Why we don't need to jump the gun with Iran (and screw that up worse than it is)

As I've said (although it was said by people a lot smarter than me longbefore) that Iran's moderate's don't want to live in an Islamistbackwater. They've tasted Capitalism and freedom and they like it (Justlike Levi's in Russia). So, it looks like the worst thing we could dowould be to act aggressively toward Iran and unify the entire countrybehind the psycho currently in power.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/12/19/iran.elections.ap/index.html

excerp[t from email "discussion" with Bushie friend

Initially he claimed "all the data shows" that gay marriage is bad for kids, implying that gay parents are not as suitible parents. I then showed him data that said otherwise and he changed his tune to "noboby knows": So, I hit him with this:

As for your “nobody knows” (although I’m still confused how you went from “all the data shows” to “nobody knows” in 13 minutes…and especially since you went to such to such absolutes from “ALL” data to “NOBODY” knows. Quite a position shift in 13 minutes.


This is from a meta study of dozens of studies about the children of Gay parents vs. Heterosexual parents from the American Psychological Association.

In summary, there is no evidence to suggest that lesbian women or gay men are
unfit to be parents or that psychosocial development among children of lesbian
women or gay men is compromised relative to that among offspring of heterosexual
parents. Not a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be
disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual
parents. Indeed, the evidence to date suggests that home environments provided
by lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those provided by heterosexual
parents to support and enable children's psychosocial growth

.

But it seems like the biggest problem the children of Gay parents experience is from bigoted people like you who deny or are ignorant of empirical studies.

Unlike heterosexual parents and their children, however, lesbian and gay parents
and their children are often subject to prejudice because of their sexual
orientation that can turn judges, legislators, professionals, and the public
against them, sometimes resulting in negative outcomes, such as loss of physical
custody, restrictions on visitation, and prohibitions against adoption

So, if you want to see what the worst thing that happens to children of gay parents…look in the mirror.

Incoming Defense Chief says the obvious

Before Bush emasculated the GOP last month, this kind of talk would have resulted in a firing, smear campaign, etc. Now the Bushies have to face reality, this and the rest of reality they have ignored for 6 years. Bush figures he’s got 2 years to get out of Iraq and claim victory. And with only he and Karl Rove knowing what “Victory” is, they can declare it whenever they want.

I would expect a declaration of victory somewhere around June 2008 regardless of what Iraq looks like.



Incoming defense chief says U.S. losing in Iraq

By Robert Burns The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Robert Gates, the White House choice to be the next defense secretary, conceded today that the United States is losing the war in Iraq and warned that if that country is not stabilized in the next year or two it could lead to a "regional conflagration."
At the outset of his Senate confirmation hearing, Gates said he is open to new ideas about correcting the U.S. course in Iraq, which he said would be his highest priority if confirmed as expected.

Gates, 63, said he believes President Bush wants to see Iraq improve to the point where it can govern and defend itself, while seeking a new approach. "What we are now doing is not satisfactory," Gates said.

"In my view, all options are on the table, in terms of how we address this problem in Iraq," he added. Asked point-blank by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., whether the U.S. is winning in Iraq, Gates replied, "No, sir."

This is how the democrats piss away victory

Rangel is at his bullshit draft proposal again. This is a great way to lose any support from liberals and moderate middle class. His reasons in the past have little justification in reality. His classic is that minorities are over represented in the military. This is true, but the military also provides lots of opportunities. Now, Rangel would take those opportunites from minorities who want to serve so that people who don't want to serve can have those jobs...well-played.

He also makes a leap in logic that b/c minorities are "over represented" they must be getting killed and injuried more. Statistics show this isn't the case. The last studies I saw showed that casuality rates are near general population ratios.

This is not what America voted for. Americans voted against Bush and his Iraq disaster and now this Democrat is going to try to make AMericans forceably serve in that same army? Could there be bigger proof that the Democrats are idiots and incompetent. If not for Bush's disastorous presidency, I would think the Democrats couldn't get their heads out of there asses long enough to run a town council, let alone the country.

Bush rejects idea of talks with N. Korea

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061012/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear_213

Bush rejects idea of talks with N. Korea

This has worked so well so far. Isn't the sign of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. What a clown...worst president ever.

The Buck stops...well...not here, but it stops with the people who work for me...I shouldn't be held accountable for the people I hired.

Pathetic.
What a coward.

Fire the underlings. First, I believe Hastert knew andhas known for a long time. To blame the cover-up on HIS EMPLOYEES showsextreme cowardice and lack of any sort of leadership ability. This iswhat passes for leadership and accountability in today's GOP.Shameful.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/washington/11foley.html?ex=1318219200&en=5a96d8704b1f0582&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

He's President, NOT King

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15145197/from/RS.1/

if you don't believe me go read the Constitution. The President has ZERO Constitutional authority to make laws. ZERO. The President ENFORCES the laws, he doesn't make them. As our Founding Fathers continue to spin in their graves over Bush's continued attempts to become King, "Conservatives" like the Bushies used to be, should be appalled at this incredible misuse of Constitutional Authority. But now that the Bushies have continually embraced the Stalinist vision of the Executive branch, I'm sure they'll have a staunch defense of King George's embarrassingly illegal behavior.

Hypocrisy and Conspiracy

More of that GOP hypocrisy we've come to expect in the past 5-6 years.
On and On about family values and yet SO MANY examples of completely
inappropriate behavior. Especially when they try to sell themselves as
the arbiter of morality in this country. In this case, possibly
pedophile behavior and apparently a nice little cover-up by the
Republicans. Now, they are all "astounded" and "horrified", but only
because they couldn't keep it secret anymore...read: got caught.

Disgusting and hypocritical, but yet...becoming so typical.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15063977/

Oops...more data to disprove the lies

A few weeks ago my Bushie Friend told us with Hannity-like certainty
(read: having no data and just having a desire for it to be true amounts
to "Reality") that Iraqis loved having America soldiers in Iraq. Too
bad the data says otherwise:

Iraqis Want U.S. to Go Home
"

About six in 10 Iraqis say they approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces,
and slightly more than that want their government to ask U.S. troops to
leave within a year, a [University of Maryland] poll finds," the
Associated Press reports. "The State Department, meanwhile, has
conducted its own poll... [which] found two-thirds of Iraqis in Baghdad
favor an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces."

This came from those "liberals" at Cato.

Bush reverses another Clinton trend

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/18/national/main2019494.shtml

So much for the "law and order" party.
* An estimated 16,692 persons were murdered nationwide in 2005, an
increase of 3.4 percent from the 2004 figure.

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/september06/crimeintheus091806.htm

Bush reverses another Clinton trend

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/18/national/main2019494.shtml

So much for the "law and order" party.
* An estimated 16,692 persons were murdered nationwide in 2005, an
increase of 3.4 percent from the 2004 figure.

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/september06/crimeintheus091806.htm

Oops...Sorry. Oh yeah and we lied too.

Sorry we tortured you, even though we don't torture people in foreign
prisons. Sorry you are innocent, even though Bush has a messiah like
omnipotence.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14897315/

an excuse for the zealots

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/18/pope.islam.ap/index.html\

So, when I first heard about the pope's speech I wondered what all theexcitement was about. He was, after all, quoting a 700 year oldpassage, not as if he was speaking it as if it were his own thoughts.So, I figured I'd try to find the speech and look at the context. Well,I can assure you that the idiots burning effigies and getting all crazywould have NO IDEA what the Pope was saying.

I think I'm a prettybright guy, Chuck's opinion notwithstanding, but the Pope's speech is about "Faith and Reason", I had a tough time understanding it. This part of philosophy has never been my thing, but this is a theological/philosophical discussion, hardly something that you could take out of context and blast him for it. Regardless of what I think of The Church, this Pope or what he believes, this speech of itself is just another way for the despots to get their followers riled up. And the Media in the West and the East has done a poor job covering this (by not really covering it).

Bush insults anyone who disagrees with him...so much for "unity"

Combative Bush warns Congress detainee bill is critical

By Terrence Hunt The Associated PressWASHINGTON –

Facing a GOP revolt in the Senate, President Bush urged Congress today to join in backing legislation to spell out strategies for interrogating and trying terror suspects, saying "the enemy wants to attack us again."

"Time is running out," Bush said in a Rose Garden news conference. "Congress needs to act wisely and promptly." Bush denied that the United States might lose the high ground in the eyes of world opinion, as former Secretary of State Colin Powell suggested.

"It's unacceptable to think there's any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective," said Bush, growing animated as he spoke.

So yesterday Tony Snow called Powell “confused”, and now Bush is calling the former Joint Chief Chairman a man who supposedly believes that “it’s ok to kill innocent women and children”. (I think because Powell’s whole point was to protect American soldiers, but in classic Bush style, he insults his opponents with things they’ve never said or believed)

I like how Congress is stupid too. “Act wisely” because Bush says so. Has he been right about anything he’s said in 6 years?

Insulting everyone, questioning their morality, intellect and love of country is growing very tiresome. Didn’t this bozo call for Unity on Monday? (Sure that was days after he called everyone who disagrees with him morally and intellectually lacking and Nazi-like). I guess that call for Unity did not extend to him. His idea of “unity” is to agree with him no matter what, regardless of the Constitution, treaties, morality…just follow blindly. “Don’t question our Great Leader”

My favorite part is what was supposed to be a genius move by Rove to make the democrats look soft on terror by not supporting the tribunals has turned into GOP infighting. Rove is losing his touch, he didn’t realize how much Bush is damaged goods now.

Those with the knowledge of war oppose Bush on prisoner treatment

Why do men who spent much of their lives defending America, with guns… in combat…as opposed to fake deferments in Wyoming or coked up in Alabama, hate America?

Colin Powell: Powell was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army, and was one of the 16,000 military advisors dispatched to South Vietnam by President Kennedy in 1962. In 1963, Lieutenant Powell was wounded by a punji-stick booby trap while patrolling the Vietnamese border with Laos. He was awarded the Purple Heart, and later that year, the Bronze Star.

Powell served a second tour of duty in Vietnam in 1968-69. During this second tour he was injured in a helicopter crash. Despite his own injuries, he managed to rescue his comrades from the burning helicopter and was awarded the Soldier's Medal. In all, he has received 11 decorations, including the Legion of Merit.


John McCain: After graduating from Annapolis, McCain reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida to begin training as a Naval Aviator. While in training, he suffered a mishap during which his aircraft crashed into Corpus Christi Bay, though he escaped. Eventually he graduated and entered the U.S. Navy's light attack community.

McCain escaped death once again on July 29, 1967. While the USS Forrestal steamed off the coast of Vietnam preparing to launch attacks, a Zuni rocket from an F-4 Phantom was accidentally fired across the carrier's deck. The rocket struck McCain's A-4E Skyhawk as the jet was preparing for launch. The impact ruptured the Skyhawk's fuel tank - after which leaking fuel ignited, knocking two bombs loose. McCain escaped from his jet by climbing out of the cockpit, walking down to the nose of the plane, and jumping off the nose boom onto the burning deck. Ninety seconds after the impact, the bomb exploded underneath the airplane. McCain was struck in the legs and chest by shrapnel. The ensuing fire killed 134 sailors, destroyed at least 20 aircraft, and threatened to sink the ship.[1] Film shot aboard the Forrestal shows McCain narrowly escaping the explosion.

On October 26, 1967, McCain was shot down in his A-4 Skyhawk over Vietnam, by a Soviet-made anti-aircraft missile, landing in Truc Bach Lake. McCain was held as a prisoner of war in Hanoi for five-and-a-half years, mostly in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He suffered two broken arms and a broken leg after ejecting from his plane. After he regained consciousness, a mob gathered around him and stripped him of his clothing. He was then tortured by Vietnamese soldiers who bayonetted him in his left foot and groin. His shoulder was crushed by another soldier's rifle butt. He was then transported to the Hanoi Hilton, also known as Hoa Lo Prison.
He was released from captivity in 1973. McCain was reinstated to flight status and became Commanding Officer of VA-174 Hellrazors, the East Coast A-7 Corsair II Navy training squadron. He then became the Navy's liaison to the Senate. He retired from the Navy in 1981 as a Captain. On the same day he watched his father buried next to his grandfather in Arlington National Cemetery. During his military career he received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

John Warner: The Senator’s first public service opportunity began during World War II when, in January 1945, at age 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served on active duty until the summer of 1946 when he was honorably discharged as Petty Officer 3rd Class, electronic technician's mate. Following the war, he attended Washington and Lee University on the G.I. Bill, and was awarded a B.S. degree in 1949. He then entered the University of Virginia Law School.

At the outbreak of the Korean War in the summer of 1950, Warner interrupted his law studies and commenced a second tour of active military duty, beginning in October 1950, this time as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. A year later, in October 1951, as a first lieutenant in communications, he volunteered for duty in Korea and served as a ground officer with the First Marine Air Wing. Following his active service in Korea, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserve for 10 years and was promoted to the rank of Captain.

Lindsey Graham: From 1984-1988, he was assigned overseas and served at Rhein Mein Air Force Base in Germany. Upon leaving the active duty Air Force in 1989, Graham joined the South Carolina Air National Guard where he served until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994.

During the first Gulf War, Graham was called to active duty and served state-side at McEntire Air National Guard Base as Staff Judge Advocate where he prepared members for deployment to the Gulf region. His duties included briefing pilots on the law of armed conflict, preparing legal documents for deploying troops, and providing legal services for family members of the South Carolina Air National Guard. He received a commendation medal for his service at McEntire.
Since 1995, Graham has continued to serve his country in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and is the only U.S. Senator currently serving in the Guard or Reserves. He is a colonel and is assigned as a Reserve Judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.


As opposed to:

George W. Bush: 6 years National Guard “duty”; never showed up for National Guard duty for a period of approximately one year, possibly more, in 1972-1973.

Dick Cheney From 1963 to 1966, Cheney received five deferments: four student deferments while attending the University of Wyoming and one for having a child. "I had other priorities in the '60s other than military service," Cheney told a reporter in 1989.

Paul Wolfowitz, did not serve

Donald Rumsfeld - Mr. Rumsfeld attended Princeton University on academic and NROTC scholarships (A.B., 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as an aviator and flight instructor. In 1957, he transferred to the Ready Reserve and continued his Naval service in flying and administrative assignments as a drilling reservist until 1975. He transferred to the Standby Reserve when he became Secretary of Defense in 1975 and to the Retired Reserve with the rank of Captain in 1989.

Random comments about Bush's failure

I made the following in an email string with a Bushie:




Oh yeah, and there is the way that Bush squandered a world that mourned with America on 9/11. A world that supported and cried with us 5 years ago. He has turned that goodwill around 180 degrees. I know you don’t care about anyone that lives outside of you house, but I work with people around the world daily. I’ve talked to people in Malaysia, India, Ireland, England, Israel, Germany and others about politics in recent years and I know this goes against your poorly informed opinions. But these people do not hate America. They LOVE America, they LOVE Americans. They do NOT like the current administration. They are smart enough to know the difference between the Bush Administration and its citizens. They know the difference between Bush policy and American Ideals and American culture. Why is it that these people who you have such contempt for are smart enough to know the difference, but you are not? America is not Bush and Bush is CERTAINLY not America.

NORAD tapes...fascinating

Remember "a Christmas Story"?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14021722/

You'll recall in A Christmas Story when Ralphie finally can't take getting picked on by the bully any more he finally hits him back, but he just keeps hitting and hitting and hitting him until his mother comes and takes him off the bully. This is what is happening here. Israeli is Ralphie and Bush will be the mom, who will tell Israel when to stop.

In response to a Bushie friend of mine

He said that Bush is doing "everything he can WITHIN THE LAW to protect us"...My response:

And yet, 9/11 happened on Bush’s watch. The middle east is in the worst shape in decades if not EVER on Bush’s watch. Bin Laden, we aren’t even looking for him anymore, some effort to stop terrorism there. (not to mention the deficit, his belief in his conversations with God trumping science, and general incompetence). He has diminished America’s standing to such a degree that a despot like Putin (remember when Bush looked into his soul?) makes fun of him right to his face in front of the whole world.

He doesn’t analyze laws, he ignores them. Which is why Spector is going to sue him.

He will go down as the worst president ever.

Remember Conservativism?

What a real Conservative thinks of Bush:

"If you had a European prime minister who experienced what we'veexperienced it would be expected that he would retire or resign." _________________William F. Buckley


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/22/eveningnews/main1826838.shtml

someone remembers THEIR oath

someone remembers THEIR oath

My friends in Israel

Last week I mentioned two Israeli friends of mine. Just an update, one of them, (the younger single guy) was called to service and is apparently part of the force in/near Lebanon.

The person I learned this from is another Israeli who currently works inthe US, I've worked with her for years. She had called me this morning stressed out about the current job environment at my company and asked me toreview her resume before she started sending it around. In the course of conversation I ask how her family is doing. I know her sister is in Haifa (apparently all her family is). She said that they are trying to"get on with their day to day lives, going to work, etc". So I said,"Let me get this straight. You're more worried about your job than your family who is getting bombed all day long?"

she says "they don't bomb ALL day long".

I just laughed and pointed out the difference again between Israelis andthe everyone else in the world.

Incompetence

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/07/17/russia.g8.bushexpletive/index.html

Oh, the President swore...big freakin deal. The HUGE point in this conversation is the utter impotence that Bush is displaying by saying "Ican't do anything until Kofi does". (he "thinks" Condi is going overthere? He thinks she is? Doesn't she work for him? Shouldn't heKNOW?)

For years we've heard how incompetent and useless the UN is andnow Annan is the only person that can do anything here. I guess the 6 years of Bush ignoring Israel/Palestinian issues isrearing its head. But hey, he almost got rid of the Taliban inAfghanistan, right? Some more of the Bush foreign policy magic.

Rove a traitor after all

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060712/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/cia_leak_novak_11

So, Rove is a traitor and put countless secret agents lives in danger,jeopardized numerous missions and will hurt who knows who manyAmericans. And Yet, Fitzgerald won't indict him...I guess he knew whatRove was going to do to Kenny Lay...

a culture of incompetence

Don't you feel safer?

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13822662/?GT1=8307

Times Square in New York City is busy day and night, yet it wasn't on aHomeland
Security Department assessment of potential threatened spots.

Instead, the department's database of vulnerable critical infrastructureand
key resources included the Old MacDonald's Petting Zoo nearHuntsville, Ala., a
bourbon festival, a bean festival and the Kangaroo Conservation Center in
Dawsonville, Ga. ...

Assets skewed

The report noted that Indiana has 8,591 assets listed in the database -more than any other state and 50 percent more than New York. New Yorkhad 5,687 listed. It did not detail which ones, but the Homeland Security assessment of New York this year failed to include Times Square, the Empire StateBuilding the Brooklyn Bridge or the Statue of Liberty as a national icon or monument.

NK and a thread from my buddies

Names have been removed to protect the innocent:

From: Me
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2006 7:45PM
To: Liberal Guy; Bushie Guy; Somewhat disinterested middle of the road guy

Subject: RE: worse than our soccer team

I can see it now. Powell gets up there with his charts and recon photos. "Now here is abunker that contains Fairy Dust that the North Koreans plan to sprinkleon the West Coast with their missiles which will turn everyone intoproponents of gay marriage and flag burning and opponents of pray inschool.

Right here in this vile I have enough Fairy Dust to afflict theentire Western Seaboard". Hey, Bush has been playing footsie with them for 6 years when they admitthey have nukes and missiles to send them over here. Rather than dealing with the issue, he keeps pretending the ball is his and tryingto take it home. But it's NK who has the ball, they threw four of theminto the Sea of Japan yesterday.

-----Original Message-----From: Liberal Guy
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 07:33
To: Bushie Guy; Me; Somewhat disinterested middle of the road guy

Subject: RE: worse than our soccer team
So are you embarrassed that the North Koreans mock us and what do we do,go to the UN. Pathetic. I'm surprised the UN doesn't get the giggleswhen we speak there. Maybe they can force Colin Powell to do a return performance of lying.

-----Original Message-----From: Bushie Guy
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 8:37 PM.
To: Me ; Liberal Guy; Somewhat disinterested middle of the road guy
Subject: RE: worse than our soccer team

Legal schmeegal, who cares? It's either acceptable to us or it isn't.Andit isn't.

-----Original Message-----
From: Me
Sent: Tuesday, July 04, 2006 7:28 PM
To: Liberal Guy; Bushie Guy; Somewhat disinterested middle of the road guy
Subject: RE: worse than our soccer team

Now, I understand that Kim is a lunatic and he does this to piss off theUS and Japan, maybe SK and Russia too. BUT, is what he has done"illegal". I mean Bush has unilaterally decided that treaties don'tapply to the US, can't NK do the same thing? I'm just asking.

I guess Bush doesn't need to ruin the Constitution

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11669250/


Hey, Bushie Friends...still waiting for the one example that you based your whole philosophy on. "give me one example where a state legislature actedoutside the interests of society and passed a law that wasoverwhelmingly opposed by its constituents".

You've had a week, I'dthink if you were basing your entire political philosophy on this idea SURELY you'd have been able to think of ONE.

Bush is like OJ

Remember when Bush said they we would not stop until we brought theperpetrators of 9/11 to justice? I guess that boast was sorta like OJsaying he wouldn't rest until he found out the killer of Nicole. Andnow they both spend their time on frivolous things. OJ golfing, andBush preventing boys from kissing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13699308/from/RS.3/

Idiots

These politicians are idiots:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/29/intel.leaks.ap/index.html

Last week is was a non-binding resolution on whether you like Americaand now this piece of grandstanding. Every person in the world knows that Every Single bank transaction inthe US over $10K is reported to the FEDs. This is a well known abuse ofpower, but it's been going on a long time.

Do you REALLY think thatterrorists don't know their financial transactions are being watched?The US government has been talking about it for years. So, instead of doing any real Business these idiots are going wastermore time grandstanding, whle this country has real problems. Insteadof actually doing anything to prevent terrorist attacks (searchingshipping containers anyone?) they are going to blame a newspaper. Whatcrap.

This is shameful.

More failure

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13361343/

Why no comments about this most egregious example of failed Bush foreign diplomacy. While Bush et al are in a pissing match over who gets to sit at the table, NK is off building more nukes AND developing missile technology that will reach America. Makes it seem like offering to sit down with them at the table and giving them some oil and food would have been a small price to pay for our safety. Remember, NK is holding the cards, they have NOTHING to lose.

So far Bush is 0 for 3 on the Axis of Evil. Let’s hope they learn something from their failed efforts with NK when dealing with Iran, but I doubt it. After all, there are Mexicans mowing lawns in California and boys kissing in Massachusetts that must be dealt with.

Double Standard

Every time Michelle Wie or Anika Sorenstam fails to make a cut in a men's pro tournament it is some sort of proof that woman can't play on the men's tour. Well, if those few examples make that so, what does it mean when the world's best golfer can't make the cut? Does that mean he doesn't belong on the tour?

Thought so, now shut up.

Music

Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" is going to be a HUGE hit.

Still can't get enough of DCFC.

Can NOT wait for the Shins new CD...October release?

And I'm going to admit it...I am into Kelly Clarkson. I'm not proud...no I AM Proud. The songs I've heard rock..."walkaway" come on. Just don't tell my brother.

History will judge harshly

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13181735/

In 20 years, Americans will look back in disgust at this effort, just like we do today when we look back on when Southern states used their own laws to encourage and legally protect discrimination. Even "conservatives" will look back and deny they were ever homophobic.

Fortunately for us in America all the real problems have been solved, so we can focus on the real issue …boys kissing.

Now that this clown has fixed everything else

Now, that everything is peaceful in the Middle East, the budget is balanced and every child has enough food and health care, it's now time to spend our time stopping from boys kissing.

Of course, considering that Bush has been pissing on the Constitution since the day he took office, I wouldn't expect him to realize that the Constitution was put in place to limit the powers of the Federal Government. it is truly sickening that this hypocritical criminal is going to use the Constitution to try to raise his poll numbers.

When will the impeachment begin for this fool?

and God told me that tornadoes will hit the middle of the country

What a crackpot.

The Guard rescues Bush again...? Probably not

Against it before they were for it. Six months ago Secy. Chertoff said using National Guard on the border would be "horribly over-expensive and very difficult."


I know the Bush WH is a master in foreign policy, exemplified daily with events like N. Korea and Iran developing nukes, Iraq, Afghanistan falling back into Taliban control, trade issues with everyone from the UK and Canada to Venezuela, and of course Hamas being freely elected, but let’s just imagine the political repercussions of an 18 year old kid in a US military uniform shooting a Mexican citizen on the border of Texas or Arizona.

Why the drama? She's unelectable

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12762092/

Hilary is NEVER going to be elected President. you think the conservatives turned out for Bush II, they'll turn out in RECORD numbers to vote against Hilary...I don't care who is running.

As for Murdoch, yes he's Conservative, but he'll do anything to make a buck. And for years Conservativism has been very lucrative, as Hilary moves to the right he can move to the left and still make money.

If Hilary is the Dems best hope in 2008, you might want to get used to having a Republican in the WH until 2012

it's like changing the artwork in your house when it's got 4 feet of water on the floor

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/19/mcclellan/index.html

Every single time you watched McClellan it simply reminded you he was NO Ari Fleischer. But, I’m sure that changing the messenger is going to turn this corrupt, amoral administration into a virtuous one. Not that getting rid of the incompetent Sec of Defense or the corrupt VP would accomplish anything…

I guess you wouldn't have to deal with an insurgency

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060418/ts_nm/nuclear_iran_dc_18

This is the incredible irony that the Bushies have provided while destroying the GOP and America’s standing in the world. Like in Iraq where War is Peace and every terrorist bomb over there is good in our war on terrorism. Bush would use Nukes to make the world safe from Nukes.

You can’t make this shit up.

sixth general calls for Rummy to go home

The following is response to a Bushie friend of mine who claimed that any general who criticizes the Sec of Def is incompetent, he's also called the Democrat partisans, haters of America..you know typical Bushie bullshit

Showing exactly what you know. You don’t make General in the US Military by being incompetent, after all it’s not the Bush administration.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-13-rumsfeld-generals_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA

"We need a new secretary of Defense," retired major general Charles Swannack, former commander of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, said on CNN. He said Rumsfeld had micromanaged the war.

Retired major general John Batiste, who commanded the Army's 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 agreed.

Marine lieutenant general Greg Newbold, the former Pentagon top operations officer, who called Iraq an "unnecessary war" in a Time magazine column this week.
• Major general Paul Eaton, who was in charge of training Iraqi troops in 2003 and 2004, wrote last month in The New York Times that Rumsfeld is "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically."
• Army major general John Riggs, who told The Washington Post that his former colleagues in the military believe Rumsfeld and his close aides "should be cleared out."
• Marine general Anthony Zinni, the former command of U.S. Central Command and a longtime critic, said Rumsfeld should retire.
Despite Bush's support, such criticism could be enough to help force out Rumsfeld, said Loren Thompson, a military expert at the Lexington Institute, a Virginia think tank.
"It is so uncommon for senior military officers in the United States to criticize civilian leaders that it has to make an impression on the White House and Congress," Thompson said.

Another day, another lie exposed

On May 29, 2003, 50 days after the fall of Baghdad, President Bush proclaimed a fresh victory for his administration in Iraq: Two small trailers captured by U.S. troops had turned out to be long-sought mobile "biological laboratories." He declared, "We have found the weapons of mass destruction."

The claim, repeated by top administration officials for months afterward, was hailed at the time as a vindication of the decision to go to war. But even as Bush spoke, U.S. intelligence officials possessed powerful evidence that it was not true.

A secret fact-finding mission to Iraq -- not made public until now -- had already concluded that the trailers had nothing to do with biological weapons. Leaders of the Pentagon-sponsored mission transmitted their unanimous findings to Washington in a field report on May 27, 2003, two days before the president's statement.

It's been so long

It's been so long and no word from me. DeLay quits, the continued incompetence of the Bush WH, the GOP abandoning the Bush ship as fast as they can. The all of the sudden critical issue of illegal immigration (I guess the GOP needs something other than supporting Bush, destroying America's economy with staggering debt, criminal behavior and the Iraq civil war to run on in November) is huge.

But this latest hypocrisy and possible treason is too much.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/07/whitehouse.leak/index.html

He didn't flip flop? How precious is that. Let's ignore that leaking classified information should put every one of the amoral idiots in prison for decades, but the issue for him is whether he flip-flopped. Of course he didn't, when he said People who leak classified information should go to jail, he wasn't talking about him. The man thinks he's King, can you imagine if Henry VIII thought the rules he made applied to him? Do you think any amoral dictator beleives the rules apply to them. Come on...this man and adminstration is pathological.

If I was a Republican or more importantly a COnservative I'd be abandoning this immoral criminal ship as fast as I could (see Fukuyama and Bartlett's books in recent weeks).

trashing a man's legacy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060325/ap_en_mu/obit_owens

yahoo and EVERYONE else is going to say that Buck was the Hee Haw host which completely diminishes his contributions to country music. The man had so many hits, the Beatles loved him, and these obits are going to make him seem like a joke.

I weep with you today Dwight.

No wonder France didn't go along

No wonder France didn’t go along. They knew the truth.

France awaits the NeoCons apology.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11927856/


But on that very trip, there was also a secret contact made. The contact was brokered by the French intelligence service, sources say. Intelligence sources say that in a New York hotel room, CIA officers met with an intermediary who represented Sabri. All discussions between Sabri and the CIA were conducted through a "cutout," or third party. Through the intermediary, intelligence sources say, the CIA paid Sabri more than $100,000 in what was, essentially, "good-faith money." And for his part, Sabri, again through the intermediary, relayed information about Saddam’s actual capabilities.
…

For example, consider biological weapons, a key concern before the war. The CIA said Saddam had an "active" program for "R&D, production and weaponization" for biological agents such as anthrax. Intelligence sources say Sabri indicated Saddam had no significant, active biological weapons program. Sabri was right. After the war, it became clear that there was no program.
Another key issue was the nuclear question: How far away was Saddam from having a bomb? The CIA said if Saddam obtained enriched uranium, he could build a nuclear bomb in "several months to a year." Sabri said Saddam desperately wanted a bomb, but would need much more time than that. Sabri was more accurate.

A worse scenario than I imagined before

This is a disastrous outcome that I really hadn’t envisioned.

The prevention of a Sunni-Shia civil war should now be America's foremost priority in Iraq. Such a war might not only suck in Iraq's immediate neighbours, pitting Saudi-backed Sunnis against Iran-backed Shias.

Imagine if Iraq, instead of being the jumping off point for “democracy” in the middle east, was actually the Sarajevo (killing of Archduke Ferdinand) for a horrible regional war amongst the countries in the area.


From this article in the Economist:

SOMETIMES after people peer into an abyss, they have the sense to step back. For
the moment, however, Iraqis are continuing their march of folly. The bombing
last week of the Shias' revered Askariya mosque in the city of Samarra unleashed
the most intense sectarian violence since the American invasion and the toppling
of Saddam Hussein nearly three years ago. What began as a Sunni-dominated
insurgency against the occupiers is now beginning to look increasingly like a
civil war between Iraqis themselves. This is no doubt exactly what the mosque's
attackers were hoping for. Such a war would plunge Iraq deeper into mayhem and
mark the definitive failure of George Bush's vaunted “freedom” project in the
Middle East, not just in the eyes of Arabs but in those of Americans, too. In
the aftermath of the new violence, one poll showed Mr Bush's approval rating at
34%, the lowest of his presidency.

A schism not just in Iraq, but
also in Islam The prevention of a Sunni-Shia civil war should now be America's
foremost priority in Iraq. Such a war might not only suck in Iraq's immediate
neighbours, pitting Saudi-backed Sunnis against Iran-backed Shias. It might have
effects even further afield, along the Sunni-Shia fault-line that runs through
Islam as a whole (see article). At this point, however, it is no longer in the
power of the Americans alone to prevent such a catastrophe. It is primarily a
job for Iraqis themselves. And it is not so much a military job as a political
one. The Shia majority that came out on top in January's general election needs
urgently to show that it is willing to share real power with the parties that
represent the Sunni minority.

Until now, two menacing factors have
worked against this. First, most Sunni Arabs, who have run Iraq since its
creation nearly 90 years ago, seem bizarrely loth to admit that they number
barely a fifth of the population—and cannot see why they should not continue to
run the show. Hence their endorsement of the insurgents, even while electing
representatives to parliament. Second, the newly dominant Shia Arabs, with 60%
of the people, seem increasingly loth to grant the Sunnis a fair share in
government, especially since they seem unable or unwilling to stop insurgents
from carrying out sectarian outrages such as bombing the shrine. Many Shias now
think they simply can and must bash the Sunnis into submission—and may better be
able to do so once the ring-holding Americans and their allies go. Worse still,
the Shias are divided among themselves, with three of their parties competing
bitterly within the ruling alliance. After the shrine's bombing, many prominent
Shias actually blamed America for the deed. With so deep a reluctance to embrace
compromise or reason, what possible hope for the future?
Optimistic as it may
seem in the circumstances, the events surrounding the bombing of the shrine may
hasten the much-needed first big step towards forestalling all-out civil war:
the formation of a unity government embracing all the main ethnic and religious
factions. Though the new constitution gives the recently renominated prime
minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a couple more months to forge a ruling coalition,
he should speed things up before sectarian hatreds overtake the country. It is
vital that at least the four—and preferably the five—leading alliances in
parliament (the Islamist Shia list to which Dr Jaafari belongs, the Kurds, the
main Sunni Islamist group and the non-sectarian secularists led by Iyad Allawi,
a Shia who has Sunni partners) team up in a government. It is equally vital that
key ministries—defence, interior and finance, among others—be shared out, with
Sunnis getting serious ones, and that ministers are prevented from packing them,
as before, with cronies. And the Shias should respond to the urgings of
America's ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, that the present interior minister, a
Shia who is said to have allowed sectarian death squads to operate out of his
ministry, be sacked.
Once in place, it is no less essential that a unity
government amends the new constitution. Much of the constitution is sound, and
it was duly approved in a national referendum. All the same, it has become
increasingly vital to reassure the Sunnis both that their provinces will get a
fair share of future oil revenues and that a Shia “super-region” will not emerge
in the south and so break Iraq up. The hardest task of a new government will be
to disband militias and reintegrate them into genuinely national forces. So far,
most of the Iraqis recruited into the new Iraqi army have been Shia, and their
loyalty to the idea of a multi-confessional state is at best uncertain.
For
the Shia leadership, making compromises such as these will require a supreme
effort of self-control. Having been long oppressed, Iraq's Shias feel that they
are gathering strength and are owed their place in the sun. The insurgents have
sorely provoked them, striking mercilessly at their homes, markets and holy
places. Until recently, influential politicians and clergy, especially the
Shias' Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, had succeeded, as outrage followed
atrocity, in restraining the hotheads from wholesale communal revenge. But their
words are now being less dutifully heeded.

America in the middle It
would be wrong to say that the insurgents are beating the Americans on the
battlefield. But they don't have to. The insurgents win merely by making Iraq
ungovernable. The occupying forces and their Iraqi allies have been losing fewer
men than before. But they are no longer the main targets. The Americans and
their allies must not stay indefinitely: virtually all Iraqis long for them to
go. Yet most of Iraq's elected leaders, struggling to build a coalition, agree
that an American rush for the exit would, at this stage, still be likelier to
provoke a descent into all-out civil war than prevent it.
The greater the
sectarian mayhem, the happier the insurgents. Only when the sour Sunni minority
is properly represented in a new government is there the faintest chance of
persuading enough of the insurgents and their supporters that they have a stake
in the new order. Dr Jaafari and his Shia friends have no time to lose. They
must compromise, and fast, or risk being left with only the rump of what was
once Iraq.

Copyright © 2006 The Economist Newspaper and The Economist Group. All rights reserved.

Weren't we hostages to middle eastern oil production 3 days ago?

The man hasn't vetoed ANYTHING, not a spending bill, not anything and now he's threatening to veto ANY bill that forbids Arab interests from running our Ocean Ports. One of the very governments that 2 days ago, who were "holding us hostage" with our oil dependence, now they are going to protect our most sensitive places of entry.


http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/21/port.security/index.html

Usualy Bush speech full of distortion and fear

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11465801/

Bush continues to imply that these unstable governments in the middle east are we get all of our oil from. When the VAST majority of our oil comes from North America. Below is a chart of Imports, let’s not forget that the US produces 40% of it’s own oil. So which unstable Middle East country are we overly dependant on?

Typical use of fear to distort the truth from the Bushies…good thing those crazy bastards are rioting over cartoons makes you worried about your oil when it has almost NO IMPACT on US oil supplies.

Crude Oil Imports (Top 15 Countries)(Thousand Barrels per Day)
Country Dec-05 Nov-05 YTD 2005 Dec-04 Jan - Dec 2004
CANADA 1,892 1,776 1,642 1,556 1,616
MEXICO 1,707 1,658 1,550 1,552 1,598
SAUDI ARABIA 1,438 1,267 1,438 1,449 1,495
VENEZUELA 1,183 1,009 1,231 1,379 1,297
NIGERIA 1,174 1,163 1,060 1,006 1,078
ANGOLA 425 641 450 306 306
IRAQ 390 572 520 626 655
ECUADOR 340 264 276 261 232
KUWAIT 268 273 215 205 241
ALGERIA 212 265 228 199 215
BRAZIL 159 65 94 0 51
GABON 139 66 127 233 142
COLOMBIA 135 281 156 135 142
NORWAY 66 103 119 63 143
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 62 70 62 22 49

LAME

I saw the headline/hyperlink that said “first photo of Bush and Abramoff”. So, I clicked you can imagine my disappointment with the lameness of calling this a photo of the two of them. I do believe that Bush and he were good buddies and as usual Bush abandons his friends when they no longer provide any utility or they get into trouble (see Kenny Lay), but this is dumb

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1158908,00.html?cnn=yes

In response the biggest Bushie i know

He sent me this link and attempted to call me out as some lover of Iranian nuke development:

From: Names Deleted to protect the ignorant
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 21:19
To: Me and some other friends
Subject: How about you guys?
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/821b8e1c-8f47-11da-b430-0000779e2340.html
Or do you support letting them have nukes? Where do you stand? There's no room
for nuance. It's one or the other

.
Here is my response, in typical fashion because it's so damn easy the Bushies attempt to be cute provides the opening to point out that this is Bush's mess:

Geez, if Bush had not blown his military wad on Iraq, he might actually be in a
position to do something other than ask the Russians to take the lead. (funny
despots working with despots).

As I've told you a thousand times, Iran has a HUGE secular pro-west faction. The WORST THING Bush could do would be to invade or some other military dumb shit. It would turn those friendly to us, against us.

But, hey that Bush foreign policy is working wonders in the
middle east isn't it? Since Bush took over, two radical groups have been
democratically elected in the region, in Iran and now you've got Hamas running
Palestine.

And like I said before the Iraq debacle, if they have nukes or WMD, Israel will take care of it. Especially now, since Bush's foreign policy incompetence put Hamas in power, which will give rise to Netanyahu in Israel and that crazy bastard's going to bomb everyone.

Looks like Bush blew it. AGAIN

Oh, yeah and Osama Bin Laden is still alive, while the Taliban controls
most of Afghanistan. Well played George.

May be time to raise the terror level.

Remember when Republicans used to talk about Fiscal Responsibility

http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/26/news/economy/cbo.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. budget deficit will hit $337 billion this year, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday, according to a source familiar with the forecast.
The forecast does not include a potential $80 billion to $100 billion in additional funds the Bush administration might request to finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or more money that likely will be needed this year for Gulf Coast hurricane rebuilding.

More Bush incompetence

Bush implements a “new and improved” prescription drug plan supposed to help seniors get their meds and the opposite happens.

Is there anything this administration doesn’t screw up? Anything? …Anything at all?

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/14/nyregion/14drugs.html

Pathetic

LedDale

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/news/story?id=2287645&campaign=rss
&source=ESPNHeadlines


If LenDale White did not play on the same team with Bush and Lienhart more people would be talking about awesome he is. He had 26 TDs this year, led the nation, which makes his season the quietest for a scoring leader that I remember.

He averaged over 5 yds/carry for his career and with 541 carries in 3 years he NEVER lost a fumble (according to his stats on ESPN). I'd take him in the top 3.

Bush is costing this guy money. I love me some Reggie, but LenDale totally got overshadowed.

can any member of the GOP stay within the law?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060110.wterminator0110/BNStory/International/

First is was smoking Cuban Cigars (something a lot of people who rant about hating Cuba seem to do) and now he can't even obey the laws he's taken an oath to uphold. Shameful.

Typical of the GOP of George Bush though.

Incompetent AND a common criminal

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060110.wterminator0110/BNStory/International/

First is was smoking Cuban Cigars (something a lot of people who rant about hating Cuba seem to do) and now he can’t even obey the laws he’s taken an oath to uphold. Shameful. Typical of the GOP of George Bush though.

ah, duh?

I would think anyone who has read the Constitution would know that you can't survielle people without a warrant. ANd in case you weren't sure, you could look at the FISA law that was enacted because Mr. Nixon was apparently unclear on the COnstituion so Congress future presidents.

And considering that FISA warrants are more or less a rubber stamp when requested (99%+ approvals within hours), Bush's excuses for his criminal actions just don't pass the smell test.

This is an old one

I meant to post this some week's ago, but apparently it didn't post: So, here it is


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10530417/from/RS.3/

This is pathetic. He could barely care about outing a secret agent and blowing every contact that she's ever had, putting dozens of peoples lives in jeopardy, but he's going to get uppity about his own breaking of the law when it is exposed. It's not even like it's hard to get a warrant under the FISA rules. In fact 99%+ of all secret warrants are granted in a matter of hours. So, his justifications for breaking the law are simply lies.

Additionally, to pretend like people don't know that their conservations can be tapped is ridiculous, the secret warrants are well-known. It's the lack of oversight (which has led to abuses) that is shameful and it will join the Alien and Sedition Acts and Wilson's despotic stifling of free speech as a low point in American Presidential abuses.

So good to be back

It would appear that the corruption and depravity that is the current incarnation of the GOP is going to see the light of day. While I'm no Republican, here's to hoping that the GOP is taken away from the amoral Bushies and returned to moderates or even true Conservatives (think Goldwater)