Deliberately stupid

The flu shot. That we don't have flu shots because vaccines are cheap and the risk of getting sued makes it unprofitable. See, now that is willful, deliberate and I would say malicious stupidity because it advances a view at a real risk to others.
Why the **&^! don't flu shots fall under "provide for the common good"? Isn't that why we have countries and government and public institutions, to do things at a place and at a time and on a scale that singly we cannot?
Look at the people pushing up the wall of a new barn. Look at the towns building parks and playgrounds. Indeed, look at the whole principle of insurance. I mean, if you want to insure your balls, have at it, find a company, pay the fee. But should you have to rely on seeking individual insurance for a flu shot?
When risk of just litigation obstructs the path of the common good, the state must step in or the state should just go away and let some other needed office take its place. Did someone pollute some ground? Maybe? We don't know, but there is a risk: well, let the state absorb the risk and let the state, in a separate action, attempt to recover just costs from the polluter, IF there is a case, and not merely deep pockets (current law basically says that IF you have the money, even though you were just a teeny weeny bit involved, well, you can be totally liable. Not guilty mind you, just liable. How stupid is that!
When a person in an official position acts in a way that is deliberately stupid, ie, it is absolutely clear that a thinking person knows better (eg, do you put your hand in boiling water), then that person should be taken out to the woodshed.
Or, as Lewis Black would say, taken out for an afternoon of electroshock, just to get them back on track. Just to get them back on track.

Why I believe in our president

[From [with alteration] Daily Kos Blog]
With the election fast approaching, I've been re-examining my feelings about our president. And though I know some TCAers will be disturbed, I have concluded that I believe President Bush -- and I believe in him.

Bush makes mistakes right up there with the greatest!

From the Wall Street Journal:
"The truth is that war is nearly always a trial-and-error business in which bad decisions and failure tend to precede good ones--and victory.
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln hired, then cashiered, Generals Scott, McClellan, Burnside, Hooker and Meade before settling on Grant. That took about two years, during which the catastrophes of Bull Run (Union casualties: 2,896), Fredricksburg (13,353) and Chancellorsville (18,400) intervened. How's that for poor Presidential personnel choices leading to unnecessary loss of life?"
No doubt. But it is the success column that is rather shabby. That's the part you're supposed to look at.
This is, alas, another example of how the GOP brings out the worst of us, in word and deed. And don't forget how we slaughtered the Indians. Lynched the black people. And under Bush, carry those great "traditions" right into 21st century.
By the way, bad decisions and failure tends to preceed defeat. But damn me for the pessimist I am, eh?

The New Yorker Endorses John Kerry

The New Yorker has never endorsed a presidential candidate before. They must feel it pretty important to get rid of Bushy.

BTW- I voted today. Got to use a Diebold machine - it was a pleasant experience.

The Next "Brooks Brothers" Riot

Seems the Bush team is preparing the way for their next election tactic. Here's something from the Bush camp:

Welcome to the 72 Hour Task Force! We are excited to introduce you to this innovative and winning approach to putting people back in politics. Following the great grassroots success of the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign, the 72 Hour Task Force was launched to explore the incredible potential of strategic grassroots campaigning to get-out-the-vote. [emphasis mine]

Remember back to Florida 2000 and the mêlée [bottom of page] that broke out that stopped a vote recount in Miami. Seems this “innovative and winning approach” may be needed again.

More: Brooks Brothers Riot

Maybe May Be Our Best Hope

Over at Burst Transmission there is an interesting conversation about what reality is.

Maybe that is what is going on in the Bush administration as they do their darndest to re-shape reality as we see on Talking Points Memo where Josh Marshall reveals that…

On Good Morning America, President Bush pushes the idea of a pre-election or an election day terrorist attack: "I am worried about it and we should be worried about it. On the other hand, I don't want people to say, that he knows something I don't know and therefore, something is imminent."

My guess is that is a cover for the LATEST disastrous incompetence of the administrations in not securing and losing in Iraq 380 tons of the most powerful non-nuclear explosives on the planet (seems oil was more important, but wasn’t the war about weapons?)

Maybe that’s why over at White House Briefing they are beginning to see the end (hopefully?)

At the same time, there are some signs that the grim realities on the ground -- in Iraq, in a slew of last-minute newspaper stories, and in battleground states -- may finally be grinding down the Bush campaign's optimism.

In the Gibson interview, Bush said he's not thinking about losing.

"I'm not there yet," he said.

But what does he mean, "yet"? Was it just an innocent slip, or a glimpse into his private thinking?

"That's not me," he said. "I believe we're going to win and I'm campaigning as if we are going to win."

As if?

Maybe that is why Rasmussen Reports that their...

Presidential Tracking Poll shows Senator John Kerry with 48% of the vote and President George W. Bush with 46%.

This is the first time Senator Kerry has held the lead since August 23. The 48.4% for Kerry is the Senator's highest total since August 17.

Army to Let Halliburton Keep Iraq Payment

Comments anyone?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Army is laying the groundwork to let Halliburton Co. keep several billion dollars paid for work in Iraq that Pentagon auditors say is questionable or unsupported by proper documentation, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

According to Pentagon documents reviewed by the Journal, the Army has acknowledged that the Houston-based company might never be able to account properly for some of its work, which has been probed amid accusations that Halliburton's Kellogg Brown & Root unit overbilled the government for some operations in Iraq.

Bush and Harvard

"One of the most refreshing things about President Bush is his immunity from intellectual intimidation. More than his decision to go to war in Iraq, more than the religious values I share with him (though I do not share his religion), I appreciate that, though he has to struggle for language, he expresses unapologetically his commitment to the strength of our nation. By contrast, through their opposition to the military, my clever colleagues have done everything they could to make America indefensible."
Interesting: immunity from intellectual intimidation. And that he has to "struggle for language" (I, Claudius?) These are very novel and I think useful characterizations: one a strength, the other a call to listen to what a man is trying to say. As it applies to Bush? Ummmm,.... no.
Choosing to go to war is not refreshing. And getting direction and approval from god is not a "religious value".

Campaigns fail to focus on energy

I wonder why this is.
"Kerry promises "energy independence from the Middle East in 10 years," yet he has not detailed how he would bring about such a colossal shift in the way America gets its energy in such a short period of time."
See, but this sort of crap pisses me off: no detailed plan? Like, who wants to know? Yeah, he has a plan, a coherent plan, but "detailed"? Just what is that supposed to mean? Does it mean he doesn't have oil production figures for 2004-2012, MTBH reduction % for those years, average ethanol consumption, number solar plans that come on line by year?
Geez Louise!

Ohio Court: Provisional Ballots Cast Outside Voter's Home Precinct Not Valid (washingtonpost.com)

"The ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supports an order issued by Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell. Democrats contend the Republican official's rules are too restrictive and allege they are intended to suppress the vote."
I don't think so. Get to your polling place. Think, vote clearly, ask questions. I don't think that's too much to ask. I mean, pretty soon we'll want to vote through the EZ pass lane in toll booth.
The point was made on NOW last Friday and times before: democrats ask for too much and take too much shit (like not telling the church to stuff it on the Kerry/choice position): that does NOT look like a party that will support you. for one thing, they are too busy supporting the people that seem totally unable to stand for themselves, leaving no time to support people what are working hard. For another, if they cannot stand up for their own party, how are they going to stand of for, there it is again, people who are working hard.
Democrats ought to be called to work hard and kick ass. Too much namby pamby to much of the time.

"Absolute Garbage"

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo reveals the latest Bush/Cheney lie...

[Talking Points Memo]
Last night when discussing the White House's truth-bending revisionism on Tora Bora, I wrote that I had been "pretty skeptical of the Bush team's revisionism on this count since the outlines of the Kerry critique have been a commonplace in national security and counter-terrorism circles for literally years."

You'll remember that what I'm referring to here as 'Kerry's critique' is the charge that the US let bin Laden get away at Tora Bora because we 'outsourced' the job to local warlords and militiaman. The Bush campaign is now calling that a lie. Dick Cheney says it's "absolute garbage" and the campaign has enlisted retired general and now Bush surrogate Tommy Franks to help back their case.

Look at the lede of this Washington Post article from April 17, 2002 ...

The Bush administration has concluded that Osama bin Laden was present during the battle for Tora Bora late last year and that failure to commit U.S. ground troops to hunt him was its gravest error in the war against al Qaeda, according to civilian and military officials with first-hand knowledge.

[/Talking Points Memo]

Why is it the "left" that is accused of revisionist histroy?

Big G.O.P. Bid to Challenge Voters at Polls in Key State

"Republican Party officials in Ohio took formal steps yesterday to place thousands of recruits inside polling places on Election Day to challenge the qualifications of voters they suspect are not eligible to cast ballots."
Thousands? to "challenge"? Whoa!
Hey, I got your "challenge" right here.
Sounds like a state-wide Irish brawl in the making.
I was wondering how the revolution would start.
This might be a "must see".
This might be the "Woodstock" of the 21st century!
I wonder what the 2nd amendment rights are like in Ohio.

American Airlines Warns About Big Layoffs

"Word of the cuts came two days after American reported a $214 million third-quarter loss, and said that it expected a 'significantly wider' fourth-quarter loss. The airline blamed rising jet fuel prices, which have jumped more than 50 percent in the last year, as well as the impact of hurricanes on its operations in Florida and the Caribbean."
The Bush energy policy is indeed just that: a Bush policy. Oh, you thought that it was an energy policy for the country! Ha ha ha!

Bush Supporters Out To Lunch

Here is part of the analysis from a report of a poll conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes. I take an interesting part from the report for its applicability here in the blog but the rest of the analysis is worth reading where they try to explain the roots of the resistance to Bush unfriendly information due to a "bond" that was formed in the aftermath of 9/11.

Analysis
It is normal during elections for supporters of presidential candidates to have fundamental disagreements about values (such as the proper role of the government) or strategies (such as how best to defend US interests). As we have seen, the current election is unique in that Bush supporters and Kerry supporters have profoundly different perceptions of reality. So why is this the case? And, more specifically, why are Bush supporters holding so clinging so tightly to beliefs that have been so visibly refuted? As discussed, one key possible explanation for why Bush supporters continue to believe that Iraq had WMD or a major WMD program, and supported al Qaeda is that they continue to hear the Bush administration confirming these beliefs.

Another possible explanation is that Bush supporters cling to these beliefs because they are necessary for their support for the decision to go to war with Iraq. Asked whether the US should have gone to war with Iraq if US intelligence had concluded that Iraq was not making WMD or providing support to al Qaeda, 58% of Bush supporters said the US should not have, and 61% assume that in this case the president would not have. To support the president and to accept that he took the US to war based on mistaken assumptions is difficult to bear, especially in light of the continuing costs in terms of lives and money. Apparently, to avoid this cognitive dissonance, Bush supporters suppress awareness of unsettling information.

This tendency of Bush supporters to ignore dissonant information extends to their perceptions of world public opinion. Despite an abundance of evidence that world public opinion has opposed the US going to war with Iraq, only 31% of Bush supporters are aware that this is the case, and only 9% are aware that Kerry is a more popular candidate than Bush in world public opinion.

Finally, Bush supporters also frequently misperceive their candidate’s foreign policy positions. In particular they tend to assume that he supports more pro-multilateral positions than he, in fact, does. In all cases, there is a recurring theme: majorities of Bush supporters favor these positions they impute to Bush. They have trouble believing that Bush does not favor them too.

Pity the poor Catholic

John Kerry just will not do what the pope says. Hey John, how about not being catholic, and tell the pope to shove it?

"On Oct. 5, a committee of European Parliament members voted to oppose Italy's nomination of Rocco Buttiglione, a Christian Democrat, to be the European Union's justice commissioner. During a hearing before the Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee, he had labeled homosexuality a sin and asserted that the family exists so a woman can raise children under a man's protection. Buttiglione is a friend of Pope John Paul II and various high-ranking Vatican officials.
'It looks like a new Inquisition. It is a lay Inquisition, but it is so nasty,' Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican's Council for Justice and Peace, told reporters this week in response to the dispute. 'You can freely insult and attack Catholics and nobody will say anything. If you do so for other confessions, let's see what would happen.' [ed: how funny is that?]
The controversy was new proof of the heat of a long debate in Europe over issues of women's equality in the workplace, gay marriage, abortion, scientific research using human embryos and separation of church and state.
Such debates are also intense in the United States, where the Vatican has waged a campaign against abortion, advising U.S. bishops on the inadmissibility of giving Communion to Catholic politicians who persist in supporting abortion rights. It did not specify names, but some bishops in the United States have said they would not administer the sacrament to Sen. John F. Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate"

---

See, I think the democrats ought to tell the vatican to get out of politics or be taxed, right now.

Columnists in the Washington Post

broder on electoral college considerations
cohen on nonsense
wills on voter responsibility
This is why the post beats the NY Times...
broder examines the electoral college, thoughtfully
cohen suggests that O'Reilly's "victim" is really no victim
wills suggests that voters are not "disenfranchised" by every single thing.
This in interesting and thoughtful writing, methinks.

On the Trail: In Bush's Vision, a Mission to Spread Power of Liberty

Oh shit: it's a crusade.
It really is a crusade: George Bush is bringing god's freedom to the world: it's the Christian thing to do.

Freeway Free Speech Day Pictures Page 1

Freeway Free Speech Day Pictures Page 1

Bush Relatives for Kerry

"Bush Relatives for Kerry" grew out of a series of conversations that took place between a group of people that have two things in common: they are all related to George Walker Bush, and they are all voting for John Kerry. As the election approaches, we feel it is our responsibility to speak out about why we are voting for John Kerry, and to do our small part to help America heal from the sickness it has suffered since George Bush was appointed President in 2000. We invite you to read our stories, and please, don't vote for our cousin!

The Coming Conflict

Well with such an over wrought title as that how can I follow up with facts to bring it home. Well there is an interesting article in the NYTimes magazine about the "Messianic" president. "He truly believes he's on a mission from God."

Bruce Bartlett, a domestic policy adviser to Ronald Reagan and a treasury official for the first President Bush, told me recently that ''if Bush wins, there will be a civil war in the Republican Party starting on Nov. 3.'' The nature of that conflict, as Bartlett sees it? Essentially, the same as the one raging across much of the world: a battle between modernists and fundamentalists, pragmatists and true believers, reason and religion.

In that article you learn some wonderful little niggling facts that the Republicans are not showing in their advertising like:

Joe Biden was telling a story, a story about the president. ''I was in the Oval Office a few months after we swept into Baghdad,'' he began, ''and I was telling the president of my many concerns'' -- concerns about growing problems winning the peace, the explosive mix of Shiite and Sunni, the disbanding of the Iraqi Army and problems securing the oil fields. Bush, Biden recalled, just looked at him, unflappably sure that the United States was on the right course and that all was well. '''Mr. President,' I finally said, 'How can you be so sure when you know you don't know the facts?'''

Biden said that Bush stood up and put his hand on the senator's shoulder. ''My instincts,'' he said. ''My instincts.''

Biden paused and shook his head, recalling it all as the room grew quiet. ''I said, 'Mr. President, your instincts aren't good enough!'''

But you see the problem is not theirs, it is ours. You see the problem you and I have is that we live in the "reality-based community". If you respond, well yeah, well then you still don't get it. Let's turn to Ron Suskind in the NYTimes magazine to explain his encounter with a senior adviser to Bush to explain it:

In the summer of 2002, after I had written an article in Esquire that the White House didn't like about Bush's former communications director, Karen Hughes, I had a meeting with a senior adviser to Bush. He expressed the White House's displeasure, and then he told me something that at the time I didn't fully comprehend -- but which I now believe gets to the very heart of the Bush presidency.

The aide said that guys like me were ''in what we call the reality-based community,'' which he defined as people who ''believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.'' I nodded and murmured something about enlightenment principles and empiricism. He cut me off. ''That's not the way the world really works anymore,'' he continued. ''We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.''

A look at lawsuits, voting problems and other ballot issues around the country

Hey. First we have to stop the evil ones. Then we can worry about this prissy voting shit. I mean, where the hell are their priorities.
Consider, it's such a close election and we need Bush anyway, so as long as Bush wins, lets not worry about the voting. On the other hand, if Bush looses, why, we could just stop this government right in its tracks.
Then we're ALL gonna be NRA members ;-)

IDEAlog.us - Video of Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan: Don't Trust Bush on the Draft!

You gotta see this. You gotta. And then write to Tim Ryan and thank him. And probably send him some money: he's out of a job if Bush wins.

Bush the mis-leader: Flu vaccine? Not MY fault!

Bush always has a reason, and excuse. If Americans had any concept of management, they would not accept excuses in place of results.
Flu vaccine, weapons, economy: Bush has an excuse.
"It's getting better." (better than what? certainly NOT better than it was when he got it.)
Bush is the Alfred E. Newman of presidents.
Alfred E. Newman: "What, me worry?"
George Bush: "It's not my fault".
or maybe, Bart Simpson? "I didn't do it"

Two Republican-Oriented Newspapers Refuse to Back Bush

From CapHillBlue

In a break with tradition, The Tampa Tribune, a Republican standard-bearer for decades, refused Sunday to endorse anyone for president for the first time since 1964.

The Tribune became the second GOP-oriented daily to balk at endorsing the Republican incumbent. The Winston Salem Journal also refused to endorse either candidate.

Singling Out Mary Cheney Wrong, Most Say (!)

Nonsense. Cheneys daughter is a lesbian.
Shit, even Seinfeld said "not that there is anything wrong with that".
Just as Kerry can be Cathollic and be pro choice, Cheney can have a gay daughter he loves dearly and oppose gay marriage.
I'n not particulary in favor of people who stake out nationial policy decisions based on their own personal experiences or beliefs*, so I would not like to see a person do a 180 turn on some personal experience and change 65 years of beliefs in an instance. That doesn't show compasion, it merely exposes 65 years of a lack of imagination and that systemic failure has not been remedied.
*eg., like, ummm, invading a country

Jon Stewart says: Please! Stop hurting America!

Great new book, but Jon doesn't plug it.
Here is an honest man.

Bush leads Kerry as "strong leader"...

...but trails Putin significantly.
(pollsters are really a bunch of yutzes)

Ohio Republicans Reenact Watergate?

A tip o' the pen to Rising Hegemon blog:

The Lucas County Democratic Headquarters was burglarized overnight, and three computers, including the party’s main system, were stolen.

The computers contained highly sensitive information, including the party’s financial information, names and personal phone numbers of hundreds of party members, candidates, and volunteers.

The computers also stored e-mails from candidates that included discussion about campaign strategy.

A second computer, belonging to an attorney-volunteer working to ensure voters’ rights, also was taken, officials said. The headquarters on 1817 Madison Avenue does have an alarm system that volunteers believed they set late Monday when they left.

However, it apparently wasn’t tripped during the night. Workers arriving about 7:30 a.m. yesterday noticed the back window had been shattered and called police.

Grand Old Plutocracy

The party of internal rot starts showing some signs.

A tip o' the pen to Talking Points Memo for these gems:

Bush's New England Campaign Chief Resigns

Six people connected with the South Dakota republican party have resigned over questions surrounding absentee ballot applications.

President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, testified Friday before a federal grand jury trying to determine who leaked the name of an undercover CIA officer.

One of Karl's little tricks?

frontline: the choice 2004 - explore this link

frontline: the choice 2004: interviews: david frum | PBS:

"How evident was the religious current in the White House? You recall, I think, the first words you heard.

Yes. The first words -- obviously it's sort of funny -- but just by coincidence the first words I heard as I stepped over the threshold for the first time, on my way to the breakfast where they make the decision whether to hire me or not, were 'Missed you at Bible study.' Not directed to me, but to the man I was with, who had supposed to be at it.
The religious influence was strongest in sort of the mid-level of the staff. You had a lot of very idealist young people and not-so-young people who came from religious backgrounds, for whom evangelical Christianity was the natural idiom of their lives. Maybe other White Houses had been full of economists, and this one was full of people for whom faith was the way they understood the world.
But you can get the wrong idea from that, because evangelical America is a pretty diverse place, too. There are a lot of different political strains. Evangelical religion can point you to a lot of very different kinds of political answers."

And also, The Jesus Factor This transcript is drawn from two interviews conducted on Oct. 30, 2003 and Jan. 8, 2004

The Stench of Things to Come

If this year stays true to past form, the campaign will get nastier in the closing weeks, and without anyone's quite registering it, Rove will be right back in his element. He seems to understand-indeed, to count on-the media's unwillingness or inability, whether from squeamishness, laziness, or professional caution, ever to give a full estimate of him or his work. It is ultimately not just Rove's skill but his character that allows him to perform on an entirely different plane. Along with remarkable strategic skills, he has both an understanding of the media's unstated self-limitations and a willingness to fight in territory where conscience forbids most others.

Thomas Friedman: Addicted to 9/11. We need an America that is not afraid.

Ah it's a bright day. You can even see a little bit of Friedman's head shining out from inside his ass. Maybe he'll take it all the way out? Nah.
9/11 didn't change anything. July 4th did.

Viva America

From Capitol Hill Blue's "The Rant"

When adherence to a political position replaces loyalty to your country and party dogma replaces the Constitution, it is time for a change.

I’m not talking about changes to a party structure or amendments to a political system but substantial change to a system of government that no longer serves the people. One only has to look at the gridlock in Congress, the absence of truth and honor in the White House and the American public’s deteriorating belief in our elected leadership to know that what we have now ain’t working.

But change – real change – won’t come at the ballot box. We can’t change a thing when our choices are George W. Bush or John F. Kerry. We also can’t change it by throwing our votes away on Ralph Nader or any other fringe candidate.

Instead, we have to rethink what we – as Americans – must do to save our country.

It took a revolution to create a place called America.

It may take another one to restore it.

Tim Graham on Debate #3 on National Review Online

This is funny. This man thinks that Shieffer was pro Kerry. Pro Kerry/pro Bush or no, he had by far the lamest questions. He was off topic.
See, now, Howard Dean would have nailed his butt for those off topic questions.And for the spin he put on the questions.
And Greenspan? that man is a survivor.
We really do NOT shoot enough of these people in this country. Maybe the end of the assault weapons ban will correct this weakness.

Why conservatives must not vote for Bush

Exceprts from the Salon article mentioned in Donnesburry today.

A Reaganite argues that Bush is a dangerous, profligate, moralizing radical -- and that his reelection would be catastrophic both for the right and for America.

By Doug Bandow

Quite simply, the president, despite his well-choreographed posturing, does not represent traditional conservatism -- a commitment to individual liberty, limited government, constitutional restraint and fiscal responsibility. Rather, Bush routinely puts power before principle. As Chris Vance, chairman of Washington state's Republican Party, told the Economist: "George Bush's record is not that conservative ... There's something there for everyone."

What's more, says former conservative Republican Rep. Bob Barr, "in the midst of the war on terror and $500 billion deficits, [Bush] proposes sending spaceships to Mars."

Unfortunately, even the official spending numbers understate the problem. The Bush administration is pushing military proposals that may understate defense costs by $500 billion over the coming decade. The administration lied about the likely cost of the Medicare drug benefit, which added $8 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Moreover, it declined to include in budget proposals any numbers for maintaining the occupation of Iraq or underwriting the war on terrorism. Those funds will come through supplemental appropriation bills. Never mind that Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz had promised that reconstruction of Iraq could be paid for with Iraqi resources. (Yet, despite the Bush administration's generosity, it could not find the money to expeditiously equip U.S. soldiers in Iraq with body armor.)

Iraq, already in chaos, is no conservative triumph. The endeavor is social engineering on a grand scale, a war of choice launched on erroneous grounds that has turned into a disastrously expensive neocolonial burden.

Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction, contrary to administration claims, and no operational relationship with al-Qaida, contrary to administration insinuations. U.S. officials bungled the occupation, misjudging everything from the financial cost to the troop requirements.

Sadly, the Iraq debacle has undercut the fight against terrorism. The International Institute for Strategic Studies in its most recent study warns that the Iraq occupation has spurred recruiting by smaller terrorist groups around the world. And acting CIA Director John McLaughlin worries that terrorists are plotting "something big" against the United States. For a time the Pentagon considered closing its child care center, lest it become the target of an attack. NRO columnist Goldberg observes that the president's contention that the war in Iraq has made America safer "is absurd." Goldberg backs the war for other reasons, but says it was probably "the risky thing in the short run."

A few conservatives are distressed at what Bush has wrought in Iraq. "Crossfire" host Tucker Carlson said recently: "I think it's a total nightmare and disaster, and I'm ashamed that I went against my own instincts in supporting it." William F. Buckley Jr., longtime National Review editor and columnist, wrote: "With the benefit of minute hindsight, Saddam Hussein wasn't the kind of extra-territorial menace that was assumed by the administration one year ago. If I knew then what I know now about what kind of situation we would be in, I would have opposed the war."

The final conservative redoubt is Bush's admirable personal life. Alas, other characteristics of his seem less well suited to the presidency. By his own admission he doesn't do nuance and doesn't read. He doesn't appear to reflect on his actions and seems unable to concede even the slightest mistake. Nor is he willing to hold anyone else responsible for anything. It is a damning combination. John Kerry may flip-flop, but at least he realizes that circumstances change and sometimes require changed policies. He doesn't cowardly flee at the first mention of accountability.

Some onetime administration supporters have grown disillusioned. Sullivan observes: "To have humiliated the United States by presenting false and misleading intelligence and then to have allowed something like Abu Ghraib to happen ... is unforgivable. By refusing to hold anyone accountable, the president has also shown he is not really in control. We are at war; and our war leaders have given the enemy their biggest propaganda coup imaginable, while refusing to acknowledge their own palpable errors and misjudgments."

Those who still believe in Bush have tried to play up comparisons with Ronald Reagan, but I knew Reagan and he was no George W. Bush. It's not just that Reagan read widely, thought deeply about issues and wrote prolifically. He really believed in the primacy of individual liberty and of limited, constitutional government.

Although anecdotal evidence of conservative disaffection with Bush is common -- for instance, my Pentagon employee neighbor, a business lobbyist friend, even my retired career Air Force father -- for many the thought of voting for John Kerry remains simply too horrific to contemplate. And this dissatisfaction has yet to show up in polls. Fear of Kerry, more than love of Bush, holds many conservatives behind the GOP.

Yet serious conservatives must fear for the country if Bush is reelected. Is Kerry really likely to initiate more unnecessary wars, threaten more civil liberties and waste more tax dollars? In any case, there are other choices (e.g., the Libertarian Party's Michael Badnarik, the Constitution Party's Michael Peroutka and even Independent Ralph Nader).

Serious conservatives should deny their votes to Bush. "When it comes to choosing a president, results matter," the president says. So true. A Kerry victory would likely be bad for the cause of individual liberty and limited government. But based on the results of his presidency, a Bush victory would be catastrophic. Conservatives should choose principle over power.

About the writer
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He served as a special assistant to President Reagan and was a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

More on the Bubble President II

The wired President? Seems more evidence says yes.

Salon.com now has a technical expert backing up its story that Bush was wired fpr the first debate. He says the large size of the box is due to its cryptographic capabilities. I don't know, but from my own photo taken from the debate tape it seems Bush has something under his jacket and his campaign has stated that he was not wearing a bulletproof vest.

Voter Registrations of Democrats Possibly Trashed

From the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas ...

(Oct. 12) -- Employees of a private voter registration company allege that hundreds, perhaps thousands of voters who may think they are registered will be rudely surprised on election day. The company claims hundreds of registration forms were thrown in the trash.

Anyone who has recently registered or re-registered to vote outside a mall or grocery store or even government building may be affected.

The I-Team has obtained information about an alleged widespread pattern of potential registration fraud aimed at democrats. Thee focus of the story is a private registration company called Voters Outreach of America, AKA America Votes.

The out-of-state firm has been in Las Vegas for the past few months, registering voters. It employed up to 300 part-time workers and collected hundreds of registrations per day, but former employees of the company say that Voters Outreach of America only wanted Republican registrations.

Insurgent Alliance Is Fraying In Fallujah (washingtonpost.com)

This article says the Iraqi insurgents want the foreign "helpers" out.
This makes sense. One has to wonder why this logic still evades the Palestinians: the people fighting "on your side" from within your country are NOT "on your side": they have their own agenda.

2 Mavericks in Economics Awarded Nobel Prize

An American and a Norwegian economist were awarded the Nobel in economics yesterday for their efforts to demonstrate that innovative technologies and shocks, like a sharp increase in oil prices, play a much greater role in causing booms and recessions than fluctuations in demand.....
There was one catch in their work that has riled a faction of the economics profession. The Prescott-Kydland finding assumed that demand was always at a high level. Everyone who wanted to work did so at the prevailing wage and all production could be sold at the existing market price.
oops. Too many prizes, too few contestants.

Boycott Sinclair Broadcast Group's Advertisers

[Talking Points Memo]
A brief follow-up on contacting advertisers. I'm already getting reports from the field that many Sinclair advertisers are starting to communicate their concern to Sinclair. If you don't live anywhere near a Sinclair station then by all means make your concerns known to their national advertisers. But from knowledgable folks I talk to, I get the strong impression that the real point of vulnerability are the local advertisers. So if you live in or really anywhere near a Sinclair market that's definitely where to focus.
[/Talking Points Memo]

NOTE: Many of these advertisers are ON OUR SIDE - don't be an asshole when you call/write them.

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Television: TV Group to Show Anti- Kerry Film on 62 Stations

Free press? Nope. Bought and paid for.
Americans, scared and herded like sheep: no time to think, must hide, must be safe.
"People who choose safety over freedom will get neither"

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Religion: Group of Bishops Using Influence to Oppose Kerry

Not sure what to say here, but it wouldn't be nice.

Secret Agent Man

So what was all that stuff from Bush about Dred Scott in the debate? Turns out it was a code word for the abortion debate. This from the Paperwight's Fair Shot blog:

October 09, 2004
Dred Scott = Roe v. Wade

Some people seem to be a bit boggled by Bush's Dred Scott remark last night. It wasn't about racism or slavery, or just Bush's natural incoherence. Here's what Bush actually said:

If elected to another term, I promise that I will nominate Supreme Court Justices who will overturn Roe v. Wade.

Bush couldn't say that in plain language, because it would freak out every moderate swing voter in the country, but he can say it in code, to make sure that his base will turn out for him. Anti-choice advocates have been comparing Roe v. Wade with Dred Scott v. Sandford for some time now. There is a constant drumbeat on the religious right to compare the contemporary culture war over abortion with the 19th century fight over slavery, with the anti-choicers cast in the role of the abolitionists.

[...]

To me, no matter how one comes down on the issue of abortion, this is a CLEAR indication of Bush and company's inability to be forthright and honest with THE PEOPLE. By Jove man, if you take a tough stand, SAY IT. Don't hide behind code words you STINKING COWARD!

US's Snow-Jobs likely to rebound after hurricanes

Someone had fun with this headline. These numbers are snow-jobs. An honest headline for a change. "That darn hurricane was to blame!"

How you can break Murphy's Law (October 8, 2004)

Do the math. It's just math. It's all math.

Is Bush Wired?: Earwig and the Angry Bush

I don't know what it is. But there is something there.
Only Bush and the GOP could change the subject on that one: Hey, look! There's Osama!

The troops do NOT support the war.

For Marines, a Frustrating Fight (washingtonpost.com)
Who DOES support the war? You? Well, suit up, there's an opening for you.

The Bush Informercial

Newspapers label advertising as such. TV does not.
None of the so called public appearences of Bush have been public: they are all private, they are all by approval only.
It's an infomercial, and they should say so.

Authorization for War

The authorization for war had this clause.

(b) Presidential Determination.--In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon thereafter as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that--

(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either
(A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or
(B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq

Thus Kerry did not vote FOR the Iraq War but for the Iraq War pursuant to clause B. Now, with what we know, clause B would have prevented the war. That clasue B was not respected is Bush's responsibility.

More on the Bubble President

Salon.com reports that Bush had a radio receiver taped to his back during the first debate so he could receive messages via a tiny hearing-aid-like device in his ear. They back this up with a photo. I have no way of verifying the story, but the Commission on Presidential Debates has verified that one of the rules of engagement the Bush campaign insisted on was no camera shots of the candidates from behind (which one of the pool cameras did anyway). This story is either investigative journalism at its best or wishful thinking. If you are not a Salon.com subscriber, you have to sign up for a free day pass to read the full story. [http://www.electoral-vote.com/]

Could it be?

Mayhem in Gaza

Why not ask the UN to occupy Gaza. Is Arafat really any better than Saddam? He hides among his people, kills Israelis, and draws fire which get his people killed.

Ten Ways to Beat George W. Bush -- Main Story Archive - Nader for President 2004 - www.votenader.org

Thank you, Ralph Nader. Better late than never. Better. And still way not enough. Maybe after the election you'll support Kerry?

HERE is how its done!

On this page you can actually see and hear the speeches that Ralph Nader has given.
You CANNOT see this kind of simple presentation of Kerry, of Edwards, of Dean, of any of the once were candidates and now are.
THIS is how it is done.

How nuts is that?

Bush leads Kerry. I mean, even if you really really didn't like Kerry, can you really vote for Bush? Could this be, ummm, Christian? BTW, you can google for real estate in Canada really easy. And lots of other places. Who needs this?

Non-headline of the Year

Here's my vote

Conspiracy Theories Flourish on the Internet

The New York Times > International > Middle East > Rebuilding: Japan's Troops Proceed in Iraq Without Shot Fired

Here's how the allies do it!
I don't see how Bush has the balls to show up at the Friday debates.
Oh, yeah: he doesn't read the papers.

DICK CHENEY IS A BIG FAT LIAR. I said it.

John Edwards and Dick Cheney at the Feb 1, 2001 National Prayer Breakfast.

He is kind of silly too. Factcheck.com, mentioned by Cheney during the debate,
actually links to http://www.georgesoros.com and the headline "Why we must not re-elect president Bush"

The Global Economy

Trade, money, jobs, disease, snakeheads...
Sometimes what you need is a fence, a door, something.
Copyright: Snakehead Global Trading, LLC.

The Great Success of Afghan Democracy!

Except for the possibility of voter fraud.

On 17 August, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan reported to the Security Council that the high rate of voter registration - more than 9.9m already enrolled - showed the political isolation of groups responsible for violence.

Men registering for Afghan elections

A disproportionate number of men have registered in some areas
What he did not mention was that the number registered already exceeds the estimated total of eligible voters for the whole country.

Dick Cheney is not a Nazi

Even though the Nazis were known for their lies and deceits, even though they were known for their use of fear to gain and hold power, I must still insist that I have never once said or even suggested the Cheney was evil incarnate nor have I said that this administration from Bush and Cheney on down is neo-Nazi.

Cheney Quotes:

In invading Iraq we had "struck a major blow right at the heart of the base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11."
Meet The Press Sep. 14, 2003

"I have not suggested there's a connection between Iraq and 9/11."
Vice Presidential Debate Oct. 5, 2004

Report Discounts Iraqi Arms Threat (washingtonpost.com)

"Saddam had desire, lots and lots of desire. You can't let people go around with that kind of desire. You know where I stand. It's hard work," said Bush. "If I knew new then what I know now I would still do it. I don't go by polls and I don't buy into this information and details thing: you know where I stand, and I do too, and I'll do what I think is right, every time, and there is no way that I could be swayed from that purpose."
"Saddam had desire. That's good enough for me. I have to protect this country, that's my job, to protect Americans. Against evil, against WMD and all sorts of desire to do evil. If you are a terrorist, or you harbor them or you have that kind of desire, it's the same thing."

Economist.com | Lexington

"The Republicans are becoming the party of committed Christians, the Democrats that of committed secularists."

Like I was saying, this is what has become of our two party system: Theocracy vs. Democracy. Blind faith seems to be the only explanation for how someone like George Bush could ever be considered for high office.

Dear Mike, Iraq sucks

Civilian contractors are fleecing taxpayers; US troops don't have proper equipment; and supposedly liberated Iraqis hate them. After the release of Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore received a flood of letters and emails from disillusioned and angry American soldiers serving in Iraq. Here, in an exclusive extract from his new book, we print a selection

Endorsement from Bush's hometown newspaper

"Kerry Will Restore American Dignity"

George W. Bush, Faith In the White House

This is good news? I wonder what they think Bush is in the Muslim world. Maybe an American version of a grand mullah? (Can you say MOOO-LA?) How about a "Radical Cleric"?

Bush is leading a pack of lies...

"details have emerged showing the U.S. government and a representative of President Bush's reelection campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi."
From the When you are willing to win your way at all costs, there is a very very very big bill waiting dept.

Heeeeere's the coalition!

While the invasion and occupation of Iraq has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $144 billion, the rest of the world has provided a disappointing $1.3 billion for Iraq's reconstruction (more than half of that coming from just two countries - Britain and Japan).
From the Hey Bush! I got your coalition right here! dept.

Despotism in New London (washingtonpost.com)

Eminent domain exercised for government desired private use is state capitalism, also known as fascism. By Karl Marx, it was identified as international capitalism.
Coming to a place near you. Oops: already here.
Will asks, can we do it? Answ: absolutely yes, IF you lean toward fascism.
Note well, that fascism is a lot more than war and burning Jews: it is a moral philosophy of purity, beliefs and behaviour, a belief that safety comes from the strength and power of the state and its military strength.
Sounding a little more familiar now? It is a temptation hard to resist if you are white, Christian, reasonably well off, and
reasonably healthy: clearly, you are the last in line for any ill that will befall the others. Not that they don't deserve it, right?
(Heads-up on this article courtesy of Kaisa Johnson)

FBI Backlogged in Translation of Counterterrorism Wiretaps (washingtonpost.com)

Listening to every single word? Doesn't that sort of step on God's territory?

Falwell says evangelical Christians now in control of Republican Party.

We knew this already, but I can't stand the way they brag about it. They seriously love and see nothing wrong with the idea of their church controlling our government! I respect the Christian faith, but these people are a pain in the ass. Keep your religious beliefs out of government already!

Who has a plan to rid ourselves of these anti-American lunatics?

Change the Iraq Conversation

"The reason so many still support our present action in Iraq may be as simple as this: There's no other anti-terrorist activity in play. This leads to a sort of willful illogic: We must support what's happening in Iraq, even though we believe it isn't helping and may even be making us more vulnerable to terrorist attack, because otherwise we'd be doing nothing about terrorism."
Hmmmm.

Flash mobs! A new threat :-)

See, if you can't deal with people, if PEOPLE are your problem, well, yeah, you're in trouble.
And "Good. Very, very good!" sez I!
Yeah for the people!

The housing bubble

Yep. It has happened before, it will happen again, it is happening now: new buyers simply cannot get into the market, and the housing market, like the stock market, consists of a smaller and smaller base bidding up their own wealth among each other.
At some point, the people at the top slow down or stop, and the ponzi game is over.
Stocks get properly valued, and so must houses. To paraphrase Tiny Tim, "and so must we all be properly valued, every one of us."
Australia has the dubious distinction of being the leader, with a 13% annualized decline in housing prices.

Al Qaeda wants Kerry

GMB opinion:
Makes sense to me. Any defeat of one's adversary is a win. (The enemy of my enemy is my friend, that sort of stuff)
How could Kerry change that?

Well he could say:
The war on terror is going MUCH too slowly!
Iraq MUST come on line immeidiately: we call on ALL the middle eastern nations to help their brothers
We NEED the international forces immediately,
We must be prepared for an outbreak of attacks internationally,
We must launch a very agressive plan to establish a new and lasting peace with the Muslim nations.
We will snatch victory from the jaws of defeat!

Elections are a MUST happen: I am committed to holding elections in Iraq: they will be imperfect, but there is much to be learned. We will begin in January. And we set additional dates and meet each one.

As to nuclear weapons, we must convince our neighbors throughout the world that there is no need for such weapons: that all nations are safe. There are far far too many such weapons. Far far too much secrecy about their existence.

As an American citizen, I want George Bush out of there! He is misleading and misrepresenting my country.
As a candidate for the presidency, I wish nothing more than to serve my country, for the honor and the priviledge: there is so very much I owe my country.

Will Kerry say that? I dunno. Maybe he could get Dean to write it for him.

Deja Vu (all over again)

DEJA VU (ALL OVER AGAIN)

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Did you try to read the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I've heard it all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again

Day by day I hear the voices rising
Started with a whisper like it did before
Day by day we count the dead and dying
Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Could your eyes believe the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I've heard it all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again

One by one I see the old ghosts rising
Stumblin' 'cross Big Muddy
Where the light gets dim
Day after day another Momma's crying
She's lost her precious child
To a war that has no end

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Did you stop to read the writing at The Wall
Did that voice inside you say
I've seen this all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again
It's like Deja Vu all over again

John Fogerty
©2004 Cody River Music / ASCAP

Things being a little more complicated

"In Washington, Allawi gave Congress an upbeat assessment Thursday, but the situation in Iraq is more complicated,"

"Large swaths of Iraq remain outside the control of the interim government, major highways are fraught with attackers, and interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi -- along with the U.S. Embassy and much of the international community -- must conduct business in fortified compounds guarded by tanks, blast walls and barbed wire. . . .

Yes, I'd say that having to have one's government behind "fortified compounds guarded by tanks, blast walls and barbed wire" might be an indication that things in Iraq are a little bit "more complicated" than Bush and Allawi are willing to let on. I do believe that what we see in Iraq is exactly the sort of government that Bush and Co. want for America. A government beholden to no one (except the "ruling class"), behind fortified compounds. The question is do we let them build such a government?

Q: Why did Bush invade Iraq instead of Egypt?

A: Because he's already the King of Denial.

More from BushFan.com

Homeland security

Kerry has been whining for a while that we are not doing enough to protect our chemical & nuclear plants and shipping ports. Also, he would like to increase funding for local police departments, fire departments, and first responders. This is a typical liberal solution: throw money at the problem.

President Bush’s solution is far more sophisticated. By not inspecting 95% of the cargo that arrives to our shores, and leaving our chemical & nuclear plants vulnerable, Bush is creating an atmosphere that will give terrorists the false impression that our country is unprotected. When they finally do attack us, their plan will be exposed, and we will be able to retaliate against the people that we suspect collaborated with them.

Kerry also complains about the nuclear stockpiles of former Soviet nations that are unaccounted for, and wants to spend up to $10 billion of American taxpayer’s money to buy those nuclear weapons so that they won’t “fall into the hands of terrorists”.

Rather than spending all this money, Bush prefers to keep these dangerous weapons away from our shores. After all, the main worry is that these nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of terrorists which will then smuggle them into the US. Why do half of the work for them by buying them and storing them here ourselves?

Who are these terrorists in Iraq?

"'If we stop fighting the terrorists in Iraq, they would be free to plot and plan attacks elsewhere, in America and other free nations. To retreat now would betray our mission, our word and our friends.' "
George Bush 9/24/04

Maybe someone can help me understand who he is referring to. I've heard the people we're fighting in Iraq called "Insurgents" and "Terrorists", but mostly it looks like we're fighting angry Iraqi people. If GW decided to invade Canada next week, would we call the angry Canadians shooting at us "Terrorists"?

Here is a picture of some of the "terrorist insurgents" in Iraq:

Blogosphere Finds

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan, asks in his Informed Comment blog:

If America were Iraq, What would it be Like?

Also from Cole's blog this sobering fact:

The war is costing about $1 billion a week.

Are we winning the "war on terror" That's the question asked at the "Terror Debate" blog.

I recently listened to an interview with Steven Flynn on Fresh Air [..] He made the very interesting point that we are spending more every 3 days in Iraq then we have spent in the past 3 years for security at American ports, even though the government has said this is one of the most likely ways for Al Qaeda to attack us with WMD.

Non-political blogs of note:


Here is a blog that I've just fallen in love with. This, I think, is one of the great things about blogs. You get the insight of people that society does not usually allow you to interact with, like in this case an African American woman in L.A.

so, i have a personality disorder.

A tinge of bi-polar Mania...

friday night i went on a date with CRAZYCHRIS and he wasn't the one acting crazy. It was me. I turned into some crazy psycho woman right before my own eyes. i've never felt or sensed those feeling from myself before...i should seek advice from a qualified specialist.

Bush Conspiracy & Truth Center

From bushfan.com

The Truth Center was created to debunk some of the vicious rumors and wacky conspiracy theories regarding the Bush family.

Desperate liberals and other loony Bush haters have resorted to inventing malicious and baseless fantasies about the Bush family being linked to Hitler, Osama bin Laden, John Hinckley Jr., Enron, Halliburton, Savings & Loan and anybody or anything that may tarnish the legacy of the Bush family.

Our team of researches explores these wacky conspiracies and separates fiction from reality!

To boldly cave-in as no one but Bush can.

U.S. says won't bow to kidnappers

With time running out to save a British hostage in Iraq, U.S. officials say they are not about to free female Iraqi prisoners as demanded by an al Qaeda ally whose group has already beheaded two Americans.


Iraqi Officials Say Female Inmate Is to Be Released

Two Iraqi officials said today that the government is planning to release one of two female scientists being held for working on Saddam Hussein's chemical arms program.

Peace Plane

What is the point of the "No Fly" list? Is it to punish people or prevent another suicide hijacking? Because if it is the latter then I don't think that Cat Stevens really poses a risk. If it is the former then we should get rid of it. We shouldn't be punishing people who have not been convicted of anything with restricted movement.

I'm no fan of Yusuf Islam, the new name that Cat Stevens now uses. I do not like religious extremists and he sure is one. He came out in favor of the death threat from the Ayatollah Khomeini against Salman Rushdie. But this administration's restricting travel by diktat is unethical (though, not surprising) and un-American.

I Felt the Earth Move Under My Feet

Could you feel it? The shift, in just the last day. The Kerry comeback has come back. The post GOP hate fest blip is popped; the fetid stink of Bush and Co’s lies beginning to see the purifying light of day. Here are some snippets:

The bible banned
GOP shows desperation in the south.

Oops
"A year from now I'd be surprised if there's not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President Bush."
Richard Perle
September 22, 2003

Poll: 69% of US Jews will vote for John Kerry

The finding represents a remarkable 23 percent drop in American Jewish support for President Bush since last December.

Put Away Your Hankies...a message from Michael Moore


U.S. Troops in Iraq Gather to Watch 'Fahrenheit 9/11'; Anti-Bush sentiment growing

"Nobody I know wants Bush," says an enlisted soldier in Najaf, adding, "This whole war was based on lies." Like several others interviewed, his animosity centered on a belief that the war lacked a clear purpose even as it took a tremendous toll on US troops, many of whom are in Iraq involuntarily under "stop loss" orders that keep them in the service for months beyond their scheduled exit in order to keep units together during deployments.

from http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/
# Kerry has any lead in 20 states with 270 electoral votes.
# Bush has any lead in 29 states with 253 electoral votes.

Iraq: The best we can hope for

Krugman

Now Mr. Bush hopes that by pretending that Mr. Allawi is a real leader of a real government, he can conceal the fact that he has led America into a major strategic defeat.

I Want You

Al-Qaida would back Bush, says UK envoy

AMB. IVOR ROBERTS, BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO ITALY, thought he was off the record when he uttered a controversial truth -- and described George Bush as "the best recruiting sergeant ever for al-Qaida".



Uncle oSAMa Says:
I Want YOU To Invade Iraq

Go ahead. Send me a new generation of recruits. Your bombs will fuel their hatred of America and their desire for revenge. Americans won’t be safe anywhere. Please, attack Iraq. Distract yourself from fighting Al Qaeda. Divide the international community. Go ahead. Destabilize the region. Maybe Pakistan will fall -- we want its nuclear weapons. Give Saddam a reason to strike first. He might draw Israel into a fight. Perfect! So please -- invade Iraq. Make my day.

loud angry agitator

From the article:

Dirk Adams, a protester in Boston who plans to catch a ride with a friend or buy an inexpensive bus ticket, designed a button using the smiling Statue of Liberty from the city's buttons, replacing "peaceful political activist'' with "loud angry agitator."


Dirk's confession:

Friends and family,
I missed this when it originally came out. Some of
you know, I was contacted by journalist Michael Brick
after putting my name on a rideboard associated with
United for Peace and Justice. (I am still waiting for
the FBI to call). Anyhow, he mentioned me and my
response to the "Peaceful Protestor" buttons the city
of New York claimed to be distributing during the RNC.

Here's the text of his article. If anyone has a hard
copy, it would look good in my summer vaction
scrapbook.

Love and peace,
Dirk
__________________________

Blog update: Lack of feature work-around

Matt has added email forwarding. Thanks Matt!

I've made a work around for a feature that Blogger is missing. Comment follow-up. If you join the Yahoo! group that the header for this post is linked to you can have all the comments forwarded to your email box. When you get the email just click on the link and the bottom of the comment and it will take you to the post.

Liberals Will Ban Bibles!!!!!!!!!

Or so says a GOP mailing in W. Va. Well, it could be true!

Doonesbury

Kerry/Edwards Supporters Assault 3-Year-Old Girl (UPDATE: Scam??)

Well a day after having removed Captains Quarters Blog from the list due to comment restrictions I go back to see that they have exposed a staged incident between a "Kerry supporter" and a three year old girl. This is worth reading and kudos to the conservative site for exposing the fraud.

Loyalty Oaths

The Bush/Cheney Oath of Loyalty, 2004
"I, (full name) ... do herby (sic) endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States...In signing the above endorsement you are consenting to use and release of your name by Bush-Cheney as an endorser of President Bush."

The Wehrmacht Oath of Loyalty to Adolf Hitler, 2 August 1934
"I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich, supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be prepared, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath."

Support Our Troops II

GIs decry recruiting tactics

Carson soldiers say they're being strong-armed to re-enlist

By Erin Emery
Denver Post Staff Writer

Colorado Springs - Soldiers from Fort Carson say they are being strong- armed into re-enlisting and are being told that if they don't, they'll be sent to Iraq or Korea, or to another unit headed for Iraq.

Caption Contest # 5 (follow link for story)

Yahoo! News - Bike Lock Can Be Picked With a Pen

DOH!

CPD: CPD Announces Formats for 2004 Debates

This will be a television event to remember. I hope the whole world is watching. Osama will likely be captured on Sept 30th.

First presidential debate:

Thursday, September, 30, 2004
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL

Vice presidential debate:

Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH

Second presidential debate:

Friday, October 8, 2004
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO

Third presidential debate:

Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

New Links on site

Just a note to let y'all know that I've added some new links (and got rid of another) from our "links" section. I trashed "Captains Quarters" not because they are a "conservative site" but because they started restricting posting of comments. I've added some of my favorite political blogs that I've mentioned here TalkingPointsMemo, and the Washington Note as well as a WashPost.com pseudo-blog called White House Briefing. I also added a link to a fun site with some political content as well called BurstTransmission.

Name the October Surprise

I heard about this on Randi Rhoades' Air America radio program yesterday...

I invite readers to submit entries to the "Name the October Surprise" contest by answering this question: "What do you think is a possible October Surprise that Bush will announce in order to try to win a close election?"

Kerry: Bush Presiding Over an 'Excuse Presidency'

Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Wednesday of presiding over an "excuse presidency," challenging Bush's credibility on jobs, the record national deficit and the war in Iraq.

"This president has created more excuses than jobs," Kerry told the Detroit Economic Club. "His is the excuse presidency -- never wrong, never responsible, never to blame. President Bush's desk isn't where the buck stops -- it's where the blame begins."

A Black Eye for CBS News

Ah, they should've been watching Fox.
But, ummm, what about all the other news from CBS??? I guess if they don't get it handed to them in a briefing, well, you just can't be sure.

Racial Profiling

Racial profiling makes very good sense: NOT profiling is stupid.
However, being rude and rough before you know WTF you are doing and to whom? Really stupid! (On the other hand, that WILL guarantee you more hits in future :-)