Today's Convincing Arguments

The coming election

2006-10-24T14:13:00.000-06:00

--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl

--AZ-01: Rick Renzi

--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth

--CA-04: John Doolittle

--CA-11: Richard Pombo

--CA-50: Brian Bilbray

--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave

--CO-05: Doug Lamborn

--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell

--CT-04: Christopher Shays

--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan

--FL-16: Joe Negron

--FL-22: Clay Shaw

--ID-01: Bill Sali

--IL-06: Peter Roskam

--IL-10: Mark Kirk

--IL-14: Dennis Hastert

--IN-02: Chris Chocola

--IN-08: John Hostettler

--IA-01: Mike Whalen

--KS-02: Jim Ryun

--KY-03: Anne Northup

--KY-04: Geoff Davis

--MD-Sen: Michael Steele

--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht

--MN-06: Michele Bachmann

--MO-Sen: Jim Talent

--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns

--NV-03: Jon Porter

--NH-02: Charlie Bass

--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson

--NM-01: Heather Wilson

--NY-03: Peter King

--NY-20: John Sweeney

--NY-26: Tom Reynolds

--NY-29: Randy Kuhl

--NC-08: Robin Hayes

--NC-11: Charles Taylor

--OH-01: Steve Chabot

--OH-02: Jean Schmidt

--OH-15: Deborah Pryce

--OH-18: Joy Padgett

--PA-04: Melissa Hart

--PA-07: Curt Weldon

--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick

--PA-10: Don Sherwood

--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee

--TN-Sen: Bob Corker

--VA-Sen: George Allen

--VA-10: Frank Wolf

--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick

--WA-08: Dave Reichert

Bush Pilot (with English subtitles)

2006-07-18T17:29:00.000-06:00


The Bush pilot himself reports about his job and the obstacles involved

Big-box stores squeeze into Big Apple

2006-04-09T13:23:00.000-06:00

The big box stores can have a totally different dynamic in a big city. They act as low cost and high volume retailers to the people and they act as wholesale distributors to the neighborhood, no small feat.
They also provide a large and clean place to shop, safe parking, and that acts as an umbrella to the neighborhood and to neighborhood businesses.
People often shop at the neighborhood store because they have no other choice. Supermarkets know that and often rip off the cities with more expensive lower quality goods.

Fun with DNA

2006-03-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

oh oh.

Call for Censure Is Rallying Cry to Bush's Base - New York Times

2006-03-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

Meanwhile, crowds gather around the final resting place of Slovodon Milocevec.
yeah. same-ol' same-ol'

The case for weakening the United States in wartime.

2006-03-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Things that will weaken the United States in wartime:
1) repudiating Bush, unequivocally
2) prosecuting war crimes
3) prosecuting government excesses
4) cutting the (so called) defense appropriations
Unless and until we can change course, let us act to weaken the country in this wrong course.

Clipmarks

2006-03-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

Check out Clipmarks. A place to clip and post items and comment.

Clipmarks: Politics

The Unknown Candidate: Kristof: In the 'Loop' on Climate Change

2006-03-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Unknown Candidate: Kristof: In the 'Loop' on Climate Change

2006-03-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

White House Trains Efforts on Media Leaks
it's not a crime to reveal goverment subverions; it's a mitzvah.

2006-02-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Three Killed in Massive Cartoon Protests
A professor from the University of Chicago explained the prohibition in the Muslim faith against massive cartoons. "It's crowded enough without those f-ing massive cartoons!. The West, with all its space just can't understand: right outside of any of these cities, it's just nothing but sand, and if the massive cartoons are in the cities, that means more people in the ferschlugginer sand!"

Spin This!

2006-02-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Man Shot by Cheney Has Mild Heart Attack

"Yes, he is dead. But he would have died anyway with this heart condition and he lived a long fulfilling life besides. Next question?"

2006-02-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Israle and Hams to meet. Bush Rules of Order will be observed. Coffee in the morning, and then there will be an invasion after a peaceful discussion at at 2:00.
You won't want to miss this if you can.

the cartoons

2006-02-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

there's one where muhammed is saying to some martyrs, still smoking hot from whatever, "stop: we've run out of virgins".
That's funny. But, I wonder what a virgin has to do to spend eternity entertaining the martyrs.

2006-02-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

George Bush, president, defender of the faith, total twit andChristian-in-Chief.
BillPress.com

The Nation's Dual Political Dynasties Are Growing Closer Than Arm's Length - New York Times

2006-02-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Two for the price of one: buy a Clinton, get a Bush. Not only is that expensive, Bush gets 4-8 years more free ride over and above the 8 he's taking.

Rice Admits U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength - New York Times

2006-01-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

Wrong: it's not the US, it's the Bush administration, and they miss everything: 9/11, Katrina, energy scandals, Abramhoff...

traknspew: The US president is responsible for everything.

2006-01-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Homeland security grows

2006-01-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

What you do with an agency that is a wreck?
The Department of Homeland Security has become a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure, crippled by turf wars, political back-stabbing and paralyzing indecision on priorities.
Nearly three years after its birth in the largest government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense, fundamental questions remain about the agency's ability to respond to disasters and protect the nation from terrorist attacks.
You make it bigger!
US is permanently at war with everything. We fight poverty, bird flu, floods, and mosquitoes. No more "sempre fideles". Now its "Nos mortes abnostrum!": We swat at flies. (We kill the nose thing)

Bush, lie?

2005-12-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

"a wiretap requires a court order. ...When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so. It's important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution."

George Bush at an April 2004 event promoting the Patriot Act

Powell Speaks Out on Domestic Spy Program

2005-12-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

Much funnier when Kerry does it. Powell? just not funny. Go figure.

Loyalty (to Bush) over country: we paid the price

2005-12-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Brownie knew two years before Katrina that FEMA would fail. AND he put in in writing AND he sent it to his boss,Tom Ridge, who was appointed by BUSH. (Once again, you can blame George Bush)
Brown remained loyal to the organization at the cost to his country:
What price loyalty?
You do NOT work in the executive branch if you are not loyal to George Bush: screw the country, bow to Bush.
"The writer warned that the shift would make a mockery of FEMA's new motto, 'A Nation Prepared,' and would 'fundamentally sever FEMA from its core functions,' 'shatter agency morale,' and 'break longstanding, effective and tested relationships with states and first responder stakeholders.'"

Idea born of some scientists' gnawing doubts about Darwin | IndyStar.com

2005-12-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

Would a future race of computers be the result of our Intelligent Design? Or would it plausibly been seen as confoundlingly serendipitous, happy accident upon happy accident, as many discoveries have been ?
Nanorobot constructed bodies and minds running on light and lasers and memory and capable of making modifications to themselves to produce "better" ones?
What we know is very very recent, as is our own actual being on this planet: when indeed did we become "human"? We have emotions and "morals" most by denying such attributes to any other living thing and that's just wrong (eg, the squid takes care of her young). We are but beings that are capable of getting to what we are, but take todays mind and body and remove all accumlated knowledge and we would be, literally, starting again: language? tools? clothings? society?
What would robots living in an environment that had become totally hostile to carbon based life forms find to be a resonable progression? Anybody NOT find snippets of totally useless code in old programs? Here, we talk of a few decades. What would machine readable code for a machine whose instruction set hasn't been seen for 100K years be thought to be?
That all being said, saying "Intelligent Design" and shuttering the labs and burnings the scientists doesn't seem very noble.

"Now tell me. Am I lyin?"*

2005-12-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

A simple analysis of what is and what went wrong in Iraq: Bush.

*from True Romance

Avian influenza - World Health Organization

2005-12-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

16 December 2005

The Ministry of Health in China has confirmed an additional case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a 35-year-old man from the south-eastern province of Jiangxi. He developed symptoms of fever on 4 December followed by pneumonia. He remains hospitalized and is receiving intensive care.

Agricultural authorities have confirmed the presence of the H5 virus subtype in ducks in the vicinity of the patient’s residence. Family members and close contacts have been placed under medical observation.

This is China’s sixth laboratory-confirmed human case. Of these cases, two have been fatal. To date, China has reported human cases in five provinces and regions: Hunan, Anhui, Guangxi, Liaoning,and Jiangxi.

14 December 2005

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed a further case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case occurred in a 35-year-old man from West Jakarta. He developed symptoms of fever, cough and breathing difficulty on 6 November, was hospitalized on 9 November, and died on 19 November.

Family members and close contacts were placed under observation and tested for possible infection. No evidence of additional cases has been detected.

Investigations have been undertaken to determine the source of the man’s exposure. While he did not keep poultry in his household, chickens and other birds were found in his neighbourhood. Samples from these birds have been taken and are undergoing tests to determine whether they may have been the source of infection.

The newly confirmed case is the 14th in Indonesia. Of these cases, nine have been fatal.

Bleak House

2005-12-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

The data is right there. Zakaria, the guy who writes the data, seems to choke on reading what it really says: it ain't pretty. Bush performs for a constituency of his own selection, and it is not the people of the United States: his friends and family.
Zakaria calls him the most isolated president in modern history, and this in an age of speedy global communication and trade.

Reality television...

2005-12-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Bizarre. This guy must have spent too much time on the set. I thought Tony already took care of this loser?

An American city is lost: blame Bush.

2005-12-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

New Orleans.
For heaven's sake, blame Bush.
It is time: hold him accountable, fully accountable, like you would any other terrorist.

Oh, not to be in Nebraska

2005-12-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Weekly US Map: Influenza Summary Update
Week ending December 3, 2005-Week 48

Make Headlines!

2005-12-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

More Web 2.0?

CommonTimes is an interactive news site where you select the top stories and share your views about the day's events.

Don't just read the news, talk about it with other readers. Create your own news channel. Comment on stories. Follow your favorite topics. Blog about the news. At CommonTimes, you are the editor.

http://www.commontimes.org/

Eyewitness: "I Never Heard the Word 'Bomb'"

2005-12-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

A passenger on Flight 924 gives his account of the shooting and says Rigoberto Alpizar never claimed to have a bomb

"I don't believe he should be dead right now."

Chinese Police Kill Villagers

2005-12-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Chinese Police Kill Villagers During Two-Day Land Protest

By Edward Cody

Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, December 9, 2005; Page A01

DONGZHOU, China, Dec. 8 -- Paramilitary police and anti-riot units opened fire with pistols and automatic rifles Tuesday night and Wednesday night on farmers and fishermen who had attacked them with gasoline bombs and explosive charges, according to residents of this small coastal village.

The sustained volleys of gunfire, unprecedented in a wave of peasant uprisings over the last two years in China, killed between 10 and 20 villagers and injured more, according to the residents. The count was uncertain, they said, because a number of villagers could not be located after the confrontations.

[more...]

This you gotta watch!

2005-12-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Holy shit: George Bush could actually speak 10 years ago, and he was good!
Whoever is in the office of president now is NOT the man we saw 10 years ago.
You watch. And tell me if I'm lyin'.

The US under Bush: the undoing of America

2005-12-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

The US has come under heavy fire for renewed refusals to commit itself to binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions targets.
At a major UN summit on climate change held in Montreal, which is entering a crucial stage, Washington has blocked a Canadian proposal for a two-year round of multilateral talks on a global long-term strategy to curb climate change.
Y'know, maybe it's just Christianity:-) That's pretty much where we totally lead.

Council on Foreign Relations

2005-12-08T16:05:00.000-07:00

From the opening remarks of a speech of Bush by Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations

"Those who established the Council nearly 85 years ago wanted to help prepare the American people for the challenges of world leadership."+

How does one "prepare" the American people for "world leadership" anyway, and why should we "lead"?

One world war and one cold war later, the United States faces a very different set of challenges in a very different world. One constant, though, is that U.S. leadership remains essential if there is to be order, prosperity, and opportunity around the globe.

So is it me, or could you read that as a threat?

The Debt To the Penny

2005-12-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Current           Amount

12/06/2005        $8,122,710,788,511.92

Scalia demonstrates he is unfit to serve

2005-12-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

The lawyer for Planned Parenthood – fighting to declare the law unconstitutional – said requiring doctors to go to a judge would delay medical treatment, which could jeopardize a pregnant minor’s health, including “stroke and even infertility.”
Justice Scalia was unimpressed with that argument, saying it “takes 30 seconds to make a phone call” to a judge before performing an abortion.
Justice Scalia is simply a fool. Just that.
In commenting on the possible requirement to consult a judge on an emergency abortion case, Scalia suggests that it would only take 30 seconds to make a phone call. And that is true, but this supreme court justice fails to consider the sequence of events that must immediately follow, and that is the conversation and the details of the case in progress upon which the judge, assuming she is asked to render a decision, MUST insist on knowing in great detail before rendering a decision.
This kind of lapse in judgement by Scalia, a supreme court justice is so flippant and so eggregious as to render him unfit for office.

Transcript of Wilkerson interview

2005-11-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

BBC NEWS
Transcript of Wilkerson interview
Col Lawrence Wilkerson, the chief of staff to former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, was interviewed by Carolyn Quinn for the BBC's R4 Today programme. Here is a transcript of the interview.

I asked Colonel Wilkerson why he felt the post-war planning had been so inadequate.

The post-invasion planning for Iraq was handled, in my opinion, in this alternative decision-making process which, in this case, constituted the vice-president and the secretary of defence and certain people in the defence department who did the "post invasion planning", which was as inept and incompetent as perhaps any planning anyone has ever done.

It consisted of largely sending Jay Garner and his organisation to sit in Kuwait until the military forces had moved into Baghdad, and then going to Baghdad and other places in Iraq with no other purpose than to deliver a little humanitarian assistance, perhaps deal with some oil-field fires, put Ahmed Chalabi or some other similar Iraqi in charge and leave.

This was not only inept and incompetent, it was day-dreaming of the most unfortunate type and ever since that failed we've been in a pick-up game - a pick-up game that's cost us over 2,000 American KIAs [killed in action]and almost a division's worth of casualties.

Now you call this alternative decision-making as a process and you seem to be laying the blame pretty fairly and squarely at the door of Dick Cheney. Am I correct in assuming that?

Well in the two decision-making processes into which I had the most insight - the detainee abuse issue and this issue of post-invasion planning for Iraq - I lay the blame squarely at his feet.

I look at the relationship between Mr Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld as being one that produced these two failures in particular and I see that the president is not holding either of them accountable, or at least up to this point he is not, and so I have to lay some blame at his feet too.

But you're talking about the abuse - the alleged abuse - by American forces aren't you?

I am, and I concluded that we had had an impassioned debate in the statutory process. And in that debate, two sides had participated: one that essentially wanted to do away with all restrictions and the other which said no, Geneva should prevail and the president walked right down the middle.

He made a decision that Geneva would in fact govern all but al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda look-alike detainees. Any other prisoners of course would be governed by traditional methods, international law, Geneva and so forth.

Who was calling for doing away with all the normal practices if you like?

Who is right now very publicly lobbying the congress of the United States, advocating the use of terror? The vice-president of the United States.

There was a presidential memo ordering that detainees be treated in a manner consistent with the Geneva Conventions that forbid torture. Are you saying that Dick Cheney ordered that to be ignored?

Well my critics have said that the president's continuing phrase in what you just quoted, "consistent with military necessity", was an out, under which almost anything could be done.

If I'm a soldier in the field - I'm an NCO [non-commissioned officer ] or I'm a private or a corporal - and I need to shoot even a detainee who might be threatening to kill one of my buddies or even me then I can do that.

It does not mean that I can go into a darkened cell with a detainee shackled with his hands above his head to the wall and beat him so that eventually he dies, and the army coroner declares it homicide, and two years later when the army quits obfuscating and throwing obstacles in the way of the investigations, people are actually punished for having murdered two individuals in Bagram, Afghanistan in December 2002.

And there were more than 70 such deaths - questionable deaths - of detainees under US supervision when I left the state department and I have people who are now telling me that the death toll was up to around 90.

And that question of detainee abuse - are you saying that the implicit message allowing it to happen was sanctioned by Dick Cheney - it came from his office?

Well you see two sides of this debate in the statutory process. You see the side represented by Colin Powell, Will Taft, all arguing for Geneva.

You see the other side represented by Yoo, John Yoo from the Department of Justice, Alberto Gonzales - you see the other side being argued by them and you see the president compromising.

Then you see the secretary of defence moving out in his own memorandum to act as if the side that declared everything open, free and anything goes, actually being what's implemented.

And so what I'm saying is, under the vice-president's protection, the secretary of defence moved out to do what they wanted to do in the first place even though the president had made a decision that was clearly a compromise.

It is quite difficult to believe though that Colin Powell wasn't aware of what was going on - if this alternative decision-making process was happening as you say - why didn't he do something?

Well you don't know that it's happening.

If what you say is correct, in your view, is Dick Cheney then guilty of a war crime?

Well, that's an interesting question - it was certainly a domestic crime to advocate terror and I would suspect that it is - for whatever it's worth - an international crime as well.

You've got also John Kerry recently accusing President Bush of orchestrating one of the great acts of deception in American history, and saying that flawed intelligence was manipulated to fit a political agenda. Now Colin Powell would be tarred with that same brush wouldn't he? Did he feel that he had correct information about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction when he outlined the case against Saddam?

He certainly did and so did I. I was intimately involved in that process and to this point I have more or less defended the administration.

I have basically been supportive of the administration's point that it was simply fooled - that the intelligence community, including the UK, Germany, France, Jordan - other countries that confirmed what we had in our intelligence package, yet we were all just fooled.

Lately, I'm growing increasingly concerned because two things have just happened here that really make me wonder.

And the one is the questioning of Sheikh al-Libby where his confessions were obtained through interrogation techniques other than those authorised by Geneva.

It led Colin Powell to say at the UN on 5 February 2003 that there were some pretty substantive contacts between al-Qaeda and Baghdad. And we now know that al-Libby's forced confession has been recanted and we know - we're pretty sure that it was invalid.

But more important than that, we know that there was a defence intelligence agency dissent on that testimony even before Colin Powell made his presentation. We never heard about that.

Follow that up with Curveball, and the fact that the Germans now say they told our CIA well before Colin Powell gave his presentation that Curveball - the source to the biological mobile laboratories - was lying and was not a trustworthy source. And then you begin to speculate, you begin to wonder was this intelligence spun; was it politicised; was it cherry-picked; did in fact the American people get fooled - I am beginning to have my concerns.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/4481092.stm

Published: 2005/11/29 12:07:38 GMT

© BBC MMV

30K jobs to be cut by GM.

2005-11-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Business should not be the provider of services, like schools, police or health care.

Another hilarious misadventure starring Larry, Curly, and...GW in "Moe meets Mao!"

2005-11-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

For Thousands of Years...

2005-11-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Now I am not commenting on the value of what they have to say or the validity behind reasons they do these things. I think people should investigate things with an open mind. None-the-less, the promo for the "Tributaries" radio show below is, well, funny.

10/30/05 : Ray Kong discusses the reasons why he has eaten clay everyday for the past 27 years. This timeless practice by humans and other animals alike provides nutrients and detoxification. Find more information on our guest by clicking here.

Listen to this program. :: Read more about this program.

Know anyone like this?

2005-11-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

"It is the specific brand of faith that devalues reason and confers the mantle of infallible, absolute authority upon a leader or a book. "

You can call me conservative...

2005-11-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

But call me a Republican and there is going to be a fight...

Stop the "re-writing" of history

2005-11-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Sent to: WebEditors@newsweek.com

Dear Newsweek Editor:

In your online article titled “Autumn of Discontent” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10013594/site/newsweek/) you have the sentence: "a leader who rode comfortably to reelection just a year ago" in reference to President Bush. This is down right wrong! The man barely won a very close election. The closest for a sitting president since 1918! Why do you feed us this "re-writing" of history?

Beware: use of English may present an unseen hazard

2005-11-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Dems Didn't Know What Bush Knew:
They knew that he said.
They did NOT have the same information that was available to him, and that is totally for sure. That's a lot of executive priviledge in there.
Not that knowing what Bush knows is any great goal to reach for, unless you're in a football pool or such.

FEMA struggle to stay on course without Brownie

2005-11-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

Bush provides the necessary continuity. All hail.
Here, we see cronyism effectively deployed.

Tell me a bad joke.

2005-11-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

OK: Kansas.

Consider this thoughtful mans words...

2005-11-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

"The long-term effect of US culture as it spreads to every nook and cranny in every desert and every mountain valley will be the end of mankind. Our extraordinary greed for material possessions, the ways we go about nurturing that greed, the lack of balance in our lives, and our cultural arrogance will kill us off within a century unless we learn to stop and think. It may be too late."
Wilfred Thesiger

That is some heavy shit!
Now, think: if such were true, and there is some truth to much, wouldn't it be reasonable to fight to the death too contain such a culture, to maintain another culture, other cultures, separate and protect them?

blogblogblog

2005-11-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

too bad, it's taken. but then it's rather good.

Creationists refuse vaccination

2005-11-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Mutation, shmutation, it's just another word for evolution and we're not buying it," said some unidentified spokesperson/schmuck speaking outside a Kankas court.

Just kidding, but....

Apple Shape Predicts Heart Attack Risk Better than BMI

2005-11-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

"Dr. Sharma and colleagues showed last year with Interheart data that abdominal obesity accounts for about 90% of the risk for myocardial infarction around the world, with eight other risk factors -- including cigarette smoking, diabetes, poor diet, and lack of exercise -- accounting for the rest."

American Express to be the sole advertiser on sundays live west wing

2005-11-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

"American Express to Be Sole Advertiser On Sunday's Live 'West Wing' Episode " WSJ reports. (article for paid subscription viewers only)

On the basis if this alone I would invest in Amex. Fully invested now, all I can do is just use their card some more, which I will do: first card played at the cashier.
First, I like their politics: it is American.
Second, I am absolutely captivated by their management decision.
You wait: this is one American Corporation.
And with them I'll put Google and Apple.

Want 'War and Peace' Online? How About 20 Pages at a Time? - New York Times

2005-11-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

If I can buy a piece of a book, why do I have to subscribe to the NY Times?
"Here's a penny: I'd like to see Krugman today"
And then, how about getting my money back on stuff that wasn't true? Heck, I'd be willing to pay extra up front for information that had some guarantee to it.
And how about this: you pay me to read some of the stuff you write. Or I bill you if you just wasted my time with some garbage. Doesn't even have to be money: just a simple vote.
Put in that context, the incredible value of friends and family and conversation (where it's all free and guaranteed and really really valued) comes into focus.

Bush's Integrity Is Questioned, According to Post-ABC Poll

2005-11-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

If you can trot out Bush's integrity numbers, pages of them, and never compare them to say, Clinton, I'd say you've got an elephant in the room you're not talking about.
That's like discussing racing speeds in furlongs. That's like talking about big buildings and neglecting the empire state building and anything bigger.
Tell me when the needle goes into the red zone... until then, I think I've got an ingrown hair that needs attention.

Democratic Judge Is Removed From DeLay Case

2005-11-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Hey, man, like it's Texas. What'd you expect?
You want something really scarey? what if one of them were president?

I'm for Alito

2005-11-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Unless and until someone comes up with something besides he's conservative.
Like, he lacks judicial temperament, like Scalia. Or he lacks a mind of any sort at all, like Thomas. Or she's a good lawyer but oh my god we are talking about the supreme court of the United States, George Bush notwithstanding*, like Harriet: that was one of the most obscene gestures I've been exposed to, and that's including the roped off section in the porn shops in Time Square.
Here's what Edwards (who, alas, is supposed to be reasonable says):
Alito is a far-from-moderate judge in the mold of Justice Antonin Scalia. His record is troubling: he has tried to sharply restrict a woman's right to choose and to eliminate protection for unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. He has regularly worked to cut back on protections for the victims of discrimination based on race and sex. Just imagine how he might restrict other essential freedoms if he is allowed to sit on the Supreme Court.
First, we want a person with a mind. And then we hand that person the constitution, and we bring cases before that person and they work with all sorts of other legal minds and 8 others on the bench but mostly, they have the constitution and bring their own brilliant minds to bear. That's all I ask.
If they can find that there can be no abortions unless the wife pays the rapist 3 times her annual salary, if they can find the all the Jews have to be roasted at 350 degrees and then served on toast to Arabs, if they should find that big lips and dark skin really do render a person sub-human, if they can really do that, the constitution and the executive branch and the legislative branch and the rest of the world notwithstanding, then this is a crap shoot: put your bets down, shooter has the dice, and lets get on with the game. Just keep all the mumbling praying down to a whisper so we can hear the points.
You cannot break something by adding or subtracting one twit, not if it was not already broken, and badly broken at that.
Now, could we please get Alito on the bench and do something sensible, like arrest and prosecute Bush for war crimes?
*How the f**k can anyone take us seriously with George Bush as the president? Really. Why don't we all just strap on great big day glow luminescent dildos and whatever and just wander the streets like open house at the asylum day?

My ship has come in again!

2005-10-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

What's amazing about this is I was contacted just last week about another lost relative of mine who was ALSO killed in a trajic accident and also left me a large sum of money. So sad for them...but I always knew life held great things for me! Thank God for the internet.
___________________________________________________________________

Sun, 30 Oct 2005 16:23:52 +0100 (CET)
From: barristerojonla@yahoo.fr
Subject: YOUR RELATIVE INHERITANCE

Dear Matt,

I am Barrister Ojonla Ojo a solicitor at law.I am the personal attorney to ENGR.J.B.Walli, a national of your country, who Work with Shell Petroleum Company and have spent most of his life in my country (Togo) Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On the year 2003, my client, his wife and their only son were involved in a plane crash in a village called Adjarra near Porto Novou after take off from Cotonou in Benin Republic.For more on the plane crash log on to

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm

All occupants of the plane crash unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives,this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any Member of his family hence I contacted you.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the assets and Capital valued at US$17million left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the management of the Finance/security company, where these huge deposits were lodged declared as Family treasures of Gold Jewelry and personal precious effects. The said finance/security company, has issued me a notice to provide the next of Kin or have the Consignment confiscated within the next twenty Official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 1 year now, I seek the consent to present you as the Next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last names, so that this Consignment ould be released to you as wished. Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Awaiting to hear from you.

Best Regards,

BARRISTER OJONLA OJO,
CONSULTANT SERVICES
N0 14 RUE LE PRESIDEN
LOME-TOGO WEST AFRICA
___________________________________________________________________

Neocons cry "No More Special Counsels!" here's how they lie

2005-10-29T13:30:00.000-06:00

"It is clear that, at least by sometime in January 2004 -- and probably much earlier -- Fitzgerald knew this law had not been violated. Plame was not a 'covert' agent but a bureaucrat working at CIA headquarters"
See, that's a lie. Plame was a covert agent. And there was a lot of covert activity went up in smoke: they outed everyone who had anything to do with her. "Plame? You know Plame? She's in the CIA, you know. Are you?"
Everyone IS entitled to their own opinion: no one is entitled to their own facts. And if you run a newspaper, you have certain responsibilities. Different, I submit, from if you run a comic book.

Big Oil

2005-10-28T16:39:00.000-06:00

Cheney Adviser Indicted in CIA Leak Probe

2005-10-28T11:59:00.000-06:00

Reminds me of the tear away jerseys the backfield uses. Or the skink that willinging lets you keep its tail while it goes and grows another. Or what was that bird? "Wow, that was fast. He must have shit in your hand and flown off!"
"What that part you got?"
"I dunno. Looks like Scooter."
"Is that all?"
"Looks like it."
"Oh. Well, check for fiber evidence."
In any case, Karl Rove aka Indiana Jones slipped the rope, Cheney is off somewhere hiding some kind of injury and the boy president, Bush: with no one around to guide hiim, he has been assigned just to wait and meet with the leaders of the smaller countries of the UN and make them various promisses.

"Thank you SIR! May I have another?"

2005-10-27T14:57:00.000-06:00

Expel Iran from UN

2005-10-27T11:13:00.000-06:00

But why should Israel have to make the call?
But how about this: let's take a look at the total plusses and minuses of Iran in the UN and make the call out in the open, instead of just some wacko. I mean, what if we were all judged by the actions of George Bush?

"The world's largest publicly traded oil company, Exxon Mobil said profits jumped 75 percent, to $9.92 billion"

2005-10-27T11:01:00.000-06:00

So, umm, rising prices... it isn't just "I pay more so you pay more. The actual profits, real solid money, that got banked.
Meantime, alas, the stock price: it was all over the place, just in case you thought "hey, that's a sure thing, a good investment"... nope. You could get seriously burned. And its not too late (to get burned) in case you can't read the warnings in the volatility.

Iraqi Government Received Oil-for-Food Kickbacks

2005-10-27T10:17:00.000-06:00

"'The cumulative impact of this is pretty impressive,' Volcker said in an interview before the report was released. 'Somebody* should have stood up and said, 'Enough.'"
Volker also added that he was "shocked to find that gambling was going on!" and ordered Ricks casino closed.

*if Somebody, who has been named in many recent cases, is ever found, somebody is going to be in deep trouble! Meanwhile, Mr. Nathan P. Somebody has requested that he be allowed to please please change his name.

Red herrings

2005-10-27T10:12:00.000-06:00

Did anyone not consider that Miers had NO chance in getting to the supreme court? None? And if she did, well, that was the total end of the court, putting someone in there lower than Thomas (Thomas and Scalia: what pair).
Then too there was something obscene in Miers once again (well, of course that was her job) spreading her legs on behalf of Bush and any one else who wanted a quick push): hey, Harriet, distract these twits for a while. They are all over me with Fema and Iraq and Chency and Halliburton.
When you want to walk past the dogs ( eg, the press) through a piece of meat to them and that will keep them busy while you go about your legitimate business.
Used to be a cowboy put his hat out on a stick to see if it would draw fire: now they put out the village skank. Poor Harriet. Poor sexist Harriet. A nice ugly woman would have told the pres to shove it.

Generalisimo Franco is still dead

2005-10-23T12:05:00.000-06:00

A similar lack of movement of George Bush is has proven to be a challenge for the effete Amreican Press.
Disney has deployed time lapse photography hoping to catch some movement in the off hours, and has placed a tv remote close by the president to temp movement.

I agree with the Moose

2005-10-21T17:05:00.000-06:00

The level of anger in this country is palpable. I don't give a damn about parties or party politics. It's time for reform because our political class has lost their fucking minds.

speaking about debt....

2005-10-19T20:47:00.000-06:00

Gee, what a beatiful ship. I wonder what makes it go?
And look at all those oars!

2005-10-18T16:10:00.000-06:00

Panel to Urge Bush to Consider 2 Alternative Tax Plans

2005-10-18T15:30:00.000-06:00

How stupid are we?
Yes. That stupid.

Energy Prices to Drag Economy

2005-10-17T19:31:00.000-06:00

poor george bush: everything happens to him!

They're just crooks

2005-10-17T12:21:00.000-06:00

A nice tirade from "Hunter" at DailyKOS

You don't have far to look, in the Republican Party, to find true conservatives. I may not like the political stances of a John McCain or an Arlen Specter, but nor do I fear for the nation if they come to lead the Republican party. Men of integrity can disagree on the principles of government; men whose sole moral compass is directed by what they can technically get away with, however, aren't political men. They're just crooks.

The West Wing Episode Guide

2005-10-16T22:26:00.000-06:00

proposed: the national debate should be focused on the issues being well and fairly addressed by a fictional drama because it has more content and coherent presentation of the issues than the political show which has only reality to recommend it, as seen on CNN, MSNBC, PBS, Hardball, Meet the Press, various print publications, and press releases.

Comrade Dear Leader

2005-10-14T16:14:00.000-06:00

And this which reminds me of the Soviet Union

Washington, DC — The National Park Service has started using a political loyalty test for picking all its top civil service positions, according to an agency directive released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Under the new order, all mid-level managers and above must also be approved by a Bush administration political appointee.

[more...]

analysis by expert analysts was doctored by Bush political appointees

2005-10-14T16:10:00.000-06:00

I know this is no big surprise but here it is anyway...

The Commerce Department has responded to a half-year-old request by Manufacturing and Technology News for the release a long-awaited study on the issue of "offshore outsourcing" of IT service-sector jobs and high-tech industries. But the 12-page document represented by the agency as its final report is not what was written by its analysts. Rather, it was crafted by political appointees at Commerce and at the White House, according to those familiar with it.

At an estimated cost of $335,000 -- or $28,000 per page -- the document MTN received from the Commerce Department's Technology Administration contains no original research and forsakes its initial intent of providing a balanced view of outsourcing, according to those inside and outside the agency.

[more...]

Laura Bush Joins President's Defense of Miers

2005-10-11T15:17:00.000-06:00

Heavy hitters weigh in on serious constitutional matters and the supreme court. The Bush daughters are on deck.
"Mediocre America needs representation too. And the superstitious."

Bush touts immigration and economic benefits of refugees

2005-10-08T15:31:00.000-06:00

Gale Norton informed him she had written "refuges", not "refugees". Bush looked at her quizically and said, umm, well, yes! And that is good news!

This is one to remember as in "don't forget"

2005-10-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

From the "so you want to be an atheist" dept
Also from the warning section on "Atheism for god dammed doomed to hell Dummies":

Recently departed (for points unknown) Rehnquist noted that the "under god" words were added by a unanimous congress
"'That's only because no atheist can get elected to public office 'elicited so much applause that Rehnquist had to threaten to clear the gallery."

The author is, and I quote, a self professed atheist.
(you could put "communist, trans sexual, eater of human flesh" or that sort of thing.
Oh,I left out pedophilia.

Is this news in the United States?

2005-10-07T18:46:00.000-06:00

reported in Europe, BBC, other places...

God would tell me, 'George, go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did. And then God would tell me, 'George go and end the tyranny in Iraq'. And I did."

Shaath's public recounting of his conversations with Bush on the subject divine missions, good evil, religious wars, crusades and Americans as the chosen people, come two years after the Palestinian delegation publicly refused to acknowledge the US President's remarks to be true when they were published in the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz.

Whining at the Student Union

2005-10-07T11:42:00.000-06:00

From Operation Yellow Elephant, a blog dedicated to exposing Hypocrisy.

From the Rocky Mountain Collegian:

The second lie liberals have been spouting lately is that conservatives, most notably the College Republicans, are being hypocritical for supporting the war in Iraq/on terror and the troops serving in those wars without enlisting themselves. This is ludicrous. Supporting the troops means letting them do their jobs and praying for their safety, NOT saying you support them and then holding a rally damning the cause they are fighting for. Also, where exactly do the people spreading this garbage think the military gets their officers and best leaders if not from the ranks of college graduates?

I reply:

As the founder of Operation Yellow Elephant, the movement that popularized the hypocrisy of College Republicans who refuse to fight in the war they demanded, I find it amusing to watch them justify their refusal to match their words with actions.

The College Republicans were among the most vocal proponents of this war. They characterized it as one of the greatest struggles of all time and made ludicrous comparisons to WWII and the Civil War. Yet, at a time when the military faces its greatest recruiting crisis in decades, they hold affirmative action bake sales and attack those who want to bring our soldiers home.

If you really believe in the rightness and the importance of this war, put off college for a couple of years and sign up. Otherwise, shut up. Your whining is pathetic.

Bush: U.S. Has Disrupted 10 Al Qaeda Plots

2005-10-06T16:36:00.000-06:00

3 in the US.
Two we already knew about.
One was Jose Padilla, another guy was going to begin by blowing up the Brooklyn Bridge.
The third? Cindy Sheehan?
I see in todays NY Times that 1/3 of Americans believe the bible literally, including creation. So why was I surprised to find 1/3 of the country supports Bush.
The GOP is not the problem.
The news doesn't say how the audience was auditioned/screened/cleansed and checked for loyalty and GOP registration.

Gore Speech

2005-10-05T13:51:00.000-06:00

"The invasion of Iraq, I believe, will turn out to be the greatest strategic disaster in U.S. history."

- Former head of the National Security Agency, Retired Lt. General William Odom

Our democracy has been hallowed out. The opinions of the voters are, in effect, purchased, just as demand for new products is artificially created. Decades ago Walter Lippman wrote, "the manufacture of consent...was supposed to have died out with the appearance of democracy...but it has not died out. It has, in fact, improved enormously in technique...under the impact of propaganda, it is no longer plausible to believe in the original dogma of democracy."

Like you, I recoil at Lippman's cynical dismissal of America's gift to human history. But in order to reclaim our birthright, we Americans must resolve to repair the systemic decay of the public forum and create new ways to engage in a genuine and not manipulative conversation about our future. Americans in both parties should insist on the re-establishment of respect for the Rule of Reason. We must, for example, stop tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end to the cynical use of pseudo studies known to be false for the purpose of intentionally clouding the public's ability to discern the truth.

Geroge Will on George Bush on Harriet Miers... where'd this come from?

2005-10-05T12:56:00.000-06:00

"He has neither the inclination nor the ability to make sophisticated judgments... "
Here Wills talks about constitutional matters, but hold up: in what area has Bush the inclination or ability to make a sophisticated judgment. Indeed, one may ask all the Georges, when was such ability construed to be a good thing at any place in this administration? Sophisticated, insightful, reasoned, well thought out: none of this is Bush! He'd be bereft of all his charm!
I suggest that the utter lack of sophistication is Bush's calling card, a distrust of sophistication rich among his devotees. Indeed, "born again" bespeaks an innocence humbly extracted from a life of sophistication, a leader who's followers will love him with the same lack of sophistication.
Ah, but would anyone say Rove is without sophistication? So, what is such an attribute doing anywhere near Bush, and what could that mean? surely nothing good. Lay? DeLay?
No, we have an unsophisticated president, fullfilling the roles of the TV heroes of American Idol and sitcoms and where no one works unless there is a laugh track to keep it going and Survival where success falls on the studiously unprepared, master of a stupid dog trick in life, who wins his position with good looks and good likes and good luck: hard work is really such a bore.
Even the 3 stooges have more sophistication in their perfection of the unsophisticated.

'Tis an ill wind... disaster lottery

2005-10-03T07:58:00.000-06:00

Local public radio interviewed a local newspaper: the man said he had nine reporters on the case, a web site that would be updated hourly, and he squeezed in at the last minute maybe even more frequently. He expressed some involutary joy as he noted that even the BBC was carrying the story:
21 old people died on Lake George when a boat turned over.
What would happen if say WAMC, this public radio station, might have said "we won't know all the details for a few days so we won't be reporting on this story."
There are other pressing things in this country: it's not just about selling the papers, providing us with unhealthy diversion. Otherwise, I'd just as soon have drugs for my diversion of choice.

oil storm

2005-10-03T07:50:00.000-06:00

It's been done. Lousiana and Texas are hit by accidents and tornadoes as the United States moves into autumn and winter.
Two two hour parts, channel 24, FX, about 3 months ago.
The silence on this one is amaaing, absolutely amazing. And very scarey: is the media deliberatelyl avoiding letting us think about what might happen? I think so.

Not since Thomas Paine...

2005-10-02T07:47:00.000-06:00

has the nation been called upon to see that the problem is George. The DC Post might wish to be a Paine: that is too much to expect, but it is a start, and it does clear a path.
Last time time there was a revolution. What will it take this time? Now that we know to a certainty that all elections are for sale and those worth buying, like slaves at the market, are.

Officer Criticizes Detainee Abuse Inquiry - New York Times

2005-09-27T20:39:00.000-06:00

Consider: The US under Bush is nobody home, substitute teacher who doesn't care, nobody minding the store.
There were lots of kids in school, lots of goings on when there was no adult in the house, lots of free candy when there was nobody watching the store. And every one of those kids liked it.
Who likes it when the police are out? firemen on strike? teachers walk? bankers look the other way? Lots of people rush to defend that. Pat Roberston likes that.
The nature of the executive is visited on every citizen and public servant to the least of us. We cannot escape the fate we have aided and abetted.

the "leader": Bush

2005-09-27T20:27:00.000-06:00

"'We came forward because of the larger issue that prisoner abuse is systemic in the Army. I'm concerned this will take a new twist, and they'll try to scapegoat some of the younger soldiers. This is a leadership problem.'"

Justice is served.

2005-09-26T14:28:00.000-06:00

Let's use the regular Armed force right here! what a good idea!

2005-09-24T15:07:00.000-06:00

The notion of preparation and training is simply not present in any mind of this administration... certainly such thought has never touched the mind of George Bush.
The soldiers are trained to kill people and destroy property. If you assign them to some other task, well, they kill people and destroy property. They direct traffic and help little old ladies and keep order and carry AK-47s and various explosive devices... you never know when the little old ladies might turn ugly, or that guy you thought was dead and drowned isn't.
What we see in Bush is a man who realized that if he took time to train his dumb ass, he'd never finish. So, he dropped out and lived on daddy's dime. And now as president he vacations, still dosn't read, and he and all of his friends and moms friends and daddy's all life of our dime.
So, how dumb are we?

The Great Unraveling

2005-09-23T09:52:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know that is the title of a Pual Krugman book about the Bush presidency. But the moniker is somehow fitting now that there seems to be a confluence of events that are exposing the gross ineptitude of the Bush administration.

We see today that a bus, loaded with the elderly being evacuated from Houston, exploded. The oxygen that many were using is suspected in the blast. Wow, billions of dollars spent on "homeland" security and you can just picture the panic of Bush administration hacks after their response to hurricane Katrina, "Get 'em out of there. Stuff them on any bus you can find, just get 'em out of there." Of course if there had been an actual plan for an evacuation maybe there would have chosen a system of transportation that wouldn't explode when transporting elderly oxygen users. But, as we all know, government is bad (that is unless it's military governemnt...)

In another indication that our pals in the White House are blithering idiots one of our "allies" in the Gulf Region, Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister (ally here means that they have lots of money and oil, not that their populous give a damn about us. In fact, they hate our guts, hell most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis) has warned that Iraq is on the verge of total collapse (not unlike the Bush administration itself). He warns that if this were to occur that it would most likely lead to a regional war. Oh joy! You know if we only had someone who gave a shit in office.

Speaking of collapse, there is a book out (Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed) by that name authored by Jared Diamond (he is the author of the very good book Guns, Germs, and Steel). I haven't read the book myself but from what I understand the general premise is that societies collapse because they choose to. What happens is that the interests of the power structure in a society come into conflict with the interests of the society itself. That is the destructive force, and one that we as TRUE Americans should be aware of. Why? Jeez, where oh where do the interests of the power class come into conflict with that of the society as a whole? Hmm. (Tax breaks for the wealthy - $200 billion on a war in a far away land (most of which has gone where exactly?). The luxury goods market is hot - Poverty has been increasing for the last four years. Crony government - Levees break in New Orleans. Creationism in the classroom - threat to our economic future from well educated foreign workers and NO plan to do anything about it.)

Bill Clinton

2005-09-22T13:35:00.000-06:00

"Welcome to Planet Clinton, an interconnected world that's a solar system and a wormhole away from Bush country."

2005-09-22T08:53:00.000-06:00

A New Deadly, Contagious Dog Flu Virus Is Detected in 7 States

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. and CARIN RUBENSTEIN

A new, highly contagious and sometimes deadly canine flu is spreading in kennels and at dog tracks around the country, veterinarians said yesterday.

The virus, which scientists say mutated from an influenza strain that affects horses, has killed racing greyhounds in seven states and has been found in shelters and pet shops in many places, including the New York suburbs, though the extent of its spread is unknown.

Jesus is coming...

2005-09-21T11:10:00.000-06:00

better stuff some mushrooms.

When wondering about Bush, remember Norquist

2005-09-20T10:22:00.000-06:00

A key and senior strategist of the Republican Party for decades, and for Bush for all of his service, Norquist says:
"He wants to shrink the size of government until it is small enough to drag it up to the bathroom and drown it in the tub".
He doesn't want to make it efficient, effective, better: he wants to kill it. That of course is a euphemism for "overthrow and replace". But he doesn't really need to make it small: anything that diminshes the government ability to be effective, anything that runs it out of money, discredits it and its people or strengthens alternatives to "government" like ultra rich contributors: that's just fine.
These people did not mince words. They told you what they wanted. Believe them, that is what they are doing.

Gerogie (que sera) Bush

2005-09-20T08:24:00.000-06:00

“It’s Gonna Cost Whatever It Costs”
Bush, on cleaning up Katrina.
For this we need a president?

The more things change...

2005-09-19T12:01:00.000-06:00

A fascinating and humorous review of the political events of the last century, and a reminder that many fundamental issues confronted then still face us today.

National Security Blanket

A Bush for all seasons

2005-09-19T09:44:00.000-06:00

The same Bush. A constant.
Bush change? Why ever would he do that? Everything is working just fine.
Bush learn? Learn what: he knew everything when he started, and he's made no mistakes.
That is a perfectly good and rational policy. Now, if people don't like that, and many don't, beseeching change is a total waste of time. If they want to do anything, they can predict to a faretheewell where he is going and start setting up the roadblocks: make them vewy vewy strong, be vewy vewy quiet. (ala E. Fudd)

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

2005-09-16T07:30:00.000-06:00

Note we have had two soft landings in the market after an interest rate hike: under John Kennedy and under William Jefferson Clinton.
Democrats.
Quite revealing.
Not at all unlike New Orleans.

Ex-FEMA Chief Tells of Frustration and Chaos

2005-09-15T19:59:00.000-06:00

If you consider who his boss is, and how the rest of the government was staffed, I wonder if Brown could have done any better... you can read what he was up against... consider at least he had to manage the disaster for a president was on a long and continuing vacation.
Then consider the mess itself: the evacuation. The mayor said there was a plan: get the people to high ground and then wait for the rescue. Only, the rescue never came because the national guard wasn't there and Fema was under homeland security and New Orleans was Democratic and was not a city in Texas and we saw how the president felt for California during the so called energy crisis.
And the mayors plan was totally right: there was high ground, there was shelter, what there was not was any timely federal support, which was totally expected but not a shred turned up.
Yeah, when things get messed up and not cleaned up for too long, shit happens. And it did. (Notice that the white Christians of Ireland are rioting... that's what people do and it is not a "for Muslims only" game.)
Finally, note the opportunity for Bush, again: the nation in some distress, some panic, turns to their president who spends money he hasn't got and money we haven't got anymore because he's given it away or spent in on a war of his choice which he lied to get us to.
"Oh", the people cry, "maybe Bush has learned!"
No, Bush already knew everything he needed to know, it's the people that haven't learned. Bush will advance his agenda. Period. Game, set, match.

The president: a history of going AWOL

2005-09-15T08:28:00.000-06:00

Read what Brown says, and understand what he doesn't say but is obvious: the president was needed.
It's one thing going AWOL... the problem is the s.o.b .comes back. No, he cannot be impeached for doing a bad job. That's the voters' job.