Sometimes it's Hard to Keep Track.

So the reds are mad at bushco. for their diplomacy with North Korea, because they may have helped Syria with a nuclear program, the way they did Pakistan. Israel recently bombed what "appeared to be" a future nuclear reactor facility in Syria with little fanfare and even littler news coverage. I guess bombing a nation without being provoked still may be considered bad, and our 51st state can do no wrong. There's been much a do about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Bushco. recently, not to mention unilaterally, sanctioned Iran for "threatening behavior" (sounds like they must have overwhelming evidence to me). The sanctions are no surprise. What was surprising to me was that Iran, as well as China, were awarded large power plant construction contracts in Iraq. They will try and do what the US's $5 Billion effort has thus far failed to, provide adequate power to an electricity grid that still only provides power for a few hours a day for many "liberated" Iraqis. I wonder if this means we'll start sanctioning Iraq again. Knowing bushco. they'll use the Iran/Iraq deal to justify bombing the Kurds so as not to piss off Turkey, who has already begun shelling Northern Iraq. Turkey's airbase, more specifically Our use of it, is the reason President Flip Flop now says the Turks slaughtering 1,500,000 Armenians based on their ethnicity should not be officially considered genocide. It's a good thing ahmadinejad** isn't part of bush's "coalition of the willing" or Our president would be backing holocaust deniers the same way he's backing these genocide deniers today. At least bush wasn't praising their country's most famous rebel while they were holding our debt and are responsible for the bulk of the goods sold at our biggest stores. By the way george, I'm a huge dalai lama fan too.

In "we're a Nation at War" news, the Iraqi government has revoked bremer's provisional authority decree that security contractors are "immune from prosecution". It's hard to believe that those killing, I mean securing Iraq for democracy, on Our behalf have to obey the law. Oh yeah, the US is clearly on the forefront of human rights since these "folks" took over the executive branch. The non-partisan Congressional Budget office estimates that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could cost $2.4 TRILLION by 2017. The failure-in-chief's mouth piece blew the number off as speculation. If only they had blown off Paul Wolfowitz's "the war will pay for itself"estimate, not to mention the White House's $50 Billion estimate, as speculation instead of treating them as accurate. There were a lot of things that bushco. had "no doubt" about that turned out to be nothing more then speculation, and that's being nice. At least we have cheaper oil now. Wait, is it really at $92 a barrel?

In the war on science news, the "lie by omission" administration edited five pages out of the director of the Center of Disease Control's Congressional testimony on global warming. No surprise there. Here is another non-surprise. 388 more liberal, leftist, pinko, tree hugging scientists from around the world have come out with yet another "wake up call" report on how we, as humans, live in direct contrast with and have an adverse effect on Our home planet and the way it sustains Us. You know, with things like air and water.

And of course, I would be remiss in not mentioning the tragic 500,000 acre fire in southern California which has seen 500,000 residents evacuated (about half the amount evacuated from New Orleans Before Katrina hit). Hopefully bushco. will do and has done a better job on this disaster despite the fact that half of the California National Guard equipment is in Iraq. I also hope the improved response has nothing to do with the fact that the governor is republican, or that some, if not most, of the home destroyed were owned by the rich as opposed to the ninth ward of New Orleans, which hasn’t been reconstructed in the two plus years since the storm. It was nice to see that the mood was festive (complete with bands, buffets, and massages) at the Qualcomm Center in California, as opposed to what life was like in the Superdome.

Oh and a quick word of CAUTION:
Be careful "sleepytime" cheney is going hunting this weekend.

Have a Happy Halloween!

**the first spell check suggestion at blogger.com for ahmadinejad is "hitler". I'm not kidding.

Gore (Green is the New Black)

Not since former President Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize have I been so interested in the esteemed award's recipient, but when word started to come out last week that former Vice President Al Gore was a front runner, a smile ran to my face. Then today it was announced that Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were the winners of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Al Gore's recent work on the unique and gathering threat of a worldwide climate crisis and what we, as humans, can do to slow or maybe reverse it's current trajectory reinforces what I firmly believe. Al Gore is more focused, and powerful, outside of elected office than in it. Gore has been a passionate environmentalist longer than he has been in the national spotlight. His book "Earth in Balance" (1992) remains one of my favorite environmental texts. It's right up there with "The Lorax". Though they did manage to defend the air we breath, the water we drink, and the land on which we live from industrial and downright Anti-environmental attacks, the Clinton Administration didn't do much on the Offense when it came to environmental or energy policy. I don't blame Al Gore completely for this, but it was very disappointing at the time. Now that his attention is focused back on his passion and not in all the directions the Number 2 man in the free world is pulled, he is much more effective.

That being said, with few detractors, Al Gore has been and remains on the forefront of environmental science and more specifically global warming, or as he likes to call it "the coming climate crisis". The Academy Award winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" (see link to the left) chronicles a touring slide show on the subject that Gore had presented for years before movie cameras showed up. He co-founded Generation Investment Management which invests in sustainability research and sustainable development, proving that environmental policy does not have to be at odds with economic policy. His success has been instrumental in what looks to be somewhat of a ground swell of a new "green" movement. His Live Earth concert was an important part of a recent greening of big ticket concerts. Simple ideas like volunteers manning the "compost, recyclable, and landfill" cans and compostable beer cups made from corn or sugar cane make the foot print of festival concerts that much smaller. His carbon calculator calculates how big your carbon foot print is and gives you options on how you can offset it. With the change of a light bulb or having one vegan day a week he and his instruct us how little changes made by many can make a difference.

Why so many don't want to make simple changes that would reduce our dependency on foreign oil, reduce the pollution we breathe, reduce the cost of their electric bill and the cost they pay at the pump is beyond me. I guess changing or even questioning the current environmental or energy policy is anti-american left wing nutty liberal craziness, even if it does sound a lot like common sense. It is good to see more and more talking and acting "green". Maybe it really is the new black.

Heckuva job Al! Keep doing what you're doing. And don't run for president.

Change in America.

Here in America, we are for human rights, even for the worst of humans. Here in America we are for free speech even, and especially, if that speech is offensive. Here in America we believe in helping those who need help. We are a melting pot of different and diverse cultures. We are at the forefront of science and technology, ingenuity and know how. We are a beacon of hope and opportunity. America leads by example. This is My America. A country created by the People and for the People. Problem is, the existence of My America seems about as real as Abbie Hoffman's "Woodstock Nation".

The new America pounds rationalizations for torture into the hearts and minds of Americans, tugging at Our lowest human impulses. The new America confuses American flag pins with patriotism. The new America privatizes the military without holding contractors accountable for murder, grand theft, or incompetence. The new America supports the troops by lengthening their tours, shortening their rests, and cutting their benefits. The new America spies on its own citizens. The new American scares its citizens into thinking that their rights are privileges. The new America lets the president act like a king. The new America scoffs at science. The new America leads by force and condemns any nation who follows its example. The new America doesn't care what the rest of the world thinks. It would rather insult those with opposing views (freedom fries) than discuss those views. The new America helps those that have and looks further down on the have-nots.

I do not hate America. I love America. I remember what happened on September 11, 2001. I was standing across the Hudson River, watching, while it was happening. That cursed day, that cursed attack is not a reason to throw away everything America stands for. There's is a sticker on my door that reads "Our grief is not a cry for war". What is stronger, standing up and saying "We will not be deterred. Our way of life will not change, because of your brutality" or saying "We will become brutal, we will give up rights and freedoms, we will live in fear of the next attack"?

Our leaders can not be trusted to bring America back. They are either too conniving or too afraid. The change has to come from the People. Until it does, the light at the end of the tunnel is only going to get dimmer. It's not easy to pay attention to the war or poverty instead of the latest reality show results. It's hard to pay attention to what Our leaders are doing when there is new "news" about an amateur porn video star marrying another amateur porn video star. It's easier to keep up on the custody battle of a former child pop star whose career has gone south than it is to think about health care coverage for everyone American.

But it's up to Us. We can sit back, watching the world go by on Our television or we can act. I vote for action.

"Change does not happen from the top down. It happens from the bottom up"
-Senator Barack Obama in NYC 9/27/7.

Gore to come later.

Pro-Death, Anti-Health

$200 Billion more for war THIS YEAR is fine with bush (Especially because it's all borrowed money. Somebody else will pay the debt later.), but $35 Billion over 5 YEARS for expanding health care by 4 Million children is not. He uses his fourth veto on it.

Disgusting!!!!

Broken (Where have all the balls gone?)

"Our politics are broken" Senator Barack Obama told the thousands crammed into Washington Square Park. A fact that most of us already knew. Unfortunately, that's not all that's broken. Students are being tased for asking questions of their leaders. Our Country arrogantly insults adversarial world leaders. In Congress, the US House voted against free speech/press and the Senate voted for a possible backdoor into another war. It's getting easier and easier to see just how broken things are.

Neither john kerry nor anyone else in the auditorium moved to help a student while he screamed as "security" man handled and then tased him for asking about 2004 voter suppression, kerry's membership in the Skull and Bones Society at Yale and the IMPEACHment of george bush. Not even a "STOP!" from the Senator who once stood up to His leaders in an attempt to end an unjust war. Just a barely audible "i'd like to answer the question." Why expect anything more from one of the many toothless elected officials who sit in Our Halls of Congress? A vote against MoveOn.org?!?!?!?! Never mind free speech, freedom of the press, and the fact that NY Times, Inc. can put whatever ad in their paper they want. Let's talk about faux news insulting the generals who are speaking out against the little tyrant in the White House. How about the inaction of Congress on the infamous "swiftboaters"? Better yet let's have a vote condemning blackwater for mowing down civilians in Iraq (the pentagon just gave them a new contract) . Or condemning Halliburton and the countless other companies moving their corporations, and the little taxes they pay, to foreign countries. How about a vote on reducing the troops in Iraq? Oh wait...

Last week Congress had three votes that damn near sent me through the roof. One was the anti-moveon.org legislation. The second was on the amendment proposed by Senator Levin (one of the few with balls in Our legislature) "To provide for a reduction and transition of United States forces in Iraq". It received a vote of 47 to 47. That's right. Six Senators didn't vote. I've written them all and await their form letters. The democrats won in 2006, because We the People wanted a Change in policy in Iraq, not more political eggshell walking. US soldier and Iraqi civilian deaths are down in September to a level not seen since... last year. This is a good thing. But after 4 and a half years, the lives of 4,800+ soldiers, and $450,000,000,000.00, it's too little, too late. As Senator Joe Biden (another with huevos) recently put it, "We shouldn't be there".

Now for the next war We shouldn't Start. Iran says they have started a nuclear program (no missiles yet). Reason for sanctions? Surgical missile strikes? War? Sure, as soon as the United States lets the UN inspectors into all of Our military and weapon production facilities, and We get rid of Our 10,000 nuclear warheads. But then people argue that "Iran's brand has been found on weapons in Iraq". Well, I bet Russia's brand can be found too, and saudi arabia's and, that's right, Ours. Remember we were backing saddam against Iran, back when he was using chemical weapons on them. I wonder where he got those? Iran's president ahmadinejad came to the US recently to speak at the UN. I guess it used to make sense that the world peace keeping organization was in Our country. The world leader wasn't allowed to travel more than 25 miles from the UN, was not allowed to pay his respects at "ground zero" (Remember the candle light vigils in Tehran after 9/11 ?), and was refused a meeting with bush. Our failure in chief gave a speech with barely a mention of the war he started in Iraq or the the one he, and his, want to start in Iran. At least he didn't mispronounce anything. The phonetically spelled out speech turned out to be a good idea after all. Even crazy border wall builder pat buchanan asks "Does this generation possess the gravitas to lead the world?" in his piece "Infantile Nation".

There was a time when leaders had the courage to meet with and talk to Our adversaries, as well as Our allies. Nixon went to Russia as they were arming Vietnam. He met with mass murdering mao. Eisenhower met with kruschev. And these adversaries had committed actual documented atrocities. Einstein once said "Force attracts men of low morality". It takes courage and principle to use diplomacy with adversaries. Think of the school yard. It's what comes to my mind with all the name calling going on. What does a bully do when frustrated by an argument he is either not winning or is over his head? Does he think? Does he discuss? Take pause? No, he punches his way to victory. Argument ended, but of course not resolved. The jackals that have run this Country for the last six are dying for a reason to throw the first punch.

"Change does not happen from the top down. It happens from the bottom up." Senator and hopeful presidential hopeful Barack Obama in Washington Square Park last week.

"Childrens do learn" president and former Yale cheerleader george bush junior speaking about his no child left behind program.

A quick Follow up:
It's nice to see people are reading these things from time to time. A few friends have responded to Monday's "Broken (Where have all the balls gone?)" and I would like to just clear a couple things up. It was not my intention to "compare" the US to Iran. I was just calling some attention to the hypocrisy of having the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and saying other countries can't have a nuclear weapon. We are obviously a freer nation. I'm an example of that freedom. We are not a nation lead by religious zealots who believe that their god is the only god and all non-believers should be smited, or is it smote? God Bless America! I am also no fan of the Iranian President (I'm not really a fan of any foreign leader), and it was not my intention to defend him. My critique was with the lack of respect towards a world leader with whom we should be diplomatically trying to avoid war. I can't help it, I think war should be the last resort. Not to mention how good diplomacy seems to be working in ridding North Korea of their nuclear facitilties. That being said I did a little research.

Did you know that the words "wipe Israel off the map" never came out of his mouth and is just an interesting/propagandic translation of something he was quoting? I did find a convincing page on his involvement in the taking of US hostages in 1979 (I don't really see the resemblance past the beard and hair, but it is pretty damn compelling). I wonder if that means reagan negotiated with him for their release.

Surge Against the Surge

Some say "the surge is working". Some hooker loving senators have said it after only being in Iraq for a matter of hours. Did anyone think that inserting tens of thousands of US troops into a capital city that we haven't been able to take in five years wouldn't make "certain neighborhoods" more secure? The Sunnis have quit the Iraqi Government, which is currently on vacation. The Iraqi "security forces" are no where near handling it on their own. A National Intelligence Estimate, if you still trust US Intelligence, says that Iraqi "leaders" “remain unable to govern effectively” and that the government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki “will become more precarious over the next 6 to 12 months”. Now that sounds like solid progress to me. Which is why pacifist, defeatist, unpatriotic wackos like Senator John Warner (red-Va.), who was the Secretary of the Navy during Vietnam, and those four pansy, hippy, active duty soldiers in this neocon war in Iraq get right under my Red, White, and Blue stained skin.

The audacity of soldiers at the tail end of their 15 MONTH tour in Iraq, thinking that they know the situation on the ground, writing an Op-Ed disagreeing with the AWOL National Guardsman-in-Chief. Then there is Senator John Warner, who just returned from his trip to Iraq. What kind of defeatist serves in the Navy in WWII, in the Marines in the Korea war, and comes out calling for the US to start drawing down troops from Iraq starting in September? It's like that cry baby Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Pace calling for troop withdrawals, to, according to the LA Times, (get this) "reduce the size of the U.S. force in Iraq in order to bolster the military's ability to respond to other threats". I'm sure LIEberman is with me in saying "What a wuss". The progress in Iraq can obviously be seen in the electric grid being taken over by militias, not to mention the tragic helicopter crash that killed 14 more of Our soldiers. Hey, at least the largest, most expensive US embassy ever is right on schedule.

Remember when the worst president ever said that the comparison between the Vietnam War and his War in Iraq was "false" and sent "the wrong message to Our troops and sends the wrong message to our enemy"? Well, seems he's flip flopped on that one too. It's not that much of a surprise that he's invoking the war that he, giulliani, and dick wish would have gone on longer, without them fighting of course. The '60s may be just the angle to dethrone that "ex-hippy/feminist" Senator Clinton, who is still in front of the well practiced in the art of debate and discussion Democratic nominees for President. One difference I can see between what I know about the Vietnam war and the war in Iraq is that those who protested Vietnam didn't get permits to congregate en mass in DC, they weren't afraid to be beat down by billy clubs and tear gassed, they weren't afraid to "Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out" of the norms set for them by Amerika, as they saw it. I know they didn't "win the war" (they may all be driving Volvo SUV's by now) but they certainly helped win some battles (see Civil Rights, Women's Rights, the EPA). When millions gathered, after obtaining the proper permits, to protest before and when this war started, barely a peep was heard. We were set aside as "wackos, extremists, defeatists, and nuts". Well, guess what, the nuts were right.

A quick partisan political note:
Congressman Rick Renzi (red-AZ) is joining Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce, Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, Mississippi Rep. Chip Pickering and Illinois Rep. dennis hastert in not running for re-election. Renzi joins the rats jumping off the sinking ship at least partially because of the FBI's corruption investigation.

A quick non-partisan political note:
"We can't just change political parties and continue to do the same kind of things we've been doing. We can't just go about business as usual and think it's going to turn out differently."
Barack on Open Government in Cedar Falls, Iowa
I know I've used it here for partially partisan reasons, but it is a statement about the need for non-partisan thinking, and after all... he is my favorite.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

August 9th marked the 62nd anniversary of the US killing 74,000 people with one bomb, not to worry though it wasn't a "roadside" bomb or a "homicide" or "suicide" bombing. It took place after we killed approximately 140,000 people with one bomb a couple of days before. The hypocrisy of these mass killings, not to mention the fire bombings that took place in the lead up to the US becoming the only nation to use atomic weapons, has been in the back of mind for some time. But "do as I say and not as I do" is a philosophy that can be found in so many places within Our government, and society at large. Last week the president of the young republicans resigned, as mark before the news broke of his homosexual exploits. He now joins such gay gay-bashers foley, jeff gannon/guckert, and his eminence ted haggard. This latest homosexual homophobe rivals the "Land of the Free" spying on it's own citizens from space for this Ink's #1 story of hypocrisy.

In "it's just cyclical weather" news, last week saw a one hour downpour shut down the New York City subway system, not to mention the first tornado in Brooklyn in 118 years. The storm flooded the New Jersey/New York area like the Fed flooded money into the US banking system. Not to be outdone, Europe and Asia has sent a tsunami of fresh cash to stop the markets' slide.

Then there is the too early to talk about election. The republican's 9/11 candidate claimed, much to the anger of actual workers at "ground zero" on and after that horrendous attack, "I Was At Ground Zero As Often, If Not More, Than Most Of The Workers" going on to say "So in that sense, I'm one of them." He has since said it was a mistake to say what he said. Really rudy? Ya think? Maybe his joining the "build a wall and kill the illegals" camp will help him against Iowa's favorite flip flopper, and turd blossom rover's possible new boss.

And speaking of "bush's brain", karl "turd blossom" rove is finally getting the hell out of Our White House. My only hope is that the investigations into his criminal and treasonous activities plague him for all his days. Democrats might want to thank the evil doer, after all his "permanent republican majority" may have lost a generation of republicans , and has certainly given the incoming Democratic President unprecedented power.

"You may say I'm a Dreamer, but I'm not the only one" - John Lennon

In sad news, TV icon Merv Griffin and Yankee great Phil Rizzuto have died. Their obituaries are joined by 250 more from the neocons' war of choice in Iraq. Five of which were US soldiers in a downed helicopter. Don't worry, it'll all be in the white house written "report from General Petraeus" to be delivered in September. A report that will no doubt say the surge is making Baghdad (the capital those in charge of Our military have not been able to take after four years) more secure. As for Iraq's political process, it should prove hard to make progress there by the September deadline/benchmark/line in the sand with the Iraqi government on vacation for a month. A vacation admonished by lil' george and Congress, who are on vacation for the month of August as well. Do As I Say... Yeah, you know the rest.

Highly Illogical.

Senator Barack Obama has caught some interestingly illogical heat from "conservative" reds for saying "I understand that President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out anal Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will." So let me get this straight. Senator Obama wants to hunt down the terrorists where they train, where it is believed bin laden lives, and in a country that is providing safe haven by, at the very least, turning a blind eye. One of the reasons the pundits for bush and his war of choice in Iraq are using is "Pakistan has weapons of mass destruction" that could take the form of a "mushroom cloud". Do they not even realize how their logic is so blatantly wrapped around partisanship? But why should their logic follow through on foreign policy?

Imagine if President William Jefferson Clinton evoked his executive privilege when he was asked under oath about an extra marital affair? When the then red lead congress subpoenaed his aides about the extra marital affair or the real estate deal from when the President was the Governor of Arkansas, did Clinton evoke executive privilege? What would those who back the failure-in-chief's use of executive privilege to keep documents and testimony of his legal counsel, his chief political advisor and his former chief of staff, pertaining to the politicization of the Justice Department and the Federal Judiciary, from the US Congress and the American People have said if Clinton had? Here's a taste of that hypocrisy. But again why am I surprised that the logic coming from the "pro-life"/pro death penalty clan (pun intended) doesn't follow from one issue to another?

The "clown" in Our White House is number two (pun intended) in the race to become the most disliked president in history, and still most reds in congress are afraid to confront him. Speaking of Congress, did you know they refused to take their raise until they got a huge number of Americans their first raise in a decade? And another twisted truth concerning congress is their poll numbers. Congress's low poll numbers are not a good sign for republicans in congress, as some may spin it. It is a statement from the American Public to Congress that says "You are not moving quickly or strongly enough! Stand up to this president! Change the direction that he and those before you have placed Us in, and get us the Hell out of Iraq!"

The inconsistencies seem too numerous to mention.

Fiscal "conservatives" voted for a biggest increase in non-defense spending since OD (original dick). Those against "big government" are for the warrant less wiretapping of American citizens. The ones that say a government run universal health care system will make it so you can't go to whatever doctor you want to, do so without saying that the current private sector run system does that already. They warn against the bureaucracy in a government run health care system that guarantees the entire US population without acknowledging the bureaucracy that already exists in the bottom line, profit deal system where no one is guaranteed coverage.

The workers of this Country are told that they have a strong work ethic and that's why they work at least forty hours a week, have multiple jobs, get maybe two weeks vacation, and are worried about their retirement. While the unions, built to protect worker rights (40 hour work week, overtime, etc.), are demonized, major corporations are given the same benefits as "small business owners". Companies are being allowed, without the slightest penalty, to move their factories and jobs to foreign lands where there are no labor laws at all. Not to mention major corporations getting away with not paying taxes for years.

The same people who are coming down on NY Governor Spitzer for his aides using state police for political reasons have little or nothing to say about the top law enforcement official in the Country committing perjury to hide his being a political tool (pun intended).

I've heard people, dismayed by rupert murdoch's purchase of the wall street journal, talk about how they can't wait to go out and fund it by seeing the Simpsons movie. Oh wait, maybe I should scratch that one.

When it comes down to it, the "news" media has been reduced to sellers of soap. A well informed and/or educated citizenry is not as important to them as Nielsen ratings, advertising revenue, and their bottom line. The president's top political advisor has been subpoenaed, baghdad is getting one hour of electricity a day, the war of choice in Iraq may cost One Trillion ($1,000,000,000,000.00) and what's everyone talking about? They're talking about rich drunk blonds and overpaid baseball players. The "greatest nation in the world" kept in the dark and reduced to a mere consumer herd striving only for money and the material things that prove its existence.

It doesn't have to be like this. But we're going to have to stand up to change it.

Here's a snippet of Senator Dennis Kucinich questioning rummy:
"Was there a Department of Defense press strategy with respect to the war?" the Ohio Senator asked.

"If there was, it obviously wasn't very good," Rumsfeld quipped back.

The Rumsfeld remark drew Kucinich's ire.

"Well you know maybe it was very good because you actually covered up the Tillman case for awhile, you covered up the Jessica Lynch case, you covered upAbu Ghraib, so something was working for you," he said. "So something was working for you."

Rumsfeld angrily denied any cover up "on this matter."

This how you should react to bullsh!t distractions!

John Edwards has this youtube video to combat the bullsh!t hair cut story!

Go see Sicko.

Go See Sicko. Even if you hate Michael Moore, this movie will make you sick about how the only "western" country in the world that does not provide health care for all it's citizens does so because money is more important than it's citizenry's health.

Before you go see Sicko: the Movie, check out Max Blumenthal's video on the chickenhawk generation (AKA college republicans).

More later on Sicko and twisting the truth.

Failure

It has been reported by the Associated Press that an United States intelligence agency has found al qaeda to be at a strength "not seen since before 9/11". What the hell have the people in charge of this Country been doing for the past six years? This colossal failure is another justification of the unnecessary neo-con war in Iraq out the window. Maybe that's why two Senate Republicans have submitted a proposal to reduce US forces in Iraq. As part of that proposal, the Senators have called for a New Authorization Bill because they say "Many of the conditions and motivations that existed when we authorized force almost five years ago no longer exist or are irrelevant to our current situation". The report on al-qaeda states that the "terrorist organization" is "considerably operationally stronger than a year ago". Executive privilege happy king george says that's not true, and adds "we're making progress" in Iraq. Oh the LIES (Caution: it's the Rude One) we're being told. Where have we heard "we're making progress" before? Perhaps the progress to which zero credibility george is referring to can be found in the remains of the 100+ Iraqis killed in one day the weekend after the Fourth of July or the 80 victims of this past weekend's bombings. Maybe it was the 20+ mortar attack on the Green Zone that shed light on the corner were turning this time or Congressional investigators obtaining a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with a made up company. Could security of Iraqi banks, like the one that had $282 Million stolen from it, be part of the next in a long line of different and unclear "missions" Our troops are being given in Iraq.

I do not speak out against george w. bush because he is a republican. I speak out against him, because he is a failure, with failed policies that have lead to gains in America's enemies and loses amongst Our allies. I speak out against lil' george for endangering Our troops in a war we did not have to fight in Iraq. I rail against him for not keeping All Our forces trained and focused on those Actually Responsible for 9/11. I speak out against him for consistently and wrongly equating the attacks of 9/11 with his attack on Iraq. I speak out against the thinking that the president is above the law. I rail against the closed door, secret, and borderline tyrannical government he runs. I speak out against his putting politics before the health of the American People. I rail against this president's appointing of people to positions of power solely based on their political ideas, even when those ideas have nothing to do with the job, and not their experience. I rail against his politicizing the attacks, as well as the victims, of 9/11. I speak out against what he has done and continues to do to My Country. This is not about blue versus red. This is about America.

And another thing while I'm ranting and railing, it takes more than a bumper sticker or magnetic ribbon to support the troops! This administration has extended tours of duty from twelve to fifteen months. Our troops used to get TWO YEARS HOME in between One Year tours of duty. Now, there are soldiers who don't get One year in between their Fifteen month tours. Support the troops? Remember the Walter Reed scandal? There was a magnetic ribbon I saw over this past weekend that I whole heartedly agree with. It read "Support the Troops. Bring Them Home"

Mr. President, for the good of the Country, stop hiding behind executive privilege. Your treatment of Our Troops is a dereliction of duty bordering on treason. Mr. President, Resign and take dick with you.

Lie #___ Who can keep track, at this point?
"The same folks that are bombing innocent people in Iraq are the ones who attacked us on Sept. 11," the failure in chief at Thursday's press conference.

Possible next topics:
The latest in the long line of religious right, self proclaimed moral leader, hypocritical douches who lectured us all on the sanctity of marriage and the importance of fidelity, senator david vitter goes to a paid whore. Hey senator, when your god sends you to hell, make sure you say hello to newt, haggard and mark foley.

Or maybe we'll talk about health care and the fact that you don't have to pay security insurance for police protection or safety insurance to have the fire department come to your house when it's on fire. So why do we have to pay $400+ a month for a doctor to protect Our health?

Oh and there's an added bonus to the July 23rd Democratic South Carolina debate. You can videotape a question for the candidates.

And here's another great piece from the Rude Pundit.

UPDATE: The new National Intelligence Estimate came out and it's not as rosy as the failure-in-chief would like us to believe. How does a statement like "we assess that its association with AQI (al-qa'ida in Iraq) helps al-Qa’ida to energize the broader Sunni extremist community, raise resources, and to recruit and indoctrinate operatives, including for Homeland attacks." jive with his war of choice in Iraq?

Also, the Senate had an all night session to debate the war in Iraq, with Senator Landrieu making the case for debating and voting on the biggest issue facing Our Nation currently. An issue that has killed over 4,000 of Our Men and Women in uniform, and where $35,000,000.00 is spent per day before breakfast should require debate and a vote, don't you think? The ball-less republican minority doesn't think so. That is why they continue their obstructionist filibuster.

scooter is no Bill Clinton.

I know it's old news, being ten days old and all, but I feel the need to respond to the "Clinton lied too" argument, as well as the "Clinton didn't do time" argument being made in defense of the president's commuting of scooter's sentence for perjury and obstruction of justice. To the latter it seems important to note that Clinton wasn't convicted by a jury of his peers. In the case of a sitting President of the United States that "jury" is the United States Senate. Dick's chief of staff, scooter, was convicted by a jury. In America, you don't do the time, if you're not convicted of a crime. In scooter's case, however, even if you are convicted of a crime, or three, you still don't have to do the time.

The first argument is the one that really gets me riled. In an investigation into real estate dealings that went down when he was Governor of Arkansas, President William Jefferson Clinton was asked under oath (the same oath bushco. continues to refuse to be put under) about extra marital sex. Even though these questions were about as relevent to National Security, Our democracy, or a high crime or misdemeanor as questions would be about how often george and laura have sex, he answered them. He did not invoke executive priviledge like chicken george has. Unfortunately, in an act of uncharacteristic stupidity, clinton lied in his answers. His lie was "I did not have sexual relations with that woman". His lie did not obstruct justice or subvert a federal investigation. He was not lying to protect the vice president or the the president's chief political adviser. He was not obstructing an investigation into the leaking of information classified for NATIONAL SECURITY. He lied about oral sex, not by his wife, that he received while in office.

The criminal, who leaked (whether he was the first or last we may never know) the identity of a covert operative of the CIA, who was working on Iraq at the time, was reprieved of his jail sentence by a man whom he may have been protecting with his lies. His lies ended an investigation into the involvement of the Vice President, the President's chief political adviser and quite possibly the President in the releasing of information, classified for National Security, to discredit evidence gathered to the contrary of this administration's rush to war. His sentence was commuted by the administration he was covering for. Libby was not lying about a crime against the sanctity of his marriage, but a criminal act against Our National Security.

And no i. scooter libby is not a soldier in the war in Iraq. If he was he would be on the active front lines for 15 months at a clip, unrested, perhaps under equipped, in 100+ degree heat, in full body armor, being shot at, and would return to find his benefits cut.

To bastardize the great quote from former vice presidential candidate Lloyd Benson, "Bill Clinton served as President of the United States, I remember Bill Clinton. Scooter, you are no Bill Clinton."

And not that I should have to, but just to clear things up...
I think Clinton is a very smart man and a brilliant politician, but as president I was thought neither his trade nor his environmental policy was at all progressive (or aggressive) enough. I voted for Ralph Nader in 1996.

Oh and in case a pro-crime advocate for libby throws the name mark rich (the most infamous pardon from clinton) at you, ask them who rich's lawyer was. You guessed it. It was i. scooter libby.

UPDATE: In responding to the above piece, a good friend of mine asked, "Where is the CRY about 'conflict of interest'!!". Bush, in commuting i. criminal libby's sentence, while the appeals process in ongoing, assures that libby will not testify further. He may have testified if enprisoned. The administration was involved in this case. How can they affect it legally? As my comrade put it, "this commutation literally gets bush and cheney off the hook in a big way.. So they should not, in a checks-and-balances democracy, be allowed to TOUCH his sentence!!"

Live Earth

A stage lined with car tires and set with thousands of twinkling LED lights rotated between acts to move the show along quickly and as it did, actors from Leonardo DiCaprio and Alec Baldwin to Cameron Diaz and Zach Braff (who came out correcting acts by telling them they were in New Jersey and not New York) took to the microphone to talk to the crowd about their pledge to combat the climate crisis and how we all should to. The speakers were not all entertainers. Al Gore took the mic several times, garnering huge applause every time. Jane Goodall and Jim Hansen, the man who blew the whistle on bushco.'s editting of climate reports, dropped science on the crowd. And Robert Kennedy Jr. gave a rallying speech calling out "the oil industry and their indentured servants" on Capitol Hill and unlike most of the other speakers went further than just the small, yet significant changes you can make in your daily habits by saying instead "the most important thing you can do is get involved in the political process and get rid of these corporate toadies" "This is treason" Kennedy said with authority "and we need to start treating them like traitors".

Not everyone in attendence was there "for the cause". Some were there for the show, the party. There was a good vibe in the stadium, and I'm not just talking about when Jersey jumped for Jovi. Ludacris, Akon, and Kanye West (who killed!) got the crowd dancin'. I never thought I'd see "Smack That" Live. Melissa Etheridge took on the role of protest singer, and nailed it by playing her pointed political song "Imagine That" chock full of on the money commentary on "what happened to US". Alicia Keyes brought the soul. Smashing Pumpkins brought the volume. The Police sent "out an SOS" (one of the events major coordinators was S.O.S. or Save Our Selves) with help from Kanye and John Maher, and the mighty Roger Waters brought the grand ol' classic rock with screens showing lil' george during "Brain Damage", Eclipse", and "Us and Them".

Before getting on an Acela Train from DC, where he opened the show, to New Jersey, Al Gore called this international concert a "launch event" not a victory party. No one claimed, or thought, that Live Earth would solve the climate crisis. What it did do was rally the troops, and maybe open a few more eyes. Raising money for groups like the Climate Project and SOS so they can continue to lobby Capitol Hill isn't such a bad thing either. From the recycling, garbage and Compost bins that were manned with volunteers to ensure proper separation to the special veggie dogs, shish kabobs, the brown paper wrapping around the food, and the alternative fuel used for the electricity for the show, Live Earth was the most environmentally conscious concert I have ever been to. Even the beer cups were bio-degradable in Giants Stadium. Check out their "green guidelines". The anti's had a plane circling the stadium's air space most of the day demanding "debate". I guess their "debate" pits 1% of the World's scientists against the other 99%. Performers took commercial flights (Were the beastie boys supposed to get to England by boat?), used bio-diesel fueled trucks, and were selected because of their proximity to the event they participated in. Not that I agree with the "changing a light bulb is too inconvenient" anti-crowd, when they pick apart those who believe and/or participate in a cause because they are not perfectly aligned with it in every aspect of their lives. You don't have to be poor to advocate for the poor, and you don't have to have a carbon neutral footprint to be an advocate for reducing greenhouse gases and energy consumption. This concert event was there to say Wake Up! Change is possible! And even small changes can make a difference. A point that was well made and well taken. My only regret was not seeing every bassist in London playing "Big Bottom" with Spinal Tap LIVE! Damn you Al Gore for giving London Tap and the Beasties! But thanks for everything else.

I pledged. Why don't you?

"I am not Different! I am an American" - Melissa Ethridge

UPDATE: Since attending the concert, I have changed the six light bulbs in my apartment to compact fluorescent light bulbs, reducing their electricity usage by 75%. I've declared Monday "No Meat Monday" reducing greenhouse Gas output, through animal farts, (my favorite Live Earth video) produced to feed me. And I'm trying to shut the lights and fans in rooms I'm not in. I'll let you know if my Energy bill drops.

Sorry for the Delay

The suicide bombing in Glasgow, that this administration called "amateur hour", and the explosive cars found in London are frightening foreshadowing for what the future could hold. We live in dangerous, volatile times. Perhaps more than ever before. Why has it gotten so much worse, so fast? John Edwards recently said "Today, as a result of what george bush has done, we have more terrorists and fewer allies," "There was no group called al qaeda in Iraq before this president' war in Iraq." The world had Our back in Afghanistan, even Iran helped. We were on "the hunt" for the group that raised the 19 hijackers (15 of which were Saudi, none were Iraqi) that attacked Us. Then this administration and those that pull its strings trumped up spun "evidence" and pushed Us into a war, insisting and parroting the propaganda that discussion and debate of war was "unpatriotic". Ruining the careers, no matter how classified for National Security, of those who thought differently, or simply wanted to present evidence. Now the criminal in chief has told the court, the judge, and the American people that perjury and obstruction of justice aren't crimes punishable by prison, at least not when the LIES are being used to save their own Asses. I say send "scooter" to guantanamo, abu ghraib, Syria, etc. and torture him until he tells the truth about what he was lying about.

Speaking of Lies, and the Lying Liars that Tell Them, vice president dick tried to pass off another doozy. Dick was thinking about ways he can continue to do whatever he wants (declassifying National Security secrets at will in particular this time) and came up with the idea he was not an “entity within the executive branch” of the US government, even though he gets $4,750,000.00 through its budget. Not to worry though, once a few Democrats in the legislative branch threatened to stop funding the vice president through the executive, the weaselly mr. potter impersonator and his lawyers said just kidding. You see the figure head failure in chief amended and signed an executive order pertaining to the handling of classified national security information, including oversight as to how and why information is declassified. Now that the rubber stamp reds are out of control, the man behind the curtain is being asked, and SUBPOENAED, for info that he holds so close to his barely beating heart. Sorry dick but we all now you run the show, the C-student, failed oil man, cheerleader in chief can't even meet the Pope right, let alone construct the prevailing "Road map" to violence in the near "middle" east. Who else but you and your "Project" could have come up with the war of choice costing the American taxpayer $440,500,000,000.00+ so far? The only project on schedule in Iraq is the largest permanent US base in history on a huge swath of prime real estate in the country we invaded on false, faulty and wrong information that only the neocons, whose strangle hold on this country seems to be waning, thought was actionable by force.

In a country where our government is funding and fighting sunni insurgents, a government that "relies" on the murderers committing genocide in the Sudan, A country where a government hasn't taxed rupert murdoch's newscorp company two of the last four years, and the regular taxed "folks" have to deal with rising gas and food prices as their wages drop. All the while oil companies continue to make record breaking profits. A government that spends tax payer money on building a "gay bomb", spying on its citizens, and bounties for illegal assassinations. It really is past time to take this country back. The majority of the American public think that Iraq was a mistake and we should get out. Even red senators are finally coming out against this administration's failed policies. We can end this. We have to end this. But we have to come together as a people, while holding the criminals who have hijacked the democracy of the United States of America accountable. And I'm not just talking about those who felled the Towers on that day that will forever live in infamy, that day when to make a speech was to be a leader. I'm talking about a rogue administration who have been destroying the power of Federal agencies from the EPA to the Justice Department, an administration who disregards the US Constitution, an administration that has weakened the United States military through over stretching, under resting, and disregarding their benefits when they come home. The president of the United States can't even get through a photo op with teen age presidential scholars without having to answer questions on why he is allowing torture in Our name in Our detention centers and the ones in places like Syria where this administration outsources torture in Our name. This is what Our country and its reputation has been reduced to under these "folks" in the White House. It seems a hell of a lot worse than an extra-marital affair, don't you think? I'm with Keith Olbermann. Mr. President. Mr. Vice President. For the good of the Nation, Resign!

Sorry for the Delay

The suicide bombing in Glasgow, that this administration called "amateur hour", and the explosive cars found in London are frightening foreshadowing for what the future could hold. We live in dangerous, volatile times. Perhaps more than ever before. Why has it gotten so much worse, so fast? John Edwards recently said "Today, as a result of what george bush has done, we have more terrorists and fewer allies," "There was no group called al qaeda in Iraq before this president' war in Iraq." The world had Our back in Afghanistan, even Iran helped. We were on "the hunt" for the group that raised the 19 hijackers (15 of which were Saudi, none were Iraqi) that attacked Us. Then this administration and those that pull its strings trumped up spun "evidence" and pushed Us into a war, insisting and parroting the propaganda that discussion and debate of war was "unpatriotic". Ruining the careers, no matter how classified for National Security, of those who thought differently, or simply wanted to present evidence. Now the criminal in chief has told the court, the judge, and the American people that perjury and obstruction of justice aren't crimes punishable by prison, at least not when the LIES are being used to save their own Asses. I say send "scooter" to guantanamo, abu ghraib, Syria, etc. and torture him until he tells the truth about what he was lying about.

Speaking of Lies, and the Lying Liars that Tell Them, vice president dick tried to pass off another doozy. Dick was thinking about ways he can continue to do whatever he wants (declassifying National Security secrets at will in particular this time) and came up with the idea he was not an “entity within the executive branch” of the US government, even though he gets $4,750,000.00 through its budget. Not to worry though, once a few Democrats in the legislative branch threatened to stop funding the vice president through the executive, the weaselly mr. potter impersonator and his lawyers said just kidding. You see the figure head failure in chief amended and signed an executive order pertaining to the handling of classified national security information, including oversight as to how and why information is declassified. Now that the rubber stamp reds are out of control, the man behind the curtain is being asked, and SUBPOENAED, for info that he holds so close to his barely beating heart. Sorry dick but we all now you run the show, the C-student, failed oil man, cheerleader in chief can't even meet the Pope right, let alone construct the prevailing "Road map" to violence in the near "middle" east. Who else but you and your "Project" could have come up with the war of choice costing the American taxpayer $440,500,000,000.00+ so far? The only project on schedule in Iraq is the largest permanent US base in history on a huge swath of prime real estate in the country we invaded on false, faulty and wrong information that only the neocons, whose strangle hold on this country seems to be waning, thought was actionable by force.

In a country where our government is funding and fighting sunni insurgents, a government that "relies" on the murderers committing genocide in the Sudan, A country where a government hasn't taxed rupert murdoch's newscorp company two of the last four years, and the regular taxed "folks" have to deal with rising gas and food prices as their wages drop. All the while oil companies continue to make record breaking profits. A government that spends tax payer money on building a "gay bomb", spying on its citizens, and bounties for illegal assassinations. It really is past time to take this country back. The majority of the American public think that Iraq was a mistake and we should get out. Even red senators are finally coming out against this administration's failed policies. We can end this. We have to end this. But we have to come together as a people, while holding the criminals who have hijacked the democracy of the United States of America accountable. And I'm not just talking about those who felled the Towers on that day that will forever live in infamy, that day when to make a speech was to be a leader. I'm talking about a rogue administration who have been destroying the power of Federal agencies from the EPA to the Justice Department, an administration who disregards the US Constitution, an administration that has weakened the United States military through over stretching, under resting, and disregarding their benefits when they come home. The president of the United States can't even get through a photo op with teen age presidential scholars without having to answer questions on why he is allowing torture in Our name in Our detention centers and the ones in places like Syria where this administration outsources torture in Our name. This is what Our country and its reputation has been reduced to under these "folks" in the White House. It seems a hell of a lot worse than an extra-marital affair, don't you think? I'm with Keith Olbermann. Mr. President. Mr. Vice President. For the good of the Nation, Resign!

scooter, terror, and the league of wealthy nations

This week brought us scooter libby's sentencing for perjury and obstruction of justice. He got thirty months in jail and $250,000.00, which is on the heavy side of what U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton could have given him. Maybe the letter from all of his high ranking red buddies and the token wacko leftie actually worked against him. Is henry kissinger someone you really want speaking on your character's behalf? I wonder who wrote the letter that got the charges dropped against the only two, of roughly 380 prisoners at Guantanamo, charged with crimes.

Speaking of the war on a noun, the terror alert was raised to yellow on the homeland security rainbow, because of a "plot" to take out JFK airport by igniting fuel pipes miles away. Funny thing is the "plot" was barely in the drawing board stages. There was talk, which is probably enough for further investigation and a watchful eye, but the front page of the NY Times for a "terrorist plot" that had no "set plan" or "financing"? It couldn't be that the failure-in-chief's administration will go to despicable lengths to boost his poll numbers and those of his red friends. Reds that are distancing themselves more and more in an effort to have us all forget how much they supported the smirking chimp, not to mention how they slandered all those who stood up against him. Maybe the intended boost was meant for gop grassroots donations which are down by 40%.

But let's all sit back, perhaps taking a deep breath of Rome's pot and coke laden air. Listening to the sound of 1,683 guitarists playing "Smoke on the Water" in the background as we move on to the G8 summit, where the lil' george tried to tell Russia that they are no threat to Us or Europe and the missile shield sites in the Czech Republic and Poland are meant for real threats like Iran (a "very close friend" of the recently liberated Afghani people). The response from Russian president putin, the man whose "soul" bush once "had a sense of", was "It's a defense against something which does not exist, It would be funny if it wasn't so sad". But that wasn't the worst president in history's only failure at the league of wealthy nations. Climate change is something all of the world, with the exception of the US, China, India, and a hand full of other "developing nations", agree requires concrete and immediate action. In the little prince of big oil's defense, he did call for more talks about more talks in 18 months. You know, as he's leaving office. Who knows, maybe he'll be gone before that.

Oh yeah and the American troop death toll in Iraq has passed 3,500.

Quote of the week:
"The candidates that can't face fox, can't face al qaeda"
-roger ailes, president of fox news
I just love the comparison.

Possible topics for next week:
Habeas Corpus and Our Constitution
The Immigration "debate"
The ludicrous "debates" thus far in 2007's Campaign 2008
And why I don't give a damn about uber-rich amateur porn star, paris hilton.
Discuss...

The 110th Congress and the War

The Democrats took the reins of the 110th Congress in January 2007. That is only five months ago. The republicans had control for the TWELVE YEARS prior to January. The reds, and some lefties, seem to be comparing the accomplishments of the two without taking that into account. Why would we expect anything more from spinsters? It is true that in today's society we want everything done yesterday, and for cheap. But give me a break. Here's a list of what the Democratically lead 110th House and Senate have accomplished in their first Five Months, not the least of which is passing the first minimum wage increase in ten years (with a tax break for Small business).

Recently, Congress passed an additional $100,000,000,000.00 in Iraq war funding without "timetables", but with "benchmarks". This allowed the little prince to stop holding his breath like the infant he is. It's passing made me (and the Boston Globe) wonder what $465,000,000,000.00 would buy. It probably could have really helped the reconstruction efforts in Kansas and New Orleans. Maybe it could have helped with issues like health care, education, infrastructure, or social security. Another question this latest "emergency" funding bill left me with was, how and when are We gonna pay for the neo-con debacle in Iraq?

One underreported fact about the funding vote was that the majority of Democrats in the House voted against it, as did 14 Democratic Senators. The spin of course is that the Dems folded, not that the reds are still nothing more than rubber stampers for 30% george. Little bush and his red friends are holding Our troops hostage to the failure in chief's stubborn "steadfastness" to a ludicrous and arrogant foreign policy. A foreign policy that has done no good for Our country's international stature, Our economy or Our national security.

It's important to remember that this latest surge is and was a direct slap in the face of the American People, who elected those most likely to change course in Iraq. It was a slap in the face of the United States Congress. And it was a slap in the face of the Baker/Hamilton Iraq Study Group. The recent declassifying, by bush, of the fact that bin laden ,who bushco. left in Tora Bora to regroup, directed al qaeda in Iraq in 2005 tells me he followed us in. Iraq has turned into an al qaeda training ground, because of this war. The possible "camps" the administration now scares us with were not there when we invaded. Bushco. and their war in Iraq created a safe haven for al qaeda. The invasion of Iraq has aided the terrorists.

But there's more Iraq news, the majority in Iraqi Parliament wants us out. The oil man-in-Chief (remember lil' bushie blaming clinton for high gas prices?) appointed a war czar to do the job the Constitution has given to him. I guess he's for an expansion of presidential power in starting wars but the execution is just too much for him to handle. There was an Iraq withdrawal bill that 171 Dems voted for in the House and a bill to cut off funding for the war in the senate received 29 Democratic ayes. 22 Democratic Senators voted against the Authorization bill in the first place. Oh yeah, and 114 American men and women died in Iraq in May, making it the deadliest month for the U.S. military in more than two years. But with a $592,000,000.00 embassy complete with swimming pool, and a 16,000 sq.ft. residence for the US ambassador, it's all worth it.

Possible topics for next time:
More scandals for rover? Should we torture cheney to finally find out what he knows about the run up to Our invasion? Did the White House really acknowledge that lesbians can be "parents"? Has Uncle Rupert begun to smell the sea change on getting green? Are the first talks between the US and Iran in 27 years just the pre-war strategy?
Discuss.

"I would like to suggest...that maybe we give Paul Wolfowitz a new job and send him over [to Iraq] as mayor," said Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., "since the neocons got us in over there." And he's a red!

Oh and just in case you didn't make it to Edison to yell at the president, here's a story on those who did.