberman's real position.

Second, given the total number of people who cast their vote for Lieberman, it's nothing short of absurd to say that it's in any way indicative of anything national. According to the final results, a total of 563,725 people voted for Lieberman — in other words, just over half a million in a nation of 300 million people.

Finally, Lieberman won because he was able to misrepresent his views on Iraq, not because voters agreed with his actual views on the subject. Back in July, Lieberman actually said he thought we'd be able to draw down "significant" numbers of troops by now. What's more, Lieberman worked hard to blur the line between himself and Ned Lamont on the Iraq issue. In one ad, for instance, he spoke of wanting to "bring our troops home from Iraq."

PING... Just using "echo location" to point out how much further to the left the people of Connecticut are compared to Joe "Right-Wingnut" Lieberman.

The same RADICAL label should, deservedly, be applied to any of Connecticut's Republican members of the hamburger party.

Mothers Day Limerick Contest

skippy the bush kangaroo points to a limerick contest at Mad Kane:

and she's running another limerick contest, this time for mother's day!

so here’s my challenge: write a limerick related to the subject of mothers and post it here in a comment to this post no later than saturday, may 12, 2007. i’ll announce the winners on mother’s day, may 13, 2007.

the first prize will be $25. the second prize will be $10. both prizes will be paid via paypal.

so, what exactly is a limerick? it’s a five line poem with an aabba rhyme scheme and a very specific meter exemplified by these winning entries. (for more information about limericks check out these fine sites: encyclospeedia oedilfica and oedilf.)

HMMM? My entry:

Ode to Martha

There was a blue Mom in Connecticut
Who preached about homemaking etiquette
She spent time in jail
For a fraudulent sale
Or was it her “liberal” epithet?

I think that what Martha Stewart did was wrong BUT, given the fact that many Republic party scoundrels have received a much different treatment by the Republic controlled DoJ, this may have been as much a political witch hunt as it was justice served.

The message was touted as "Don't do insider trading"... But there was a secondary message of "ESPECIALLY if you are a liberal!"

Given what we know about the politicization of the DoJ under Alberto "GONEzo" Gozales, and previously under Ashcroft as well, this may be more apparent now.

Malkin: Hot Air or copycatting the Left?

Is malkin a copycat or is she just full of hot air?

Send 'em a white feather
By Michelle Malkin · April 26, 2007 05:09 PM

Reader and Vietnam Vet Jack Haley e-mails:

The White Feather has been a symbol for cowardice. I suggest that white feathers be sent to the leaders of the Senate and House for the cowardly vote that abandons our soldiers around the world.

From Nov 22nd, 2005 and based on the symbolism of the original "white feather" story:

Operation Yellow Feather


In a effort to blunt the effect of Murtha's serious call for a withdrawal of the troops, Republicans hurriedly offered a sham Bill on the issue that had almost no support. During debate on the issue, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), a freshman Rep., called Murtha a coward:

"A few minutes ago I received a call from Colonel Danny Bubp, Ohio Representative from the 88th district in the House of Representatives. He asked me to send Congress a message: Stay the course. He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message, that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

Schmidt's comments were heckled on the floor of our Congress, and she was forced to withdraw them from the record. But she and state Rep. Bubp deserve to know that we were watching, and that we won't stand for neo-McCarthyism, where heroic opponents of this flawed war are discredited as cowards and traitors.

You can help. Please print off one of the protest forms below and send them to the offices of Rep. Schmidt and Rep. Bubp. Take the time to write a personalized note on your form, explaining that the "chicken hawk" tactics of the Republican party will not be tolerated. Let's bury their offices with "chicken hawk" feathers, so that the next time they feel like squawking in public, they will remember that we are watching them.

Here are the forms:

Lost Your Chicken Hawk Feather?

The Chicken Hawk Unit Patch

The Classic Yellow Feather (Make sure to explain)

The Ugly Chicken Hawk (Fill in the voice bubble)

Send your forms to:

Rep. Jean Schmidt
8044 Montgomery Rd. Suite 540
Cincinnati, OH 45236

Rep. Danny Bubp
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111

I figure malkin and her wingnut friends are probably both... Copycats and full of hot air. Poor little wingnut michelle. Show a bit more originality when you type the thoughts that escape from your back-blast area.

Just to be clear about "Operation Yellow Feather" (and as I noted to BostonJoe in his original diary):

On top of the recommended list and/or front paged at 5 major Liberal/Progressive Blogs today...

1. Booman Tribune!
2. dKos
3. MyDD
4. My Left Wing
5. Political Cortex

And add to that countless "little" blogs have it out there!

It was out there and the right wingnuts probably saw it. But even if malkin didn't copy this from the left... She is still full of it.