the.antiMandate...

Thank you Molly!

2007-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

In Loving Memory of Molly Ivins, 1944-2007 - The Texas Observer

You will be missed...

Protect the vote...

2006-11-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

National Hotlines:

1-866-OUR VOTE (1-866-687-8683) (website here)

1-888-DEMVOTE (1-888-336-8683) (DNC hotline)

1-888-SAV-VOTE (1-888-728-8683)(voting machine problems)
Election incident sites:
ProtectOurVotes.org

Election Protection 365

Video The Vote

VeektheVote (cellphone video reports)
Find your polling place.

Why it Matters...

2006-11-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Happy election eve...

I realize that I have been away for quite some time. I have not sent anything nor updated my web blog in a while. For that I apologize, as I have been attending to personal matters and molding my son to become a great Democratic leader (this part is a joke.) You know why I am here emailing you today. It should not be a surprise. This week will be extraordinary in terms of politics - politics that has taken a rather personal turn these last six years. Those who believe that there is no connection between national politics and their local lives need to take a ride to the Ninth Ward in New Orleans or to a little place in Ohio called Brook Park. Then come and tell me that it does not matter. There comes a time in our lives when making a change matters, no matter how small or painful. What matters is that at this moment we have the opportunity to be that change - to alter the direction that our country is going - to take a breath and consider a different way. It may not be the perfect way, but Democracy was never meant to be perfect. The founders knew it was to evolve. It had to in order to survive. And, right now that abstract notion could not be more important.

The BushCo Republicans have given us nothing but war, scandal, ineptitude and arrogance. They have shown us fear, deception, hypocrisy, and humiliation. They choose not to understand and all but silenced any dissenting or moderate voice in their own party. It is pathetic, disgraceful, and criminal. Why so harsh? Because many people have died and suffered on their watch. No conspiracy theories, debates, material witnesses are needed... None. The few remaining Moderates and Pragmatics left on the Right are burned, confused, and starting to run away. The evidence is plain. Look at the Republican candidates in your district, especially the incumbents. They are breaking ranks from the devastation BushCo has laid on the American landscape. They are trying to salvage what is left, what institution they swore to protect. But, it is too late. Americans are visibly upset and demand that we try a different path. Tomorrow, we make that demand a reality. Not the BushCo "reality" we have been living for six years. Reality is a on the front lines in Iraq, on the ground in New Orleans, on the border in San Diego, factory towns in Ohio... These are where the "values" are, not some Karl Rovian talking points memo - some numbers game or hanky-panky in vote-counting.

Tomorrow is the most important day of my future - my family's future. I will be damned to let this corrupt Congress and Administration rob my son's future of security, economy, values, faith, you name it. I am sick of it. This is not a Red State-Blue State issue any more. This is our issue. The debacle in Iraq has cost us almost 3000 American lives and 100,000s of thousands of Iraqi lives. They are in the middle of a civil war there - slaughtering each in a conflict that has lasted since well before our lifetimes. All the while, Iran and North Korea go unchecked, Israel carpet bombs the Lebanese, and Sudanese are dying everyday. And this is just our foreign policy. Which brings me back to the things that matter to us right now... Domestically, we are a train wreck. Any fiscal conservative will tell you that. Any environmentalist, climatologist, or weatherman will tell you we have a problem with global warming. Al Gore just presented it to you in a passionate, non-partisan- why should I worry about my political career way. Any day laborer, truck-driver, returning-or-between tours of duty troop will tell you why low unemployment numbers mean nothing to them. Wal-Mart doesn't pay the bills. The Dixie Chicks will tell why free-speech has its consequences. And Jack Abramoff will tell you where to put your money. Does America want to be this way? Are we better off now than we were then? It is not a relative question anymore. Period.

Do the Democrats have all the answers? No and we should not expect them to have these answers. But we have to start somewhere. Why should the Dems take back the Congress? One word - oversight. Two more - checks & balances. We Americans know when the powerful get too powerful - greedy and aloof. Are our memories too short? Or do we forget as a comfortable convenience? The Dems in power represents a first step in a direction away from our current path. It is a path Americans no longer can afford - in lives. The Dems don't always agree on everything, but rest assured, at least they will bring back debate and thought. Not tactics, party-over-people shenanigans, middle of the night bills, one-sided talks, closed-door "constitutional" sessions, 1000s of earmarks on one bill, rule-changes as they go along, signing statements, golf-junkets in Scotland using donations from Native American tribes...need I say more?

It is time for us to take a breath. To reflect. Pause. Understand where we are and say stop - this is not who we are! We are America. We do not condone torture, indefinite detention, eavesdropping, loss of habeas-corpus. We are not "them." We do not do what "they" do. We are above that. We don't "fight them over there so they don't fight us here." What does that even mean? Why do I live in America? My co-worker blurts out a Coming To America line every once in a while (in Zumundan accent) - "God Bless America, what a beautiful country." Oh, it seems so trivial, not to mention rather funny even now after all these years. But, it gets me to thinking - it is a beautiful country, a free country - one of choice, hopes, aspirations, and second chances. Why have so many risked their lives to come here - to escape their repressive regimes? To have one chance, unobstructed by control from the "state." We do not torture. We choose to accept that all people or innocent until proven guilty. We are allowed to worship our Gods freely. We live our way. We are kind and giving. We help other less fortunate. Be believe in fairness and equality. We deplore violence. Education is a right. Heath and safety are priorities. We do not live in fear. We can change.

And that's what I am talking about. Change. Now is the time. So vote and tell your friends to vote. And their friends. And their friends. Talk to you neighbors. The postal worker. The cashiers. Understand their worries and values. Commiserate. Don't tell who to vote for. Show them what makes sense. Sincerity, understanding, drive to make things right for the most people. That is what politics is about. Send the message to all politicians that it is time to go to work or take a hike. Then go to the polls, help those who need assistance. Observe. Be alert. Assure those that their votes will count. The more of us who go to the polls, the greater the margin, the less likely the steal. Then stand your ground. The fight will only begin on Election Day. What will follow will determine who "gets" the votes. It is sad to think that we must be this vigilant in this day and age. But, disenfranchisement happens in a more subtle way today. It will be difficult. It could get ugly. Don't back down. Not now. Some simple rules of engagement (some of you may already know):

When voting (if you have not voted absentee):

1. Bring photo ID. If you or anybody does not have this, please note or tell them that they CANNOT be denied to vote. Request a "provisional" ballot. This ballot may or may not be counted. You must return with ID in order for it to go in the rolls. Make sure that you are told by a supervising poll-worker how much time you have to produce this ID. If a supervisor is not available, have the poll-worker that is assisting you to contact the Board of Elections. This sounds like a lot, but it matters.

2. Vote on a paper ballot wherever possible. Ask what is available and what the rules are. Some states allow voting on paper or electronically. It is more complicated and longer, but paper is better. All electronic voting machine companies are owned by Republican or heavy Republican donors - Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia, and others (see www.blackboxvoting.com for details). Some optical scanners, which tally paper ballots are owned by Diebold, but are much harder to rig. They can throw out votes for markings not recognized, so please read the ballot carefully and mark your choice accordingly. Some local races will have more than one to choose. Pay attention. Please tell those folks who you are assisting the same thing. Races for Congress only have ONE choice.

3. Be prepared to contest your vote or somebody else's vote. Know your rights. Take a stand. If you see something not right - report it. There will be several people to one half dozen people in your precinct that are representatives from the major parties. Other districts may have Green or Libertarian members assisting Democratic poll workers. Please be advised - ask for credentials. Make sure these people are not misleading other voters. In 2004, Republican operatives used scare tactics, told people in line that the voting was finished or moved to another location. Some operatives lashed out, started yelling, only to cause a distraction or delay. Don't move. Stay in line - you have the right to vote and you cannot be turned away if you are in line.

4. Be patient. Voting machines will break down. There will be delays. You may experience "vote changes" on the screen. Please tell somebody. Ask questions. Demand a receipt. Tell others. It is already happening in early voting in places like Texas and Arizona.

The people in power want as few people to vote as possible. It is easier for them to ensure the results they desire. Do not be discouraged. Do not give up. We must overwhelm them. This is it. My words are done. Our work is not. Pass this to as many people as you can and show up on Tuesday.

...be the change...

jc

"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold." Bob Marley

You can bomb them into pieces, but you can’t bomb into peace...

2006-07-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

The comments following pieces in America newspapers regarding the Israeli war on Lebanon and Palestine Occupied Territories are flowing and the sentiment is to be expected - Lebanon deserves it, Israel has the right to defend itself, etc. Yes Israel has the right to defend itself, but from whom and when is the response cross the line. One comment in the San Francisco Chronicle explains American naivetÃ© . First the comment after a piece titled "Bombe surprise" under the The Ross Report blog:

Lebanon gets what da deserve.

Check out the videos released by the IDF that clearly show 1) that missles were being fired from near the building that got leveled, then 2) where a drone plane tracked the rocket launcher vehicle as it pulled into an underground garage where the building that got struck. Bye, bye, rocket launcher!!!

Where's the outrage by the arabs and muslims about all of the innocent Isreali civilians getting their homes rocketed (muslims, christians, and jews)??? It is interesting how both muslims, christians, and jews within Isreal all support the retaliation in Lebanon.

Where is the outrage by the arabs and muslims around the world that Hezbollah Islamic Fascists are using their own civilians as human shields.

Only Hezbollah's Islamic Fascists are responsible for the carnage taking place in Lebanon. It should only stop when the Lebanize people rise up and disarm all of the private militas in Lebanon. You can't have a private militia speaking for a country.

Take off your blinders and turn off Al Jazera and stop becoming a sinking ship of fools.

I just needed to respond to this one (using the name peacetrain). We need to understand the whole picture before we rush tojudgmentt. (Excuse my correcting of some of this person's typos - I do realize he/she is hot about the topic):

The name explains in all, I guess. The ignorant statement that "Lebanon gets what da deserve" (it deserves?) in fact sums up everything here for you. You miss the point entirely. Lebanon has no control over the Hizbollah guerrillas. Its government is weak and is pleading for help. This is the real news. The US sits idly by while innocent people are obliterated, displaced and humiliated. So stop criticizing those with "blinders" and take a look at yourself and which propaganda you subscribe to. Your assumptions that everyone who disagrees with what they "see" on Israeli or American TV falls in line with Aljazeera is foolish and dangerous. Hezbollah has no right to kill innocent Israelis and in turn, Israel's disproportioned response is unconscionable. There are many claims that they have the best military and intelligence 2nd only to the US - why do they have to level whole apartment complexes to kill one guerilla fighter who "supposed" have a missile "stored" there? Why not go in with this highly skilled unit and take them out, minimizing the death of innocents? Israel's hard-line government's response is unfounded. Why not let the innocents leave without bombing them?

The Lebanese people do not want this and are unfortunate and tragic pawns in this Mid-East mess. To call them "Islamic fascists" again shows that you do not understand the complexities of the history of this region. These people are not fascists - this term belongs to European and American governments. Arabs and Israelis have had conflict for much, much longer than we can fathom in our naïve minds. The US is the baby on the block and if we are to think that we can solve this conflict and keep the peace makes us the "sinking ship of fools."

When will Israel be held up to follow the rules like every other state? When will the United States stop playing tribute to a state that never compromises and wants to "win the peace?" Is it really possible that Arabs will live in peace with their Israeli neighbors, if we give them a chance? These are questions that need to be addressed.

You can bomb them into pieces, but you can't bomb into peace... Michael Franti

Smokin' Hot - How long will it take to convince you?

2006-06-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Temperature of Earth is at a 2000-year high, at least according to the National Academy of Sciences...

In summary, large-scale surface temperature reconstructions are proving to be important tools in our understanding of global climate change. They contribute evidence that allows us to say, with a high level of confi dence, that global mean surface temperature was higher during the last few decades of the 20th century than during any comparable period during the preceding four centuries.

On hiatus...

2006-04-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

No, not BushCo. Me. Due to personal reasons, I have been and will be on hiatus for a couple months. Sorry. I should be back in time for the state primaries.

jc

"Bush is the syphilis president."

2006-03-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

Kurt Vonnegut expresses a little candor in a recent speech at a Ohio college.

And it would seem appropriate now given that everyhing that BushCo touches turns to shit. With failure after failure, it makes you wonder how long America can hold onto this reject. It would have to be time to find someone who can fulfill his or her duties as President - security, lawful, democratic...

Video killed the Homeland Security Star...

2006-03-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

Apparently, video footage shows that Bush and Chertoff were warned before Katrina hit.

Bush didn't ask a single question during the final briefing before Katrina struck on Aug. 29, but he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: "We are fully prepared."

The footage - along with seven days of transcripts of briefings obtained by The Associated Press - show in excruciating detail that while federal officials anticipated the tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast, they were fatally slow to realize they had not mustered enough resources to deal with the unprecedented disaster.

Fatally slow is an appropriate use of wording here. Brownee has complained about the "fog of bureaucracy," and is unwilling to take the fall for this tragedy. It seems to me that the fog is in all their heads. Looking worried doesn't minimize the colossal error BushCo made. And this is supposed to instill confidence that they are protecting us from terrorists?

CA Secretary of State certifies flawed voting machines...

2006-02-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the primary, Secretary of State Bruce McPherson grants conditional certification of Diebold voting machines in California. GuvWurld takes an in depth look at this announcement and points out the flaws of McPherson's addressing the flaws...

WMD?

2006-02-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

There has been many a word written about the VP Cheney's recent shooting a man in the face 'incident'. Cartoonist Charlie Padow 'shows' it best in his So It Goes series.

Ohio GOP Wasteland - Update: Coin dealer and GOP fundraiser indicted...

2006-02-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

Life is just getting worse for Ohio Republicans as Tom Noe is charged with stealing at least $1 million from a $50 million coin investment. This does not look good for the Ohio Republican Party in this an election year.

In recent years, Noe became one of the state's top fundraisers and personally contributed more than $105,000 to Republicans including Bush and Taft during the last campaign.

Republicans ranging from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the two GOP Ohio officeholders who are seeking the governor's job this year have given back Noe's donations or contributed the money to charity.

The landscape is grim... Gov. Bob Taft and two former aides plead to ethics charges. Congressman Bob Ney steps down from a leadership position because of his connection to LobbyGate master Jack Abramoff, Freshman Congresswoman Jean Schmidt narrowly wins against Democratic challenger, Paul Hackett in a heavy GOP district, only to be censured on the House floor for unpatriotic comments against Dem. Congressman, Murtha, a 3-decade, decorated Vet. And, of course, lingering questions and inaccuracies about the 2004 Presidential election results, all with a partisan GOP Secretary of State in charge. Ohioans must be reeling from these scandals, one after another.

McCain vs. Obama...

2006-02-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

The corporate Media is making something out of nothing. It light of it being an election year, McCain's "disagreement" with Obama of campaign finance reform and lobbying ethics is a little nod and a wink to the GOP radical right. Josh Marshall at TPM alludes to this quite clearly. It is important for McCain to do his part for the GOP smear machine...

To recap, McCain's letter in response to Obama thanking him for including him in bipartisan discussions on lobbying reform but still expressing reservations on the GOP approach, noted:

"I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable... "Thank you for disabusing me of such notions."

Well, well? Difference of opinion? I assume that this is the process of "bipartisan" talks...

The great T-shirt threat

2006-02-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

I loved this title from the San Francisco Chronicle regarding Cindy Sheehan's arrest at the SOTU Tuesday night for wearing a T-shirt. I retrospect, we should expect this type of stifling of free speech by BushCo. To be fair, they even kicked out the outspoken wife of a GOP Florida congressman for wearing a 'Support our Troops' T-shirt. But they did not arrest her.

"We will fight for democracy over there, so we don't have to fight for it here... "

Coretta Scott King Dies at 78

2006-01-31T10:20:00.000-08:00

Rest in Peace...

"It's a bleak morning for me and for many people and yet it's a great morning because we have a chance to look at her and see what she did and who she was."

poet Maya Angelou

Alito squeaks by...

2006-01-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

... in one of the "most partisan victories in modern history..."

58-42 (and not enough even to override a filibuster)

Republicans cannot debate on Alito any longer - get vote for cloture

2006-01-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

Final Vote Count on Cloture of Alito Nomination Debate listed here. firedoglake has done a great job getting information out to stop Alito's confirmation. BUT THERE IS STILL TIME. Scroll down for contact information on your Senators.

GOP Senators just want to hand BushCo one success for his State of the DisUnion speech tomorrow night. Who cares that this a lifetime appointment...

BushCo: Fuzzy reality...

2006-01-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

Bush can't recall taking photos with "Pioneer" Jack Abramoff and calls them 'not relevant.' It is hard to say whether BushCo is willing to accept the consequences of his link to good ole Jack. Surely, you can't not know who has contributed some $100,000 as becoming a Pioneer requires? His deflection, however, does not bode well for the GOP in general this election year. The fact that the rule of law was broken here - with the lobbying scandal and the NSA secret domestic wiretapping, as well as the ineptitude of Hurricane Katrina response and mismanagement of the Iraqi war, sets up his Party for a big fall. Let's face it, the Administration and the GOP, in their extreme zeal for power, stomped all over the weak Democrats, and assumed a powerful position. Now it is time to assume the responsibility for the corruption and mistakes.

What, me worry?

2006-01-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

It seems some of press in the Midwest is fed up with BushCo's abuse of power. Some powerful commentary from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

If the first five years of the Bush administration have proved anything, it's that when an administration official says we don't need to worry, we need to worry.

California GOP Wasteland: Pombo gets a rival from his own Party...

2006-01-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

It seems that former Republican congressman Pete McCloskey finds fellow GOP representative Richard Pombo 'an embarrassment' and has decided to take him on. Wow, it seems that the fallout of the GOP/Ambramoff lobbyist scandal (Pombo being one of the main beneficiaries) and Pombo's general assault on the Endangered Species Act pushed McCloskey over the edge.

"The party has shifted way away from the Republican values I knew,'' said McCloskey, known for his opposition to the Vietnam War while representing the South Bay a generation ago. "This man Pombo is an embarrassment," he said Monday as he opened his longshot election effort at a downtown Lodi restaurant.

It will be a tough race for McCloskey, but Pombo deserves the pressure. He is not doing his job as head of the House Resources Committee. He is mired in corruption connections and pays homage to oil interests. Pete decided enough was enough...

McCloskey argued that he's the true Republican in the race, because he supports "the four values Republicans have historically treasured: honesty and fiscal responsibility, limited government and environmental protection."

There is a thought. Even conservatives know the BushCo's path is the wrong path.

Google warrantless...

2006-01-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

It seems that BushCo is one some fascist warpath. The latest target is Google as the Administration issues a subpoena for Americans' search data. Google says no. Good for them.

What the hell is this nonsense? It could be their follow up to what Think Progress calls the DOJ defense of the President's illegal warrantless domestic spying 42 Pages of Silly. The problem is that BushCo is deadly serious. And that is deadly dangerous.

Chris Matthews panders to the Right

2006-01-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Chris Matthews is trying to score points with the Radical Right comparing Michael Moore to Osama Bin Laden. Wasn't this analogy already expended YEARS AGO? (via Daou Report)

Crooks and Liars has a clip of it.

Alito - recipe for defeat

2006-01-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

Midwest editorials look into the real effect of Alito's confirmation. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says it best: Americans will regret his confirmation. Why?

Judge Alito comes as advertised. Last week, he did little to confirm or deny what everybody knows about him. He kept his mask firmly in place as the posturing and hypocrisy swirled about him. Once on the court, freed of the need to parry questions, he will revert to type -- and that type will vex the American people, whether they know it or not, for years.

Oh yes, true indeed. For all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the veiled attempt to understand who Alito really is - the Dems constant pontification, the Repubs trifling soft-ball angelic glorification - one thing is for sure - he will take the Supreme Court right - way right in some cases and that will make many Americans (when it sinks in and they see the light) very uneasy about their Democracy. This is who he is and his record shows how consistent he has been. He cannot change on a dime after decades of ruling once way. These are his beliefs. The Post-Gazette sums it up:

An Associate Justice Alito will be meticulous, but he will read the law narrowly to favor authority -- presidential, police or otherwise -- and he will line up with those who wish to deprive women of the right to have an abortion. He will do it because it is his nature to do it -- as his most fervent supporters well understand -- and that is why he should be opposed.

Connecting the Dots: Abramoff and Rove

2006-01-13T12:52:00.000-08:00

Rolling Stone digs up a little tidbit about the connection between Abramoff and Rove: their assistant.

Via firedoglake

Dems on fire at Alito hearings

2006-01-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

Aside from some the obvious bias in this San Francisco Chronicle article concerning Alito's affiliation to a racist organization at Princeton, it hits at the heart of what is troubling about Samuel Alito. It just seems odd that he is acting like a moderate right now, given his rather consistent far-right approach over the last 2 decades. Yes, one can change their minds over time, but to rule on one side so often, then decide that 'it was the past and I would never do that now' does not feel right.

The Dems, as the beginning of this article suggests otherwise, have proved plenty able to 'land blows' on Alito's record. Alito has dissented many, many times on issues that shed light on him as an ultra- conservative jurist who is opposed to privacy and civil rights, checks and balances, and well, minority rights. His factual and stated membership to the racist Concerned Alumni of Princeton (CAP) shows us this reactionary ego. In response to Kennedy's line of questioning, Alito gives us this...

'I have racked my memory, and I can't recall anything,' Alito told Kennedy again. 'And if I had been involved actively in any way in the group, I'm sure that I would remember it.'

Hmmmm???

Kennedy expressed disbelief that Alito could recount details of each of his 67 dissents as a Third Circuit appellate court judge, but not his membership in Concerned Alumni of Princeton.

Why Is Alito So Ashamed Of Himself?

2006-01-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Michael Giltz at AMERICAblog analyzes Alito and the fleecing of the Right-Wing. His questions could not be more close to the truth.
Via Daily Kos...

BushCo spying argument said to be weak

2006-01-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

It is no surprise that the Congressional Research Service's report "rebuts the central assertions" that BushCo made to order domestic warrantless wiretaps on Americans. The WaPO reported over this past weekend:

The report also concluded that Bush's assertion that Congress authorized such eavesdropping to detect and fight terrorists does not appear to be supported by the special resolution that Congress approved after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which focused on authorizing the president to use military force.

"It appears unlikely that a court would hold that Congress has expressly or impliedly authorized the NSA electronic surveillance operations here," the authors of the CRS report wrote. The administration's legal justification "does not seem to be . . . well-grounded," they said.

This is the appropriate conclusion as seen through the the law. The Administration would have you think otherwise...

Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the president and the administration believe the program is on firm legal footing. "The national security activities described by the president were conducted in accord with the law and provide a critical tool in the war on terror that saves lives and protects civil liberties at the same time," he said. A spokesman for the National Security Agency was not available for a comment yesterday.

Other administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the CRS reached some erroneous legal conclusions, erring on the side of a narrow interpretation of what constitutes military force and when the president can exercise his war powers.

Eh?????? These folks live in their own reality. BushCo broke the same law that lead to the impeachment of Nixon. Has anything changed over the last three decades? Maybe that is a naive question, but what is at stake here is legislative power (of the People) versus too much executive power. The President and his Administration are not above the law...

Have Americans lost the guts for democracy?

2006-01-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

Great editorial from Gene Lyons at the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

...See, there have to be reasons the administration kept its actions hidden. Right now, we don’t know what they are. But we do know that Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who had personally prosecuted al-Qa’ida terrorists, refused to sign off on White House wiretaps, as apparently did former Attorney General John “Let the Eagle Soar” Ashcroft. It’s up to Congress, the courts and a hitherto easily intimidated free press to find out why. Under Gonzales, the Justice Department now plans to investigate the whistleblowers who exposed Bush’s defiance of the rule of law. A more upside-down situation can hardly be imagined. How can this great nation have been brought to such a pass by a few thousand stateless fanatics hiding in caves ? Have Americans still got the guts for democracy ?

Abramoff scandal widening

2006-01-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

There is plenty being written about who's is on the block as GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff sings. What is worth noting is who poor Jack donated TO and when. As AMERICAblog states:

$172,933 - Republican
$88,985 - special interest
total: $261,918

That's 229 donations and not a DIME to Democrats.

Good start to 2006 as Republican lobbyist Abramoff pleads guilty...

2006-01-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

It looks this Jack Abramoff will plead guilty and cooperate. This will open up the investigation to corrupt GOP lawmakers' dealings with Abramoff, Scanlon and other powerful lobbyists. One must note here that some of these folks used to work under Tom DeLay and are linked to Republican Bob Ney or Ohio, Roy Blunt of Missouri, and others.

As part of the deal, prosecutors filed conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion charges against the embattled lobbyist. The filing outlined lavish gifts and contributions that it said Abramoff gave an unnamed House member, identified elsewhere as Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Administration Committee, in return for Ney's agreement to use his office to aid Abramoff clients.

It is only fair to note that some Dems are being looked at as well, including Harry Reid of Nevada, but definitive proof shows many Republicans from Midwest states and Texas benefited greatly from this illegal campaigning, money laundering, and general defrauding. It is about time that the Justice Department moves on this. The abuse of power by this BushCo officials is almost unprecedented, as they lie, cheat, and steal their way to the top. Because, obviously, they could not get elected with and majority...

Cookiegate?

2005-12-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Cookiegate Hits White House

The AP has reported that despite federal rules banning most cookies, the National Security Agency's Web site was placing them on visitors' computers to track their surfing activities.

Nothing new, I suppose. But this does not bode well given the NSA's other recent activities... Sigh.

DOJ Slight of Hand?

2005-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

Dept of Justice begins an investigation into the leak of BushCo's covert warrantless spying on Americans.

Happy New Year to the BushCo administration! While certainly, all leaks of classified material to the public should be investigated, as in the case of Libby and Rove's treasonous outing of a CIA agent, is it coincidence that the focus is away from the President's crime? Any naive person would wonder so and there must be plenty of them out there. The point here is that BushCo broke one of the same laws that impeached Nixon. This has been subject to interpretation, but the point is clear - the FISA court was set up for these very purposes and the court has almost never denied a retroactive warrant request.

Some fool on NPR this morning claimed that a computer program (aka Echelon or Carnivore) was used by the NSA and that the computer is following the conversations and emails, but cannot indicate where they are coming from or where they are going at any given time. He also mentioned (and I am paraphrasing here)that the 1978 FISA law is outdated now that the new tracking technology is in place and that the Congress or the President must change the law. What? It shouldn't be there in the first place...

Administration officials insisted that Bush has the power to conduct the warrantless surveillance under the Constitution's war powers provision. They also argued that Congress gave Bush the power to conduct such a secret program when it authorized the use of military force against terrorism in a resolution adopted within days of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

What is at issue here is abuse of power. Not whether our government and security forces have the right to track terrorists. BushCo still has to follow the law. The "authorization" from Congress was not a formal declaration of war against a known actual entity, it was a blank check to track down the terrorists who attacked New York and Washington. So, it is a hard sell by this administration to say the Congress gave them the authority to spy on Americans without warrants and notifying the FISA court - especially when very few congresspeople and senators actually knew of the secret program.

Impeachment all around?

2005-12-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Katrina Vanden Heuvel of the Nation explores the growing call for impeachment.

BushCo's latest illegal wiretapping or US citizens is even angering those on the Right (Subscription Required). Some highlights of the Barron's piece titled, "Unwarranted Executive Power: The pursuit of terrorism does not authorize the president to make up new laws:"

AS THE YEAR WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE, we picked up our New York Times and learned that the Bush administration has been fighting terrorism by intercepting communications in America without warrants. It was worrisome on its face, but in justifying their actions, officials have made a bad situation much worse: Administration lawyers and the president himself have tortured the Constitution and extracted a suspension of the separation of powers...

Certainly, there was an emergency need after the Sept. 11 attacks to sweep up as much information as possible about the chances of another terrorist attack. But a 72-hour emergency or a 15-day emergency doesn't last four years...

Putting the president above the Congress is an invitation to tyranny. The president has no powers except those specified in the Constitution and those enacted by law. President Bush is stretching the power of commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy by indicating that he can order the military and its agencies, such as the National Security Agency, to do whatever furthers the defense of the country from terrorists, regardless of whether actual force is involved.

Surely the "strict constructionists" on the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary eventually will point out what a stretch this is. The most important presidential responsibility under Article II is that he must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." That includes following the requirements of laws that limit executive power. There's not much fidelity in an executive who debates and lobbies Congress to shape a law to his liking and then goes beyond its writ.

Willful disregard of a law is potentially an impeachable offense. It is at least as impeachable as having a sexual escapade under the Oval Office desk and lying about it later. The members of the House Judiciary Committee who staged the impeachment of President Clinton ought to be as outraged at this situation. They ought to investigate it, consider it carefully and report either a bill that would change the wiretap laws to suit the president or a bill of impeachment...

Published reports quote sources saying that 14 members of Congress were notified of the wiretapping. If some had misgivings, apparently they were scared of being called names, as the president did last week when he said: "It was a shameful act for someone to disclose this very important program in a time of war. The fact that we're discussing this program is helping the enemy."

Wrong. If we don't discuss the program and the lack of authority for it, we are meeting the enemy -- in the mirror.

(Excerpts via BuzzFlash)

Shall we dance?

Dems bare teeth and block attempt to allow oil drilling in Alaskan wildlife reserve

2005-12-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

With the help of some moderate Republicans, the Senate Democrats' filibustering of ANWAR oil drilling pulls through.

The Republican majority failed to get the 60 votes in the 100-member chamber needed to cut off debate yesterday. The vote was 56-44. Republicans had hoped to win passage by making the oil drilling issue part of a $453bn (?260bn) defence spending bill that has earmarked money for troops in Iraq and relief for Hurricane Katrina victims. Although few politicians wanted to be seen rejecting a bill that pays the salaries of US troops in Iraq, Democrats and a few Republicans who have always opposed drilling conducted an extended debate, known as a filibuster, to delay its passage. Because of the vote, Senate leaders are expected to rework the bill to eliminate the oil-drilling proposal.

The fact that this rider was slid into the defense bill was the defining reason.

"Our military is being held hostage by this issue,"said Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic leader. He added that the Senate could move quickly to pass the defence bill once the Arctic refuge issue had been resolved. Senator John Kerry, who has been a fierce critic of disturbing the Alaskan wilderness, said: "We all agree we want money for our troops ... This is not about the troops."

Kerry is right on. It is indefensible to think the Rep Ted Stevens, who stands to gain the most form this - to the tune of $10 Billion, would stick this greedy measure into the bill the affects troops and Hurricane victims. The arrogant and greedy Stevens is apparently never going to give up. It is said that the measure called for at least 50% of the monies benefit the Feds. However, Alaska would sue to receive some 90% of the money. This is clearly not about drilling or defense at all, but about money?

Novak dumped by CNN, goes to Fox!

2005-12-16T16:20:00.000-08:00

Poynter posts theletter from CNN. Think Progess follows up on the move the Fox via Media Bistro.

It's done - Patriot Act extension rejected

2005-12-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

Feingold leads the charge as the Senate rejects extension of Patriot Act. What a fitting end to 2005.

"We can come together to give the government the tools it needs to fight terrorism and protect the rights and freedoms of innocent citizens," said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., arguing that provisions permitting government access to confidential personal data lacked safeguards to protect the innocent.

BushCo Authorizes Eavesdropping on Americans

2005-12-16T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Times came out with a late story yesterday indicating that Bush lifted some limits on spying in U.S. after 9/11.

Under a presidential order signed in 2002, the intelligence agency has monitored the international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants over the past three years in an effort to track possible "dirty numbers" linked to Al Qaeda, the officials said. The agency, they said, still seeks warrants to monitor entirely domestic communications.

The previously undisclosed decision to permit some eavesdropping inside the country without court approval represents a major shift in American intelligence-gathering practices, particularly for the National Security Agency, whose mission is to spy on communications abroad. As a result, some officials familiar with the continuing operation have questioned whether the surveillance has stretched, if not crossed, constitutional limits on legal searches.

See, what gets me here is that the Administration doesn't really care about civil liberties. Security against terrorism is a grim truth today. The cost is what the NSA does with this information that is useless and whether they are targeting the "right" people and not anti-war activists, left-leaning organizations, etc. And, besides, "we are fighting them over there, so we don't have to fight them here..." What are agencies that focus solely on foreign lands doing spying domestically? Preventative maintenance? This sounds like an exercise in absolute power. And, we know there is no internal oversight, which tells us that the checks and balances system is not working.

Interestingly enough, The Times plays into the covertness of the story with involvement...

The White House asked The New York Times not to publish this article, arguing that it could jeopardize continuing investigations and alert would-be terrorists that they might be under scrutiny. After meeting with senior administration officials to hear their concerns, the newspaper delayed publication for a year to conduct additional reporting. Some information that administration officials argued could be useful to terrorists has been omitted.

Was this a polite nod given the recent hubbub over Miller and the TreasonGate affair or journalistic integrity due the political landscape the Times has been trudging through as of late? It begs to question what the arrangement was, but I am reaching here. Besides, the legality of what power BushCo holds is the issue. The Times article goes on, noting the White House intentions...

The eavesdropping program grew out of concerns after the Sept. 11 attacks that the nation's intelligence agencies were not poised to deal effectively with the new threat of Al Qaeda and that they were handcuffed by legal and bureaucratic restrictions better suited to peacetime than war, according to officials. In response, President Bush significantly eased limits on American intelligence and law enforcement agencies and the military.

But Americans, civil libertarians and watchdogs know what is a perceived threat and what it not. The slide in BushCo polls indicate that Americans see through the GOP rhetoric and realize that the administration gets away with a lot more than it should. According to the Times, some government officials have similar reservations:

Some officials familiar with it say they consider warrantless eavesdropping inside the United States to be unlawful and possibly unconstitutional, amounting to an improper search. One government official involved in the operation said he privately complained to a Congressional official about his doubts about the legality of the program. But nothing came of his inquiry. "People just looked the other way because they didn't want to know what was going on," he said.

A senior government official recalled that he was taken aback when he first learned of the operation. "My first reaction was, ?We're doing what?' " he said. While he said he eventually felt that adequate safeguards were put in place, he added that questions about the program's legitimacy were understandable.

Adequate. That is what we have come down to - mediocrity in intelligence - whether it is safeguards or gathering. It is important to consider that America's mission is to hold itself to a higher standard. Free peoples have the level of expectation that Big Brother is not watching them. Intelligence agencies concentrate on looking at the big fish, not the local citizen wanting to give a donation to a Palestinian children's fund.

Several senior government officials say that when the special operation first began, there were few controls on it and little formal oversight outside the N.S.A. The agency can choose its eavesdropping targets and does not have to seek approval from Justice Department or other Bush administration officials. Some agency officials wanted nothing to do with the program, apparently fearful of participating in an illegal operation, a former senior Bush administration official said. Before the 2004 election, the official said, some N.S.A. personnel worried that the program might come under scrutiny by Congressional or criminal investigators if Senator John Kerry, the Democratic nominee, was elected president.

This is rich, this one. Spies are so elated that BushCo is in charge, because they can do anything they want, freedom be damned... I would read on.

Breakdown in the GOP machine - Novak fires at Bush

2005-12-15T15:48:00.000-08:00

BushCo takes issue with Novak on CIA leak claim.
Traitor calling traitors the traitors...

"I'm confident the president knows who the source is," Novak told a luncheon in Raleigh, North Carolina, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. "I'd be amazed if he doesn't."

He added: "So I say, don't bug me. Don't bug (Washington Post reporter) Bob Woodward. Bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is."

Election officials accused of ignoring their own electronic voting laws?

2005-12-14T17:41:00.000-08:00

Apparently, in North Carolina...

In the suit filed last week, EFF says the North Carolina State Board of Elections -- working with the Office of Information Technology Services -- certified two vendors to sell machines in North Carolina although the vendors did not comply with a new law requiring them to place all source code for a system into escrow before the machines could be certified.

The question is why election officials neglected to check? Further...

To prevent future problems, the law mandates that voting vendors place source code for "all software that is relevant to functionality, setup, configuration and operation of the voting system" into escrow and provide a list of all programmers who created the software. Breaking the law is a felony and carries civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation.

Incentives? Nope. Diebold had an excuse:

Diebold spokesman David Bear said the filing was necessary because Diebold's system uses some commercial-off-the-shelf software, or COTS, created by other companies. Its touch-screen machines, for example, run on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. Bear said Diebold didn't have authority to escrow code belonging to another company.

"Obviously we have no problem providing our own source code; we do provide it in other states," Bear said.

Right? Sure they do. The question is whether the source code is changed after "it is provided," and before the election. Ask the Ohioans - they have an idea. The other scary thing here is that the security of our votes also rely on the Windows CE OS. That doesn't make me any more confident. The article summarizes the history pretty well.

Diebold CEO Resigns as fraud Litigation is filed

2005-12-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Diebold is the company caught up in the voting machine errors all over the country, which has prompted many to believe and investigate whether the vote on state and national levels has been fixed. Consider that the CEO and other executives give heavily to the GOP. It makes you wonder who really has control of the democratic vote.

Dave over at GuvWurld, who has worked tirelessly for election reform, does a nice job summarizing recent events. He also discusses and analyzes the recent GAO Report on Election Security in depth. Other details via Bradblog.com - who has been following Diebold's voting ethics for some time.

Tookie is Killed

2005-12-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Stanley Tookie Williams was executed last night after midnight Tuesday morning.

It is a sad day today for Californians. I feel sad and depressed, because I realize that we have not learned. We cannot solve violence by performing violence on others. We cannot simply cut off the evil be shooting it with a gun or injecting it with a needle. Doctors will tell you plainly that cutting out the cancer does not necessarily stop its spread. The body is a system - the good bacteria and bad bacteria, good cells and bad cells. It is the balance amongst there parts that keep the system stable and useable. You must live with and embrace the fact that you have diabetes, HIV, MS. It is unavoidable. It is life. And do life rears its ugly head and people do very bad things. But people also do very good things. If the overriding factor or good maintains its steady pace, evil will never prevail. Tookie knew that and regretted his creation of the terrible gang violence that has plagued American impoverished neighborhoods. The violence on the streets has not brought these poor folks success or money or power, but shame and grief. The families of the victims of Tookie's wrath, be it direct or indirect, know this all too well. Their pain does not end because Tookie's life has. It will not save the lives of other family members who may die in senseless tragedies. Crime will not simply stop in South Central or the Bronx or West Oakland, because we killed the founder of one gang. Bloods and Crips aren't laying down their arms. Race riots in Australia aren't on hiatus. Black and Brown peoples the world over aren't sighing in relief. Was it worth it? Was it necessary?

It is shameful. America, as a democratic, industrialized, a supposedly evolved nation, cannot simply come to terms with the death penalty. It is difficult, I realize. But, that does not mean we walk away until the next night when some poor fool and undoubtedly evil person walks to his or her death. We become what they are. They reject society and choose to perform terrible and indefensible acts on others. But when we sentence a person to death, do we understand why? Is it revenge? Moral outrage? Ignorance? We address the effects, not the causes. We ignore the real issues that put people like Tookie on Death Row. We assume that the hood is just another neighborhood, only poorer... It never ends.

America was intended to be a different place; one that holds itself to a higher standard. One where all peoples are created equal, the rich and the poor, black and the white, good and the bad. That was the hope. We would not engage is the terrible acts of our enemies. We would not torture. We would share, build and learn. We would unite. We would deliberate and consider. We would include and create peace treaties, disarm, deter, discuss. We would rehabilitate, not incarcerate. Redeem, not react. This was and is our way. So, all legal arguments aside, what Tookie did was wrong. He was responsible somehow, whether directly or indirectly, of the deaths of four people over 25 years ago. He may have wielded the gun. He may have ordered the crime. He may have apprenticed or influenced the people who actually carried it out. Two decades of legal wrangling, appeals, and courts upholding the verdict, show us the justice system did not appear to consider otherwise.

The real question here is whether Tookie became a man of redemption, did he make up for the havoc we caused - the many more people that died because of his creation? This is about more than the four people who died during those robberies. Pro-death penalty advocates will tell you that, and it is not without merit. His affect has been tenfold and if it was not these 4 poor people, it was many others. But, when a man rejects that useless life and works day after day to reverse it for the rest of his life, does that achieve more and impact society for the better? Is redemption a word reserved only for the few who say it? Or does a person's actions dictate his or her redemptive quality? Will he do more know for society or more if he had lived? These are the difficult questions we must ask. Who are we to judge, with all our flawed selves, who should live and who should die?

And lastly, that brings me to whether our leaders actually consider the moral implications and obligations to the compassionate democracy we are founder on. The Governor of California, with his stern words that Tookie had not shown any form of redemption, had made his decision out of understanding not politics, we would expect more anti-gang work from Tookie today. The Democratic obligation to rehabilitation would be intact. We would have progressed one very important step. But, that does not matter to those who lead. In the local coverage last night in the lead up to Tookie's execution, some of the thousands who gathered in vigil had a chance to speak their minds briefly. One such comment struck me with hope. A black woman from the East Bay flanked by her two children said (to paraphrase here) that "we now know" that we must "demand and choose leaders who represent the communities" of these everyday tragedies.

These leaders would spend more time addressing and acting on the root problems that brought us here in the first place. I think we have always known...

Violence begets violence

2005-12-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Schwarzenegger denies clemency for Williams

Berkeley gives the finger to House Republicans in tribute to civil rights activist

2005-12-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Berkeley's old City Hall renamed in honor of Maudelle Shirek She was a Civil rights activist who served 20 years on city council. In September, House Republicans had rejected Rep. Barbara Lee's attempt to name the Berkeley Post Office after Shirek, "accusing Shirek of failing to represent American values."

The coward in charge, Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who has defended Joseph McCarthy as a "great American hero." Dictating "rules" and history for California. He wouldn't DARE step foot in Berkeley. He would be too afraid to see so many liberals, progressives, greens, real conservatives, black and brown, red and asian peoples all in one place. He would be afraid to see the real America, real patriots, where people live and respect all values. King represents a very small district in Iowa. I guess your only option there is if you don't understand it, kill it. My rant is done...

Rumsfeld - Certifiable?

2005-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

Is it possible that Sec. of State Donald Rumsfeld is mentally "unstable?" Stephen Pizzo of AlterNet examines the mind of the military master'mind.' It is hard to imagine that this guy is mentally ill, but near Patton-like actions crop up occasionally. It could be the DU he is inhaling...

What planet are you on, Mr Bush? (and do you care, Mr Blair?)

2005-12-05T13:12:00.000-08:00

The Independent asks the question as thousands protest global warming and climate-change around the world in light of the Montreal conference. BushCo is taking the brunt of the anger and for good reason.

The protests were directed primarily at President George Bush, who has been assiduously trying to sabotage the protocol and has ruled out even talking about setting targets for reducing the pollution that causes global warming, once the current targets expire.

Harlan Watson - the head of the US delegation to the negotiations, being held in Montreal - announced at the opening of the meeting: "The United States is opposed to any such discussions."

Why even show up at all? What a disgrace. The rest of the world is ready to tackle the real issues affecting the planet, while BushCo protects corporate donors, not people. Of course, the only other nations involved happen to be allied to BushCo in the Iraq war. Not a coincidence. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who "is/was" committed to "put climate change at the head of the international agenda by making it one of his priorities" apparently, has backed down to possibly appease BushCo.

The Prime Minister has caused widespread confusion by appearing to back such a treaty, then to cast doubt on it

The other county is Australia, who along with the US, has refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. It seems that the holdouts are caught up in a prick-waving contest and are beholden to their corporatist mentality.

Britain says that moving forward depends on getting the US and leading developing countries such as China, India and Brazil to agree to join the battle against the climate change.

Both camps have said that they will not join any new treaty unless the other does.

I left behind this type of attitude in high school?

Arnie hires a Democrat as chief of staff?

2005-12-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

AND she was Gray Davis's second in command before the Governator beat him in the recall election. AND, she is gay. Boy, will BushCo have a snit over this one.

Support for BushCo "new" Iraq plan fizzles...

2005-12-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Mainstream CNN poll shows doubt in BuchCo's so-caled plan for victory in Iraq. But, you don't need a corporate rag to tell you that. With Dems starting to call out the truthfor troop pullout, and increasing GOP doubts, it will not matter how many military base only speeches BushCo gives, unless he gives a clearcut plan. Staying the course just isn't working...

Rumsfeld has an "epiphany" on "insurgency"

2005-11-29T17:19:00.000-08:00

Rummy, a a bizarre press conference, decides that the enemy in Iraq are not "insurgents." This kind of semantic dancing makes you wonder whether the Defense Secretary has lost his mind. A modern-day Patton, perhaps? Maybe not - Patton, at least, was a master militarist...

California GOP Wasteland

2005-11-28T14:39:00.000-08:00

Chalk another scandal up for the GOP - this time in California as Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham admits to taking bribes and resigns. Yep, the wheels seem to falling off the BushCo wagon as more and more local, regional, and state officials are caught in a ring of corruption.

Securing the Hack

2005-11-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

There are worse times ahead for voters who use Diebold e-voting machines. California Republican Secretary of State Bruce McPherson seems to be reversing the previous Secretary for State's de certification process and requirements for the Diebold machines. Via Seeing the Forest He has required a paper trail and receipts for all machines. Right now the failure rate for these machines that provide a paper receipt is 20%. Unacceptable.

However, Black Box Voting has apparently been invited by the CA Sec. of State to perform a "test hack" of the Diebold machines. The Oakland Tribune confirms this latest development.

For more information, GuvWurld has been following the electoral reform process in detail. Go there for ways to act and halt the bogus certification of these flawed voting machines. GuvWurld has been instrumental in passing the Voter Confidence Resolution is the town of Arcata in Humboldt County, California. Humboldt is one of 17 counties in California using the broken Diebold AccuTouch voting machines.

BushCo knew there was no Iraq-Al-Qaeda connection, but lied anyway...

2005-11-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

Via Daily Kos, check out the article from Murray Waas at National Review about a Presidential Daily Briefing some 10 days after the Sept. 11th attacks.

Kos rightly points out that the administration's current campaign claiming Democrats knew the same intelligence information as the White House is just as much a lie as the reasons to go to war in the first place.

Remembering JFK

2005-11-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

November 22, 2005 Today is the anniversary of the death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Fox News Won't Show Ad Opposing Alito

2005-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

Unfair and unbalanced, FoxNews reveals some truth about itself. As a mouthpiece for BushCo, what would you expect?

BuchCo thrown another 'Curveball'

2005-11-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

German intelligence agents indicate that the BushCo administration exaggerated further pre-Iraq war intelligence from an informant. From the Los Angeles Times:

Five senior officials from Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, said in interviews with The Times that they warned U.S. intelligence authorities that the source, an Iraqi defector code-named Curveball, never claimed to produce germ weapons and never saw anyone else do so.

BushCo officials seemed to ignore this bit of information in their planning. But, as Americans are finding out more and more, they mischaracterized, misstated, misappropriated, and missed everything that led to this unjust invasion and war in Iraq. I would now they don't out any convert German intelligence officers. The Times lays out a good timeline for Curveball. Check it out...

And further - House GOP in retreat as desperation sets in

2005-11-18T17:52:00.000-08:00

They decide to seek veto of an immediate pullout from Iraq, claiming it is not a personal attack on Murtha.

2005-11-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

And further...

Fitzgerald may be seeking new grand jury proceedings. This is a bad sign for BushCo. Woodward should be on the short witness list. That's if we can trust him now...

2005-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

BushCo sinking further...

House Democrat, John Murtha, who was originally a supporter of BushCo's war in Iraq and quite conservative, calls for an immediate pullout.

"This is the immediate redeployment of American forces because they have become the target," said Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., one of Congress' most hawkish Democrats. At times during his remarks to reporters, the decorated Vietnam War veteran was choking back tears.

"It is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering, the future of our country is at risk. We cannot continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf region," Murtha said.

And the poll numbers are hammering BushCo as well. The latest Fox poll gives Bush only a 36% approval rating, and only 34%, according to the conservative Wall Street Journal. Republicans are starting to jump...

2005-11-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Woodward walks through TreasonGate

Apparently, he was told of Valerie Plame some 2 years ago and will not divulge the source. (Hint. Hint. Cheney?). Crooks and Liars asks the question.

Then, he issues an apology for not telling the WaPo. Pathetic.

I am finding this new information disturbing and sketchy. Why did Woodward not come forward during the Rove/Libby inquiry? From WaPo (mind you):

In a more than two-hour deposition, Woodward told Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald that the official casually told him in mid-June 2003 that Plame worked as a CIA analyst on weapons of mass destruction and that he did not believe the information to be classified or sensitive, according to a statement Woodward released Tuesday.

He did not think it was classified? Yet, we find out this information after the Libby indictment and it is awfully convenient for Libby. He, however, still lied and obstructed justice, whether he was the leak or not. If anything, it may open up new inroads for Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald. We shall see.

Woodward's testimony appears to change key elements in the chronology Fitzgerald laid out in his investigation and announced when indicting Libby three weeks ago. It would make the unnamed official -- not Libby -- the first government employee to disclose Plame's CIA employment to a reporter. It would also make Woodward, who has been publicly critical of the investigation, the first reporter known to have learned about Plame from a government source.

So, what, Novak and Miller are off the hook? Woodward seems to imply that he started this mess. The Huffington Post gives us a blogosphere reaction. Josh Marshall at TPM explores Woodward's cred:

[I]t now seems that Woodward -- who has long been publicly critical of the Fitzgerald investigation -- has been part of it from the beginning. Literally, the beginning. […]
At a minimum…Woodward seems to have some explaining to do, at least for the fact that he became an aggressive commentator on the leak story without ever disclosing his own role in it, not even to his editors.

Marshall notes that Woodward goes on to say that he told Walter Pincus of The Washington Post at the time, which Pincus denies. Murky. What is infuriating here is that BushCo is sitting back and waiting. We need to cut the shit and get to the big dogs playing these reporters. BushCo officials leaked the information and broke the law.

I guess Woodward has forgotten his roots...

2005-11-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

The New York Times, recovering from TreasonGate, issues a scathing editorial.

Decoding Mr. Bush's Denials

The Times, it seems, has gotten over its Judith Miller withdrawal. After years of lobbing soft balls at the administration, the paper hits BushCo hard on Iraq. Contrary to popular belief, it the paper's collective voice has been losing its no-nonsense reporting (am sure a few BushCo-wingers will be screaming shortly). MillerGate and the CIA Leak has taken its toll and Times could suck up any longer...

2005-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

BushCo Digs In further on Iraq

Defiant war speech on Veteran's Day uses new GOP Talking Point - Blame the Democrats for voting to go to war on Iraq! (BTW, Air America's Randi Rhodes was right). When in doubt, blame someone else.

The stakes in the global war on terror are too high and the national interest is too important for politicians to throw out false charges," the president said in his combative Veterans Day speech.

While it's perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began," the president said.

Rewrite history? Black kettles all around folks. This constant denial and denial and deflection and distraction and denial is the only strategy of this Administration. BushCo's numbers are in the tank right now. 37%. He concentrates his attack on Dems saying that they are "undercutting" the US forces on the ground and says nothing of the indictment of his Vice President's Chief of Staff for treasonous related activities. That is not very American or patriotic or says nothing of protecting the troops.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass, responded:

"Its deeply regrettable that the president is using Veterans Day as a campaign-like attempt to rebuild his own credibility by tearing down those who seek the truth about the clear manipulation of intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war," Kennedy said in a statement.

"Instead of providing open and honest answers about how we will achieve success in Iraq and allow our troops to begin to come home," Kennedy said, "the president reverted to the same manipulation of facts to justify a war we never should have fought."

What nobody in the White House wants us to know is that very few Senators and Congresspeople knew the complete details in the run-up to the invasion. The power lays with the Republicans right now, not the Dems, and taking responsibility is not an option for this Administration. Much of the intelligence came from the DIA in the Pentagon, where BushCo puppeteers resided, and even some documents were known to be false. Was this what was presented to Dem and GOP lawmakers at the time before the blank check for war was issued? The false docs can be convincing, especially to Dems, who don't want to be attacked as not protecting their constituents, since politically, they were weak on this front. There is a GOP talking point for everything and the force and overwhelming nature of the situation led some Dems regrettably to vote for war.

Does this mean that they should not question the war now? Now that evidence to the contrary has arrived? No. Situations and people change and officials have an obligation to their constituents to lead with integrity and with the peoples' best interests in mind. Now that the evidence that the White House and Pentagon lied about pre-war intelligence on Iraq, Dems and even Repubs are prudent to believe they are right to investigate - not for politics, but for people...

2005-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

O'Reilly advocates for terrorist attacks on San Francisco

This guy is a real coward. He can never argue the facts and stammers about when called on. His alternative to actual discussion is to lie and demean people.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

"You know, if I'm the president of the United States, I walk right into Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium and I say, 'Listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds,' " O'Reilly said Tuesday on his radio show as San Franciscans were approving the two measures. Perhaps, he didn't realize that he'd be speaking mostly to foreign tourists and suburbanites if he were standing in Union Square.

"Fine. You want to be your own country? Go right ahead," O'Reilly went on. "And if al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."

The Chronicle calls out the hyprocrisy in his statement early indicating that his fictitious presidential rant in Union Square would only be to tourists.

"The man is a sensationalist fool," said Paul Hickey, a 76-year-old visiting from Texas.

And, that, my friends is the no spin truth...

2005-11-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

Italian documentary shows US use of chemical weapons in Fallujah.

It makes know bones about how the US military used white phosphorus and napalm in Iraq, especially during Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah. Daily Dissent provides a link to the story and the video. THIS IS A MUST SEE. Some scenes are graphic.

2005-11-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Elections weaken Bush in world

This analysis by Martin Sieff of UPI discusses the foreign impact of GOP election losses in the US yesterday. BushCo foreign policy is hitting many brick walls as more and more countries reject the ill-advised and irresponsible Bush Doctrine. The marks against the Administration are adding up - domestic and international and, for the time being, it looks like Americans are also rejecting these inadequate policies... More to come.

2005-11-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Californians reject Schwarzenegger

All propositions fail in California Special election called by Arnold. I what is considered the most costly election in California history, the Governator could not concede. The SF Chronicle:

Two years after an angry electorate looking for a new voice in Sacramento thrust Schwarzenegger into office, voters appear to have turned their anger back on him.

The governor clearly recognized that Tuesday night. Taking the stage in a huge ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Schwarzenegger did not concede. But he did reach out to his opponents -- thanking Californians for participating in the election and thanking those "who were so passionately vocal against us.''

It seems Arnie knows he made mistakes and should take Californians for granted. We only hope compromise is on the agenda in the furture. He claimed that he was doing this for the people, but, in the end, isolated everyone but his Republican base.

2005-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Latin America rejects BushCo...

Argentinian President Hugo Chavez leads massive protests against Bush and his Trade policies.

But the opposition to Bush and his proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), as well as neoconservative economic policies and capitalism in general, took on a creative twist this time, with a massive march that ended in a rally at a sports stadium involving a heterogeneous group of Latin American leaders: Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Bolivian socialist leader Evo Morales, Argentine leaders of the unemployed, Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, singers from all over the continent, and, of course, Diego Maradona, legendary soccer hero.

The LA Times talks in detail about how the talks ended in disagreement, giving BushCo another foreign policy defeat.

The lack of a closing declaration delivered by chief executives — generally a standard feature of global summits — underscored the polarized nature of the free-trade issue. The fiercest debate of the sessions focused on the hemispheric treaty, an idea that has been on the table for more than a decade but hasn't advanced much beyond the talking stage. The Bush administration had hoped to change that this weekend.

The FTAA never had a chance. If BushCo was to expect cooperation from countries he has expoited, snubbed, and tried to oust, they would be dreaming. Aside from Venezuela - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay also dissented, while the 28 others want the free trade accord. But, take a look at the makeup of the dissenters. They represent the largest economies in the region. The other nations are to poor and have nothing to lose. Why should any country not look out for its best interests?

So what does this mean? The Nation concluded:

Regardless, it seems to be that opposition toward Bush and his policies has created a powerful space, one which regional leaders, especially Chávez, are more than willing to take advantage of.

2005-11-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

Big Bird Strikes Back

Tomlinson quits public broadcasting board

Thanks to Bill Moyers and Viewers Like You, fighting the push to inject radical GOP ideology in PBS is beginning to pay off. Tomlinson, of course, claims there is this "vast left-wing conspiracy" at PBS and NPR. Funny, last time I listened, James Dobson's ranting was blaring through the radio. Dobson would not be characterized as a "mainstream" conservative, but rather a radical religious right leader of a minority congregation.

Tomlinson, a Republican, quit shortly before CPB Inspector General Kenneth Konz was to publish a report after investigating his activities, including paying outside researchers to check public programing for liberal bias.

Critics, including broadcasters and congressional Democrats, accused Tomlinson of trying to advance his own conservative agenda in public broadcasting, which is supposed to be non-partisan.

But this is a small victory in a very long battle...

Center for Digital Democracy Executive Director Jeff Chester, a critic of Tomlinson, said his departure was unlikely to stop what he described as behind-the-scenes programing pressure on PBS and NPR.

"Board chair Halpern and vice chair Gaines will continue Tomlinson's legacy to reshape public broadcasting more to the liking of conservatives," Chester said in a statement.

Public Television and Radio is a bedrock of non-partisan information. Its function is to be factual, allow expression of legitimate voices from all sides. It is hard to believe that Halpern, former RNC fund-raiser and co-chair, won't push a radical shift Right...

2005-11-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Tax 'em Till They Turn Red

I know this is a couple days old, but Daniel Gross of Slate does a great job of explaining BushCo's new tax reform proposals and how his red state constiuents have nothing to worry about. One of the proposals BushCo's advisory commission recommends is to cut the deduction of mortgage interest payments to say around $300,000.

This leaves Blue States - primarily coastal communities on both coasts high and dry, since they currently have the highest property taxes. Gross notes:

On the one hand, gutting the mortgage-interest deduction seems progressive, because the deduction now favors the well-off: The mortgage deduction gets more generous the more expensive the home you buy, and the more income you have. And property taxes are generally a function of home size and value. On the other hand, regional variations in home prices and state and local taxes would heavily skew the burden of these tax changes onto blue-staters. Who has the most to lose if the mortgage deduction is capped at $313,000, and if you can no longer deduct local taxes from your taxable federal income? People who live in places where (a) real estate is expensive; (b) states and/or cities tax income; and (c) property taxes are high, to support local schools and services. In other words, people who live in California, Seattle, the entire Atlantic seaboard from Maryland up to Maine, and well-off suburbs of Chicago. If you live in a $300,000 McMansion in a state with no income tax, like, say, Texas or Wyoming, these changes aren't likely to affect you at all. But if you just bought a $700,000 house in Takoma Park, Md., you're screwed three ways.

Is this coincidental or calculated? Why are Republicans interested in tax reform all of a sudden, given that the top tier of BushCo donors benefit the most from the rash tax cuts?

There is more to come on this...

2005-11-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

Can't sue the big pharma reaper...

Merck cleared in Vioxx drug case

See, the trouble here is that Merck knew that Vioxx doubled the risk of heart attacks and finally, after pressure, and testimony from a FDA official, they pulled it. Now, magically, the 2nd lawsuit has failed, even though the first lawsuit ruling was in favor of the man who died as a result of taking Vioxx.

Merck shares rose $2.09 to $30.50 on New York's Stock Exchange on the news.

Enough said...

2005-11-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Another Ethics Brush Fire Flares Along Potomac

Abramoff strikes again. This guy gets around. This time his tribal clients were working J. Steven Griles, a former deputy Interior secretary. In return, Griles worked Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton on behalf of the lobbiest. What makes this less speculative that just trial by association is that former Interior Department Counsel Michael Rosetti, a colleague, was doing the accusing...

Sigh. Has Abramoff and his GOP cronies left nothing scared and untouched?

Griles' efforts to insinuate himself into Norton's decision-making sessions on behalf of an Indian tribe Abramoff represented so worried him, Rosetti told senators, that he confronted the deputy secretary before two other officials and asked, "What was he doing? Whose water was he carrying?"

The public dispute between the two offered a dramatic close to hearings that had explored the complex web of influence, money and access Abramoff wove as one of Washington's best-connected lobbyists.

Wednesday's hearing focused on whether Abramoff, when working for the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, relied on Griles to influence the Interior Department to block a rival tribe from opening a casino that would compete with the Coushattas' gaming business.

Rosetti recounted an incident in which, he said, Griles gave him a binder filled with letters and documents critical of the bid by the Jenna Band of the Choctaw tribe to build a casino one hour from the Coushattas' $300-million-a-year casino. Griles, Rosetti said, wanted him to make sure Norton saw the file.

BushCo can't seem to be unglued from Abramoff, who is connected to several high level officials and congressmen, including David Safavian (former head of procurement for the General Services Administration), Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), and Rep. Tom DeLay, former GOP Majority Leader - all leading to a culture of corruption for this administration.

2005-11-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Tempest in the Senate as Democrats Fight Back and force a closed session on Iraq war

Angry GOP agrees to deal for task force to look into status of intelligence inquiry, notes the San Francisco Chronicle.

Republicans were outraged at what they called a political stunt. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., complained that the Senate had been "hijacked by the Democratic leadership."

The claim that GOPers were shocked by this move and not warned that Democrats would be determined to push the issue is misleading and flat-out, false. The Raw Story outlines how GOP leaders stalled and broke promises for years. It is disgraceful to see Republicans complain and point fingers about one of the most important issues today. They attempted to change the subject by appointing an extremist activist right wing judge to the Supreme Court. But it did not work. The indictment of Libby and the CIA Leak case are not going away. Everything is tied to this illegal war. It is time that the accountability be accessed. This Republican-controlled Congress has a constitutional duty to investigate the wrongdoings of the Administration. They are not doing their job.

Again, from the SF Chronicle:

The dispute Tuesday focused on a promise made in February 2004 by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, to conduct an inquiry into whether statements and reports by top administration officials before the war misrepresented intelligence from U.S. agencies.

But the committee's ranking Democrat and vice chairman, Sen. John D. Rockefeller of West Virginia, complained that the Bush administration had stymied the investigation by withholding documents and pressuring Republicans to ease off the inquiry.

The Democrats are successful in bringing back attention to the priority issues - the reasons to invade Iraq, its relationship to misused intelligence by the The White House and TreasonGate. Senator Rockefeller states the fundamentals in his statement:

Senator Rockefeller STATEMENT ON THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE SENATE TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATED TO THE MISUSE OF INTELLIGENCE

“At its core, this is about accountability -- Congressional accountability and White House accountability.

“Congress has a fundamental, constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight – that’s what checks and balances are all about – and we have utterly failed.

“My colleagues and I have tried for two years to do our oversight work, and for two years we have been undermined, avoided, put off, and vilified by the other side. Any line of questioning that has brought us too close to the White House has been thwarted.

“At some point the majority needs to understand that we are willing to bring the Senate to a halt until they will join us in conducting the kind of investigation this situation demands.

“The American people still want to know – now more than ever – why the United States went to war, whether they were misled, and whether our intelligence was misused.

“Whether these actions amount to crimes is not the litmus test for congressional oversight. Mr. Fitzgerald is investigating possible criminal activity by senior White House officials, and we won’t and shouldn’t get in the way of his work.

“But the American people deserve to know not just whether this Administration committed crimes, but whether this Administration told the truth – the full truth, the straight story.

“And if they didn’t – if they misled about the war and if they misused intelligence, then the American people need to know that the Congress will do everything in its power to make sure that it never happens again.”

2005-11-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

So It Begins...

As both sides prepare for fight over Alito

This was a fight they have all been waiting for. Now that BushCo cowardly gave in to the very small extremist radical right, will Moderate Republicans tow the line? We all expected this nomination. BushCo's poll numbers are in the tank. TreasonGate handed out its first indictments and Libby is to appear in court. The GOP majority leaders from both houses are on the block for corruption, fraud and ethics violations. They need a distraction and a win from their small base. So here it is.

The Left is galvanizing. So will the few Dems that are in power make a stand? Let's hope so, we have nothing left to lose.

I had a conversation with a female friend last night that did her best to explain the fundamental issues of women's rights to protection and choice. I, as a man, would never presume to understand what it means for someone to control what I can do with my body. Alito feels that he has the right to do so - he and the brazen treasonous white men who run the show right now. And this whole struggle, ultimately, is about rights. And no one, not one person, has the right to decide what or who she is or I am or they are... The foundations of a free and democratic society protect peoples from this invasion. The radical right and their extremist activist judges seem to want to dissuade these rights. Why? Do they feel persecuted? Do they believe that the power of the religious few only have the right to run societies? Are they fearful of apocalyptic reprise from their God for living in a society that accepts everyone on equal terms and will be judged by the decisions of others?

My friend mentioned that a woman's right to choose is a fundamental support system for society. The decision belongs to her only and she will deal with the effects alone and on her terms. These men in the BushCo cabal don't have that burden. They take no responsibility for their mistakes, missteps, and human tendencies. They refuse to allow themselves to seek alternative solutions for the same problem over and over and over again. They see collateral damage as a nuisance, the environment as a dumping ground, government as a bad business venture. They destroy people with their petty words and distort religious ideology into anything that suites their needs. They are arrogant, disrespectful, racist, and rude.

So why and how can they take responsibility for women?

2005-10-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

Opinion in the Midwest starting to turn on Iraq war

A 56-year-old schoolteacher has something to say to politicians of all strips: "My son is gone...but don't go hiding behind my skirt"

Folks in Louisville, KY aren't afraid for their Red neighbors...
2,000 shirts blow in wind at vigil

"I'm totally against this war," she said. "I totally support the troops. I think they should come home now."

2005-10-31T09:18:00.000-08:00

BushCo caves to radical right wing extremists...

...by appointing one - Samuel Alito, aka 'Scalia Lite'

ThinkProgress does a good job breaking down Samuel Alito’s America.

On of the most important distinctions...

ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE: In his dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito concurred with the majority in supporting the restrictive abortion-related measures passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in the late 1980’s. Alito went further, however, saying the majority was wrong to strike down a requirement that women notify their spouses before having an abortion. The Supreme Court later rejected Alito’s view, voting to reaffirm Roe v. Wade. [Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1991]

2005-10-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Libby is indicted - Resigns

Cheney's top aide indicted in leak case

2005-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Update - Ohio GOP Wasteland

Tom Noe, a major GOP donor, has been indicted for illegal campaign contributions to BushCo 2004 re-election campaign.

Follow reports at Swing State Project on the Reform Ohio Now campaign.

2005-10-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wingnuts Win, Miers Withdraws

Armando from Daily Kos provides immediately responses.

The Wingnuts would not even wait for the confirmation process to unfold. The straw the broke the camel's back was, without a doubt, the disclosure of Miers' 1993 speech which may have signalled that Miers would uphold Roe.

Ultimately, the reactionary reaction is what we call a litmus test, as Armando, indicates in the heading of his piece examining the Republican flip-flops regarding Miers and her muddled speech on a woman's right to choose...

Reactions, posted at The Washington Post, are mixed and typical. My favorite:

"There was also an undercurrent from the liberals in the Senate which suggested that anyone who attends church regularly is biased and should be excluded from public service." _ Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the conservative Traditional Values Coalition.

Yep, always blaming the liberals, when, in reality, it was the radical right who ousted Miers because she was not ultraconservative and activist enough. The Reverend is campaigning, not attending to his flock.

2005-10-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Missing Their Moment

If Hurricane Katrina exposed anything, it showed us the Democrat's inability to step up and take charge. How will it be any different after they take back Congress next year?

The Democratic leadership seems somehow unable to grasp the huge gap in outrage between them and their base. Go anywhere, talk to people who are Democrats or, poor souls, progressives, and the sheer fury of everyday people, if it could be harnessed, would solve this winter’s upcoming energy crisis. People are not only enraged; they are also deeply worried.

2005-10-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

Rewarding incompetence.

FEMA Extends Brown's Contract by 30 Days

Brown should have left long ago. He has nothihng to offer the new people in the agency. Except what NOT to do in case of emergencies...

2005-10-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

U.S. military deaths reach 2,000 in Iraq

2005-10-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Worse than Watergate

The fallout for BushCo continues around the TreasonGate scandal. The mainstream Media is catching up. Tricky Dick Cheney apparently told his Chief of Staff, Lewis Libby of CIA officer Plame. And there is a twist that is sure to earn Libby an indictment:

Notes of the previously undisclosed conversation between Libby and Cheney on June 12, 2003, appear to differ from Libby's testimony to a federal grand jury that he initially learned about the CIA officer, Valerie Plame, from journalists, the lawyers said.

The notes, taken by Libby during the conversation, for the first time place Cheney in the middle of an effort by the White House to learn about Plame's husband, Joseph Wilson, who was questioning the administration's handling of intelligence about Iraq's nuclear program to justify the war.

The notes also divulge that Cheney learned of Plame from George Tenet, then CIA Director, in response to an inquiry of Joseph Wilson, Plame's husband and critic of the intelligence used to invade Iraq. Now, while this is not illegal - given the status of these folks, the question of how the information made it to Novak, Miller, Cooper and others in the Press is where the scrutiny lies and who knew makes them suspect. Furthermore, the fact that the testimonies before the Grand Juries have changed leads to clear-cut obstruction of justice and perjury. These serious offenses would force Libby, Rove and others to resign that would put BushCo in a tailspin.

Lawyers involved in the case said they had no indication that Fitzgerald was considering charging Cheney with wrongdoing. Cheney was interviewed under oath by Fitzgerald last year. It is not known what the vice president told him about the conversation with Libby or when Fitzgerald first learned of it.

But the evidence of Cheney's direct involvement in the effort to learn more about Wilson is sure to intensify the political pressure on the White House in a week of high anxiety among Republicans about the potential for the case to deal a sharp blow to Bush's presidency.

This does not look good and is much bigger than most people realize. Or want to realize... The battle is not over though. Expect Fitzgerald to be attacked and smeared, once he rolls out the indictments. BushCo will be on damage control and the propaganda will fly through the mainstream corporate Media. The real question here is whether the American people, tired and disillusioned by BushCo already, will demand that enough is enough. Time will tell. Nixon, of course, allowed time to force him out of office because he would not see the forest for the trees. His reckless regard for rule of law and lust for power destroyed him and the men around him, while scarring a generation of Americans to reject government outright. That was a low time in American history. This time, it looks as if the same tragic outcome will result. BushCo, however, will not go down respectfully and with the understanding the government and American people are something greater than him. That is what sets this current administration apart from that of Nixon's - being above the law is all they have and will not cede that power for the sake of Democracy and America. Nixon, at least, had the courage, to walk away...

2005-10-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

A real guide to Arnie's special election in California...

Jan Frel gets into the hidden specifics and realizes, like main local papers in California, that this special interest election will make or break Arnold's career.

This "special" election is happening at the wrong time in the wrong place. The burden on California taxpayers is already difficult as it is and now that we have to bankroll an election that nobody really wants is a waste of money. This is ironic coming from a governor that ran on anti-special interest and reform agenda, then changed his mind and now is running an election that have more special interest ties than former Gov Gray Davis.

Judging a political book by its cover just doesn't work anymore...

2005-10-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Top aid to Colin Powell calls out Cheney

"Cheney cabal hijacked US foreign policy."

In a scathing attack on the record of President George W. Bush, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff to Mr Powell until last January, said: “What I saw was a cabal between the vice-president of the United States, Richard Cheney, and the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made.

It seems Tricky Dick is taking a beating lately. With rumors flying over possible indictments in the TreasonGate scandal, Cheney finds himself in a tight bind. Certainly this latest charge coming from a insider in the Powell camp could have Cheney reconsidering his place in politics?

2005-10-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

There is no exit strategy...

Rice spins, deflects, but ultimately gives us a 10 year time frame.

Later, Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., told Rice that her response to questions about U.S. troop withdrawal leaves open the possibility that U.S. forces could be in Iraq five or even 10 years down the road. Rice did not dispute that.

"I don't know how to speculate about what will happen 10 years from now, but I do believe that we are moving on a course on which Iraqi security forces are rather rapidly able to take care of their own security concerns," Rice responded.

What does this really mean? What it means is that "Iraq Security Forces" aren't even close to the level they need to be. Constitution or not, the violence will continue and so will the excuses...

2005-10-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Arrest warrant issued for DeLay

Fingerprinting and mug shot are likely. The freefall in Republicanland continues and desperation sets in as BushCo tries to distance himself from Rove and TreasonGate.

2005-10-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ten Tips For Dealing with Fitzmas

A diarist at DailyKos reminds progressives to calm down a bit on the PlameGate scandal conclusion. It is not over yet. BushCo republicans never go down without a fight...

2005-10-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

Cheney on the block?

It appears that Cheney may be a target of the CIA leak investigation. How can Libby, who certainly is involved, not even hint this information to Cheney during the many, many hours they spend together?

Libby is often described as "Cheney's Cheney," a loyal and discreet lieutenant who shares his boss's hard-line philosophy and bareknuckle attitude toward political enemies of the Bush administration.

Cheney and Libby spend hours together in the course of a day, which causes sources who know both men very well to assert that any attempts to discredit Wilson would almost certainly have been known to the vice president.

"Scooter wouldn't be freelancing on this without Cheney's knowledge," a source told the Daily News. "It was probably some off-the-cuff thing: 'This guy [Wilson] could be a problem.'"

BushCo can't be taking this lightly? Is it really possible that Fitzgerald will actually lay down the law? Time is running out and I find it hard to believe...

2005-10-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

The Tale of Two 'Times'

Criticism abound for Miller and The New York Times.

No single facet of yesterday's Times account drew more condemnation than Miller saying she cannot recall the name of another source who told her about "Valerie Flame," as she recorded the name in her notebook. Miller said the notation was in a different part of the same notebook used for her first interview with Libby in June 2003.

See, what puzzles me here is why all the drama? If Miller was intending to testify all along, why cover up the crime so long? Can the New York Times really claim ignorance here? Wouldn't it be in their best interest, given their "liberal- bias" to have roasted Libby and Plame long ago and not pay lip service to BushCo? Let's face it, those who still think the Times is not mainstream and Rush-induced ultra-liberal have much to learn. This Miller fiasco even shows lip service being paid in spite of a serious crime being committed, or the Times is "FEMA-incompetent.

"It's hard for anyone to imagine that Judy either didn't know who provided that information or, if it was clearly someone else, why she did not make that available."

-Alex Jones, a former Times reporter who heads the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University

It is hard to believe, period. Miller is another perpetrator and victim of the BushCo mentality. First, incompetent journalism just to push the Administration line in Iraq, then using the veil of integrity in "protecting" sources that engaged in a traitorous act.

"This is as believable as Woodward and Bernstein not recalling who Deep Throat was," wrote columnist Arianna Huffington.

2005-10-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Rove Testifies Again in CIA Leak Probe

No Comment is the new line for BushCo on the CIA Leak Investigation. Rove testified for the last time and "amounted to the last chance for the presidential confidant and architect of Bush's election wins to convince the jury that he did nothing wrong."

Could this be the end for Rove and Libby? The American people are getting restless for results by this administration. They are failing on many counts and poll numbers are in the dumps. Is it possible that the Grand Jury here will reflect that sentiment and stand up to say "We can't take it anymore!" It seems BushCo is running out of gas and desperate all round - even staging video conference with hand-picked soldiers in Iraq.

GNN's Paul Reickoff comments:

This thing was not just staged, it was superstaged. In a disgusting display, the President again used our troops as political props in an event so scripted that it basically turned into a conversation with himself. I wish the White House had put this much effort into post-war planning when my platoon hit Baghdad.

He certainly has a right to be upset...

2005-10-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

TV's political talk shows shun women

Joan Ryan talks about the reality of political inequality...

So when a study released Tuesday revealed that just 14 percent of the guests on the influential Sunday morning political talk shows are women, and that 56 percent of the episodes included no women at all, I wondered if anyone was surprised. I wasn't. One need only listen to the weekly interviews and discussions -- the dearth of ideas, the ponderous iteration of solutions that haven't worked, the recycled assumptions that rattle inside the beltway like a shoe in a dryer -- to know that women aren't at the table.

Why should we be surprised? We have seen a lot of inequality lately. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina made it painfully clear that the cabal of white men that make up most of the BushCo administration are from another time and don't plan to ever level the playing field. Their failure to protect the poor black and white folks of the Gulf Coast show the stack reality of our security as well. Security is provided based on privilege and class.

Chris Grumm, President & CEO of the Women's Funding Network, whom Ryan interviewed, asks:

"Is security only about the number of military people in the field? Or is security also about people being economically secure so they don't want to go take over another village? Is security about people having political access to make their lives better?" she asked. "Women bring a different set of questions, different agenda items, that come from a different view of the world."

Because women are so poorly represented, the shows perpetuate the public impression that "women lack the credibility, expertise and authority to address our nation's most significant problems," as the study's authors put it.

And, as you know, this is quite untrue. I will be a little more frank than Ms. Ryan: The imbalance in politics today attributes to the failures of fairness and justice within our governmental bodies. The state of warmongering that has so consumed us only reveals the BushCo has no respect nor understanding in the role of women and all citizens, for that matter, in the idea and practice of Democracy. Nor do they seem to care that balance of power, dissent, community, human rights, and protection are all fundamental ingredients that keep a democratic society intact.

Ryan remarks:

The more we can see and hear women who have been anointed on television as serious commentators and authorities, the more confidence the public will have in voting women into Congress and someday the White House. And the more we hear from knowledgeable women, the greater the range of ideas and perspectives pouring into the political marketplace -- thus the more likely we are to make inroads on problems that have not responded to traditional solutions.

And that is the rub. We now realize that the current governmental solutions are not working. Bringing in new progressive ideas is a huge challenge, but definitely possible. It will take basic baby steps to move in the right direction. The first step? - Change the balance of power in Congress in the Mid-term elections...

Go to SheSource.org for a list of expert women who can speak on a variety of issues - launched by the White House Project and Fenton Communications. It also explores the study in question.

2005-10-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Ohio GOP Wasteland Update

Noe transferred coin cash before giving to politicians.

The Toledo Blade has a nice time line on Noe's illegal contributions and GOP corruption in Ohio before and after 2004 Presidential election

Tom Noe often transferred tens of thousands of dollars from the Ohio rare-coin funds he managed to his personal business before bankrolling Republican candidates and causes with contributions and loans.

A Blade examination of the accounting records from Mr. Noe’s $50 million rare-coin venture shows a pattern of large sums of money moving from the coin funds to his personal business, Vintage Coins and Collectibles, in the days and weeks before the coin dealer and his wife, Bernadette, made contributions to Republican candidates ranging from President Bush to U.S. Sen. George Voinovich and Gov. Bob Taft down to Lucas County Auditor Larry Kaczala.

It seems Noe can't escape the fact that he used Ohio state funds and taxpayer money to fund his Ponzi scheme coin venture and pad his personal account. What is really illegal is that he cannot explain the large campaign contributions. But it is par for the course. Now that Governor Taft has become the only Ohio governor to be charged with crime and is connected to Noe, you wonder if Ohioans are going to show the GOP the door...

Daily Kos looks into a story by Blade reporter on Noe back in 2004 via Salon. Interesting...

2005-10-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Randi Rhodes puts a foot in GOP ass

It quite hilarious and revealing... Follow link to Blondesense for more info.

Via Crooks and Liars

2005-10-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

Rove on the hot seat

Prosecutors can't promise immunity the 4th time around. Will we find out next week if Fitgerald will get it done? Or will he cave in to BushCo and not do his job?

We shall see...

2005-10-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Coincident Timing?

Karl Rove is said to testify in CIA Plame Leak Case.

New York Boosts Security After Subway Threat

Timing is everything...

2005-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Roy Blunt, DeLay - Part Duex...

DeLay, Blunt Traded Secret Donations

Tom DeLay deliberately raised more money than he needed to throw parties at the 2000 presidential convention, then diverted some of the excess funds to longtime ally Roy Blunt through a series of donations that benefited both men's causes.

When the financial carousel stopped, DeLay's private charity, the consulting firm that employed DeLay's wife and the Missouri campaign of Blunt's son all ended up with money, according to campaign documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Missouri joins fellow midwest states of Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee in the GOP corruption wasteland. It appears that the political machine of Roy Blunt (not the Republican Majority Leader in the House), his son the Governor, and others are connected to the Abramoff-DeLay scandal.

"These people clearly like using middlemen for their transactions," said Lawrence Noble. "It seems to be a pattern with DeLay funneling money to different groups, at least to obscure, if not cover, the original source," said Noble, who was the Federal Election Commission's chief lawyer for 13 years, including in 2000 when the transactions occurred...

Noble said investigators should examine whether the pattern of disguising the original source of money might have been an effort to hide the leaders' simultaneous financial and legislative dealings with Abramoff and his clients.

"You see Abramoff involved and see the meetings that were held and one gets the sense Abramoff is helping this along in order to get access and push his clients' interest," he said. "And at the same time, you see Delay and Blunt trying to hide the root of their funding.

"All of these transactions may have strings attached to them. ... I think you would want to look, if you aren't already looking, at the question of a quid pro quo," Noble said.

Just a sampling. The AP does a decent job laying out the timeline here...

2005-10-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

Senate Votes against Torture and defies BushCo

The notorious nine who voted against limiting interrogation tactics and torture? All Republicans, all committee chairmen (as War and Piece points out).

Allard (R-CO)
Bond (R-MO)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Stevens (R-AK)

Via Billmon

2005-10-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Fear Mongering 101

BushCo seems to be in a self-destructive spiral right now. With fall out from Hurricane Katrina, decreasing support for the war in Iraq, indictments and investigations of key GOP leaders, and now, possible prosecution for traitorous acts, the Administration resorts to desperate measures.

Apparently, the new terrorists are the old Communists and we will all die if we don't follow the BushCo plan. Some of the excerpts from Bush's speech seem like paranoid delusions...

In truth, they have endless ambitions of imperial domination and they wish to make everyone powerless except themselves…They seek to end dissent in every form and to control every aspect of life and to rule the soul itself...

No act of ours invited the rage of the killers, and no concession, bribe or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder...

Evil men who want to use horrendous weapons against us are working in deadly earnest to gain them...

The list is quite revealing and scary. So what do we know? It feels like there is a loss of control. The people in charge, BushCo, can't get anything right. The people not in charge, the Democrats, can't step up with alternatives. The arrogant "swagger" of BushCo Republicans doesn't make a difference in our security. We know that now. The Democrats can get their act together an bravely step forth to take the helm, but the potential is there. When it comes to protecting Americans, the notion that Dems can't provide it is a flat out lie. We know that now. It is hard to believe that the Republicans can do the same. Our hope is to elect the BushCo Congress and Senate members out next year and replace them with progressive-minded people, no matter their party affiliation. That's right, no matter... True, the GOP's united front makes it harder for progressive conservatives to move in and we are more likely to see pragmatic progressives in the Democratic, Green, and Libertarian Parties. But, if Democrats take the Congress back, these balances Republicans out there can help reshape their cracked Party and bring back the conservative values needed to balance our government.

Thinking practically is what brings progress. That is something Americans desperately need, for the sake of all government...

2005-10-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Miers Briefed Bush on Bin Laden PDB, But Papers Handle Photo From That Day Quite Differently

E&P examines the photo that the mainstream Media missed...

On its front page Tuesday, The New York Times published a photo of new U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers going over a briefing paper with President George W. Bush at his Crawford ranch “in August 2001,” the caption reads.

USA Today and the Boston Globe carried the photo labeled simply “2001,” but many other newspapers ran the picture in print or on the Web with a more precise date: Aug. 6, 2001.

Does that date sound familiar? Indeed, that was the date, a little over a month before 9/11, that President Bush was briefed on the now-famous “PDB” that declared that Osama Bin Laden was “determined” to attack the U.S. homeland, perhaps with hijacked planes. But does that mean that Miers had anything to do with that briefing?

As it turns out, yes, according to Tuesday's Los Angeles Times. An article by Richard A. Serrano and Scott Gold observes that early in the Bush presidency “Miers assumed such an insider role that in 2001 it was she who handed Bush the crucial 'presidential daily briefing' hinting at terrorist plots against America just a month before the Sept. 11 attacks.”

So the Aug. 6 photo may show this historic moment, though quite possibly not. In any case, some newspapers failed to include the exact date with the widely used Miers photo today. A New York Times spokesman told E&P: "The wording of the caption occurred in the course of routine editing and has no broader significance."

The photo that ran in so many papers and on their Web sites originally came from the White House but was moved by the Associated Press, clearly marked as an “Aug. 6, 2001” file photo. It shows Miers with a document or documents in her right hand, as her left hand points to something in another paper balanced on the president's right leg. Two others in the background are Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin and Steve Biegun of the national security staff.

The PDB was headed “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.,” and notes, among other things, FBI information indicating “patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks.”

I would think this has more significance than it is given... To Be Continued?

2005-10-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

The big OH gearing for a Dem Primary?

Hackett To Challenge DeWine As Miers' Confirmation Begins

Looks like Paul Hackett's camp leaked a bit of news that may worry DeWine next year. Apparently, Rep. Sherrod Brown passed, now is reconsidering and may force a primary... DailyKos looks into it and has a Straw Poll running right now. Check it out

2005-10-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

DeLay takes another hit

It just keeps getting worse for DeLay and BushCo...

2005-10-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

25 questions about murder of the Big Easy

Powerful piece. Questions that nobody wants to answer. The shaming of America...

2005-10-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

What's the Deal With Harriet Miers?

Who is she should be the first question...

Never a judge, Miers is a longtime GOP functionary, and has pumped thousands of dollars into the campaigns of right-wing GOP stalwarts in Texas—from Phil Gramm to Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Clearly she tows the Bush party line...

Above all, Miers is loyal to President Bush. It’s hard to imagine her putting faithfulness to the Supreme Court above faithfulness to the Bush family. She reportedly recommended Alberto Gonzalez to be Bush’s counsel when Bush was governor of Texas. Miers was Bush’s personal lawyer in Texas, coming with him to the White House in 2001 as a staff secretary—the person who checks out all documents before they go to the president. Miers became a deputy counsel, then counsel when Gonzalez was elevated to attorney general.

I guess Democrats have work to do, know that BushCo just spends more time nominating unqualified people to do the job. Just ask Michael Brown...