The Angry Democrat

Political Movers and Shakers in 2007

2006-12-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

Haven't had much to say lately... still enjoying the Dem's sweep, though I'm nervous about their long-term prospects. Here's hoping that they make some moves in 2007 and (knock on wood) avoid shooting themselves in the foot (something they're always good at).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3037980/site/newsweek/

Time To Up The Minimum Wage

2006-10-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

The minimum wage has been a ridiculously low $5.15 since 1997. Coincidentally, this was the same wage I was paid during my first job in the early 90's. At that time mininum wage was approximately $4.75.

While 22 states are pragmatic enough to realize that you can't live on minimum wage. This was too low in 1997 and is even worse now when you consider that fuel costs have basically doubled during that time. Even if you don't own a car or use public transporation, this cost gets passed on to everyone in the form of higher prices on just about everything.

As you are aware, the Bush Administration and many of the "pro-business" (aka anti-worker) Republicans have fought this hike and it wouldn't shock me if Bush used his SECOND veto on such a measure. If that isn't reason enough to kick some GOP ass this fall (and in 2008), I don't know what is.

So, a number of leading economists have stated that a phased minimum wage hike to $7.25 is not only necessary, but would actually be GOOD for our economy. I'm all for it. If this means that I have to pay an extra $0.25 for a Whopper, then so be it. Those people may not be bright, but most are hard working and trying to get by. I know, because I used to be one of them. In an ideal world, the rich exeutives and board members would eat the difference, but that's wishful thinking.

You wonder why unions exist? (another group that the "pro-business" GOP hates) Overwork your employees and pay them an unfair wage and you WILL create the conditions for unionization. Wal-Mart is the most anti-union company on the planet and it's no surprise why. If these companies would learn the lesson that Henry Ford learned, they would be in far better shape: pay people a fair wage, treat them right, and everyone wins.

The reason I'm posting this is because the following paragraph from the article really raised my blood pressure:

Critics of a minimum wage hike have contended a higher minimum wage lead employers to cut jobs or move them offshore. They also say that many minimum wage earners are teenagers working after-school jobs.

This is FLAT OUT the most preposterous thing I have ever read. Name 5 jobs which are typically minimum wage. Here are the first 5 I can think of: fast food worker, cashier, janitor, customer service (sad, but true), school lunch lady. Those are just a few. Now, HOW ON EARTH ARE YOU GOING OUT OUTSOURCE THOSE JOBS? PLEASE... TELL ME?

Maybe these fear mongers are saying that other higher paying jobs will be outsourced. If so, I'd like to know which jobs and, more importantly, why they aren't outsourced already. Do you see where I'm going with this rant?

Raise the minimum wage. It's time.

Letter From Iraq

2006-10-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just stumbled across an article on time.com (the last bastion of true reporting, in my humble opinion). What seperates this article from all others is that it isn't the writing of any-old-journalist, rather, an officer who has multiple tours of duty in Iraq.

The letter is a frank, to-the-point account of a soldier's life in Iraq. From "Coolest Insurgent Act" to "Worst Smell", I finished the article with a far better understanding of what it's like on-the-ground.

A few choice quotes (before I link to the article/letter itself):

Biggest Hassle — High-ranking visitors. More disruptive to work than a rocket attack. VIPs demand briefs and "battlefield" tours (we take them to quiet sections of Fallujah, which is plenty scary for them). Our briefs and commentary seem to have no effect on their preconceived notions of what's going on in Iraq. Their trips allow them to say that they've been to Fallujah, which gives them an unfortunate degree of credibility in perpetuating their fantasies about the insurgency here.
...
Biggest Outrage — Practically anything said by talking heads on TV about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and politically slanted. Biggest Offender: Bill O'Reilly.
...
Best Chuck Norris Moment — 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in a small town to kidnap the mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the Bad Guys put down his machine gun so that he could tie the mayor's hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machine gun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.

READ THE FULL TEXT HERE

Jesus Camp and Why I'm Glad To Be A Democrat

2006-09-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

I know I have neglected this blog for far too long. Fact of the matter is that I have been far too busy to blog, which means that I haven't had the time to be angry. That's not to say certain things haven't ticked me off lately, just not enough that I needed to vent.

After watching the trailer for a documentary called Jesus Camp, I remembered why I'm Glad To Call Myself A Democrat.

The trailer speaks volumes about what's wrong with today's Republican party and why Evangelicals are as dangerous to this country as Islamic radicals. Millions of children are being raised, brainwashed, and trained to be American Jihadis. While they may not be trained in the use of weapons and hand-to-hand combat, they are being trained to hate and ignore facts (like evolution and global warming... oh yeah, Jesus will save us... not). Oh, and they are taught to worship a standee of George W. Bush. If that's not demented, I don't know what is.

After watching the trailer, I wanted to vomit. I'm not kidding. Children are chanting that they are willing to sacrifice their lives for Jesus. Hmmm... what group that that remind me of? You guessed it, the Islamic Facists that kill innocent men, women, children, and soldiers throughout the world.

These are the people who believe in the rapture and that the end is near. The problem is that they are the ones that will make it happen because they believe in the Second Coming. That nuclear war and total destruction will bring about the return of Christ. Funny thing is that the Muslims believe in something similar. So, are we going to see a Jesus vs Mohammed cage match? Doubtful. Logic would indicate that we'd have millions dead and millions more aimlessly roaming the earth suffering...

More clips from the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co1_9lR9EpM

Official site: http://www.jesuscampthemovie.com/

Vomit, indeed.

Return of the Commies

2006-05-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

Screw this "Peaceful Rise" nonsense... the Chinese are doing what they do best: getting their hands on our technology and reverse engineering it for their own gain.

Why else would they have an agent buy a nuclear capable cruise missle with a 2300 mile range and an F-16 engine?

The Chinese and the Russians are quietly ganging up on us, supporting every rogue anti-US regime (including Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, to name a few).

Wake up America!

Shades of 1984: Fed's want convicted hacker's DNA

2006-05-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

You read right.. our wonderful REPUBLICAN government enacted a law 2 years ago requiring persons convicted of ANY crime to submit DNA to a federal database BY BLOOD ONLY.

The hacker went so far as to provide hair and fingernail clippings, but the feds wouldn't budge. Saliva is sufficient for a paternity test, as it is over 99% accurate. Apparently that's not good enough for Uncle Sam.

What's crazy is that this kid was a computer hacker who never did any real damage. His crimes wouldn't leave any genetic evidence, making the point of this escapade all the more insane. Shouldn't we limit this sort of thing to violent criminals... at least the ones who commit rape or multiple violent offenses?

Every since Clinton was president, it's been fashionable to bash Democrats (i'm talking to YOU, Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, Boortz, and the other bloodsuckers out there). One of the things that always cracked me up is that they claim that Democrats are all about "Big Government" and will turn the country into some "Big Brother" police state.

I hate to break it to you conservative assholes, but the Bush Administration and GOP government have made amazing strides these last 6 years... that is, taking major chunks from Orwell's 1984 and making it reality.

It's no wonder Democrats have held a steady double-digit lead in recent opinion polls. (Here are a few reasons why)

BTW: John Conyers Rocks (psst... he's a major reason the GOP is afraid of losing power in 2006/2008)

Study Says Fox News Helped Bush Win The Presidency in 2000

2006-05-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

A recent study by UC Berkeley and Stockholm University indicates that Fox News was able to influence it's audience and alter voting behavior, tipping the scales enough so Bush won the presidency in 2000. Of course, the right-wing trolls will be quick to claim that the study was conducted by "liberal" college professors and holds no weight.

Anyone with a double-digit I.Q. knows that Fox News is a GOP mouthpiece, that they echo Republican Party talking points, and frequently repeat phrases and statements made by White House officials. Heck, they even admitted that they are biased! (FoxNews.com says otherwise)

One of their top "news men" is Sean Hannity who, to the best of my knowledge, has no journalistic credentials whatsoever. The guy was a friggin construction worker who got his start blabbing on local radio. (In case you couldn't tell, I don't think very highly of the guy)

We Report, You Decide? More like: We Distort, You Comply.

Robbins and Dreyfuss slam mainstream media

2006-05-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

The right-wingers call it "liberal media"... I say "whatever." A couple prominent hollywood actors have ripped the media a new one, and rightly so. Rather than paraphrase, I'm going to post both articles below (courtesy of imdb.com):

Robbins Slams Bush "lies"
Oscar-winner Tim Robbins blasted US President George W Bush's invasion of Iraq yesterday, and challenged the American media to stand up and criticize their leader. The 47-year-old made his outspoken comments at a press conference promoting his stage adaptation of George Orwell's classic book 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia - and he drew comparisons between the Republican administration and the prophetic novel. He said, "We have right now a media that is willfully ignoring the high crimes and misdemeanors of the President of the United States. Clinton lied about a blowjob, and got impeached by the media and Congress. Bush got us into (the Iraq) war based on lies that he knew were lies... His war has recruited more al Qaeda members than Osama Bin Laden could ever have dreamed for... yet no one in the media is calling for impeachment. Unfortunately, the book and the play is more relevant now than it ever has been. In my country we seem to be sanctioning renditioning of innocent people without trial ... put them in jail without telling anyone... and torture them out of suspicion of what we think they might do. This is exactly what Orwell was talking about when he spoke of thought crimes." Orwell's novel, first published in 1949, centers around a futuristic society run by a government known as Big Brother, which spies on citizens, and tortures those believed to harbor anti-establishment thoughts.

Dreyfuss Slams Media "Bias"

Veteran actor Richard Dreyfuss has launched a scathing attack on the mainstream media, accusing it of sacrificing accuracy and impartiality for sensationalism and instant gratification. The Jaws star, who is currently studying civics and democracy at the University Of Oxford in England, claims such reporting leads to "shaped news" - completely biased and inaccurate reporting that has an agenda. And he has also expressed alarm that a few big media corporations control most of the news the general public has access to. Dreyfuss, who is a longtime political activist, has also campaigned for peace in the Middle East and lent his support to a campaign calling for the impeachment of US President George W. Bush. He says, "There is no room to pause, no room to think. We don't build into our system of thoughts the need to explain, the media doesn't build that into its transmission of knowledge and information. Information from more than one source is good. I'm totally in favor of it, even if people send propaganda. In the aggregate you can find more truth than in one opinion. The falling Twin Towers (in New York City on September 11th 2001) - pictures that produced anger, a lot of anger that was sent instantly around the world, they created a need to react. People in Kansas could see the Twin Towers fall at exactly the same instant as in Nigeria and Cairo. Such an instantaneous knowledge of a situation leads to an instantaneous reaction which creates demand for an instantaneous, reflexive response. The question is how do you get people to find out more, how do you get people to read not just what they are told to read. You have to encourage prose, analysis and detail - otherwise people will go to war in Iraq and Afghanistan without really knowing why. The 'war on terror' - objection to using this term is dead. It's become part of our vocabulary, but what does it really mean? You should know more specifically what you are fighting. Civics is no longer taught in the US, a sign of a neurosis that is inexplicable. Not to teach civics is suicide. Reason, logic, civility, dissent and debate - five ancient words that should be taught again and better, at elementary level, so that people know the difference between news and shaped news."

The media isn't as liberal as the right-wingers make it out to be... but it still sucks. They focus on whatever the latest fad or gossip is, rather than going after the truth. I guess Americans have just gotten lazy and don't care enough. They seek their own version of "truth" from outlets like Fox News. In other words, they hear what they want to hear, believe what they want to believe, even if the facts contradict those beliefs. It's no wonder the GOP is in bed with the religious right.

White House Caught Lying... AGAIN

2006-04-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Uh oh, looks like the Administration We Love To Hate was caught with their pants down again. Those "Mobile Bio-Weapons Labs" weren't for weapons at all... and the White House KNEW this PRIOR to Bush going on TV telling us otherwise.

This administration continually manipulates (if not outright lies) to push a dangerous agenda and this is further proof. Did you see the 60 Minutes piece about how they muzzle NASA climate scientists who report on Global Warming? Yep, someone in the Administration (who happened to be a lobbiest and works for Exxon) would vet all reports prior to them being released to the public.

It's time to be straight with the american people... it's no wonder Feingold is calling for impeachment.

Further proof that Bush is not only The Worst President Ever, but how he is easily manipulated by Neo-Cons and Big Business. In that regard, I wonder if he really knows, or if he's really that gullable. Either way, I pity the man.

Pat Robertson: American Mullah

2005-08-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

Pat Robertson is a perfect example of why we have seperation of church and state. It prevents idiots like this from abusing the pulpit and using it to preach a political point of view.

Yesterday, he was calling for the assassination of democratically elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't fancy his style of "leadership" any more than that of President Bush. In fact, the two have quite a bit in common. Both were democratically elected, yet act like dictators. Unfortunately, Chavez has the advantage of being in a less-than-stable country where he is much closer to a dictator than his "friend" from the north.

What pushes my buttons is that Robertson is supposed to be a man of god. Somehow, I don't think Jesus would approve of issuing fatwas in his name but, in effect, that's what Robertson is doing. What happened to Live and Let Live, not to mention Treat Others The Way You Want To Be Treated?

Let's not forget that Robertson himself invested $8 million in a Liberian gold mine that he set up in an agreement with ousted dictator Charles Taylor several years ago. What's next Pat? Why don't you invest in some Sierra Leone Blood Diamonds? In fact, I think Pat would be better served living in the same cave as Osama Bin Laden.

I'm calling this early, but I'll bet you that Robertson's close association with the GOP will be the parties downfall in years to come. This incident is further proof that he's little more than a far-right looney. Why millions watch this guy, let alone send him their hard-earned money, is truely beyond me.

Bush and Co lower Iraq expectations

2005-08-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Bush Administration is doing some serious damage control regarding Iraq. They are finally admitting that things in Iraq aren't going the way they had planned. As such, they're lowering expectations in terms of what can and might be accomplished.

Seems that infrastructure is far worse than the anticipated and that insurgent attacks set back much of the progress they're trying to make in repairing it. Water and electricity are the two biggest problems, especially in Baghdad. Big shocker...

Uh, Oh!

2005-08-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

More bad news for Bush and Company.

Seems that a CIA Commander who was on the ground during the December 2001 offensive in Tora Bora is saying that they KNEW that Bin Laden was in the area and that he was ALLOWED to escape thanks to Rumsfeld and the DoD not providing enough support.

This is in DIRECT CONTRADICTION to statements from former CENTCOM commander Gen. Tommy Franks, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and the president himself.

Franks is quoted as saying, "We don't know to this day whether Mr. bin Laden was at Tora Bora in December 2001" and that "Bin Laden was never within our grasp."

The CIA agent in question, Berntsen, is quoted as saying that "...Franks is a great American. But he was not on the ground out there. I was."

Uh, Oh! Someone's seems to be lying here. The question is, who do you believe? Tommy Franks, a known Bush cheerleader, or a decorated CIA agent who was on the ground in Afghanistan when this all went down?

Bush thinks intelligent design should be taught in publc schools

2005-08-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read right.

Either he's a complete moron, pandering to the far-right, or both.

I have nothing against religion, but this sort of thing is what Sunday School is for. School is for teaching FACTS, so stop trying to shove religion down people's throats, ok?

This sort of thing really pisses me off. You want your kids to learn about creationism? Fine. You have 3 choices:

1) Send them to Sunday School

2) Send them to a Private Religious School (aka American Madrassa)

3) Teach them your damn self

I hate nothing more than being told what to think by someone else. Of course, the right-wing slant is that they want to inject their thinking into science classes in order to "debate" who's more correct.. Darwin, whose theory has LOTS OF EVIDENCE to back it, or the Bible, which is a collection of fact, fiction, and outright imbellishment.. much of which has NO PROOF WHATSOEVER.

That doesn't stop the bible-thumpers who preach "Bible Truth," which is really a direct contradiction.

Let's have a test, shall we?

Which of the two is more likely:

1) The universe was created over BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of years, very slowly.
or
2) The universe was created in 5 MAGICAL DAYS.

Have you ever played peek-a-boo with a little kid? You know that when you're behind the sheet that you still exist, but to the kid you "disappeared."

In my opinion, those who believe in the whole "creationism" thing are like those kids who think think the other person actually disappeared while playing peek-a-boo. I mean, c'mon people..

Sometimes I wonder if we're living in 2005 or 1805.

Paul Hackett

2005-08-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Paul Hackett is a Marine and Iraq War vet running for Congress in a special election on Ohio. His opponent, a classless GOP troll, is a typical Bush administration defender who can't be honest with the people of Ohio.

I've listened to several interviews on Air America the last few days and I will tell you that this guy is just what the Democratic Party needs. He's honest, plain spoken, and to-the-point.

It just so happens that the special election is today. I just hope that the people of Ohio realize that Bush lied to them about creating his "economic opportunity zones" in Ohio and that his supporters aren't going to help regular folks on Ohio. It's time for a change and that change starts with Paul Hackett.

Roe's Army

2005-08-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

Been busy lately with all sorts of real life committments.. that and there hasn't been much noteworthy the last two weeks, hence the lack of updates.

Well, I just read an article regarding where Roe's Army goes next. Seems the Dems are reshaping their message and reframing the debate without changing the core stance on a very sensitive topic. Sounds good to me.

The best part is how the Dems plan to hammer nominee Roberts (and the GOP in general) on their supposed "Culture of Life" stance when it comes to privacy. I've spoken about how hypocritical many far-right Republicans are when discussing this stance, as all they seem to care about is using it in terms of outlawing abortion and death with dignity (i.e. Terri Schiavo).

The GOP stance seems to be, "You're not allowed to have abortions: Culture of Life".. "You're not allowed to die with dignity and we'll get involved in families private lives to get our way: Culture of Life".. But between birth and death is where the hypocracy lies. What about QUALITY OF LIFE? Ok, so you outlaw abortion, Falwell gets his way outlawing discussion of contraceptives, and we have EVEN MORE DAMN PEOPLE in this world. Then what?

This is what's wrong with Africa. We have rampant overpopulation, starvation, poverty, and disease. What then? It doesn't look like Fallwell's god is helping them too much, hence the hypocracy.

So, the REAL far-right stance when it comes to this supposed Culture of Life is, no abortion, no death with dignity, but between birth and death, you're on your own. Translation: Go Screw Yourself. That's not the kind of country I want to live in. How hypocritical can you get? Seems those who follow guys like Falwell and DeLay show no limits. Sad, isn't it?

Comments on the Bush Pick

2005-07-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

If rumors are true (we'll find out in about an hour), John Roberts will be Bush's pick for the Supreme Court.

Strange, as early rumors were pointing towards a woman, namely Edith Clement.

Here's what my gut tells me: He probably wanted to nominate this guy to appease the far-right and the social conservatives. However, the public seems to want another more moderate woman, not Another White Guy.

On a "normal" (i.e. less than scandalous day), Bush probably would've chosen a more moderate woman. However, with the Rove/Plame scandal dominating the headlines these days, he went with an extremely conservative choice. The idea is that this will spark all sorts of debate and change the focus from Rove to Roberts and the Democrats.

It's a smart strategy and doesn't surprise me, however it makes me wonder how this pick will hurt the GOP in the eyes of mainstream women. Like I said, the last thing the public seems to want is Another White Guy on the Supreme Court.

In the immortal words of Michael Buffer, "Let's Get Ready To Rummmmmmmbleeeeeeeee!" However, let's not take our eye off the ball. Remember that this pick is a diversion from the real scandal going on.. and that scandal is Karl Rove. Don't let your conservative friends forget it.

Joe Wilson Responds

2005-07-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

Joe Wilson lashed out at Rove and the Bush Administration, citing an "abuse of power."

That phrase is akin to trowing a dart and hitting a bullseye, in my opinion. Rove used his power to destroy a career in RETALIATION for him attempting to tell the TRUTH regarding the administration's erroneous claims regarding Nigerian "yellow cake."

Remember Scott Ritter? He was the lead weapons inspector and prior to the Iraq War called Saddam a "PAPER TIGER", plainly stating that Saddam did not have weapons and was not a direct threat to our national security. What did the right do to him? They labelled him an "Agent of Saddam", saying that he was "paid off" and things of that nature.

There's an old saying that I have found always rings true: "Hindsight is always 20/20"

With that said, I find it interesting that those previously labelled "unpatriotic" for criticzing the administration's Iraq Policy have been right.

Remember Richard Clarke? Remember former Treasury Secretary John Snow? They all told the TRUTH, which was often in direct conflict with Bush Administration policies.

The administration (and the GOP in general) smeared them all. In the end, all of these men have been right on the money.

Could this be a premature end to the GOP's ascendency? Like I always say, time will tell. Hindsight is indeed always 20/20.

Rove/Plame fiasco update

2005-07-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ok.. so it seems that Rove may wiggle his way out of this one because of the way the laws are written pertaining to HOW identities are revealed in order for it to be a crime.

The article says, "The law says that you have to have known the person is a covert agent and that you have to intentionally disclose that. Not accidentally disclose it, but intentionally disclose it. Based on what we know so far, Karl Rove did not do that."

Fine. Great. So he didn't stand on the White House lawn and yell "This guy Joe Wilson is trying to derail our war train. Guess what? His wife works at the CIA under the alias Valerie Plame."

But without saying so many words, it's clear that what Rove did (with the backing of the neo-cons) was politically sleazy. He destroyed her career and potentially endangered this nation's security in retaliation for someone trying to TELL THE TRUTH regarding WMD claims in the build up to attack Iraq.

Had Joe Wilson been successful in derailing the war machine, we might not have 2000 soldiers dead, thousands more wounded, bread MORE terrorists, raised more ire and contempt in the world against us, and spent BILLIONS of dollars that could be better spent at home.

I hope that this can be a big enough scandal that it brings Bush's second term agenda to a grinding halt, similar to what the right did to Bill Clinton because of the Lewinsky scandal.

Of course, the righties will twist context to make it sound like the Rove/Plame scandal is no big deal.... but we won't let them off easy this time. Remember how outraged they were when Clinton lied about a silly blowjob? What's worse: Lying about a blowjob? or lying about WMD's in order to go to war with another country which never directly threatened us nor had the ability to attack us (except, MAYBE, by proxy)?

I'll let you be the judge. In my opinion, Rove should be forced out and publically HAMMERED for what he has done. He might not be brought up on criminal charges, but we can't let the public forget what a slimeball this guy is.

Knowing Bush, he'll defend Rove and keep him on. If he does, let's make sure that that sort of decision will haunt him thru 2008.

More on Rove and Plame

2005-07-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Just read a little ditty about how Rove MIGHT be in trouble for the whole Valerie Plame/Joseph Wilson leak fiasco.

Seems that the White House might be playing the good old "i didn't know i was potentially breaking the law" routine, saying that Rove didn't know revealing said information was illegal. Oh.. I just walked into the airport and started talking about BOMBS.. I have the right to free speech, don't I? I didn't KNOW that it was a problem to talk about BOMBS in an airport. Oops... sorry Charlie.. that's not a good enough excuse.

Officially, the White House "isn't commenting." Whatever.

I hope Rove fries, however I doubt it will happen. GOP trolls will twist and legally wiggle out of this one. They're good at squirming, that's for sure.

Apparently the GOP is also spewing venom because Hillary dared "insult our president in a time of war", comparing him to Alfred E. Newman. They're demaning apologies which, of course, they won't get. Lest we remember the Republican Trolls harrassing her and her husband for 8 years.

They can kiss our collective asses.

Could Rove by responsible for leaking Valerie Plame's identity?

2005-07-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

A Newsweek article mentions that we might be close to finding out WHO was responsible for leaking CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity, which is a MAJOR CRIME as it violates national security.

Several folks from Time Magazine are facing possible jail time for not revealing sources. However, a grand jury forced Time to turn over notes related to the story. They mention that one of the sources for the story was none other than Karl Rove. They haven't yet concluded WHO leaked her identity, so there's no guilt as of yet.

But it makes me wonder if he is sleazy enough to have revealed said information?

I would have a party to celebrate this slimebag's impending jail time. It would expose these far-right neo-cons for who they are: borderline nazi's with grand world plans who will say and do almost anything to get their way. That includes exposing identities of CIA operatives when their husbands attempt to contradict false stories about attempted Uranium acquisition in Africa.

If, by some miracle, the leak came from that high up the chain, it would almost certainly destroy what little "political capital" the president has left to spend.

Let's Get Ready To Rumble

2005-07-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

So Sandra Day-O'Connor is stepping down from the Supreme Court. I figured we'd see Rhenquist step down.. maybe one other. But this is a bit of a surprise.

Either way, Bush is out saying that he's going to make "careful decisions." You can bet he already has his selection made and it will be the most conservative schmuck possible. It will be someone hardcore and far to the right of the mainstream, like Scalia and Thomas.

CNN has coverage on the top contenders. Many of them just plain scare me.

More Of The Same

2005-06-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Ahh Bush's speech.. what to say? Blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda. We've heard it all before.

Mention terrorists, terrorism, September 11th, over and over and over again.. and like The Manchurian Candidate, all the Republican sheep forget everything else and cheer our beloved president.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8405365/

--- INSERT VOMIT SOUNDS HERE ---

Allies Prefer China over US

2005-06-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

New polls indicate that the world is suspicious of American motives and realizes that the US doesn't seem to care about other countries. What's even more surprising is that they have a far more positive view of Communist China.

All this, dispite the fact that China is a product of the former Soviet Union and runs things in a similar manor. The upside is that most of these folks don't want China to become a superpower that could challenge the US militarily.. so at least these folks can still be swayed back in our corner.

The problem is that Bush is a moron and his cowboy attitude has gotten us nowhere in the world. The world sees Bush and his cronies the way 49% of Americans do: as arrogant, selfish, self-centered, corporate whores, hell-bent on world domination based on their far-right point-of-view.

The war in Iraq has been the most hurtful, especially since Bush's justification for the war, WMD's, are nowhere to be found.

This doesn't surprise me considering what I hear from many rabid Republicans when they talk about the rest of the world. They don't seem to care about anyone but themselves. As such, it's really starting to hurt our image abroad. I saw a segment last night indicating that we have lost BILLIONS of dollars in potential revenue because foreigners don't want to visit the US anymore.... in large part due to the way they are treated and looked upon.

So much for Bush being a "uniter".....

Dear Jeb

2005-06-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Jeb (Bush),

Please stop trying to curry favor with the Radical Religious Right by attacking Michael Schiavo. It's wrong of you to continue to claim that this man was involved in any wrongdoing, despite the fact that he has consistently been proven innocent. It makes me sick to think that you want to re-open an investigation from 15 years ago, for which he has already been cleared.

Terri Schiavo is in a better place now. Why can't you just leave her be? Has this family not suffered enough? Rather than letting wounds from this ordeal heal, you have just plunged a rusty knife into the wounds. I want to believe that you're better and smarter than this. Sadly, you seem to be blinded by ideology and allow idiots like Pat Robertson push you around. Please Jeb, for Christ's sake, leave this family alone. Let Terri rest in peace.

Sincerely,
angrydem

Schiavo case finally put to rest

2005-06-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

Ok.. the autopsy is complete. It appears that her doctor and husband, who both claimed that she was in a persistent vegitative state, were right on the money.

The examiner who performed the autopsy said, "There was massive neuronal loss, or death. This was irreversible and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons."

So, despite the best efforts of her immediate family to smear her husband and doctor, not to mention that of the right-wing nutjobs, it seems that her doctor was right on the money.

This doesn't mean that she should've been allowed to die the way she did, but if we are to build a "culture of life" in this country, I strongly believe that a "culture of life" should also take into account QUALITY OF LIFE.

What this woman would have endured would not have been what I call quality. Now that she has been laid to rest, we can all agree that she is in a better place now. Grief and wounds will heal with time and hopefully we can all move on.

Howard Dean rips Fox News.. Fox News counters

2005-06-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is why I love Howard Dean. He just tells it like it is.

Yesterday, while at a Rainbow-PUSH coalition event in Chicago, he singled out Fox News for being the Republican Propaganda Machine that it is saying "My view is Fox News is a propaganda outlet for the Republican Party and I don't comment on Fox News."

Fox Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine responded by saying that "Fox News does not hold secret meetings on how to cover the news from a Republican point of view." Funny.. if you've seen the documentary OutFoxed, you'd know that there are no secret meetings. Rather, the orders come from the top in the form of daily memos regarding what to cover and how to cover it.

Shine went on to say "As long as you're a good journalist and accurate, that's what matters." Asked whether the Fox network had ever made any serious mistakes, he replied that it overcovered the death of the pope and Terri Schiavo. "It was a bad decision that lasted about 23 hours," he said.

Ironic, isn't it, that the far right whined, wailed, moaned, and cried because our government didn't get involved in a families private business and that the far right just so happens to be made up of religious fanatics and hard core pro-lifers. I'm sure they loved every minute of Fox's propaganda fest.

Films Capture Iraq's Brutal Truth

2005-06-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

Story: http://wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,67741,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2

One of the films: http://www.iraqeye.org/

Quote of the Day

2005-06-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Been super busy lately, hence the lack of commentary on my part. Not that the 5 people that read this blog would really care.

I just came across this choice quote from msnbc's "the scoop":

If Tommy Chong had only one day left on this planet, he’d spend it settling a score with the former U.S. Attorney General. “I’d seek revenge on first and foremost John Ashcroft, because he put me in jail for selling bongs,” Chong told Complex magazine. “I’d tell him to go [bleep] himself, but I would do it on his terms and forgive him like a good Christian, which would freak him out. I’d probably hug him.”

The Bush Tax Cuts at Work

2005-05-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

CNN Money reports that both the number of millionaires homes has increased dramatically during the last 4 years. What's even more troubling to me is that assets of those worth more than $5 million has grown even faster during this time period.

Could Bush's badly misguided tax cuts have anything to do with it? File this under "things that make you go 'hmmm...'"

What pisses me off about this is that his tax cuts, when fully implemented, save me about $300 per year.... and I make less than the national average ($40000). This is some sort of sick joke, right?

Stacking The Deck

2005-05-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

I just have to hand it to Eleanor Clift. She knocks it out of the park every time.

Today she explains, in brief but succinct detail, what I have been saying for the last 5 years: The religious right wants to turn this country into a Theocracy.

Bush and Frist are obviously attempting to appeaze the religous right in their attempt to stack the court with right-wing judges. I love how the right calls judges whose rulings they disagree with "activists" when, in reality, they want to install REAL activist judges who will break down the barrier between church and state.

She says, "...Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist accuses Democrats who oppose Owen and Brown of wanting to “kill, to defeat, to assassinate these nominees,” he transforms political rhetoric into an apocalyptic vision that is better suited to Bible class than the floor of the Senate.

...

Stripping Senate Democrats of their right to filibuster judicial nominees is a prelude to a broader assault on the judiciary known as “court stripping.” Alabama Republican Richard Shelby last year introduced The Constitution Restoration Act of 2004 to acknowledge God as the sovereign source of law and threaten judges with impeachment should they uphold separation of church and state. ... The legislation says no court has jurisdiction to rule on issues surrounding God, the flag, separation of church and state and establishment of religion.

...

“They’re doing in a sense what Iraq is trying to do,” says Lichtman, “make religious law supreme and not reviewable by any court, least of all the Supreme Court.”

...

The Senate debate over Bush’s judicial nominees follows a series of events that attack and diminish the judiciary as a coequal and independent branch of government."

What makes these actions truely scary is the fact that judges whose rulings upset the religious right are threatened with physical harm to themselves and their families. And these same people claim to cherish "freedom" and "democracy." Yeah, my ass.

She finishes the article by hitting the nail on the head:

"The framers intended the judiciary to serve as a check on power, which is why judges are appointed for life, and once they ascend they’re supposed to be protected from the political process. Republicans say all they want is a simple up-and-down vote, but the Founding Fathers were worried about the abuse of power. Sixty votes forces a consensus. The Electoral College is a brake on popular will. This is a constitutional democracy, not winner takes all.."

What will it take to get these right wingers that are addicted to Hannity, Rush, and O'Reilly to wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late? That's the question that no one has even attempted to answer yet. My hope is that the right will have enough missteps during the next 2-3 years and that the Dems will be savvy enough to capitalize on their mistakes.

If not, I fear for the future of this country.. I really, sincerely do.

Poll Confirms Angry Electorate: Ire Directed Towards GOP

2005-05-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Dems might have a big chance to right the ship in 2006, according to the latest poll data. People are really ticked that the GOP agenda (i.e. federal judges, Terri Schiavo, social security, etc) seems to be addressing far-right ideaology over the needs of the average joe.

I only hope that Harry and Howard can sieze this opportunity and use it to their advantage.. and soon.

GOP Fascism

2005-05-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a perfect example of the intolerance and fascism of and GOP and how some in the party are using Religion as a litmus test....

A church pastor in North Carolina kicked out 9 members because they didn't support President Bush. "Repent or leave" the pastor was quoted as saying. About 40 other congregants left the church in protest. What happened to Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and Freedom of Expression? Oh yeah, some in the GOP claim to support these freedoms.. except when people are saying things they don't agree with. Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly are good examples of this sort of hypocracy when they tell "liberal" guests to shut up or threaten to cut their mic.

Gotta love it..

Take that, creationists

2005-05-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Looks like we can chalk up another point in the Darwin Evolution column. Scientists discovered a "missing link" of sorts. This time, it's a dinosaur that lived approximately 125 million years ago and is sort of a half step between bird and dinosaur. The article includes an artists conception of the beast.

Someone should send this to the folks in Kansas and Cobb County, GA school systems ASAP. I respect the beliefs of creationists, but those beliefs are FAITH, NOT SCIENCE and in my opinion have no place in the classroom.

More on yesterday's post: Is another "culture of life" battle brewing?

2005-04-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7692172/site/newsweek/

This is what conservative judges do

2005-04-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

It scares me to think that the far-right, hardcore conservatives might get their way in appointing REAL activist judges in the near future.

Case and point: A Florida judge ruled that a pregnant 13 year old girl undergo psychological evaluation, stating that "she isn't mature enough to make such a decision" in response to her desire to have an abortion. If she was mature enough to decide to have sex, she's mature enough to decide how the results play out.

What's truely grating about this is that the ruling comes in spite of Florida state law which specifically does not require a minor to seek parental consent before an abortion. Furthermore, this judges action may very well be unconstitutional.

This really ticks me off. Think about what would happen if we had a couple yo-yo's like this in the Supreme Court? Who would be able to tell THEM that their rulings were unconstitutional? That's why Frist and Company want to go nuclear.. so they can reshape the courts so idealogues can, in fact, legislate from the bench. Only this time, it will be to suit a far-right, conservative christian viewpoint.

If this happens, how then do you argue against the seperation of church and state? Answer: You can't really.. and that's the whole point here. Idiots like Jerry Fallwell and Pat Robertson have deluded their followers into thinking that if their agenda becomes the law of the land that somehow America will become this Utopia of sorts. It's really sick and perverse if you think about it.

These guys really aren't all that different from the hardcore extremists in the middle east. But instead of shouting "death to infidels" and encouraging "jihad", they are far more cunning and manipulative. They use wealth and power to brainwash people.. and the right called us liberals "thought police." Yeah, right.

Thank god for the ACLU. Conservatives hate them because they stand up for the Constitutional Rights of EVERY AMERICAN. Regardless of whether an individual is a saint or the lowest of the low, if they are American, they still have rights.. and these rights need to be protected. If you can spare anything, even $5,donate to the ACLU. They might be standing up for your rights some day.

Are these guys dicks or what?

2005-04-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Time Magazine is reporting that several members of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission, a group of telecomm industry representatives which meets several times each year to discuss industry business, have been barred from the trip because they gave money to the Kerry Campaign last year.

The reps in question come from some industry heavyweights, including Qualcomm and Nokia.

Why on earth would you bar industry reps from a gathering like this for political reasons? Seems that we're seeing more of the right-wing "my way or the highway" attitude.

Apparently, the Bush Administration hasn't read "How To Win Friends and Influence People." Dale Carnegie would not be amused by such behavior.

Now tell me again why the whole world HATES US?

Conservatives.. contradicting themselves yet again...

2005-04-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

Fareed Zakaria hits the nail on the head once again, detailing another case of conservative hypocracy as they contradict their own preachings by supporting the WTO while, at the same time, criticizing the U.N. Clearly, both bodies symbolize many of the things they hate about "world government."

Something's gotta give here...

What the fuck?

2005-04-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ok.. according to a recent poll, "..only 34 percent of those polled believe that the country is headed in the right direction, compared with 51 percent who say it’s headed in the wrong direction." Add to that the fact that "..approval of Bush’s handling of the economy has declined 5 points, from 46 percent in February to 41 percent in this survey." Then add to the mix the fact 35% favor Bush's Social Security plan, while a whopping 55% are against it.

Yet somehow, the article says, "Despite the numbers for Bush regarding the nation’s direction, the economy, the Schiavo case and Social Security, the poll finds that a plurality — by a margin of 48 percent to 46 percent — approves of Bush’s job performance."

WHAT --- THE --- FUCK ????

What is wrong with this country? I love it dearly, but what the hell?

Oh, with the Schiavo thing, I did some more research and found out that the short video clips on the site are mighty convincing.... however they don't tell the whole story.

I love the hypocracy of the Republicans on this issue. They have constantly and consistently preached LESS GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. Yet the violated this preaching in a major way by getting involved with the Schiavo case. People like Bill Frist, Tom DeLay, Sean Hannity, etc etc were all preaching about how we should save this poor woman and how anyone who doesn't agree is heartless.

I call bullshit on this one. I felt bad for the woman, her husband, and her parents. Everyone did. But you can't go making exceptions to laws for crying out loud. If the government steps into this families PRIVATE business, then it sets a REALLY BAD PRECIDENT for the future.

Does the government get involved when the mortgage company wants to forclose on granny's house because she didn't pay all her taxes? No.

Does the government get involved with people who need serious medical care (i.e. transplants) who can't afford the medical bills? No.

What if the government was to get involved in thousands of other families lives who are faced with making a life and death decision for a loved one who can not (and probably does not) want to be kept alive in a vegitative state?

If our government put forth the kind of effort in the Schiavo case, why the hell can't they take care of EVERYONE with universal health care? Riddle me that one, Batman!

What the?

2005-03-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

Your guess is as good as mine.

Further proof that the South is ass-backwards

2005-03-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, the South (southeast in particular) is Republican central. Bush won the bible belt states by wide margins last year.

What we're hearing now is something I have been saying for years: the south is ass-backwards.

Apparently, IMAX theaters in places like Georgia, Texas, and the Carolinas won't show a film on Volcanoes due to references to evolution and the fact that it "won't sell" in these areas due to the fact that many people believe in creationism.

Sounds like the cases earlier this year where schools in the bible belt were sued because they put lables in science textbooks questioning Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Back-door creationism is what some are calling these actions.

Why is is that these people are so closed-minded that they won't even hear the other side of the argument?

It's like dealing with a little child.. I'm right, you're wrong.. no matter what.

This again proves that the South (and southern Republicans in particular) have some serious issues and are doing damage to our country by forcing their religious beliefs on others. While I respect other's views, I resent other telling me what I can or can't see, hear, do, or think.

If you don't want to see a movie, then don't go. If you don't want to see a certain TV program, change the channel. if you don't want your kids watching Sex In The City, use that fucking V-Chip (or Parental Control) feature that's built into almost every TV and set-top box on the planet. For the love of god please stop telling other people what they can and can not see.

The two most controversial films last year were also among the most protested.. and the highest grossing: The Passion of the Christ and Fahrenheit 9/11.

Bush and Cheney Caught Lying Again

2005-03-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

Remember the debates and interviews with Bush, Cheney, and Kerry during the 2004 election?

Recall Bush and Cheney stating that they didn't know whether or not Bin Laden was at Tora Bora when he supposedly escaped?

Recently released documents show Kerry was right in calling them on this one. Bush and Cheney both publically (not to mention blatantly) denied that our government had knowledge (i.e. evidence) that Bin Laden was there during the now infamous "battle at tora bora."

So, it means that Bush and Cheney were either lying (feel free to call it "willfully deceiving" if your Republican friends cringe when hearing their beloved leaders called liars) or incompetent (or just plain clueless) in regards to this matter at the time. I vote for the former.

Why so many people worship Bush and Cheney is truely beyond me.

Weighing in on the Terri Schiavo case

2005-03-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

I've been reading about the Terri Schiavo case here and there and find it ridiculous that the Right, who's mantra includes "freedom" and "personal responsibility", continually trys to intervene and tell others how they live their lives. I admit that their actions are noble and they mean well, however we have laws in the country which we must abide by.

Once such law states that when a person is in a dire condition (such as Terri) and can not make medical decisions for themself, the parent, guardian, or spouse has the right to interpret their wishes and speak on their behalf. If you are married, the spouse makes that decision. If you are not, that decision falls to the parent, guardian, or next-of-kin (if i'm not mistaken).

So, these last few days we've seen congressional and house Republicans, as well as the Florida legislature try to block removal of the feeding tube which happens to be keeping her alive. Their efforts have failed because, as I just explained, current laws clearly state that in cases like this, the spouse has the authority to decide the other's fate.

While we obviously don't know what Terri's wishes are, her husband said that Terri would not want to be kept alive in such a state. Her parents believe otherwise. So that's how we got from there to here.

What complicates matters is the fact that this woman is not a vegetable, as the court-appointed medical specialists have stated. However, the one item that's not being mentioned a whole lot is that doctors have said that she has no chance of further recovery.

I wanted to know more about this woman myself. So, I took a few minutes to visit terrisfight.org. After watching the videos of her, it's clear that while she has little chance of improving, she still appears to be aware of things going around her to some limited extent.

Now, I'm really torn. Seeing her in her current state, I don't know how you can let someone like that just wither and die. If she were in vegitative state similar to that of a coma, where there was no response at all, I would feel very differently.

A number of these pro-life folks contend that it should be up to God to decide whether she lives or dies. However, the laws that we are bound by do not include the almighty in the decision making process. I believe that god gave us a brain, and with that comes the ability to make decisions. We used these abilities to make Laws, which we live by every day. We made a law many years ago and the Supreme Court itself has decided against intervening for the same reason.

If it were up to me, I'd do whatever is needed to keep her alive. At that point, the almighty can decide when her time is up. If the almighty wants her to live, she'll live. If he wants her to die, then she'll die. If he wants her to get up out of that bed and dance on the freaking ceiling, then so be it.

However, it's not up to me. Our laws are pretty clear on this matter, so my feelings really don't make a difference. Until the law is changed, we should trust her spuose to make the decision and leave it at that.

The BBC debate on the subject is some really interesting reading.

Things in Iraq are Worse Than You Think

2005-03-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading an article which details how bad things are on the ground in Iraq for women. This is the stuff the supposedly "liberal" media isn't telling you. However, the conservative media (i.e Fox News) isn't telling us either.

Saddam's Baath Party was a bunch of thugs, however they were adament about equal rights for women. Under Saddam, woman could dress and act as they pleased. With Saddam gone, the loony Islamic nutjobs have come out from everywhere, thanks in large part to Muqtada al-Sadr. We haven't heard much about him in recent months, but it seems that his radical militant views are seen everywhere in Iraq these days.

Women are being kidnapped and murdered for wearing jeans and blouses. Many women are harassed unless they wear the traditional headscarve and long dress. Those that don't are threatened, harassed, and even killed. Women are becoming more reclusive and university enrollment has supposedly dropped.

If this is the freedom Bush talks about, I certainly wouldn't want any part of it. Sad part is that the new government is largely comprised of conservative Shiites who wish use use Islamic Sharia Law as the basis for the new Constitution. To refresh your memory, these are the laws of the land in Saudi Arabia and were the foundation on which the Taliban operated. This is not good news for Iraq.

Luckily, we have the Kurds who could balance things a bit, as they hold a large number of seats in the new government.

The article goes into much greater detail. After reading it, I just feel a lot less motivated today. It gives me that sick, sinking feeling.

Oscar Predictions Revisited

2005-03-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my predictions weren't great. A number of my predictions weren't MY picks, rather I was trying to guess who would actually win. Since the Academy is filled with older artsy types, they often defy convention in at least a couple categories.... hence the reason my picks for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress were off the mark.

I honestly didn't know that Morgan Freeman had NEVER won an academy award.. EVER. Had I known that, I would've predicted him the winner. He was my pick anyways, he's earned it. Same goes for Laura Linney. She's been around longer than Cate Blanchett, that's why I figured she'd get the win. But I was wrong there, too.

I also figured they'd FINALLY give Scorsese his due and give him best director and/or best picture. But I was wrong yet again. Clint Eastwood had already been honored several times over and when that's the case, the Academy usually gives Oscar's just as much for recognition of past successes as current ones. Michael Caine won a few years back and his performance was not the best of the bunch, but he was given the Oscar at last partly because of his past bosy of work.

So, other than those four categories, I think I did fairly well. There were a few surprises.. like best Sound going to The Incredibles. That award usually goes to big budget blockbusters, like U-571 a couple years ago. Go figure.

The Oscars always have a few surprises and this one was no exception.

On A Lighter Note: Academy Awards

2005-02-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

I'm sure we'll hear about the trillion complaints the FCC gets from uptight right-wingers because Chris Rock said "ass" twice.. and I'm sure we'll hear about Chris Rock's Bush Bashing on Fox News tomorrow.

Anyways, here are my predictions. Please note that I won't pick for every category:

Best Supporting Actor: Alan Alda - "The Aviator"

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx - "Ray"

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Linney - "Kinsey"

Best Actress: Hilary Swank - "Million Dollar Baby"

Best Animated Feature: "The Incredibles"

Cinematography: "The Aviator"

Costume Design: "The Aviator"

Best Director: Martin Scorsese - "The Aviator"

Best Documentary Feature: "Super Size Me"

Best Film Editing: "The Aviator"

Best Makeup: "The Passion of the Christ"

Best Original Score: "Lemony Snicket's"

Best Original Song: "Accidentally In Love" from "Shrek 2"

Best Picture: "The Aviator"

Best Sound: "Spider-Man 2"

Best Sound Mixing: "The Aviator"

Best Visual Effects: "Spider-Man 2"

Best Screenplay (Adapted): "Sideways"

Best Screenplay (Original): "The Aviator"

Tune in later and we'll see how I scored.

Learning The Hard Way

2005-02-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

The title reflects my feelings after reading an article detailing how Bush, and consequently the U.S. as a whole, are getting a taste of their own medicine when it comes to favors from Europe.

Bush and the right-wing made it clear early on that they dispise the United Nations, NATO, and Europe in general. Recall Rumsfeld referring to France, Germany, etc as "old Europe"? Remember cunts like Hannity and O'Reilly saying how bad Germany and France are for not supporting us in Iraq War build-up? People tend to remember when they were treated poorly by others.

Now, the Europeans are giving us a taste of our own medicine by going their own way and largely ignoring protests by the Bush Administration regarding support for China and Iran. Personally, I think that they're scared of the U.S. and knowing that Iran and the U.S. are sworn enemies, wouldn't mind Iran fighting a proxy war using European military technology. Same goes for China. Not that Europe wants war, rather they want to support those that oppose us. Their tired of being bullied by right-wing idiots. It's a sad state of affairs, but part of me says I don't blame them for feeling the way they do.

Bush's go-it-alone, up-yours, cowboy attitude just doesn't fly in the real world. Remember the old saying, "treat others the way you want to be treated"? Seems we have a case of the old, "what goes around comes around."

Bush Budget Cuts Target Education Programs

2005-02-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

Yep, you read right. According to this list, the Bush Administration's biggest target in this year's budget cuts is none other than education.

Hey George! How about raising taxes on those making over $200000 a year (those who usually send their kids to fancy private schools and need the money the least anyways). Or how about cracking down on your CEO friends who rob people blind, taking home multi-million dollar bonuses for sending American jobs to India and China?

While something needs to be done to cut the deficit, it's clear that the Bush Administration isn't going to do it. This is probably the most fiscally reckless administration ever (save for the Reagan Administration, but even they had to raise taxes). Luckily, a number of prominent Republicans are opposing some of these cuts.

Vomit

2005-02-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

The far-right wackos that helped the Swift Vets attack John Kerry are at it again.

This time, they're attacking America's senior citizens, claiming that the AARP loves gays and hates soldiers. What's really sad is that they're doing this because the AARP is AGAINST the Social Security reforms that the Bush Administration is pushing.

The group in question, USA Next, is a front for radical conservatives who want to dismantle Social Security. I just love the hypocracy of the right.... they take the meanest, most vile shit, wrap it in the flag, and give it a "patriotic" name. Sadly, lots of right-wing trolls swallow it and smile.

I think this sort of action, if properly publicized, could backfire in the faces of these radicals. They're basically attacking the overwhelming majority of america's veterans. Most of those who fought in Korea, WWII, and otherwise served their country in our darkest hours are proud members of the AARP.

Either way, this sort of ad isn't just in bad taste.... it's vomit-inducing. Attacking america's seniors is just sick.

The right has no shame. Then again, you already knew that.

Bush Still Sucks

2005-02-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Private tapes shed light on candidate Bush

NAACP blasts Bush's Social Security plan

Democrats: Bush plans loaded with debt

Oh yeah, Howard Dean still rules

BREAKING NEWS: Fox News Buys Al-Jazeera!

2005-02-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

Of course, this isn't for real.. just some good old fashioned political humor. However, it wouldn't shock me seeing that evil Rupert Murdoch owns LOTS of major news outlets throughout the world. This would be a match made in heaven as these two "news" outlets have one major thing in common: THEY'RE BOTH CHOCK-FULL OF PROPAGANDA!

My favorite excerpt:

...viewers can expect much bigger changes to come, as the channel plans to drop Al-Jazeera's most popular program, "This Week in Jihad," in favor of a new show, "Hannity and Hussein."

I know that everyone has al least one rabid Fox News watching friend. Of course, you and I both know that they're being propagandized, yet our friend(s) flatly deny it. Do them a favor and send them a copy of OutFoxed. If you haven't seen this documentary yet, you should. If you don't want to order it online, I have seen it at places like Borders, Barnes & Noble, Media Play, and even Best Buy.

On the other hand, I have to give al Jazzera a little leeway. You see, there are no truely free or dissenting voices in the ultra-conservative middle east. Al Jazeera may have a clear slant, but they DO provide a forum that occasionally challanges middle eastern people to think critically about their future. It's no secret that al Jazeera has pissed off many a middle eastern dictator, though I do have to admit that they could be more fair and balanced. This kind of change is far more likely to happen at al Jazeera than at Fox News... which really makes ya wonder, doesn't it?

Ted Turner blasts Fox News, compares Rupert Murdoch to Hitler

2005-01-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

God bless Ted Turner. Finally someone comes out and says what many of us have felt all along.. that Rupert Murdoch is evil, that Fox News disemminates right-wing propaganda, and media consolidation (which the FCC allowed under W a few years back) makes the world LESS democratic.

Of course, the conservatives won't shut up about the "liberal media." Interesting isn't it that the media really hasn't changed much over the years, yet we hear more and more people use that catch phrase. It isn't that the media is liberal, rather the right has successfully painted them as such to make themselves stand out. How do you think Limbaugh, O'Reilly, and Hannity have become household names?

Anyways, getting back to the reason for this post.. the snippet from Studio Briefing is so good, I couldn't resist copying it verbatim, so here goes:

The result of media consolidation has been a television industry that is less critical of the government, and, in the case of News Corp, even a propaganda agent of the government, CNN founder Ted Turner said during an address to TV programmers in Las Vegas Tuesday. Appearing as the keynote speaker at the National Association for Television Programming Executives (NATPE), Turner, who once compared News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch with Hitler, pressed on with the analogy of governments using media as a propaganda organ by referring to News Corp's Fox News Channel, which has overtaken CNN in the ratings. Not being the most popular news network, Turner remarked, is "not necessarily a bad thing, though I'm not happy about it. Adolf Hitler was more popular in Germany than people who ran against him. Just because you are bigger doesn't mean to say you are right." However, he added, "it does pose problems for our democracy. Particularly when the news is dumbed down, leaving voters without critical information on politics and world events and overloaded with fluff." In response, Fox News Channel issued a statement saying, "Ted is understandably bitter having lost his ratings, his network, and now his mind." Nevertheless, reporters covering Turner's address remarked that he appeared subdued. In its report, Daily Variety commented that "the CNN founder came across to the NATPE contingent as more resigned than riled up. Feisty he was not."

Deficits DO MATTER! (and some other stuff)

2005-01-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

I've been saying it for years now..... the deficits that this administration have created can not continue to grow. As this article clearly states, we can not continue to spend more than we make. Bush is crying wolf on Social Security, yet it's clear where the real problems lie; with Medicaid and Medicare.

Oh.... and I also loved how Bush phoned in his support for anti-abortion protestors yesterday.

I love how hypocritical the right-to-life movement is. Go ask any anyone who's against abortion whether or not they support capitol punishment. I'll bet that greater than 3/4th of them are in favor. Their bleeding hearts weep for the unborn, yet they could care less about putting others to death.

Sure, most of the folks on death row are evil people and deserve to be there. Yet it's just so ironic and hypocritical that the same people at are so pro-life happen to be be so pro-death at the same time.

It's annoying how Bush talks about creating a "culture of life in this country" yet as Governer of Texas he oversaw more deaths by lethal injection than any other state during his tenure. What a sad world we live in.....

Alberto Gonzales.. The Real Slim Shady?

2005-01-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

While not as scary as Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzales seems like a bit of a shady character. Justification for torture? Check. Giving safe answers under testimony? Check. Helping Bush hide his DUI conviction in 1996? Check.

It concerns me that a guy who manipulates the law in such a manner is nominated as Attorney General. This is another wedge Karl Rove and Co are creatively using. Gonzales is hispanic and the Republicans are trying to lure more hispanic voters. Any opposition to his nomination by the Democrats will be painted as "anti-hispanic" by the Republicans, putting democrats between a rock and a hard place.

Typical GOP tactics.. truely sad..

Iraq a breeding ground for terrorists

2005-01-14T06:37:00.000-08:00

Lots of people have been saying that Iraq is now worse off than it was under Saddam. Guilani was on Letterman the other night saying how great things are in Iraq and waxing poetic about their coming elections. Whoop-de-friggin-do.

The latest CIA report says that the Iraq War has created a haven for terrorists. It seems ironic then that the Bush Administration was touting that Saddam had connections to 9/11 and al-Qaeda and continued to do so dispite a lack of sloid evidence. Of course, they flip-flopped later on.. once it became clear that no one was buying their bullshit story. Ties were circumstantial at best, yet the GOP went on to tell everyone that Saddam was a "grave and emminent threat." Lots of Democrats, like myself, found that hard to believe.

Sadly, lots of uptight right wingers are still drinking the kool aid. It just shows how dumb this country is getting.

Was Saddam an evil and brutal dictator? Yes. Is the world better without him? Yes.

But the real question is: WILL Iraq -- and consequently the rest of the world -- be better off in the long run?

The answer is still unclear, but it certainly isn't looking that way.

Quite a few people had been saying that a war with Iraq would only pour fuel onto the fire that is Radical Islam. Many said that it would create more enemies than it eliminated.

Those pundits, so far, seem to be right. I only hope that things in Iraq improve this year.. otherwise things could get really really ugly.

Where do we go from here?

2005-01-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

Newsweek political correspondant Anna Qundlen poses that question to the Democratic Party and it's elected officials in Washington.

In the end, it seems to be an issue of convictions and leadership. Sure, W has convictions and leadership, but that doesn't mean much when your priorities are completely out of whack. She says:

Authentic leadership is in short supply. Republicans would have it that the president provides it. I don't see it. This is a purported regular guy who is the scion of privilege and whose resume owes more to the family tree than the grindstone. A fiscal conservative who has blown the deficit and government spending sky-high. A candidate who said he was not interested in nation-building undertaking it aggressively. It all reminds me of the punch line to that old joke: who you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes? Look at the upcoming Inaugural, close to $40 million worth of parties, pageantry and canapes paid for by corporate largesse and said to be in honor of our troops, troops whose families are struggling to get by. A triumph of style over substance.

What the Democratic Party needs is Howard Dean as the head of the DNC. He's one of few that I can think of that has both convictions and leadership. During his White House run, he never waivered and always stuck to his guns. He spoke out against the Iraq war, even when it was unpopular to do so. He's still bashing Bush and the Republicans for their duplicitious behavior (i.e. changing ethics laws to benefit Tom Delay, claiming to be fiscally conservative yet running up record deficits, etc etc).

If the Democrats want to make inroads, they need to take an approach similar to that of Dean and Barak Obama. Say what you mean, but more importantly, mean what you say.

Billions Well Spent

2004-12-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

You gotta hand it to the Bush Administration, they sure know how to piss away tax payer dollars. Their faith-based missle defense system has cost billions and is still basically worthless. They performed another test yesterday and the missle didn't even launch. Missing the target is one thing, but not even getting off the launch pad is another. This program has been in development for years and is about as successful as the V-22 Osprey Helicopter Project.

(insert big sigh here)

Missle defense is such a joke. Anyone that's dumb enough to fire a missle at the US knows good and well that they'll get blown to bits. The US has more missles than we know what to do with. Guys like Cheney and Rumsfeld won't hesitate to use them. Which begs the question: why would someone go through the cost and trouble of building and deploying a missle against us when it's WAY easier and cheaper to build a suitcase dirty bomb and use that instead?

This just proves my point that the Bush Administration hawks are a bunch of idiots.

Conservative media continues to live in fantasy world

2004-12-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

Apparently a soldier in Kuwait asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld why there are so poorly equipped while being sent into hostile territory. As the reports say, the 2500 or so soldiers let out a loud chorus of applause, clearly catching Rummy off-guard.

Soldiers being deployed to Iraq with insufficient supplies and armor is NOT a new story. 60 Minutes broke the story months ago. However, right-wing cheerleaders like Hannity and Rush simply chose to ignore the stories. Any mention of them was quickly followed by statements claiming that such a stories are lies by the supposedly "liberal" media.

But it gets better. When word of the story regarding Rumsfeld being questioned by a soldier broke, Rush and Hannity didn't mention it that day. However, the following day the story was too big to ignore. What was their response? The same as before.. crap about the "liberal media bias" and blah blah blah blah. We've heard it all before.

San Diego Mesa College professor Carl Luna's commentary on the subject is a great read.

Oh.. for you Deaniac's.. the man himself will be on Meet The Press this Sunday (12/12). Get up early or program your TiVO to record it!

With GOP in control, things could be interesting

2004-12-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

Howard Fineman has a nice article on what we might encounter during the next four years. We have a Bush Administration that is anything BUT conservative, except with it comes to the jesus-type stuff, and an enhanced GOP majority with a number of new faces.

Among these new faces are a number of fiscal conservatives and some rabble-rousers that will almost certainly cause some friction within the party. The Bush Administration (and Karl Rove in particular) have been bullying fellow GOP Senators (and some House members) to tow the party line and do as Bush says. Those who don't are often chastised and demeaned in a rather public manner.

There are a few newcomers, like anti-abortion zealot Tom Coburn, that could very well ruffle some feathers. McCain looks to be priming himself for another run in 2008. While he has been a public supporter of the president, don't be surprised if you hear him criticizing the prez should things continue in a downward spiral. It will be interesting to see what happens...

Meanwhile, I got a chance to see the new Democratic minority leader Harry Reid speak on tv the other day. I have to say I was skeptical at first, but after hearing the man speak I like him a lot. He may not be flashy, but he's not as soft spoken or ambiguous as Tom Dasche was. He seems to speak his mind and make his points without making you feel like an idiot (as John Kerry has been known to do from time to time).

Hopefully new leadership will help the Dems get their act together. I am also hoping to god that Howard Dean becomes the new head of the DNC. If there's anyone that can fire up the base of the Democratic party and get money flowing in their direction, it's Howard.

GOP Strategy

2004-11-29T06:43:00.000-08:00

Karl Rove has a plan to put Dems on the defensive in the coming years, in hopes of further solidifying a GOP majority. This article spells out his plans in plain english. Dems need to read this in order to plan for the future. We can't sit back and constantly be on the defensive if we're to make any positive gains in the future.

I also love how the Bush Administration is attempting to look like they're being bi-partisan, while the rest of the party is being more partisan than ever. We can't let them get away with this BS.

Oh.... and Corporate PAC's favored Republicans 10-to-1. So, as Bill O'Reilly says, "Who's Looking Out For You?" Certainly, not the GOP.

Bush Administration remaking CIA into partisan agency

2004-11-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

The CIA is SUPPOSED to be non-partisan. They are supposed to provide intelligence without distorting or skewing it to suit a political agenda.

After the failings of the CIA in regards to 9/11, many agreed that changes were needed. Apparently, newly appointed chief Porter Goss has decided to surround himself with several bitterly partisan allies.

They're treating senior staffers, loyal and patriotic Americans all, like dog shit. So, it should come as no surprise that a rebellion is under way. A number of these staffers have disobeyed orders and resigned in protest. Two of them got a 5 minute standing ovation from other employees at the agency.

Reform is one thing, but pushing people out who refuse to bend to a partisan agenda is another. The Bush Administration has made a number for formerly non-partisan positions in government very partisan. This is beyond dangerous and a reason to fear for the next four years.

From here on out my updates will be sporadic, especially during this lame-duck session of congress where not much exciting happens. The site will probably get weekly updates, but it all depends on whether or not anything interesting happens in the weeks and months ahead.

Stop This Right-Wing Christian Bullshit

2004-11-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

I'm sick of this shit. Uptight Christian fundamentalists forcing their religious beliefs on others. Apparently a school district in Pennsylvania will be REQUIRED to discuss Creationism in addition to Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

Right-wing wackos like to say that "Darwin's Theory is not a fact." Well, these are SCIENCE classes we're talking about here. Scientific methodology has STRICT GUIDELINES that must be followed in order for something to become a theory. Creationism, however, does not meet these guidelines. It's a fucking fairy tale with no scientific merit.

If parents believe in this shit, then they should take the time to explain it to their kids. That's what fucking Sunday School is for. Public schools by definition are supposed to be SECULAR and non-descriminating. The framers of our Constitution clearly stated that there should be a seperation of Church and State.

Zealots on the right want to ignore this and force their Christian beliefs on everyone. Fuck that shit. No wonder people are scared of Ashcroft and the other loonies in the Bush Administration.

Speaking of Asscroft, in his outgoing statement, he criticized federal judges Friday for "second guessing" the Bush administration's decisions on handling prisoners captured in the war against terrorism. Excuse me... but who the fuck does he think he is? God? Oh yeah, that's right. He does.

Judges are seasoned veterans of the legal profession. Judges JUDGE. Their JOB is to interpret laws based on the way they have been written and how they have been enforced and shaped throughout the years. The right loves to single-out judges whose rulings they disagree with, calling them "activists." Fuck you, John. Fuck you, GWB. Fuck you, GOP nutjobs. I'm sick of this shit. Stop telling people how to live their lives while acting like you're all high and mighty.

Now that Ashcroft is gone, we've got another Bush yes-man to take his place. I'm sure the new guy will be less controversial, but don't let your guard down. People need to keep a close eye on this guy.

Life Goes On....

2004-11-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't flee the country. Quite the opposite, actually.

Am I disappointed? Yes.

Am I discouraged? A litte.

Am I nervous about what the future holds? Most definitely.

Am I hopeful and willing to give Bush a chance to mend fences and right the ship? Yes.

When it became clear that Bush, Cheney, and Bin Laden managed to scare enough people into voting for them, I reached an impasse. I could be bitter and live every day hating life, or I could make the best of it. I decided on the latter.

I decided that I'm willing to give Bush the benefit of the doubt in the hope that he'll move towards the center and truely reach out and move america forward. Of course, I am still worried that despite his rhetoric, he will be even more arrogant and divisive.

Anywhere from 1 to 3 Supreme Court Justices could retire over the next few years and Bush may very well try to put far-right interests above those of the general population. I hope that he doesn't because doing so would be among his most devisive acts to date.

With Tom "Velvet Hammer" Daschle gone, the Dems must regroup and do some serious soul searching. It seems the damage of the Clinton scandal has hurt us more than anything and dems must, first and foremost, take back the flag and the bible. The right has claimed both as their own and use them as weapons against us.

We need to show people that we believe in many of the same things, however, we must prove it. Furthermore, we need to prove that we can and will be better for this nation in the long run. We need to find a way to prevent the right from using the wedge issues of gay marrage and abortion against us.

The one thing that bothers me is that Bush has already outlined some of his Second Term Objectives. One of which is a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage. Everyone knows that the Constitution is used to GRANT RIGHTS... NOT TAKE THEM AWAY! In that light, the gay marriage issue should be left up to individual states to decide.

The right rails against using the Federal Government to dictate how people live their lives. Yet, they are complete hipocrites in wanting to amend the Constitution in such a manner.... and that bothers me.

This year both candidates received more votes than any presidential election in history. The GOP likes to tout the fact that Bush received more votes... but Kerry was right behind him. Don't forget that.

Millions turned out in force to send Bush a message. However, Bush managed to pull in just enough swing voters to win. Bush thinks he has a "mandate" when, in fact, he has a nation that is bitterly divided. Let's hope that he doesn't do anything stupid and divide it any further. He has a golden opportunity where he can be the uniter he claims to be and heal some very deep wounds. I have three words for you, Mr. Bush: Don't Blow It!

Democrats will go back to life-as-usual, making the best of the next four years. But let it be known: Howard Dean and George W. Bush did more to reenergize and revitalize the democratic party than ever. They helped lay a groundwork for the future. Watch as that groundwork becomes a force to reckon with in the years to come.

Oh yeah. One last thing. I read an article on ArabNews (of all places) that really does tell it like it is.

Free legal downloads of Going Upriver, F911, and more!

2004-11-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

Yep, you heard right. You can download full legal copies of both these films for free. Where? Right Here!

What's better is that the site also has lots of other great clips like "Bush, flip-flopper", Eminem's new video "Mosh" and much more.

Check it out!

How Bush Blew It

2004-11-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I just read a great little article that sums it all up called "Bush blew golden opportunity to make it a landslide."

It makes clear that Bush thought his high post-9/11 approval ratings gave him carte blanche to push his far-right agenda. He truely had the chance to be the uniter he claims to be, but instead he became as divisive as possible. He shunned our allies, diverted resources from pursuing Bin Laden in favor of going after Saddam, and ran up huge deficits on the American taxpayer's credit card.

The thought of another four years of this chump scares me to death.

GOP allowed to suppress votes in Ohio

2004-11-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

An appeals court overruled the previous injunction whereby GOP staffers would be allowed to trudge around polling stations in attempt to suppress voters in Ohio.

The GOP claims they're trying to prevent "fraud" but the only fraud going on is on their part. You can bet that they'll be in urban polling stations attempting to intimidate black voters... an overwhelming majority of which vote Democrat. I don't think black folks will be easily intimidated or pushed around. It could get ugly should some Republican WASP attempt to stop an old black woman from voting.

Luckily, Democrats are onto the GOP and have set up a network of staffers in attempt to keep the GOP in check. Michael Moore is also posting reports of questionable activity on his site. But what's even better is that there is a non-partisan hotline which anyone can call and report said activity as well. It's 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Simple and toll-free. NBC also has a toll-free hotline: 1-866-MYVOTE1

It should come as little surprise that the most complaints thusfar have been in Florida. With Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris running the show, this doesn't surprise me.

There's also some funny stuff going on in Minnesota.

Dick Cheney: Loves to scare people

2004-11-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

I find it fitting that Dick Cheney is visiting Hawaii on Halloween and is scaring people like usual. It seems that whenever you hear Bush or Cheney talk, all they discuss is the "War on Terror." That's because it's the only thing they've got going for them. The economy sucks (dispite the rosy picture they attempt to paint), we're hated/feared most everywhere in the world (more so than al-Qaeda in some parts), and Bush has run roughshod over the Constitution and our Civil Liberties.

It's no wonder they have to use fear to scare people into voting for them. Like I said, It's all they've got...

Packers win.. will Kerry follow?

2004-10-31T18:29:00.000-08:00

Historically, if the Washington Redskins win their game that preceeds the Presidential Election, the incumbent wins. Likewise, if the Skins lose, the challenger wins. At least, that's the way it's gone since 1936.

It gives me a little hope, but at the same time you need to remember that the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, breaking an 84-year curse. So, I don't want to get into odds here. Knowing how stupid people are, it wouldn't shock me if Bush pulled this one out of his ass. But who knows...

Duplicity, Ohio GOP Shennanigans, and a probe

2004-10-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Gotta love the GOP. Apparently their playing Florida-style games in Ohio in an attempt to knock voters off roles for questionable reasons. They're challenging whether or not certain people are eligible, such as homeless people who list a shelter as their "permanent address."

Most of the people being challenged are poor and it shouldn't be hard to figure out who they'd be voting for. The article mentions a Bush supporter who's registration is being challenged, though there's no mention of WHO is challenging it or WHY.

If we have another controversy in Florida or Ohio (or anywhere else for that matter), watch the shit hit the fan. There's the potential that we may not know who won the election until the court challenges have been cleared up.... and we all know how long that can take. Then again, it wouldn't shock me of GW's friends on the Supreme Court rule in his favor again. So much for "legislating from the bench."

Speaking of legislation, it seems that Bush has continued to attack Trial Lawyers and blame rising medical costs on malpractice suits. Who's to blame, then? How about Bush's friends at the insurance companies.

It's all so ironic because Bush and his GOP cronies have hired legions of lawyers to do their dirty work, including challenging peoples right to vote. It seems that Bush doesn't like lawyers unless, of course, they agree with his point of view. This just proves how two-faced Bush is.

And last, but certainly not least, is the revelation that the FBI has launched a probe to determine whether or not there was any wrongdoing when Halliburton got their controversial "no-bid" contract for Iraq. There's word of this going straight to the upper ranks in the Pentagon and mention of a whistleblower from the Army Corps of Engineers.

You can bet the Dems will be all over this like a stink on shit. They've wisely hammered Cheney on his Halliburton connections and this could be further validation for their position.

Further proof that Republicans are the rich elitists

2004-10-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just read an intriguing article which discussed a trend between the Washington Redskins and presidential elections:

"...the result of the team's final home game before the presidential election has correctly predicted the White House winner. If the Redskins win, the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbent party is ousted."
Though what really ticked me off was how the article mentioned how many guys get rich in the NFL and end up voting Republican. If this isn't proof that the wealthy are greedy, I don't know what is. These guys vote with their wallet.. not their head and certainly not their heart. Except Fred Smoot, that is.

The Redskins play the Green Bay Packers this Sunday at 1pm. It shouldn't be hard to figure out who I am routing for. :)

A perfect example of what's wrong with this country

2004-10-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or are people just getting dumber?

This article proves my point.

Church and State should be as seperate as possible. Furthermore, religion should have NO part in the federal government. These nutbags want to make the US a "Christian Nation." Yeah. Right. Whatever.

Where religion goes, bad things follow. If you want a country ruled by religion, move to fucking Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Faith and common sense do not go together. It's like trying to mix oil and water. It just doesn't work. However, don't bother telling that to the right-wing nutjobs. These people are so ass backwards that if they believed in alchemy, no matter what you did, you couldn't convince them that it's not real.

Bush has got to go. We need common sense in the White House. This country needs another four years of Bush about as much as a hole in the head.

More bad news for Bush: Consumer Confidence drops again

2004-10-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

For the third month in a row, the consumer confidence index registered a decline. Big shocker, since there are fewer jobs and the jobs that are available pay less. This where Bush just doesn't understand how the US economy works.

You see, we have a CONSUMER DRIVEN economy, where 2/3rds of it comes from average folks buying goods and services. When these people have less money to spend, this spending slows, thus hurting our economy. Bush has given the majority of the tax cuts to those at the top... the people that need it least and are the least likely to spend it.

Furthermore, he has done nothing to reduce the trade deficit or the outsourcing problem. European nations were forced to put up trade barriers to protect their business interests, lest be flooded with cheap imports which would cost thosands of jobs.

Bush touts the Reagan "trickle down" mantra.. where by some miracle the huge sums given to those at the top are supposed to reach the rest of us. This is called VOODOO ECONOMICS and just doesn't work. George Bush Sr had to learn this the hard way, as the massive debts from the Reagan era became his undoing. He was forced to raise taxes in order bring the deficit under control.

Clinton had to further raise taxes to fix the problem. Once that problem was fixed, our economy was the best it had ever been. Since Bush Jr, things have gone the opposite direction. With these out of control deficits, what does Monkey Boy do? He passes ANOTHER tax cut.

How fucking irresponsible can you be? Republicans can no longer claim to be fiscally conservative. At least, not the ones in Washington.

Anyways, the index fell from 96.7 to 92.8. This shows you how much the middle-class in this country are being squeezed under declining wages and rising costs of living. The article says, "Since the 1968 election, a Conference Board index reading below 100 generally indicates a loss for the incumbent's party."

This also does not bode well for the holiday season. If people are worried about losing the jobs, they're almost certainly going to be spending less come December. If Bush does manage to get reelected, which wouldn't shock me since most of the Republican party votes based on "faith" rather than Common Sense, I'll be curious to see what happens. The way things are going right now, I have to say that things are not looking good....

If Bush wins, who's going to fix this mess come 2008? If I was a betting man, I'd put the smart money on Hillary Clinton.

Hopefully there will be enough pissed off, out-of-work people in Ohio to swing this election to Kerry. We'll just have to wait and see what happens...

Another week, another poll, another controversy

2004-10-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

Updates have been slow since the end of the debates, as there hasn't been anything terribly exciting going on. I did email a bunch of companies to protest Sinclair's attempt to defame John Kerry. Luckily, pressure from people like me did make a difference.

They ended up airing a far more balanced show, with bits from the controversial anti-Kerry documentary "Stolen Honor", as well as the pro-Kerry "Going Upriver" They interviewed people on both sides of the issue and it was fairly balanced. But don't be fooled folks, right Right Wingers that run Sinclair still took their shots. However, I don't see this broadcast changing too many minds.

Most voters have made up their minds and the few swing voters are more concerned with Real Issues that effect us today rather than what happened on a river a million miles away 35 years ago.

Rabid Right Wing Nutjobs were none too pleased and think that Sinclair caved to pressure instead of sticking to "free speech." However, their arguments are weak, as the documentary is clearly anti-Kerry and Sinclair's intent obvious. The right wingers are just getting a taste of their own medicine, in my opinion. They attack the supposedly elite liberal media and everything else claiming a "liberal" bias.. we have the right to do the same. So those right wing pigfuckers can eat my ass. What goes around comes around, bitches!

On another subject, the latest polls show a dead heat, though I heard an interesting stastic that benefits Kerry. What most people don't know is that these polls are among registered "likely voters" and DO NOT include those who recently registered to vote. It seems that there has been a 25% increased in registered Republicans, while there has been a 150% increase in registered Democrats. There is also a large number of independents, too, though this margin gives Kerry an advantage that the polls do not reflect, as these new registrants aren't the included in the polling data.

The overall polling data shows Bush with a lead, though this doesn't truely matter since the electoral college is what matters. Battleground states are showing slim leads for each candidate and could go either way. However, don't forget those new registered voters. Unless there are some shennanigans on election day, Kerry could very well pull this off.

But let's not forget the Senate races going on. There are lots of vacant seats up for grabs and we Dems have a real shot at regaining control of the Senate. But in order to do this, the DNC NEEDS YOUR HELP! The Republicans are attempting to boot Tom Daschle and hold slim leads in a number of states. Florida, Colorado, Oklahoma, Alaska, North Carolina, South Carolina, and possibly even Kentucky are ALL IN PLAY!

We need to be especially vigilant in Oklahoma, as the Republican candidate is about as far-right as it gets. We can't have these wackos in the Senate.

Give whatever you can, be it time or money, to help the Democrats win these states. The only way to undo the damage of the Bush administration and the far-right is to regain control of the Senate and the White House.

George Soros lays the smackdown on Bush and his supporters

2004-10-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

If you've watched Fox News, I'm sure you've heard O'Reilly spit venom in regards to George Soros. It sickens me that such a congenial man as Soros gets lambasted by the "conservative" press. This man came to America in the 1950's from Hungary to escape persecution at the hands of the Nazi's. He came to this country and became a billionaire.

If you've ever had the pleasure to hear him speak, be it in person, on tv, or radio, you'll be immediately struck by how humble and mild-mannered he is. When he speaks about the actions of the Bush Administration, you can sense the fear in his voice, especially when he mentions how some current actions of Bush and his cronies mirror Hitler and the Nazi party's rise to power. He is one of a handful of people that lived thru the some of the darkest times in modern history, so I tend to believe what he says.

However, he goes farther and really does lay out his case. I just read a great article by him entitled, "Wake up America, or live with the consequences", where he details how Bush's policies have made this world MORE dangerous.. not less. He also discusses how Bush and Company use fear of another attack as a tool to manipulate the American public, as well as their spin in regards to what's really going on in Iraq.

If you have any friends or colleagues that are Republicans or undecided voters, send them the link to the Soros article (from above). I'm mighty curious to hear what their responses might be.

You can read more about George Soros and his quest to unseat Bush on his official web site.

Why is it that Bush Republicans are sheep?

2004-10-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

I've been following the election and checking out news sources outside the US to see what other people think. Obviously, Bush is none too popular outside the US.. especially in Europe and the Muslim world.

However, I also seek insight into the mind of Bush supporters in attempt to figure out why they see the world the way they do. To this day, I still have no clue. But sometimes, their world view really bothers me because it is so truely insane. I've been keeping tabs on the handful of people that the BBC corresponds with to give their readers the American point of view.

Sadly, there are two Bush supporters who are so blinded by idiocy that I can't help but scream. The BBC posts their views throughout the campaign and allows their readers to send in comments. Unfortunately, the BBC didn't post the ones I sent in.. however, I will publish them here for you.....

Read THIS, then read my response below:

I found it interesting that Jim mentions Kerry's record and states that he hasn't really done anything in the Senate. If he hasn't done anything, how has he managed to serve in the Senate as long as he has? He must be doing something right, otherwise he wouldn't be there.

During the Democratic primaries he was faced with not 1 but 7 candidates, many of whom were very strong in their own right. If he's as lousy as Jim makes him sound, how is he the democatic party's nominee? He didn't get there by doing nothing.

But this looney woman takes the cake. Read THIS, then read my response below:

Laura obviously doesn't do her homework or listen to anything but the Republican talking points we hear over and over again day after day.

She mentions that Kerry voted for then against the $87 billion, but what she doesn't mention is the REASON the votes went the way he did. The first vote (which most of the GOP voted AGAINST) was to provide the $87billion by reducing the tax cuts for the top 1% of income earners. The Bush version of the bill (which passed) piled another $87billion onto our national debt which is now topping $7TRILLION and also adding to our deficit.

Provinding the $87billion is one thing, but doing it while banking on my future children's income is another. We CAN NOT continue on this path of reckless spending while providing tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit those who need it least.

And as far as Kerry's plan for Iraq, a quick trip to johnkerry.com will give you all the answers you need. Sometimes Laura sounds stubborn, just like our commander-in-thief.

This woman LOOKS and SOUNDS like the stereotypical Republican woman. Totally out there and completely out of touch with the REAL WORLD.

What the hell is wrong with these people? I swear that people have become MORE sheepish over the last 10-15 years. Have they become brainwashed by Fox News? Is it something in the water? Or are they just insane?

It's my "expert diagnosis" that this new "conservatism" has become the cancer of American society. The Republican party has been hijacked by the Religious Right and the Neo-Conservatives. As such, it no longer looks out for the good American people as a whole. They have betrayed their principals and are now in bed with Big Business, the Rich, and the Far Right wackos.

Unfortunately, like Cancer, there is no cure.. but we need to continue to fight this disease. There is a small silver lining, as some of the cancer has been treated. However, we still have a long long way to go.

If Bush wins, it's Ralph Nader's fault

2004-10-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Let's get something straight here. If Ralph Nader had not run in 2000, Al Gore would have been the president. Nader had the backing of a small but notable party and had a good cause. He has always fought for the average American consumer, but I believe he has gone too far this time. He has been asked repeatedly not to run, but is too stubborn to see the err of his ways.

This year, Nader has proven that he's not only stubborn, but a total jackass. Why? Because he has been taking money from GOP supporters for his own campaign. Ralph, have you ever heard the term "shooting yourself in the foot"? In this case, he's shooting the nation in the foot. Ralph's agenda would be better served by supporting John Kerry than competing in a race he has ZERO chance of winning.

If you look at the polling in battleground states, many are extremely close but several would tip over to the Kerry column if Nader dropped out. Instead, Ralph thinks he's doing some sort of good by running again this year. The most support he has in any state is less than 4%, but overall he is getting less than 2% of the electorate. Unfortunately, 1-2% could make all the difference. It would swing a couple states to Kerry and pad Kerry's lead in a couple others.

I looked at the latest polling in battleground states and found that Kerry COULD win the election if he gets 33 of the 37 electoral votes that are up for grabs. If, by some miracle, Kerry manages to win all the states that are polling as too close to call, he would win with 274 electoral votes. Nader, unfortunately, clouds the picture and could cost Kerry this election... because everyone knows that he cyphons votes from the liberal side of the ticket.

If Nader tips the election in Bush's direction, watch out. I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats declare jihad on the guy, just like the Ayatollahs in Iran did when Salman Rushdie wrote the Satanic Verses.

Another reason Bush can kiss my ass

2004-10-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading two articles regarding outsourcing and they have my blood BOILING at the moment. They are further proof that Bush and his big business allies don't give two shits about American workers. All they care about is their stock value.. which we know almost exclusively benefits the rich.

Sure, lots of Americans OWN stock... but they don't see much in the way of real gains since they don't own ENOUGH of it.

We've been seeing American jobs, especially in the tech sector, outsourced at amazing rates.. and it's getting worse. I feel we're going to see out nation rot because there aren't enough skilled jobs for people to work in. I feel like we're going to become a lot like Russia because our legislators don't give a shit about the people and are corrupt and bought off by business interests. The quality of life is dropping because the cost of living continues to rise while wages continue to fall.

This USA Today article explains how Software Programmers and Software Engineers are becoming exitinct due to outsourcing, offshoring, and "temporary" work visas. Big business claims that they NEED these offshore workers to fill positions, yet there are plenty of skilled people in America. These greedy bastards just want to hire offshore workers for 2 reasons: 1) So they can pay them MUCH less, and 2) They can hold their Visa over their heads and scare them into working harder and longer, for fear of getting sent back to their home countries. These people are not American citizens and don't get the same protections the rest of us do.

Another article at NewsForge has a slightly tongue-in-cheek look at the statistics of outsourcing to Indian firms like WiPro. Apparently they are making MILLIONS and are hiring like mad with the trend continuing to increase.

I also recommend checking out this post at slashdot, which has comments from LOTS of knowledgable, skilled programmers and IT workers. The posts provide a lot of interesting first-hand details about this trend and how it has effected people across the country.

Under Bush's watch, the only economies experiencing any real job gains or growth are India and China.. the two primary recipients of US jobs. Manufacturing is gone to China.. knowledge is going to India. Once those are gone, what's left? We all know no one can live on the US minimum wage of $5.15 that the Republicans REFUSE to raise. We now have a situation where we OWE China BILLIONS thanks to the huge trade gap.. all while jobless claims continue to rise.

It doesn't help that our beloved Commander-In-Chief doesn't understand the dilemma facing the average tech worker. In the last debate, he was asked what he would say to someone who's job was just lost to outsourcing.

He basically said: Go back to school and do something else.
I say: Go fuck yourself, Mr. President.

It makes me SICK knowing that my tax dollars are helping this happen. That's why we need to get John Kerry in office since he will at least TRY to do something about this. Why should Corporations based in the U.S. get all sorts of tax benefits on MY BEHALF while sending American jobs overseas? This is a shitstorm that's been brewing on the horizon. If Bush is reelected, watch out for riots in the streets. Mark my words...

Outsource Bush in 2004

Back from the dead!

2004-10-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

I'm alive and well.. I have been busy with so many things lately that the blog has been neglected for a bit too long. Sorry about that. ;)

I did watch the last two debates and honestly feel that Kerry had the edge, though the President had a good showing. I did notice that the Pres sounded much like he did in 2000. He spoke with lots of passion, but never really said anything useful. He spent more time attacking his opponent than anything else, while Kerry actually made valid points.

I really wish Howard Dean was the nominee though. He's like the ultimate hybrid of John Kerry and James Carville. He can be cool and calm, but if you get him riled, he'll give you a verbal tounge lashing. If he were debating Bush, this election would already be over. He would've undoubtely torn Bush to shreads and sent him home with his tail between his legs. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, so we've got to do everything to support Kerry.

I've given some money to him and the DNC. It's not a lot, but every little bit helps. The deadline for donations is TODAY, so give whatever you can. Even $5 helps to refute the negative ads being put out by the Bush administration. The latest polling information shows Ohio being extremely close. RealClearPolitics surmises that if Kerry were to win Ohio, he is extremely likely to capture the white house. You can donate to the DNC by clicking HERE and/or you can donate directly to the Ohio Democrats by clicking HERE.

It's official: NO WMD. Is Bush getting desperate?

2004-10-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

If the latest polling data is any indication, he should be. The fact that Kerry has pulled even in Colorado, a state Bush won by 9 points in 2000 and has a Republican-led legislature, is really surprising.

My sincere hope is that Kerry can deliver a knockout blow in tomorrow night's debate. I also hope that he doesn't pull an Al Gore and overreach by making numerous promises any fool knows he can't keep.

What's most damaging to the Bush Administration's credibility is the fact that the Iraq Survey Group has released their report which states that Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction nor the ability to produce them. Just like former lead weapons inspector and green beret Scott Ritter told us repeatedly prior to the invasion. This is damaging because it was the Bush Administration's main justification for the war. They said the war wasn't about oil, but if you do your homework, you'll see that Michael Moore and the world-at-large, was right.

We were told again and again by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc things like "He HAS weapons of mass destruction and intends to use them" and Rummy even said "We know where they are." All of this faulty intelligence largely came from one now-discredited source: Ahmed Chalabi. Clinton gave him the finger in 1998.

If this wasn't a gross manipulation of intelligence by the Bush Administration, then it can only be one other thing: sheer incompetence. Meanwhile, North Korea has more nukes and Iran is on the verge of going nuclear. I can only shake my head and sigh...

But you gotta love the fact that these guys don't give up. Bush and Cheney are already out, spinning the report trying to justify why going into Iraq was a "good idea." They are now inventing other reasons to justify their horrible decision making. Too bad us Democrats aren't going to be fooled this time.

As Bush said, "...fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me...you can't get fooled again." You're damn skippy.

On a lighter note, here's a site with links to videos of a number of his other verbal gaffes over the years. I think one qualification for being president is the ability to SPEAK ENGLISH.

Bush signs tax cut, more job cuts, Roe v. Wade goes bye-bye in 2005?

2004-10-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Bush is pulling an election year stunt, signing ANOTHER tax cut while our deficit and national debt continues to balloon. This has to stop, otherwise interest rates are going to SKYROCKET.

All these tax cuts have done little to help the jobs situation and it comes as little surprise that U.S. businesses announced 107,863 job cuts in September. These same businesses announced plans to add just 16,166 new jobs in the coming month. Somehow, I don't think these tax cuts will help boost consumer confidence in the coming months, either. A John Kerry election win, however, just might be the magic elixir we need :)

I'll cut Junior some slack here, as hiring always slows as the holidays approach.. but c'mon.. these tax cuts are not helping. When deficits are balooning, it is FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE to be cutting taxes unless, of course, spending is being slashed elsewhere. Sadly, we're in an era of Tax-and-Spend Republicanism. Buy now, let someone else pay for it later. That someone else could be your kids. It really scares me thinking about growing old in this country. Our leglislators have turned into Pigs At The Trough. Republicans can no longer claim that they're fiscally responsible. Now it's time for Democrats to step up and take that banner from them while they can.

Oh... one more reason to vote against Bush this fall. If he gets another 4 years, he will almost certainly select a new Supreme Court Justice that is anti-abortion. If this ruling is overturned and reverts to state legislatures, we would almost certainly see at least two dozen states quickly pass their own anti-abortion laws. This can not happen!

Bremer criticizes post-war planning and execution

2004-10-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Things are looking good for Bush. Today, former Iraq Civil Administrator has come out with some harsh criticism of the Bush Administrations handing of post-war planning and execution. The article goes on to say that leading voices within the military also questioned the pre-war plan and lack of post-war planning. However, they were overruled by civilian administrators (i.e. Rumsfeld, etc).

However, he, like many Republicans, is blinded by ideology. He still says that he "strongly supports President Bush." It's a sad mad world.

Luckily, lots of former military brass are backing Kerry. Many stood on stage with him during his DNC speech.

Listen to the first debate (FREE!)

2004-10-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

If you want to hear Bush studder like a retard again (or for the first time), the debate is now available as free download from iTunes and Audible. They also have the RNC and DNC speeches for free download as well.

Unfortunately, you don't get to SEE Bush acting like a jackass while waiting his turn to speak. However, the DNC has been nice enough to compile some choice moments for us!

Interesting reading

2004-10-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

I was browing at Amazon this evening, preparing my wishlist so I can easily tell people what kinds of things I'd like for the holidays, and came across this page. It has exclusive interviews with a number of different political animals, covering the whole spectrum. From Al Franken to Ann Coulter, there's lots of interesting stuff here.

Check it out!

Also, don't forget that John Edwards debates "Tricky" Dick Cheney this Tuesday. Not sure on TV coverage, though I would bet that at very least you can find it on C-SPAN. It should be interesting since there is a far greater contrast between these two than Kerry and Bush. I look forward to it.

Debate #1, a win for Kerry? Some think so.

2004-10-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Newsweek columnist Eleanor Clift hits the nail on the head, stating that this debate was a win for Kerry on several points. I also found it ironic that she mentioned how much Bush looked like Al Gore did in 2000: agitated, disturbed, annoyed, etc. Bush sometimes seemed like he'd rather be someplace else.

However, history notes that while Gore won the first debate, Bush won the rest and went on to the White House. Will the same happen this year?

I'm only nervous because expectations for Kerry will be much highe going into the second debate. It will focus on domestic policy... a subject that Kerry SHOULD slay Bush on, but stranger things have happened. As such, Kerry won't be nearly as big of an underdog in the next debate. I'm holding my breath and keeping my fingers crossed hoping he'll do well again.

Debate comments, coverage, and a classic exchange

2004-09-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hope you watched the debates. If not, they will almost certainly be available free on iTunes later tonight or tomorrow.

I was nervous going in. Bush is a great debater because he dances around questions so well. I had never seen Kerry debate and was worried he might come across as too wooden or wordy (as he has been at times in the past).

I was relieved that Kerry did extremely well, spoke clearly, and took a few pot-shots at Bush's stubbornness and arrogance. However, if Howard Dean were on the stage he would've mopped the floor with Bush. But I digress...

John Kerry made it clear that he is a very different candidate than George Bush. That was what I felt was so important, as a lot of naysayers have been saying things like "there's hardly any difference between them."

Of course, when the debate ended I couldn't resist flipping to Fox News to see what the RNC mouthpiece had to say. Brit Hume and the Beltway Boys, as well as another female guest, all obvious Bush supporters looked rather flustered and nervous.. and for once seemed a little speechless. They all admitted that Kerry undoubtedly narrowed Bush's lead. I do agree that neither candidate was a total knockout, but Kerry had a strong showing and it clearly surprised a lot of people.

They then jumped to Hannity and Colmes where Fox's right-wing leaning became quite clear again. Guests included Bush campaign advisor Karen Hughes, Kerry advisor Richard Holbrooke, RNC advisor Peggy Noonan, Gen. Tommy Franks, Sen. Bob Graham, and former Clinton advisor Dick Morris (who has clearly switched sides, but that's another issue). Holbroke and Graham are hardly the strongest "liberal" candidates in comparison to their conservative guests. But this is what Fox does.. has lots of conservative guests and put on weather "liberal" candidates and typically give them a little less time. Noonan was given a large amount of time to spout the RNC and Bush party line, basically echoing what Shemp Hannity had to say. Karen Hughes was the loud-mouthed, obnoxious bitch that she usually comes across as. She went on and on how great Bush did, but really just said the same slime that comes from the Bush campaign headquarters.

I also noticed that Fox seemingly gave choice placement to people holding Bush-Cheney signs in the background and not a single Kerry-Edwards sign to be seen throughout the broadcast. Fair and Balanced my ass...

The choice moment, however, was Richard Holbroke being "interviewed" by Hannity. Holbrooke is clearly a soft spoken guy but was well versed in the tactics of Hannity. He pulled a Dr. Evil and preempted Hannity's attempts to cut him off. He was clearly irked by Hannity attitude towards him and was tired of the crap he was spewing. He did a remarkably good job of keeping Hannity in check. Kudos.

But what's even better is what he said at the end. He actually said on live tv that if Fox News coverage in Iraq is accurate, it's contradicting what the president said in regards to the situation in Iraq. Hannity was clearly aware that a big no-no had occurred and promptly ended the interview. The tone of Hannity's voice was a refreshing change, as he was clearly caught off-guard. Want to bet that Fox NEVER has him on ever again? I think I'll win that one. Fair anda Balanced my ass....

This was so classic, I couldn't resist encoding it so you can see what I mean. Watch the clip (6.4mb QuickTime) and keep an eye on Holbrooke's eyes and expressions when Hannity talks. This is truely classic television.

Hannity is so full of himself is makes me sick. It reminds me why I loathe him and those in the Republican party who think, talk, and act like him.

Today is the deadline...

2004-09-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the deadline for contributing to the Kerry campaign. Bush has millions in the bank and is gearing up to spread their lies and vile propaganda to defame, smear, belittle, patronize, and destroy John Kerry. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN!

I don't want you to feel guilty or have regrets, feeling like you can't or didn't do anything to help change the regime here in America. Give whatever you can... $5, $10, $20.. every dollar counts. We need to battle the right-wing smear machine and it's going to take every penny to do it.

Don't wait until it's too late. Donate to the campaign now!

al-Qaeda Tea.. good for your health?

2004-09-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

Bizzare... this world continues to get more messed up. No comment here. Just read the article.

Another reason the Iraq War wasn't worth it

2004-09-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

Despite the positive spin the Bush Administration keeps trying to put on the Iraq situation, the reality is much much worse. Bush speaks of progress, but obviously doesn't know jack shit. My gut tells me he knows about as much about Iraq today as he did a couple years ago when he SWORE Iraq possed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

This MSNBC story tells the sad and scary tale about how Iraq is LESS SECULAR now than when Saddam was in power and how fundamentalism is taking root. Don't get me wrong, Saddam was a bad guy, but he wasn't breeding terrorists the way the Palestinians were doing in the 80's and 90's. So the question that only time will answer is: Will Iraq be better off with Saddam gone? My magic 8 ball says "yes" and "no"... but I'll get to that in a minute...

I've made a number of predictions over the years, one of which I made prior to the 2000 elections: If George W. Bush is elected, mark my words we will go to war with Iraq again. I was right. In the run up to the Iraq war, I told a number of friends that we if we were going to go to war, it should be with Iran.. NOT Iraq. The logic went something like this: Iran is far closer to developing WMD than Iraq, so they should be the ones we should be worrying about. Anyone who does even a minimal amount of research could tell you that.

Obviously Junior's desire to finish daddy's work holds more weight than a hardline Islamic theocracy that openly preaches death to America. How stupid can you be? In Iran, they hold rallies where they encourage chating "Death to America." In Iraq, they would chant "Down Down USA" Which one scares you more? Which one is closest to actually possessing nuclear weapons?

Anyways, I lost my train of thought on this one since it's so depressing... I can only hope that things get turned around over there before it's too late...

The Moral Argument (and today's Iraq reality check)

2004-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a great article by Newsweek columnist Melinda Henneberger which raised by blood pressure a few notches. Unlike nutjobs like Ann Coulter (who raise my blood pressure and make me want to punch something), she always makes great points and wonderful arguments.

The main point is how Kerry is losing the Catholic vote in a number of battleground states in large part due to his stance on abortion. What really pissed me off was the sheer ingorance of a few people she quotes, which really goes to show how stupid this country is. They put one issue above all others for no other reason than "my religion told me so." Bin Laden claims his religion tells him it's ok to kill people in the name of Islam.. does that make it a good fucking idea? I didn't think so.

I'll just give you the snippet from the article, then comment:

For another view, however, see last Sunday’s New York Times story FOR MANY IN MISSOURI, PICKING A PRESIDENT IS MORE A MATTER OF VALUES THAN POLICY.

It begins with the tale of Tom Ampleman, “a blue-collar union member who lives … just outside St. Louis, says he voted for Bill Clinton twice and then Al Gore, but … is now grappling with deep religious misgivings about the Democratic Party.” He says, “I’m not happy with the moral issues at all with the Democrats. The Republicans will hurt me in the long run in providing for my family, but it’s probably more important to watch out for the unborn and that kind of stuff.”

Ok.. let me get something straight here. He says that "the Republicans will hurt me in the long run in providing for my family, but it's probably more important to watch out for the unborn and that kind of stuff." Excuse me? What planet are we on here? Personally (and I think a number of you will agree with me here) taking care of myself and my family in the here-and-now is far more important than worrying about someone else's unborn child.

As the saying goes, If you are against abortion, then don't have one! Period. End of story.

It seems as though the Republicans in control could be killing our economy, but the average moron would be "ok" with that as long as we're passing laws to protect unborn children. How fucked up is this world getting? It seems America is getting dumber and dumber and it's not our public schools who are at fault, rather the misguided teachings of religious institutions and their mixing with our political system.

We should be more worried about taking care of taxpaying citizens and the people of this country instead of bickering over something as moronically stupid as an issue like abortion. In the end, if we passed laws against abortion, it wouldn't stop the procedure. You'd end up having more dumpster babies, more kids in foster homes, and more coat-hanger abortions. People would drive to Canada or Mexico to get an abortion or to get abortion pills.

Republicans also fail to discuss the SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS of banning abortion. Who's going to pay for these kids? Somehow, I don't see these anti-abortion zealots lining up to adopt kids or help to fund the care that will be needed. Nope, they want more tax breaks so they can have another yacht or vacation in the Bahamas.

So I have come to the conclusion that the Republican stance on this issue does us no good and proves nothing except that they're a bunch of selfish fucking morons.

My favorite quote from the article has nothing to do with moral issues, but rather the greed of the wealthy:

One Bush supporter I know who disagrees with the president on social issues recently told me, “I am in the top 1 percent and I want the tax break. I think it’s un-American to pay such high taxes.” That Gucci wallet looks good wrapped in the flag!

Further proof that Bush voters are overwhelmingly of two groups: Rich motherfuckers or small minded morons.

---

Oh, and here's the latest reality check from Iraq. Improving? Yes. Nearly as good as it could or SHOULD be by now? No.

Swift Vets: Up to their old tricks again

2004-09-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

Looks like our favorite group of liars are on the attack again. The Swift Vets for "Truth" are airing another ad against John Kerry, attacking him for attempting to solve the stalemate in the peace process with the Vietnamese. The ad says such clever things as "he secretly met with enemy leaders" which is total crap. Lots of people met in order to try to end the war.. both private citizens and political officials. These guys are such scum bags, it makes me sick...

Why don't these old fuckers just drop it already? They have been discredited, linked with the Bush Administration, and overstayed their welcome. Surveys have largely shown that people don't really care what someone did 30-some-odd years ago, as it has little bearing on the issues of today.

One thing is clear: the right-wing smear machine never sleeps. Further proof that these guys are out for blood and will say and do anything to continue their reign as masters of the universe.

Why you should be afraid of today's Republican Party

2004-09-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

I'm not big into scaring people to get a point across. In this case, it's not me who's doing the scaring. Rather, it's the religous fundamentalists on the far-right that have hijacked the party in order to remake America as they see fit.

There has been a trend which has accelerated in recent years where there has been a concentration of wealth and power. The Bush Administration doesn't like to be challenged. As such, they have very slowly been eroding the careful system of checks and balances specified by our forefathers. One example is the Republican controlled Congress granting the President fast-track trade status where he can wheel and deal trade agreements with little oversight. He can make deals without having to go thru the tedious process of bills passing thru the House and Senate before he gets to sign off (or veto) them.

This has allowed Dick Cheney to have "secret" meetings to make our countries energy policy with the likes of Ken Lay (of Enron fame). In an unprecedented move, the investigative arm of Congress, the General Accounting Office (GAO) decided to sue Cheney in order to get him to reveal what took place in these meetings. Of course, those trustworthy souls in the GOP threatened to cut the GAO's budget if they didn't drop the lawsuit. In short order, they did.. showing how the Bush Administration is abusing their power.

This pisses me off because, as a Taxpaying Citizen, I DESERVE to know how my tax dollars are being spent. This administration has been the most secretive in history and I can not stomach another four years of this shit.

What troubles me even more is where they will go next. They are already giving your tax dollars to religious organizations under the guise of "faith-based" initatives. Has anyone actually seen an improvement or growth of these so-called initatives in their communities? I certainly haven't. Not surprisingly, It's going straight into the pockets of the church so they can spread their message of intolerance and bigotry under the banner of "compassionate conservatism."

The GOP is using hot-button issues such as gay marriage and abortion to pull people in their direction. These issues are tied to the church and as such, are using churches as recruiting tools for their political gain. It should come as no surprise that Southern Baptists are at the core of today's Republican Party. What happened to Seperatation of Church and State?

The ultimate goal of these fundamentalist right-wingers is to turn America into a Theocracy which is "ruled" by a few wealthy elites and religious "leaders". Sounds a lot like Iran now, doesn't it?

If this doesn't scare you, it should. If you or any of your friends are considering voting Republican this fall, send this story to them. They are in serious need of a reality check.

The Bush Administration: Not Looking Out For You

2004-09-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

One of Bill O'Reilly's books is entitled "Who's looking out for you?" I call this chapter, "Who's not looking out for you?" and it has one clear answer: The Bush Administration.

I've read several articles in recent days that help prove my point and have also noticed that John Kerry, in his appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman last night and Regis & Kelly this morning, is attacking the Bush Administration on these same issues.

The first issue being prescription drug prices. Let's face it, folks. The LEGAL drug industry operates just like the ILLEGAL cartels throughout the world. They use fear, intimidation, and manipulation, not to mention buying off officials to get their way. They "lobby" our legislators by giving them money in exchange for favors. I really hate what lobbying has become, as it has become a case of legislators selling their votes to the highest bidder. In any other sort of system, this would be illegal.

The drug industry says that the high prices we Americans pay helps to "fund further research." This is a crock as these companies rake in billions in profits year after year and they have yet to cure a damn thing. What was the last disease we cured? Polio. They won't cure anything because there's no money in the cure, only in the medicine... so they will find ways for you to live "with" your affliction while milking you out of your hard-earned cash.

Getting back to my original point, these drug companies have started using fear and intimidation with Canadian pharmacies saying that they could potentially be cut off if they fill prescriptions for US residents. People like the Bush Administration allow this to go on because they get huge campaign contributions year after year. It's really sick. Too bad most of the Democrats don't have the balls to challenge this sort of behavior.

The second issue is the economy. Bush touts all the jobs we're adding, but these jobs don't pay nearly as well as the ones lost over the last 3 years, and many offer little or no benefits. The income gap is widening and the middle-class, which is the backbone of the US economy, is shrinking. This has to stop. Now.

Then again, these issues don't shock me. The Bush Administration has been one big flip-flopping double standard.

Republicans continue to use fear as voting tool

2004-09-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

The GOP likes to accuse the Democrats of using "propaganda" yet make little or no effort to justify such a statement. The Republicans seem to be the ones using the propaganda as they continue to use fear of terrorists to get you to vote for them. They also use it as a diversion from REAL ISSUES like the economy, the war in Iraq, jobs, etc.

Today, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Il.), when asked by a reporter whether he thought al Qaeda would operate with more comfort if Kerry were elected, said, "That's my opinion, yes."

He says it's his opinion, but it's more of a GOP/White House talking point, as we've been hearing this drivel from Dick Cheney and other operatives since the Republican Convention. They might as well just come out and tell everyone that Democrats ARE terrorists! However, that would be to obvious.... not to mention, completely untrue.

Though that's never stopped this administration from telling us things that are completely untrue before. Utterly shameless. How can anyone vote for these liars?

By their own admission, the Bush Administration didn't settle on going to war over any REAL facts, rather what would be the easiest to sell to the American public:

For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction (as justification for invading Iraq) because it was the one reason everyone could agree on.

-- Paul Wolfowitz May 28, 2003

Need I say more?

Sweet Irony

2004-09-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

An was an uneventful weekend, so obviously there were no updates. However, I have some interesting stuff from the last couple months that I'll be sharing. It's a collection of tidbits of info that you probably missed but would almost certainly be interested in.

Anyway, I wanted to share THIS tidbit. Apparently the U.K.'s ambassador to Italy said that Bush the best recruiter for al-Qaida. You may or may not agree, but a lot of people in the world feel this way. A part of me agrees, but a part of me also says that the jihadi's hate America and want to do us harm regardless of who the president is.

The problem is the Bush Administation's arrogant crusader style that often doesn't go over well in the rest of the world. Heck, even the Canadian's have taken a big step back in terms of being our allies ever since this Administration was "elected." What does that tell you?

BIG SHOCKER: New Report States that Iraq Had No WMD

2004-09-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

According to this MSNBC article, a U.S. weapons inspector stated that Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction.. only "intentions" and a "small R&D program." The fact that Iraq had no WMD doesn't suprise me much. Mind you, I always had my suspicions, but weapons inspectors had been crawling around the country for years and never found anything substantial. Certainly not enough to be considered a threat by his immediate neighbors, let alone the world-at-large.

In the lead up to the war, former lead weapons inspector Scott Ritter said again and again that Iraq had absolutely no weapons. Bush supporters brushed him off time and again, calling him a modern day "Jane Fonda" (in reference to Fonda's protests over the Vietnam War). If memory serves, some even went so far as to make accusations that he was paid off by Saddam.

He wrote a great article in a 2002 issue of the Boston Globe, detailing his case. He also made appearances on most of the major broadcast and cable news networks, in an attempt to convince the public that Iraq was not the threat that the Bush Administration was making them out to be.

The problem was that the media became such cheerleaders for the war that they failed to do their job in asking the tough questions. Even supposedly "liberal" CNN smeared Ritter.

In the back of my mind, I was hoping that we'd find the WMD and be able to give the UN a big middle finger. At the same time, a part of me hoped that Scott Ritter was right. Turns out he was. What really galls me is that Bush and ESPECIALLY Cheney continued to say over and over that "there was no doubt that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction and intended to use them." In the last couple months, the Bush Administration has changed their tone, saying that he was an evil dictator and that the world is better off without Saddam. That we can all agree on. But the fact is that we went to war not because he was a bad guy, but that he had weapons and intended to use them against us. Bush and Co deemed the threat "immenent" which is clearly wasn't. But I digress...

The most intriguing part of Ritter's Boston Globe article is at the very end:

Critical hearings should be convened by Congress that will ask the Bush administration tough questions about the true nature of the threat posed to the United States by Iraq. Congress should reject speculation and demand substantive answers. The logical forum for such a hearing would be the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.

Unfortunately, the senators entrusted with such critical oversight responsibilities shy away from this task. This includes Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, a Vietnam War veteran who should understand the realities and consequences of war and the absolute requirement for certainty before committing to a course of conflict.

The apparent unwillingness of Congress to exercise its constitutional mandate of oversight, especially with regard to matters of war, represents a serious blow to American democracy. By allowing the Bush administration, in its rush toward conflict with Iraq, to circumvent the concepts of democratic accountability, Congress is failing those to whom they are ultimately responsible - the American people.

Two years ago Ritter coincidently singled out the man who is now challenging Bush in this November's race for the White House. It bothers me that staunch anti-war activist Kerry did little, if anything, to challenge Bush and Co's intel. Then again, no one else really did.. except Scott Ritter. Guess the Bush Administration and the NeoCons pulled one over on everyone. Well, almost.

Florida 'Dome Home' withstands hurricane

2004-09-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

I just submitted this story to slashdot because, being something of a geek, I figured they'd be as interested in this as I was. Read my slashdot submission below:

There's a house on the beach in Pensacola Florida that's still standing, virtually unscathed by the recent hurricaine. It's standing because of the way it was engineered and built: 16 pilings, driven 17 feet into the sand, and made of solid concrete with 5 miles of steel reinforcements.

In all, it's meant to stand 300mph winds and the ocean crashing against it. Other than some wet floors and the breakaway stairs doing just what they were designed to do, the house still stands. This is an amazing feat of engineering. Could this be the future of beach front homes?

Get the full scoop and photos from msnbc

Find out where each candidate stands on the issues

2004-09-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

MSNBC has a nice, spin-free look at where each candidate stands on a laundry list of key issues.

I will say no more.. check it out for yourself. Comments are certainly welcome.

Give yourself a raise! The House did!

2004-09-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice if you could give yourself a pay raise?

Apparently the House thought so and decided it would be a great idea to raise their own pay by $4000 a year. You wonder why taxpayers are pissed. Obviously our government wastes far too much money and in a time of balooning deficits, this is borderline reckless. Utah Democrat Jim Matheson was the only one with the balls to challenge this spending and even tried to get a direct vote against the measure. Unfortunately, he failed as the House voted against his procedural move, 235-170.

This raise is part of an $89.9 billion Transportation and Treasury Department spending bill to raise civil servant's pay. Wasnt' it the Republicans who were railing against government spending and waste over and over again? Little surprise that they are the ones to pass this sort of junk. So much for the GOP being fiscal conservatives.

One last hope is when this bill goes to the Senate later this year or early in 2005, at which point it will hopefully be killed.

The Price of Another Four Years

2004-09-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Republicans claim to be conservative, but it has become painfully obvious that fiscally they are anything BUT conservative. The GOP has been spitting venom when it comes to Kerry's spending plans, however Mike Allen of the Washington Post estimates that Bush's spending plans could top $3 TRILLION over the next 10 years.

You read right.. $10 T-R-I-L-L-I-O-N dollars. Are these guys out to bankrupt America so they can remake it any way they see fit? That's my gut feeling. Either way, it seems that they're going bonkers with the nation's credit card and sticking future generations (i.e. my unborn kids) with the bill.

If Howard Dean were the nominee, he'd be ripping Bush a new one right about now. John Kerry is a good guy, but man we need some Democrats with balls who aren't afraid to speak their minds. Like James Carville says, we need to let the dogs out... now. We have to stop being so damn nice and instead be a little more combative. It's no surprise that the Kerry campaign hired Carville and a number of other big names to give their campaign some teeth.

I have a number of right-leaning friends who have decided to sit this one out and not vote at all because they feel betrayed by the Bush Administration's lack of fiscal restraint. What does that tell you?

Let's play Duplicity!

2004-09-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

Say one thing, do another. That seems to be a common theme with the GOP and the Bush Administration in particular. I read not one or two, but three stories today that reinforce my point.

The first one, in light of the school siege in Russia, is the most troubling. It seems some mid-level folks in the Bush Administration are actually granting asylum to Chechen rebel leaders, most notably Ilias Akhmadov, the "foreign minister" of the Chechen separatist movement. I'm sorry, but I think we can agree that we don't need any potential troublemakers in the US. We have enough as it is.

If you don't want to read the article, here are a few choice nuggets:

Putin said each time Russia complained to the Bush administration about meetings held between U.S. officials and Chechen separatist representatives, the U.S. response has been "we'll get back to you" or "we reserve the right to talk with anyone we want."
...
Putin blamed what he called a "Cold War mentality" on the part of some U.S. officials, but likened their demands that Russia negotiate with the Chechen separatists to the U.S. talking to al Qaeda.

If you saw (or at least heard about) Bush's RNC speech last week, you might've heard about his "Ownership Society" initiative. It sounded great and it kept my attention. But like most things the Bush Administration does, they fail to include the price tag. Newsweek's Alan Slone covers all the bases and weighs the pros and cons of such a plan in this article. If you're tempted to vote for Bush, give his article a read. It's a classic case of "Borrow and Spend", as usual.

Again, a couple choice nuggets:

How do we pay today's beneficiaries if workers put some of their Social Security taxes into individual accounts? The gapÑwe're talking at least a trillion dollarsÑhas to be filled somehow. The budget surpluses that Bush inherited are long gone, so where's the money going to come from? Huge government borrowings, massive cuts in other programs or raising taxes.
...
The bottom line: whenever the government offers to help you grow wealthier and more self-reliant, ask what it costs and who pays.

The most troubling parts of this initiative are the ones they fail to provide details on, the cutely named "retirement savings accounts" and "lifetime savings accounts." They make income from investments tax-free; wonderful for those that have tons of money to invest, but worthless for the 50% of Americans that don't (and can't afford to) own a single share of stock. What happens is that the funds YOU invest isn't taxed. This is more money that the federal government DOESN'T HAVE, which leads to BIGGER SHORTFALLS and thus LARGER DEFICITS. Somehow, we have to close this budget gap... and guess how the Bush Administration proposes we cover this gap? National sales tax or value-added tax.

Great.. make consumer goods more expensive. When people are struggling to make ends meet, making goods MORE EXPENSIVE is a STUPID way to go. Look how expensive everything is in the UK and much of Europe. That's because all consumer goods are subject to VAT (value-added tax). They want to cut taxes.. but in the end, they have to raise them somewhere else... putting MORE BURDEN on the middle-class and enhancing the wealth of those who don't need it. Typical of the Bush Administration and the GOP in general. Flip-flop.

The third article I read involves Bush's "missing" records from his National Guard days. There's nothing really noteworthy one way or another, but I find it REALLY ODD that the Bush Administration claimed these papers were missing for so long and that it took numerous public records requests and a lawsuit (filed by The Associated Press, no less) for the records to magically re-appear. Shady, I tell ya!

Remembering 9/11

2004-09-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

While most sites and tv stations are doing their 9/11 tributes, showing the devastation and families involved, there is one bit of news that a lot of people probably missed on that horrible day: celebrations throughout the middle-east, where sweets were handed out, praising the actions of the 19 hijackers and the death of nearly 3000 people on that day. Not only that, but the annual celebrations that followed.

I was scared, but more than anything angry. Angry at those deranged individuals who did this and their "justification" for killing thousands.

What made me more angry were the celebrations that took place, especially those in the Palestinian territories. When word got out that news cameras were filming those celebrations, Arafat's minions quickly shut them down. But they were too late. In the clip below, you can see a snippet of these celebrations.

Click to view video (4mb mpeg)

The saddest thing is the small children who are also celebrating. These kids have been brainwashed by Arafat and the PLO into believing that Jihad and martyrdom are the highest achievement in life. They have been ENCOURAGED to put themselves in harms way and grow up to become suicide bombers. How, you ask? A television show called "Children's Club" where small children are singing songs about jihad and becoming a suicide warrior. This is so sick, I'm lost for words.

This is the kind of mentality we're dealing with throughout the Middle East and this sort of behavior can not be tolerated. As such, I feel no pain for Yassir Arafat, sitting in his dilapadated Ramallah compound.. nor those who accept or celebrate suicide bombing. If you think Democrats are weak on terrorism or soft when it comes to this sort of thing, I can tell you that I am one of MANY who are not.