Say No to Sycophantism
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
More crying over Ned Lamont's challenge to Lieberman in Conn Primary
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/stories/MYSA053106.2O.gurwitz.1697aecc.html
These guys should get a life.
These guys should get a life.
Wow
"Pumped-up by Bush’s false claims linking Iraq to 9/11 and his later warnings about al-Qaeda's scheme for a global terrorist empire, U.S. soldiers have charged into Iraqi towns and cities with revenge on their minds.Bush thus put both American soldiers and the Iraqi people in harm’s way. In the three-plus years of war, nearly 2,500 U.S. soldiers have died along with tens of thousands of Iraqis. Thousands more have been grievously maimed.As the laws of war require the punishment of any individual soldier who murders civilians, international principles also call for holding accountable their superiors – both military and political – who contribute to the crime.In that sense, the atrocity at Haditha – and the tens of thousands of other unnecessary deaths in Iraq – can be laid at the door of official Washington, where some Democrats and nearly all Republicans voted to authorize the invasion and where leading news organizations uncritically transmitted administration propaganda to the American people.But the principal blame must rest at the feet of George W. Bush, the self-proclaimed “war president” who considers himself beyond the bounds of any law. In that larger sense, Haditha and all the other carnage in Iraq can be viewed as Bush’s My Lai."
[Complete Article Here]
[Complete Article Here]
Saturday, May 27, 2006
We are protected!
"In a decision that could set the tone for journalism in the digital age, a California appeals court ruled Friday that bloggers, like traditional reporters, have the right to keep their sources confidential.
A panel of three judges said in a 69-page decision that a group of bloggers did not have to divulge their sources to Cupertino's Apple Computer Inc., contending that the same laws that protect traditional journalists, the First Amendment and California's Shield Law, also apply to bloggers. " [Full Story]
A panel of three judges said in a 69-page decision that a group of bloggers did not have to divulge their sources to Cupertino's Apple Computer Inc., contending that the same laws that protect traditional journalists, the First Amendment and California's Shield Law, also apply to bloggers. " [Full Story]
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Rick Santorum's travails
Apparently, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), who is facing a tough re-election race this November, doesn't bother to have the lawn mowed at his official Pennsylvania residence. This is interesting because PA voters are trying to prove that Santorum doesn't really live in Pennsylvania (which is probably true, although I don't know if this makes a difference as long as the Senator pays PA taxes and maintains a primary domicile there, since he owns a huge house in Northern Virginia and his kids go to school in a VA district). Let's see what comes of this.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Ponnuru on Daily Show
I just got around to watching yesterday's DVR'ed Daily Show. Jon Stewart's guest was none other than Ramesh Ponnuru himself, he of the "Party of Death"-book fame. Needless to say, Mr. Ponnuru got his hind-side handed to him by Stewart. I'll put the video up in a bit, and I'll cross my fingers in hopes that the suits over at Comedy Central don't go all DMCA on me.
Edit 5/19 1:27AM - The video can now be downloaded here. You will need the DivX Player or XviD decompressor to view the file. If you see a guy on CNN tomorrow running on an interstate shouting FAIR USE FAIR USE, that would be me being chased by Comedy Central lawyers.
Edit 5/19 1:27AM - The video can now be downloaded here. You will need the DivX Player or XviD decompressor to view the file. If you see a guy on CNN tomorrow running on an interstate shouting FAIR USE FAIR USE, that would be me being chased by Comedy Central lawyers.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Andrew, I refer you to Colbert
Mr. Sullivan writes:
"I just sat through an entire segment on the O'Reilly Factor dedicated to discussing the president's position on the proposed federal marriage amendment. Should the president take it on more aggressively? Or not? Fair debate. The only guests are both paid-up members of the movement to pass the amendment, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, and Maggie Gallagher. Even if the debate were entirely an intra-Republican affair, wouldn't it have been appropriate to have a Republican like LCR head, Patrick Guerrerio, to debate this; or Jim Kolbe? Or Mary Cheney? Or someone who might actually put the opposing point of view? Or are my expectations for Fox insane? "
Stephen Colbert at the WHCA Dinner: "Fox News gives you both sides of every story: the president's side, and the vice president's side."
"I just sat through an entire segment on the O'Reilly Factor dedicated to discussing the president's position on the proposed federal marriage amendment. Should the president take it on more aggressively? Or not? Fair debate. The only guests are both paid-up members of the movement to pass the amendment, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, and Maggie Gallagher. Even if the debate were entirely an intra-Republican affair, wouldn't it have been appropriate to have a Republican like LCR head, Patrick Guerrerio, to debate this; or Jim Kolbe? Or Mary Cheney? Or someone who might actually put the opposing point of view? Or are my expectations for Fox insane? "
Stephen Colbert at the WHCA Dinner: "Fox News gives you both sides of every story: the president's side, and the vice president's side."
The Senate heard me
Bush and Immigration
I'll be honest, instead of watching the GW immigration performance live on Monday night, I was watching the season finale of Prison Break. I watched a recording of the speech, and I was disappointed to confirm what I already knew: I didn't miss much. Main points:
1. Deployment of National Guard to the border - further stretching an already-stretched out Guard that is low in numbers and on morale, supplies, and equipment (a lot of which has been left behind in Iraq). Even this radical measure would be justified if it helped ease the situation, but it won't, it's merely a token gesture of pandering to the rapidly growing Michelle Malkin wing of the GOP.
2. Guest worker program - allows for the issuance of temporary guest worker permits, permits upon whose expiration the bearers would be required to go back to their own countries. This kind of program does not address the problem at all. There is one thing that everybody should realize when it comes to the 12 million illegal immigrants already in our country: they are not going to leave voluntarily, temporary work permits or not. Any expectation that illegal immigrants would just pack up and leave at the expiration of their permits is naive at best, and if not naive, presenting it as such to the public is the height of disingenuousness.
As far as preventing further immigrants from crossing over illegally, the only solid solution I can think of is a wall or fence. I know a lot of people think this is a very drastic measure, but we obviously do not have the manpower to guard the entire border, and there is not a single competing practical solution that is on the table.
1. Deployment of National Guard to the border - further stretching an already-stretched out Guard that is low in numbers and on morale, supplies, and equipment (a lot of which has been left behind in Iraq). Even this radical measure would be justified if it helped ease the situation, but it won't, it's merely a token gesture of pandering to the rapidly growing Michelle Malkin wing of the GOP.
2. Guest worker program - allows for the issuance of temporary guest worker permits, permits upon whose expiration the bearers would be required to go back to their own countries. This kind of program does not address the problem at all. There is one thing that everybody should realize when it comes to the 12 million illegal immigrants already in our country: they are not going to leave voluntarily, temporary work permits or not. Any expectation that illegal immigrants would just pack up and leave at the expiration of their permits is naive at best, and if not naive, presenting it as such to the public is the height of disingenuousness.
As far as preventing further immigrants from crossing over illegally, the only solid solution I can think of is a wall or fence. I know a lot of people think this is a very drastic measure, but we obviously do not have the manpower to guard the entire border, and there is not a single competing practical solution that is on the table.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Cohen v. Colbert, settled
Ken Silverstein takes a scientific approach to analyze the Cohen-Colbert spat.
Things get more interesting
Bell South denies the USA Today claim that it turned over phone records to the NSA, saying they found no evidence of such an agreement with the NSA after a thorough internal review. Let's wait for what AT&T and Verizon have to say.
5/17 12:02 AM - Verizon denies releasing records to the NSA, says it would never divulge such information without warrants.
5/17 12:02 AM - Verizon denies releasing records to the NSA, says it would never divulge such information without warrants.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Mary Cheney's PR campagin for her father
I know a lot has been going around about how Dick Cheney doesn't really hate homosexuals, he just pretends to when he's running for national office. Well, his openly gay daughter Mary was on Fox News yesterday, and had the most wonderful things to say about him. Things like this:
WALLACE: I'm not saying it isn't. I would like to ask, and you're not here — and I'm going to get off this very quickly — to talk for your dad, but there's a balance that people are trying to draw here between national security on the one hand and civil liberties on the other. How do you think he draws that balance?
CHENEY: He's always been very clear that, you know, we need to follow the law. We need to make sure that what we're doing is legal. But he also makes it clear that we need to do whatever it takes to keep this country safe. [Full Transcript]
Now that's a WHOPPER of a contradiction if there was ever one. Rhetorically, the phrase "we need to do whatever it takes to keep this country safe" sounds very warm and fuzzy, but legally, and for very good reason, the Executive Branch or any other branch of the government simply CANNOT DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. The Bush team understands this perfectly well and continues to be subversive to the law of the land, and the only conclusion that can be reached from this is that this Administration has no regard for the preservation of American democracy. If you think subserversive to the law of the land is too strong a phrase, well, read Michael Vlahos' article in the American Conservative magzine illustrating just how close to empire this country has come.
WALLACE: I'm not saying it isn't. I would like to ask, and you're not here — and I'm going to get off this very quickly — to talk for your dad, but there's a balance that people are trying to draw here between national security on the one hand and civil liberties on the other. How do you think he draws that balance?
CHENEY: He's always been very clear that, you know, we need to follow the law. We need to make sure that what we're doing is legal. But he also makes it clear that we need to do whatever it takes to keep this country safe. [Full Transcript]
Now that's a WHOPPER of a contradiction if there was ever one. Rhetorically, the phrase "we need to do whatever it takes to keep this country safe" sounds very warm and fuzzy, but legally, and for very good reason, the Executive Branch or any other branch of the government simply CANNOT DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. The Bush team understands this perfectly well and continues to be subversive to the law of the land, and the only conclusion that can be reached from this is that this Administration has no regard for the preservation of American democracy. If you think subserversive to the law of the land is too strong a phrase, well, read Michael Vlahos' article in the American Conservative magzine illustrating just how close to empire this country has come.
Now for the real poll
Conducted by Gallup/USA Today.
Tabular results
Needless to say, this poll contradicts the earlier WaPo poll conducted by our good partisan friend Dick Morin, but the numbers still leave a lot of us thinking whether people in this country take privacy and government accountability seriously enough.
When asked "1. Do you think the Bush administration has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough in restricting people’s civil liberties in order to fight terrorism]?", a full 19% said the administration has not gone far enough. As Arlen Specter would say, these guys are "smoking Dutch cleanser". My guess is that this 19% is Bush's core constituency, one that will stand by him like most Germans stood by Hitler as he continued to demolish the fledgling German parliament. I know a lot of you will say that the comparison to Hitler is not fair, and I agree with that, but if that's what it takes for people to realize just what happens when there's a herd mentality going around, then that's what we need to be writing about.
Further poll analysis by Atrios.
Tabular results
Needless to say, this poll contradicts the earlier WaPo poll conducted by our good partisan friend Dick Morin, but the numbers still leave a lot of us thinking whether people in this country take privacy and government accountability seriously enough.
When asked "1. Do you think the Bush administration has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough in restricting people’s civil liberties in order to fight terrorism]?", a full 19% said the administration has not gone far enough. As Arlen Specter would say, these guys are "smoking Dutch cleanser". My guess is that this 19% is Bush's core constituency, one that will stand by him like most Germans stood by Hitler as he continued to demolish the fledgling German parliament. I know a lot of you will say that the comparison to Hitler is not fair, and I agree with that, but if that's what it takes for people to realize just what happens when there's a herd mentality going around, then that's what we need to be writing about.
Further poll analysis by Atrios.
Impeachment contradictions
Mark Davis of the Dallas Morning News rejects the basis of the impeachment talk currently going around in the Bush-is-a-criminal circle (a circle whose diameter is growing, if polls are to be believed). Davis says:
"Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon both deserved impeachment. Mr. Clinton was in fact impeached..."
"Impeachment has historically been the desired remedy for presidencies that simply needed to end, not just a gotcha for the controversial ones."
"Until now."
Until now? How about until President Clinton was impeached by the hyperpartisan GOP-controlled Congress? Did his Presidency need to end? Did it in fact end? No. It was a political stunt. If and when President Bush gets impeached, it will NOT be a political stunt, it will constitute hearings on the most controversial issues of our times, issues such as the extra-legal authorizatoin of torture, the unlawful collection of purely domestic phone records through use of coercion and intimidation against the phone companies, and the unwarranted tapping of domestic phone lines. President Clinton's approval numbers soared during his impeachment hearings. I'm sorry to break it to you Mr. Davis, but I don't think we'll see that happen with President Bush if that day does come.
"Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon both deserved impeachment. Mr. Clinton was in fact impeached..."
"Impeachment has historically been the desired remedy for presidencies that simply needed to end, not just a gotcha for the controversial ones."
"Until now."
Until now? How about until President Clinton was impeached by the hyperpartisan GOP-controlled Congress? Did his Presidency need to end? Did it in fact end? No. It was a political stunt. If and when President Bush gets impeached, it will NOT be a political stunt, it will constitute hearings on the most controversial issues of our times, issues such as the extra-legal authorizatoin of torture, the unlawful collection of purely domestic phone records through use of coercion and intimidation against the phone companies, and the unwarranted tapping of domestic phone lines. President Clinton's approval numbers soared during his impeachment hearings. I'm sorry to break it to you Mr. Davis, but I don't think we'll see that happen with President Bush if that day does come.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
First lawsuit
Class action filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Declaration of State Secrets by DNI Negroponte
EFF Landing Page for the Lawsuit
Declaration of State Secrets by DNI Negroponte
EFF Landing Page for the Lawsuit
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Bill Clinton beating the crap out of George Bush
Enjoy.George Bush is hell-bent on making this country an autocracy. He even wants his brother to succeed him as POTUS. It's time for the American people to wake up and smell the coffee.
Partisan pollster, now that's a new one
Jane Hamsher exposes the WaPo pollster Richard Morin, conductor of the instaneous NSA-spying poll-even-before-the-public-knew-about-it-poll as the partisan hack that he is.
Limbaugh Strikes Gold
“The NSA says a lot of these calls [to pizza places] are going out just before midnight straight from college campuses. Let’s see if we can make a connection here. Liberals calling foreigners at astonishingly high rates at odd hours? You do the math, folks.”
Yes, you do the math. Pizza or RPG? Tough choice.
Yes, you do the math. Pizza or RPG? Tough choice.
And now for the poll
Less than 24 hours since news of the NSA's phone record collecting activities, we have a poll folks, by none other than our Richard Cohen-friendly folks at the WaPo. Excerpt:
"The new survey found that 63 percent of Americans said they found the NSA program to be an acceptable way to investigate terrorism, including 44 percent who strongly endorsed the effort. Another 35 percent said the program was unacceptable, which included 24 percent who strongly objected to it."
What's strange is that we're not even sure what the hell exactly IS going on at the NSA and the WaPo is already conducting polls. What's not strange however is that people, as usual, are giving responses to questions about which they have little to no idea regarding what's at stake. The collection of communications records by Executive Branch fiat is illegal, in addition to being an absolutely insane idea that goes beyond every check on government excess when it comes to communication with its own citizen.
Republican talking heads have been yelling all day that a majority of Americans support the NSA record collection, so its perfectly okay. It seems as if this Administration's poll numbers are driving these talking heads to new depths of illogic. If this country were to be run by majority opinion, then Al Gore should have been inaugurated as the POTUS in 2000 on account of winning the general popular vote. Of course we all know that Al Gore gave a concession speech in 2000 instead of an inaugural address in 2001 because we have procedures and laws, in this case the esoteric electoral college law interpreted by the SCOTUS.
If this country were to be governed by majority opinion, then medical marijuana would be legal, civil unions would be federally protected, the military would openly recruit gays, and George Bush would be impeached (if we're going to rule by polls, then it only makes sense that the power to impeach a sitting POTUS should wrest in the hands of the people and not the House).
Bottom line: Republicans in the Judiciary Committee need to develop some kahonas, conduct some damn investigations, and start issuing subpoenas left and right for everybody possibly responsible for these potentially gross breaches of law.
"The new survey found that 63 percent of Americans said they found the NSA program to be an acceptable way to investigate terrorism, including 44 percent who strongly endorsed the effort. Another 35 percent said the program was unacceptable, which included 24 percent who strongly objected to it."
What's strange is that we're not even sure what the hell exactly IS going on at the NSA and the WaPo is already conducting polls. What's not strange however is that people, as usual, are giving responses to questions about which they have little to no idea regarding what's at stake. The collection of communications records by Executive Branch fiat is illegal, in addition to being an absolutely insane idea that goes beyond every check on government excess when it comes to communication with its own citizen.
Republican talking heads have been yelling all day that a majority of Americans support the NSA record collection, so its perfectly okay. It seems as if this Administration's poll numbers are driving these talking heads to new depths of illogic. If this country were to be run by majority opinion, then Al Gore should have been inaugurated as the POTUS in 2000 on account of winning the general popular vote. Of course we all know that Al Gore gave a concession speech in 2000 instead of an inaugural address in 2001 because we have procedures and laws, in this case the esoteric electoral college law interpreted by the SCOTUS.
If this country were to be governed by majority opinion, then medical marijuana would be legal, civil unions would be federally protected, the military would openly recruit gays, and George Bush would be impeached (if we're going to rule by polls, then it only makes sense that the power to impeach a sitting POTUS should wrest in the hands of the people and not the House).
Bottom line: Republicans in the Judiciary Committee need to develop some kahonas, conduct some damn investigations, and start issuing subpoenas left and right for everybody possibly responsible for these potentially gross breaches of law.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Conservative pundit in-fighting
You have to love it when Jonah Goldberg, Ramesh Ponnuru, and Andrew Miller argue about who is the greater partisan. It reminds me of a certain three blind men and an elephant...
When nothing else is going to work, sue 'em
The telcos are liable for submissively handing out your information to the NSA without your consent. I smell class actions. Lots of them. Justice the American way. Beautiful. Err wait, our Great Leader might dissolve the court system tomorrow because they compromise national security, so on second thought, let's not push him.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
NSA Domestic Phone Record Collection
First, the article from USA Today that started it all here. According to the report, "Among the big telecommunications companies, only Qwest has refused to help the NSA...". After Joe Nacchio's tendencies for fraud, I could never imagine praising Qwest, but here I am: Qwest deserves our admiration in standing up to intimidation of the worst kind from the suits over at the NSA.
Here's Glenn Greenwald on the legal implications of such data collection. Suffice it to say, not only is the NSA flouting our nation's laws, it is intimidating telcos into becoming accomplices. As expected, our Great Leader called a press conference and said everything is legal and a-okay:
""First, our intelligence activities strictly target al-Qaeda and their known affiliates...."
If that were true, then we have to assume that every Verizon, SBC/AT&T and Bell South customer whose data the NSA collected is affiliated with al-Qaeda. This is just absurd, and it would be comical if the situation weren't so grave and concerned our most fundamental rights as Americans. Folks, let's vote these autocrats out of office this November and in November 08.
Here's Glenn Greenwald on the legal implications of such data collection. Suffice it to say, not only is the NSA flouting our nation's laws, it is intimidating telcos into becoming accomplices. As expected, our Great Leader called a press conference and said everything is legal and a-okay:
""First, our intelligence activities strictly target al-Qaeda and their known affiliates...."
If that were true, then we have to assume that every Verizon, SBC/AT&T and Bell South customer whose data the NSA collected is affiliated with al-Qaeda. This is just absurd, and it would be comical if the situation weren't so grave and concerned our most fundamental rights as Americans. Folks, let's vote these autocrats out of office this November and in November 08.
Jeb Bush...
...might be the next President of the United States. Word.
Now for the kicker...
From the AP:
"WASHINGTON - The government has abruptly ended an inquiry into the warrantless eavesdropping program because the National Security Agency refused to grant Justice Department lawyers the necessary security clearance to probe the matter."
I usually don't curse, but seriously, WTF? I'll ask again, WTF??
"WASHINGTON - The government has abruptly ended an inquiry into the warrantless eavesdropping program because the National Security Agency refused to grant Justice Department lawyers the necessary security clearance to probe the matter."
I usually don't curse, but seriously, WTF? I'll ask again, WTF??
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
More calls to close Gitmo
This time, it's the Attorney General of the United Kingdom.
``There are certain principles on which there can be no compromise,'' Goldsmith said during a speech in London today. ``Fair trial is one of those.''
I'll drink to that, the beverage being a glass of Stirred Rumsfeld.
``There are certain principles on which there can be no compromise,'' Goldsmith said during a speech in London today. ``Fair trial is one of those.''
I'll drink to that, the beverage being a glass of Stirred Rumsfeld.
Judge Luttig throws in the towel
From The WAPO:
"Appeals court judge J. Michael Luttig, a leading conservative jurist and a short-list Bush administration candidate for the Supreme Court, announced today that he is resigning from the bench to serve as senior vice president and general counsel of The Boeing Co."
Ha! If you recall, Judge Luttig was a conservative darling and frontline contender for a seat on the Supreme Court until he decided to have an opinion unfavorable to this administration. Perhaps he's realized that he's not getting a promotion anytime soon, what with the Republicans not liking him and the Democrats never liking him, and he's decided its time to rake in the big bucks. It would be interesting to find out how much General Counsel Luttig of the Boeing Corporation is going to earn.
"Appeals court judge J. Michael Luttig, a leading conservative jurist and a short-list Bush administration candidate for the Supreme Court, announced today that he is resigning from the bench to serve as senior vice president and general counsel of The Boeing Co."
Ha! If you recall, Judge Luttig was a conservative darling and frontline contender for a seat on the Supreme Court until he decided to have an opinion unfavorable to this administration. Perhaps he's realized that he's not getting a promotion anytime soon, what with the Republicans not liking him and the Democrats never liking him, and he's decided its time to rake in the big bucks. It would be interesting to find out how much General Counsel Luttig of the Boeing Corporation is going to earn.
The Sissification of America? Hardly.
Hendrik Hertzberg on the Moussaoui sentencing in this week's New Yorker. Money quote:
"After the sentence was pronounced, MSNBC trotted out a bullet-headed talk-radio host to sneer at “the sissification of America.” But if it was mercy he was deploring his indignation was misplaced. “Life imprisonment without possibility of parole” hardly begins to describe the bleakness that awaits Moussaoui. He will be taken to the federal Supermax prison, in Florence, Colorado. He will be locked in a featureless, soundproof concrete box, seven feet by twelve. There he will remain—in solitary confinement, with scarcely a glimpse of sky and none of greenery, and no contact with other living things besides guards and insects—until he dies. The cruelty of this is terrible indeed, and any satisfaction it brings must be mixed with pity and even with shame."
It is difficult to argue that this sentence is less cruel than death, and this point is succinctly made in Moussaoui's attempt to retract the testimony that resulted in his conviction and sentencing. Killing Moussaoui would have made him a hero, sending him to a 7x12 cell is going to make him just another sucker with an addled brain. This time around the American justice system did exactly what it was supposed to do, DESPITE the federal prosecutors' inept handling of the entire case.
"After the sentence was pronounced, MSNBC trotted out a bullet-headed talk-radio host to sneer at “the sissification of America.” But if it was mercy he was deploring his indignation was misplaced. “Life imprisonment without possibility of parole” hardly begins to describe the bleakness that awaits Moussaoui. He will be taken to the federal Supermax prison, in Florence, Colorado. He will be locked in a featureless, soundproof concrete box, seven feet by twelve. There he will remain—in solitary confinement, with scarcely a glimpse of sky and none of greenery, and no contact with other living things besides guards and insects—until he dies. The cruelty of this is terrible indeed, and any satisfaction it brings must be mixed with pity and even with shame."
It is difficult to argue that this sentence is less cruel than death, and this point is succinctly made in Moussaoui's attempt to retract the testimony that resulted in his conviction and sentencing. Killing Moussaoui would have made him a hero, sending him to a 7x12 cell is going to make him just another sucker with an addled brain. This time around the American justice system did exactly what it was supposed to do, DESPITE the federal prosecutors' inept handling of the entire case.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Cunning Cohen?
All I can say is, HA.HA.HA.
Campos on Caitlin Flanagan
Paul Campos sticks a knife through Caitlin Flanagan's rant last week regarding the Democratic party ousting housewives from its potential electorate. Atrios calls Flanagan "the worst woman in America."
Monday, May 08, 2006
Plonk
Weldon Berger kills the Cole v. Hitchens debate.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
George W. Bush is a liberal
Yes, 'tis true. If Jonah Goldberg over at National Review thinks so, well, then, it must be. More on this topic later, here are some shots at making sense out of this latest Republican buffoonery. I swear these people do everything except govern the country like its supposed to be governed.
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/05/bush-administration-is-radical-but-not.html
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_digbysblog_archive.html#114703227156158114
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/05/bush-administration-is-radical-but-not.html
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_digbysblog_archive.html#114703227156158114
Stills from WH Correspondents' Assoc Dinner
Enjoy. Oh, and if you think I'm obsessed with Colbert's performance at the dinner, you are correct.
The Party Ends
Britain's Labor Party MPs are now asking for a resignation deadline for PM Tony Blair. I feel sorry for Blair. He was an otherwise smart man who, for reasons unknown, decided to follow the leadership of President Bush re the war in Iraq even while knowing that the intelligence used to justify the invasion was doctored or taken out of context. So now, a person who could have been a great UK Prime Minister will now likely end up as an accomplice to one of the greatest decision-making blunders in the history of our two countries.
Friends don't let friends impeach a lying President?
House Minority Leader Pelosi:
"I said we'd be having hearings on the war, we'd have hearings. But I don't see us going to a place of impeachment," Pelosi said in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press. "Investigation does not equate to impeachment. Investigation is the requirement of Congress. It is about checks and balances." [Full Story]
Checks and balances? I thought that phrase was antiquated! Perhaps Ms. Pelosi has forgotten that the cool thing to talk about these days is the limitless power of the executive branch and the servile nature of the U.S. Congress. On a more serious note, I think democrats should be wary of counting their apples so early in the game. Talks of congressional investigations and impeachment will only serve to increase Republican turnout while having no impact on democratic turnout because people who have already decided that this country has had enough of the republicans' horse manure don't need a reassurance that investigations will happen. As far as they're concerned, investigations are inevitable and their current discussion sans a congressional democratic majority is a moot point.
"I said we'd be having hearings on the war, we'd have hearings. But I don't see us going to a place of impeachment," Pelosi said in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press. "Investigation does not equate to impeachment. Investigation is the requirement of Congress. It is about checks and balances." [Full Story]
Checks and balances? I thought that phrase was antiquated! Perhaps Ms. Pelosi has forgotten that the cool thing to talk about these days is the limitless power of the executive branch and the servile nature of the U.S. Congress. On a more serious note, I think democrats should be wary of counting their apples so early in the game. Talks of congressional investigations and impeachment will only serve to increase Republican turnout while having no impact on democratic turnout because people who have already decided that this country has had enough of the republicans' horse manure don't need a reassurance that investigations will happen. As far as they're concerned, investigations are inevitable and their current discussion sans a congressional democratic majority is a moot point.
The end of Gitmo?
"Of course Guantanamo is a delicate issue for people. I would like to close the camp and put the prisoners on trial," Bush said in comments to German television to be broadcast on Sunday night. The interview was recorded last week.
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<http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-05-07T175815Z_01_B597743_RTRUKOC_0_US-BUSH-GUANTANAMO.xml&src=rss>
Ouch
Where is the privacy, v2.0
Police spying on ordinary citizens, according to this U.S. News & World Report piece. Do we still live in the USA? Colbert comes to mind: "I believe in America. I believe it exists. My gut tells me I live there."
Money quote:
"The California Anti-Terrorism Information Center, a $7 million fusion center run by the state Department of Justice, also ran into trouble in 2003 when it warned of potential violence at an antiwar protest at the port of Oakland. Mike Van Winkle, then a spokesman for the center, explained his concern to the Oakland Tribune: "You can make an easy kind of a link that, if you have a protest group protesting a war where the cause that's being fought against is international terrorism, you might have terrorism at that protest. You can almost argue that a protest against [the war] is a terrorist act." Officials quickly distanced themselves from the statement. The center's staff had confused political protest with terrorism, announced California's attorney general, who oversees the office."
Money quote:
"The California Anti-Terrorism Information Center, a $7 million fusion center run by the state Department of Justice, also ran into trouble in 2003 when it warned of potential violence at an antiwar protest at the port of Oakland. Mike Van Winkle, then a spokesman for the center, explained his concern to the Oakland Tribune: "You can make an easy kind of a link that, if you have a protest group protesting a war where the cause that's being fought against is international terrorism, you might have terrorism at that protest. You can almost argue that a protest against [the war] is a terrorist act." Officials quickly distanced themselves from the statement. The center's staff had confused political protest with terrorism, announced California's attorney general, who oversees the office."
Where is the privacy, you ask
Cryptome birds-eye on DCI-to-be Michael Hayden. Meanwhile, talks of opposition to his nomination by Republican leadership.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Colbert compendium
A week after Stephen Colbert made history at the WH Correspondents Association's dinner by satirizing like never done before facing a sitting US President, the following is appropriate.
Full Video
Transcript
Colbert on NPR
Colbert on 60 Minutes
Time Magazine 100 People Who Shape Our World
Positive Reaction:
Stills from an audience seemingly enjoying itself
http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
Michael Scherer, Salon
James Poniewozik, Time Magazine
Joan Walsh, Salon
D. Parvaz, Seattle Post Intelligencer
Bellacio.org
Atrios
Joe Gandelman, The Moderate Voice
Negative Reaction:
Richard Cohen, Washington Post
James Taranto, WSJ
Michelle Malkin
Robert A. George, Huffington Post
Confused Reaction:
Ann Althouse
More to come as necessary. It should be noted that many journalists and institutions affiliated with the MSM chose to ignore Colbert's performance completely, and this status quo would have been maintained but for the intervention of bloggers like yours truly.
Full Video
Transcript
Colbert on NPR
Colbert on 60 Minutes
Time Magazine 100 People Who Shape Our World
Positive Reaction:
Stills from an audience seemingly enjoying itself
http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/
Michael Scherer, Salon
James Poniewozik, Time Magazine
Joan Walsh, Salon
D. Parvaz, Seattle Post Intelligencer
Bellacio.org
Atrios
Joe Gandelman, The Moderate Voice
Negative Reaction:
Richard Cohen, Washington Post
James Taranto, WSJ
Michelle Malkin
Robert A. George, Huffington Post
Confused Reaction:
Ann Althouse
More to come as necessary. It should be noted that many journalists and institutions affiliated with the MSM chose to ignore Colbert's performance completely, and this status quo would have been maintained but for the intervention of bloggers like yours truly.
Resignation statement by former DCI Goss
General Michael Hayden to be new DCI
The formal announcement is expected Monday. Here are some choice details re our new man:
"Gen. Michael Hayden refused to answer question about spying on political enemies at National Press Club. At a public appearance, Bush's pointman in the Office of National Intelligence was asked if the NSA was wiretapping Bush's political enemies. When Hayden dodged the question, the questioner repeated, "No, I asked, are you targeting us and people who politically oppose the Bush government, the Bush administration? Not a fishing net, but are you targeting specifically political opponents of the Bush administration?" Hayden looked at the questioner, and after a silence called on a different questioner." (Hayden National Press Club remarks, 1/23/06)
"I'm disappointed I guess that perhaps the default response for some is to assume the worst. I'm trying to communicate to you that the people who are doing this, okay, go shopping in Glen Burnie and their kids play soccer in Laurel, and they know the law. They know American privacy better than the average American, and they're dedicated to it. So I guess the message I'd ask you to take back to your communities is the same one I take back to mine. This is focused. It's targeted. It's very carefully done. You shouldn't worry."
So folks, the message is, YOU shouldn't worry about some big government suit listening to your phone conversations. What you should worry about is how you're going to pay for gas next week, especially since that $100 rebate plan has been canned.
"Gen. Michael Hayden refused to answer question about spying on political enemies at National Press Club. At a public appearance, Bush's pointman in the Office of National Intelligence was asked if the NSA was wiretapping Bush's political enemies. When Hayden dodged the question, the questioner repeated, "No, I asked, are you targeting us and people who politically oppose the Bush government, the Bush administration? Not a fishing net, but are you targeting specifically political opponents of the Bush administration?" Hayden looked at the questioner, and after a silence called on a different questioner." (Hayden National Press Club remarks, 1/23/06)
"I'm disappointed I guess that perhaps the default response for some is to assume the worst. I'm trying to communicate to you that the people who are doing this, okay, go shopping in Glen Burnie and their kids play soccer in Laurel, and they know the law. They know American privacy better than the average American, and they're dedicated to it. So I guess the message I'd ask you to take back to your communities is the same one I take back to mine. This is focused. It's targeted. It's very carefully done. You shouldn't worry."
So folks, the message is, YOU shouldn't worry about some big government suit listening to your phone conversations. What you should worry about is how you're going to pay for gas next week, especially since that $100 rebate plan has been canned.
More on Goss departure / Intelligence reform
This from today's WSJ:
"Perhaps this shrinking of the CIA is necessary if the agency has become as politicized and ungovernable as it sometimes seems from the outside. In that case, Mr. Bush would be better off shutting Langley altogether and rebuilding an intelligence service from the ground up under the DNI. This being Washington, where inertia rules, that isn't likely to happen. So we are probably left with the hope that Mr. Bush will choose a new director who can work with Mr. Negroponte to make the agency more effective." <http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110008344>
This is an idiotic notion. Should we rebuild the CIA from the ground up so that whatever does work should also stop working, just like FEMA? When will these people realize that the answer to our intelligence problems does NOT lie in creating new agencies and getting rid of old ones? So in this case, we should be thankful to Beltway inertia because without it this administration would ensure that the crap hits the fan more rapidly than it already does.
As far choosing a new director goes, we've already seen in this administration that power lies between 3 or 4 people [cheney, rummy, rove, rice], and the remainder of the officials are window dressing. Unless this changes, appointing a new director, no matter who he happens to be, is going to be a moot issue.
Fascinating reading..
Friday, May 05, 2006
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy [Mad Cow] Prevalence in the US
In a new report by the Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, some positive news:
"Among the 735,213 cattle sampled in the 7 years prior to March 17, 2006, two infected indigenous animals were identified by the surveillance in addition to the 2003 imported cow from Canada. The results of the two methods of analysis suggest that the number of infected cattle in the United States is extremely low."
It remains to be seen how long these numbers last. It is still not clear what causes the spread of BSE, so suffice it to say we'll be hearing about this stuff sooner or later.
Here's the link to the full study:
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/hot_issues/bse/content/printable_version/BSEprevalence-estimate4-26-06.pdf>
"Among the 735,213 cattle sampled in the 7 years prior to March 17, 2006, two infected indigenous animals were identified by the surveillance in addition to the 2003 imported cow from Canada. The results of the two methods of analysis suggest that the number of infected cattle in the United States is extremely low."
It remains to be seen how long these numbers last. It is still not clear what causes the spread of BSE, so suffice it to say we'll be hearing about this stuff sooner or later.
Here's the link to the full study:
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/hot_issues/bse/content/printable_version/BSEprevalence-estimate4-26-06.pdf>
Indictments anybody? 2 for $1
Quoting atrios:
"Schuster had a bit of a Plame update on Countdown. Quick version:
Inbetween chatting with Miller and chatting with Cooper about Plame the CIA warned Libby about the implications of discussing Plame (opens up the possibility of actually charging him for the leak itself).
"Tea leaves" say Rove's going to be indicted."
<http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_04_30_atrios_archive.html#114687600187896710>
"Schuster had a bit of a Plame update on Countdown. Quick version:
Inbetween chatting with Miller and chatting with Cooper about Plame the CIA warned Libby about the implications of discussing Plame (opens up the possibility of actually charging him for the leak itself).
"Tea leaves" say Rove's going to be indicted."
<http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_04_30_atrios_archive.html#114687600187896710>
Numbers
Economic growth between January and March 2006 - 4.8%
Bush's disapproval rating re economy during this period - 64%
Your neighborhood Fox News reporter asks:
WHY ARE PEOPLE DISAPPROVING OF THE PRESIDENT DURING A TIME OF SOLID ECONOMIC EXPANSION? THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!
Answer:
Growth of wages between January and March 2006 - 0.7%
Rise in gasoline prices? 24% <http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html>
Rise in healthcare costs? 7.1%
Rise in housing prices during 2005 Q4 [latest data available]? 2.86%
<http://www.ofheo.gov/media/pdf/4q05hpi.pdf>
Now, Colbert will proceed to point out that these are numbers, from websites, based on facts, based on reality, which we know has a "liberal bias". Colbert is a good man.
Bush's disapproval rating re economy during this period - 64%
Your neighborhood Fox News reporter asks:
WHY ARE PEOPLE DISAPPROVING OF THE PRESIDENT DURING A TIME OF SOLID ECONOMIC EXPANSION? THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!
Answer:
Growth of wages between January and March 2006 - 0.7%
Rise in gasoline prices? 24% <http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html>
Rise in healthcare costs? 7.1%
Rise in housing prices during 2005 Q4 [latest data available]? 2.86%
<http://www.ofheo.gov/media/pdf/4q05hpi.pdf>
Now, Colbert will proceed to point out that these are numbers, from websites, based on facts, based on reality, which we know has a "liberal bias". Colbert is a good man.
Bye Mr. Porter Goss
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CIA director Porter Goss is resigning, President Bush announced on Friday.
Bush said Goss had given him candid advice and brought honor to the job.
"Porter's tenure at the CIA was one of transition," Bush said, "where he's helped this agency become integrated into the intelligence community, and that was a tough job."
"He's got a five-year plan to increase the number of analysts and operatives, which is going to help make this country a safer place and help us win the war on terror," the president said.
In an Oval Office photo session, Goss told Bush, "I believe the agency is on a very even keel, sailing well, I honestly believe that we have improved dramatically."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/05/bush.appoint/index.html
Perhaps it's because Goss was allegedly an attendee at Duke Cunningham's hooker parties?
Original WSJ piece breaking the Cunningham hooker story:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114610728002837324-FnHaEYAFT_b7QFGwPxnAIiEcHEI_20060527.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top
Here's Justin Rood over at TPM Muckraker re Goss' possible involvement:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000494.php
Bush said Goss had given him candid advice and brought honor to the job.
"Porter's tenure at the CIA was one of transition," Bush said, "where he's helped this agency become integrated into the intelligence community, and that was a tough job."
"He's got a five-year plan to increase the number of analysts and operatives, which is going to help make this country a safer place and help us win the war on terror," the president said.
In an Oval Office photo session, Goss told Bush, "I believe the agency is on a very even keel, sailing well, I honestly believe that we have improved dramatically."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/05/bush.appoint/index.html
Perhaps it's because Goss was allegedly an attendee at Duke Cunningham's hooker parties?
Original WSJ piece breaking the Cunningham hooker story:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114610728002837324-FnHaEYAFT_b7QFGwPxnAIiEcHEI_20060527.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top
Here's Justin Rood over at TPM Muckraker re Goss' possible involvement:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000494.php
Why doesn't the MSM get it?
Richard Cohen, in what I can only describe as a column that completely misses the point of Colbert's routine and borders on defending the Emperor who has no clothes on, writes in yesterday's Washington Post: "Rudeness means taking advantage of the other person's sense of decorum or tradition or civility not to strike back or, worse, rise with a huff and leave. The other night, that person was George W. Bush."
Sense of decorum? Where was Cohen when President Bush was making jokes about the missing WMDs in the 2004 WH Correspondent Association's Dinner? The fact is, this administration has been taking advantage of the American people's sense of decorum and respect in not rising against the Executive Branch's gross negligence, lies, and abuses of power regarding the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the war in Iraq, NSA wiretapping, rendition to countries like Syria to torture suspects, and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Colbert expressed sentiments that most Americans share but have not the opportunity to express, and that has the MSM in a huff because this is ostensibly their job, one they have not nearly lived up to in the past few years.
Sense of decorum? Where was Cohen when President Bush was making jokes about the missing WMDs in the 2004 WH Correspondent Association's Dinner? The fact is, this administration has been taking advantage of the American people's sense of decorum and respect in not rising against the Executive Branch's gross negligence, lies, and abuses of power regarding the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the war in Iraq, NSA wiretapping, rendition to countries like Syria to torture suspects, and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Colbert expressed sentiments that most Americans share but have not the opportunity to express, and that has the MSM in a huff because this is ostensibly their job, one they have not nearly lived up to in the past few years.
Gas prices hoopla
Massimo Calabresi at Time Magazine writes: "Conservation is one of the few things that would actually help drive down prices at the pump. Too bad most politicians are scared to utter the word" <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1191252,00.html>
Reminds me of this exchange between then Press Secretary Ari Fleischer and a member of the WH Press Corps. I quote:
Q "Is one of the problems with this, and the entire energy field, American lifestyles? Does the President believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita, how much it exceeds any other citizen in any other country in the world, does the President believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?"
MR. FLEISCHER: "That's a big no. The President believes that it's an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one. And we have a bounty of resources in this country. What we need to do is make certain that we're able to get those resources in an efficient way, in a way that also emphasizes protecting the environment and conservation, into the hands of consumers so they can make the choices that they want to make as they live their lives day to day. "
Makes you wonder what these guys were smoking, and to a great degree, continue to smoke.
Reminds me of this exchange between then Press Secretary Ari Fleischer and a member of the WH Press Corps. I quote:
Q "Is one of the problems with this, and the entire energy field, American lifestyles? Does the President believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita, how much it exceeds any other citizen in any other country in the world, does the President believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?"
MR. FLEISCHER: "That's a big no. The President believes that it's an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one. And we have a bounty of resources in this country. What we need to do is make certain that we're able to get those resources in an efficient way, in a way that also emphasizes protecting the environment and conservation, into the hands of consumers so they can make the choices that they want to make as they live their lives day to day. "
Makes you wonder what these guys were smoking, and to a great degree, continue to smoke.
"Why Isn't Socialism Dead?"
Lee Harris at TCS Daily asks "Why Isn't Socialism Dead?" <http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=050506I>
Well, perhaps because American democracy as illustrated by the current administration has shown nothing besides hubris and double standards as it relates to the rest of the world. Perhaps because this administration, in its pursuit of spreading democracy, has lost sight of what it means to be a democratic nation. We would like to think of our country as a role model for the rest of the world, but alas our leaders provide ample material for the socialists and communists and dictators of the world to shred any doubts in the minds of their people that America stands for imperialistic profit-making and does what is economically expedient regardless of the loss of life, damage to the environment, etc etc.
Well, perhaps because American democracy as illustrated by the current administration has shown nothing besides hubris and double standards as it relates to the rest of the world. Perhaps because this administration, in its pursuit of spreading democracy, has lost sight of what it means to be a democratic nation. We would like to think of our country as a role model for the rest of the world, but alas our leaders provide ample material for the socialists and communists and dictators of the world to shred any doubts in the minds of their people that America stands for imperialistic profit-making and does what is economically expedient regardless of the loss of life, damage to the environment, etc etc.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Colbert...
James Poniewozik over at his Time magazine blog hits the nail right on the head with his analysis of Stephen Colbert's performance at the White House Correspondent Association's Dinner last Saturday. Money quote:
"To the audience that would watch Colbert on Comedy Central, the pained, uncomfortable, perhaps-a-little-scared-to-laugh reaction shots were not signs of failure. They were the money shots. They were the whole point. "
http://time.blogs.com/tuned_in/2006/05/stephen_colbert.html
While Richard Cohen completely misses the point:
"Self-mockery can be funny. Mockery that is insulting is not. The sort of stuff that would get you punched in a bar can be said on a dais with impunity. This is why Colbert was more than rude. He was a bully."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/colbert_wasnt_funny.html
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"To the audience that would watch Colbert on Comedy Central, the pained, uncomfortable, perhaps-a-little-scared-to-laugh reaction shots were not signs of failure. They were the money shots. They were the whole point. "
http://time.blogs.com/tuned_in/2006/05/stephen_colbert.html
While Richard Cohen completely misses the point:
"Self-mockery can be funny. Mockery that is insulting is not. The sort of stuff that would get you punched in a bar can be said on a dais with impunity. This is why Colbert was more than rude. He was a bully."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/colbert_wasnt_funny.html
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