Saturday, June 05, 2004
Reagan Has Died. Expect That Even Memories Will Be Polarized.
Ronald Reagan died to day at the age of 93. He left as a hero to many Americans because he was viewed largely to have created the kind of presidency that many Americans felt was honorable. I have been reading blogs and hear from both sides the word on his legacy and it is a mix of what I remember, and reactions that range from worship to disdain. I think the truth is, he was a pretty good President with a mixed administration.
On his Bad Column go plenty of problems: He said he would not negotiate with terrorists, but in fact oversaw the worst negotiations we ever conducted with terrorists-one where we traded weapons with them. He said he would be a fiscal conservative but oversaw the largest military expansion in history, and had to raise taxes to pay for them. He said he stood for the blue-collar worker but essentially destroyed the power of unions. He informed on Hollywood “Commies” for the McCarthy FBI. On his guard 241 Marines were killed in a terrorist bombing in Lebanon and he consequently withdrew the garrison, and the Lockerbie Bombing happened even though he was warned in advance this might happen. The latter two criticisms are judging him in ways we never judged anyone before him. Also, he said little about AIDS in its early stages. I don’t blame him for that. A lot of medical experts were also not ready to push the panic button.
On his GOOD column, it wasn’t that he destroyed the Communists, they were committing suicide, it was that he truly accepted and greeted Gorbachev with the diplomatic warmth and grace that today the White House is totally devoid of.
He was a hard negotiator but he was respected by members of both parties. He was fair and tried to be kind in a way that once truly looked like Compassionate Conservatism. Today, that Orwellian term is laughed at by anyone with a three digit IQ.
He negotiated nuclear weapon non proliferation treaties successfully, the SALT and START treaties and he did them bi-partisanly.
When he left office, we still had allies. When Bush leaves office, whenever that happens, we will be lucky to have any allies beyond Bulgaria and the Seychelles Islands.
I also credit Nancy Reagan for her dignity and grace and sense to keep the Repuglicans from changing the Roosevelt Dime to the Reagan Dime.
RIP.
On his Bad Column go plenty of problems: He said he would not negotiate with terrorists, but in fact oversaw the worst negotiations we ever conducted with terrorists-one where we traded weapons with them. He said he would be a fiscal conservative but oversaw the largest military expansion in history, and had to raise taxes to pay for them. He said he stood for the blue-collar worker but essentially destroyed the power of unions. He informed on Hollywood “Commies” for the McCarthy FBI. On his guard 241 Marines were killed in a terrorist bombing in Lebanon and he consequently withdrew the garrison, and the Lockerbie Bombing happened even though he was warned in advance this might happen. The latter two criticisms are judging him in ways we never judged anyone before him. Also, he said little about AIDS in its early stages. I don’t blame him for that. A lot of medical experts were also not ready to push the panic button.
On his GOOD column, it wasn’t that he destroyed the Communists, they were committing suicide, it was that he truly accepted and greeted Gorbachev with the diplomatic warmth and grace that today the White House is totally devoid of.
He was a hard negotiator but he was respected by members of both parties. He was fair and tried to be kind in a way that once truly looked like Compassionate Conservatism. Today, that Orwellian term is laughed at by anyone with a three digit IQ.
He negotiated nuclear weapon non proliferation treaties successfully, the SALT and START treaties and he did them bi-partisanly.
When he left office, we still had allies. When Bush leaves office, whenever that happens, we will be lucky to have any allies beyond Bulgaria and the Seychelles Islands.
I also credit Nancy Reagan for her dignity and grace and sense to keep the Repuglicans from changing the Roosevelt Dime to the Reagan Dime.
RIP.
MSNBC
NORVILLE: And Paul Wolfowitz.
CLANCY: Is he really on our side?
NORVILLE: You genuinely ask that question? Is he on our side?
CLANCY: I sat in on — I was in the Pentagon in ‘01 for a red team operation and he came in and briefed us. And after the brief, I just thought, is he really on our side? Sorry.
CLANCY: Is he really on our side?
NORVILLE: You genuinely ask that question? Is he on our side?
CLANCY: I sat in on — I was in the Pentagon in ‘01 for a red team operation and he came in and briefed us. And after the brief, I just thought, is he really on our side? Sorry.
W Gets All Lawyered Up. Now What Could That Mean?
The Serious Implications Of President Bush's Hiring A Personal Outside Counsel For The Valerie Plame Investigation
By JOHN W. DEAN
This Is Serious
By JOHN W. DEAN
This Is Serious
More Abuse
President Bush attributed the problems uncovered at Abu Ghraib to "a few American troops who dishonored our country." Mr. Bush, the problems go deeper than a few bad apples.
This Article Is A Look At Abuse So Critically I thought It Was Written By Bob Herbert
This Article Is A Look At Abuse So Critically I thought It Was Written By Bob Herbert
US Smears Padilla While It Indicts
Terrorism Is The New “Red Menace”
I totally agree with this. I remember my father defending the Vietnam War with a missive that if we didn't stop it over there, we'd be facing it over here. "You'd be working 10 hours a day in a salt mine and you couldn't own anything. You want to own a dog right?"
Fanatical Muslims replaced Soviet Communists and, like the reds, these enemies could be anywhere, including in our midst (they may not even be Muslims, but kindred agents who likewise "hate" us and oppose our values). Like the cold war's, the logic of this new organizing framework can be awesomely compelling to the popular imagination because it runs on fear--the public's expanding fear of potential dangers. The political commodity of fear has no practical limits. The government has the ability to manufacture more.
Fanatical Muslims replaced Soviet Communists and, like the reds, these enemies could be anywhere, including in our midst (they may not even be Muslims, but kindred agents who likewise "hate" us and oppose our values). Like the cold war's, the logic of this new organizing framework can be awesomely compelling to the popular imagination because it runs on fear--the public's expanding fear of potential dangers. The political commodity of fear has no practical limits. The government has the ability to manufacture more.
Rough Week For Bush
Friday, June 04, 2004
823
Is Bush Losing His Marbles?
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Tenet Resigns
Cheney Needs To Come Clean
If I Were Bush I’d Be Praying Too
They Just Keep A Comin'
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army will prevent soldiers in units set to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan from leaving the service at the end of their terms, a top general said Wednesday.The announcement, an expansion of an Army program called "stop-loss," means that thousands of soldiers who had expected to retire or otherwise leave the military will have to stay on for the duration of their deployment to those combat zones.
Uh....Whoops
President Bush has consulted an outside lawyer in case he needs to retain him in the grand jury investigation of who leaked the name of a covert CIA operative last year, the White House said Wednesday. There was no indication that Bush is a target of the leak investigation, but the president has decided that in the event he needs an attorney's advice, "he would retain him," White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said.
The lawyer is Jim Sharp, Buchan said, confirming a report by CBS Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts.
The lawyer is Jim Sharp, Buchan said, confirming a report by CBS Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts.
The Gall!!!!
During California's rolling blackouts, when streets were lit only by head lights and families were trapped in elevators, Enron Energy traders laughed, reports CBS News Correspondent Vince Gonzales.
One trader is heard on tapes obtained by CBS News saying, "Just cut 'em off. They're so f----d. They should just bring back f-----g horses and carriages, f-----g lamps, f-----g kerosene lamps."
One trader is heard on tapes obtained by CBS News saying, "Just cut 'em off. They're so f----d. They should just bring back f-----g horses and carriages, f-----g lamps, f-----g kerosene lamps."
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Secretly, While You Pay No Attention
Laura, Show These Nice Foxes Where The Henhouse Is
Daniel Troy is one of more than 100 high-level officials under Bush who have helped govern industries they once represented as lobbyists, lawyers or company advocates, according to a Denver Post analysis.
In at least 20 cases, those former advocates have helped their agencies write, shape or push for policy shifts that benefit their former industries.
Among the advocates-turned-regulators are a former meat-industry lobbyist who helps decide how meat is labeled; a former drug-company lobbyist who influences prescription-drug policies; a former energy lobbyist who, while still accepting payments for bringing clients into his old lobbying firm, helps determine how much of the West those former clients can use for oil and gas drilling.
"When you go to work in lobbying, it is clearly understood and accepted that your job is to advocate for the interests of those who hired you," said Terry Cooper, a University of Southern California ethics and government professor. "When you go to work in government, you are supposed to be responsible for upholding and maintaining whatever you can identify as the public interest."
The Bush administration said the regulators were chosen for their abilities.
However, six of the former industry advocates have faced ethics investigations or resigned amid conflict-of-interest charges. The rules focus mainly on direct financial conflicts.
Daniel Troy is one of more than 100 high-level officials under Bush who have helped govern industries they once represented as lobbyists, lawyers or company advocates, according to a Denver Post analysis.
In at least 20 cases, those former advocates have helped their agencies write, shape or push for policy shifts that benefit their former industries.
Among the advocates-turned-regulators are a former meat-industry lobbyist who helps decide how meat is labeled; a former drug-company lobbyist who influences prescription-drug policies; a former energy lobbyist who, while still accepting payments for bringing clients into his old lobbying firm, helps determine how much of the West those former clients can use for oil and gas drilling.
"When you go to work in lobbying, it is clearly understood and accepted that your job is to advocate for the interests of those who hired you," said Terry Cooper, a University of Southern California ethics and government professor. "When you go to work in government, you are supposed to be responsible for upholding and maintaining whatever you can identify as the public interest."
The Bush administration said the regulators were chosen for their abilities.
However, six of the former industry advocates have faced ethics investigations or resigned amid conflict-of-interest charges. The rules focus mainly on direct financial conflicts.
Bush Thanks Veterans Then Cuts Their Benefits
President Bush spent the Memorial Day weekend thanking the nation's veterans for their service, saying "we acknowledge the debt [we owe them] by showing our respect and gratitude." Yet, his rhetoric came just hours after the Bush Administration announced new plans to slash veterans health care funding if it returns to power in 2005.
Late last week, the Administration released a memo detailing a plan to cut $1 billion from the Veterans Administration in the first budget of its second term. The cut would come even after the White House has tried to close veterans hospitals throughout the country,and has proposed veterans health care budgets that have been criticized by veterans groups and the President's own Veterans Affairs secretary. It also comes after the president decided to cut off 164,000 veterans from their existing prescription drug coverage, and threatened to veto any bill that would allow veterans to receive both the military pension they were promised, and any disability compensation to which they are entitled.
Late last week, the Administration released a memo detailing a plan to cut $1 billion from the Veterans Administration in the first budget of its second term. The cut would come even after the White House has tried to close veterans hospitals throughout the country,and has proposed veterans health care budgets that have been criticized by veterans groups and the President's own Veterans Affairs secretary. It also comes after the president decided to cut off 164,000 veterans from their existing prescription drug coverage, and threatened to veto any bill that would allow veterans to receive both the military pension they were promised, and any disability compensation to which they are entitled.
Mayor Of Crawford Texas Supports Kerry
(KRT) - Crawford may be the heart of Bush country, but the town's mayor says John Kerry is the best choice for president.
"I don't see where I'm better off than I was four years ago," Robert Campbell said Tuesday. "I don't see where the city is any better off."
"I don't see where I'm better off than I was four years ago," Robert Campbell said Tuesday. "I don't see where the city is any better off."
Judith Miller, only slightly more accurate than Jayson Blair and A Bigger Bitch Than Leona Helmsley
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Read Odd Hours
Those F**@@!!G French!
Must Read
Nice to see that Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network is taking the time to remind viewers that John Kerry has relatives who are French. After all, as everyone knows, Jesus hated the French, and even morally pure French people automatically go to hell when they die, just because they're French.
Nice to see that Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network is taking the time to remind viewers that John Kerry has relatives who are French. After all, as everyone knows, Jesus hated the French, and even morally pure French people automatically go to hell when they die, just because they're French.
Drudge Made Up Kerry Affair Story
Partial Birth Abortion Ban Struck Down
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge Tuesday declared the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act unconstitutional, saying the measure infringes on a woman's right to choose.
The ruling applies to the nation's 900 or so Planned Parenthood clinics and their doctors, who perform roughly half of all abortions in the United States. (Related documents: Partial Birth-Abortion Ban Act | Planned Parenthood v. Ashcroft)
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton's ruling came in one of three lawsuits challenging the legislation President Bush signed last year.
"The act poses an undue burden on a woman's right to choose an abortion," she wrote.
A Little Sanity
The ruling applies to the nation's 900 or so Planned Parenthood clinics and their doctors, who perform roughly half of all abortions in the United States. (Related documents: Partial Birth-Abortion Ban Act | Planned Parenthood v. Ashcroft)
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton's ruling came in one of three lawsuits challenging the legislation President Bush signed last year.
"The act poses an undue burden on a woman's right to choose an abortion," she wrote.
A Little Sanity
Uh...Excuse me...
Paul Krugman Knows A Three Card Montey When He Sees One
Three years ago George Bush claimed that he was cutting taxes to return a budget surplus to the public
. Instead, he presided over a move to huge deficits. As a result, the modest tax cuts received by the great majority of Americans are, in a fundamental sense, fraudulent. It's as if someone expected gratitude for giving you a gift, when he actually bought it using your credit card.
The administration has not, of course, explained how it intends to pay the bill. But unless taxes are increased again, the answer will have to be severe program cuts, which will fall mainly on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — because that's where the bulk of the money is.
For most families, the losses from these cuts will far outweigh any gain from lower taxes. My back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that 80 percent of all families will end up worse off; the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities will soon come out with a more careful, detailed analysis that arrives at a similar conclusion. And the only really big beneficiaries will be the wealthiest few percent of the population.
Does Mr. Bush understand that the end result of his policies will be to make most Americans worse off, while enriching the already affluent? Who knows? But the ideologues and political operatives behind his agenda know exactly what they're doing.
Of course, voters would never support this agenda if they understood it. That's why dishonesty — as illustrated by the administration's consistent reliance on phony accounting, and now by the business with the budget cut memo — is such a central feature of the White House political strategy.
. Instead, he presided over a move to huge deficits. As a result, the modest tax cuts received by the great majority of Americans are, in a fundamental sense, fraudulent. It's as if someone expected gratitude for giving you a gift, when he actually bought it using your credit card.
The administration has not, of course, explained how it intends to pay the bill. But unless taxes are increased again, the answer will have to be severe program cuts, which will fall mainly on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — because that's where the bulk of the money is.
For most families, the losses from these cuts will far outweigh any gain from lower taxes. My back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that 80 percent of all families will end up worse off; the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities will soon come out with a more careful, detailed analysis that arrives at a similar conclusion. And the only really big beneficiaries will be the wealthiest few percent of the population.
Does Mr. Bush understand that the end result of his policies will be to make most Americans worse off, while enriching the already affluent? Who knows? But the ideologues and political operatives behind his agenda know exactly what they're doing.
Of course, voters would never support this agenda if they understood it. That's why dishonesty — as illustrated by the administration's consistent reliance on phony accounting, and now by the business with the budget cut memo — is such a central feature of the White House political strategy.
Fred Hiatt Has Had It
Who pays the price for the president's dishonesty?
Soldiers such as Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli and his troops, who, as The Post's Scott Wilson reported last week, are out in Baghdad's slums, fighting insurgents one hour and fixing sewers the next. The prison scandal and the administration's failed response haven't doomed those efforts, but they've lengthened the odds. They've given aid and comfort to the enemy.
Soldiers such as Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli and his troops, who, as The Post's Scott Wilson reported last week, are out in Baghdad's slums, fighting insurgents one hour and fixing sewers the next. The prison scandal and the administration's failed response haven't doomed those efforts, but they've lengthened the odds. They've given aid and comfort to the enemy.
Monday, May 31, 2004
Oy Yoy Yoy
High fuel prices are partially blamed on the fighting in the Mideast, which is another reason this political season will be a Groucho Marx moment: “Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?” When prices hurt little people and benefit the giants, somebody is going to start noticing .
In between the potato salad and your third hot dog, keep in mind the price.
In between the potato salad and your third hot dog, keep in mind the price.
Talkingpointsmemo Is A Must Read Today
(May 31, 2004 -- 09:35 PM EDT // link // print)
Up-is-downism ...
The Washington Post, May 30th 2004 ...
Scholars and political strategists say the ferocious Bush assault on Kerry this spring has been extraordinary, both for the volume of attacks and for the liberties the president and his campaign have taken with the facts. Though stretching the truth is hardly new in a political campaign, they say the volume of negative charges is unprecedented -- both in speeches and in advertising.
Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt, May 31st, 2004 ...
John Kerry never misses an opportunity to deliver a political attack.
-- Josh Marshall
Up-is-downism ...
The Washington Post, May 30th 2004 ...
Scholars and political strategists say the ferocious Bush assault on Kerry this spring has been extraordinary, both for the volume of attacks and for the liberties the president and his campaign have taken with the facts. Though stretching the truth is hardly new in a political campaign, they say the volume of negative charges is unprecedented -- both in speeches and in advertising.
Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt, May 31st, 2004 ...
John Kerry never misses an opportunity to deliver a political attack.
-- Josh Marshall
U.S. is lost in Afghanistan
May 31, 2004
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
The handful of valiant American warriors fighting the ''other'' war in Afghanistan is not a happy band of brothers. They are undermanned and feel neglected, lack confidence in their generals and are disgusted by Afghan political leadership. Most important, they are appalled by the immense but fruitless effort to find Osama bin Laden for purposes of U.S. politics.
This bleak picture goes unreported because journalists are rarely seen there. It was painted to me by hard U.S. fighters who are committed to the war against terrorism but have a heavy heart. They talked to me not to undermine policy but to reveal problems that should and can be corrected.
Afghanistan constitutes George W. Bush's clearest victory since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Taliban regime has been overthrown, eliminating al-Qaida's most important base. But the overlooked war continues with no end in sight. Narcotics trafficking is at an all-time high. If U.S. forces were to leave, the Taliban -- or something like it -- would regain power. The United States is lost in Afghanistan, bound to this wild country and unable to leave.
The situation in Afghanistan, as laid out to me, looks nothing like a country alleged to be progressing toward representative democracy under American tutelage. Hamid Karzai, the U.S.-sponsored Afghan president, is regarded by the U.S. troops as hopelessly corrupt and kept in power by U.S. force of arms.
Novak On Afghanistan
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
The handful of valiant American warriors fighting the ''other'' war in Afghanistan is not a happy band of brothers. They are undermanned and feel neglected, lack confidence in their generals and are disgusted by Afghan political leadership. Most important, they are appalled by the immense but fruitless effort to find Osama bin Laden for purposes of U.S. politics.
This bleak picture goes unreported because journalists are rarely seen there. It was painted to me by hard U.S. fighters who are committed to the war against terrorism but have a heavy heart. They talked to me not to undermine policy but to reveal problems that should and can be corrected.
Afghanistan constitutes George W. Bush's clearest victory since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Taliban regime has been overthrown, eliminating al-Qaida's most important base. But the overlooked war continues with no end in sight. Narcotics trafficking is at an all-time high. If U.S. forces were to leave, the Taliban -- or something like it -- would regain power. The United States is lost in Afghanistan, bound to this wild country and unable to leave.
The situation in Afghanistan, as laid out to me, looks nothing like a country alleged to be progressing toward representative democracy under American tutelage. Hamid Karzai, the U.S.-sponsored Afghan president, is regarded by the U.S. troops as hopelessly corrupt and kept in power by U.S. force of arms.
Novak On Afghanistan
Even More Discussions
William Safire lives in different world than the rest of us. “…Have you read the encouraging headlines from Iraq? "Monthly U.S. Combat Deaths Down by Half in May" is one. "Radical Shiite Cleric's Militia Decimated in Holy Cities" is another, and finally: "Iraqi Leaders, Defying U.S. and U.N. Dictates, Choose Prime Minister."
No, those were not headlines anybody could see. In Gloomy Gus newsrooms, good news is no news….”
Apparently facts don’t mean that much to the Gray Lady.
”WASHINGTON (AP) - American troops in Iraq died in May at a rate of more than two per day, pushing the combined death count for April and May beyond 200, according to Pentagon figures.
For the National Guard and Reserve, whose part-time soldiers make up at least one-third of the 135,000 American troops in Iraq, the trend in casualties during May was especially troubling.
At least 22 citizen soldiers died, nearly one-third of all U.S. losses in May. As a percentage of the month's death toll, that is about double what it had been in most previous months of the war. It also shows that the Guard and Reserve are bearing an increasing combat load. “
Well, I hate to start piling on. But it IS the New York Times. Don’t they vet anything?
No, those were not headlines anybody could see. In Gloomy Gus newsrooms, good news is no news….”
Apparently facts don’t mean that much to the Gray Lady.
”WASHINGTON (AP) - American troops in Iraq died in May at a rate of more than two per day, pushing the combined death count for April and May beyond 200, according to Pentagon figures.
For the National Guard and Reserve, whose part-time soldiers make up at least one-third of the 135,000 American troops in Iraq, the trend in casualties during May was especially troubling.
At least 22 citizen soldiers died, nearly one-third of all U.S. losses in May. As a percentage of the month's death toll, that is about double what it had been in most previous months of the war. It also shows that the Guard and Reserve are bearing an increasing combat load. “
Well, I hate to start piling on. But it IS the New York Times. Don’t they vet anything?
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Discussions
Did Cheney OK A No Bid Deal Between The Pentagon And His Old Company, Of Which He Holds Over 433,000 Shares And From Which He Receives Dividend Checks?"....an Army Corps of Engineers official—whose name was blacked out by the Pentagon—that raises questions about Cheney's arm's-length policy toward his old employer. Dated March 5, 2003, the e-mail says "action" on a multibillion-dollar Halliburton contract was "coordinated" with Cheney's office. The e-mail says Douglas Feith, a high-ranking Pentagon hawk, got the "authority to execute RIO," or Restore Iraqi Oil, from his boss, who is Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. RIO is one of several large contracts the U.S. awarded to Halliburton last year."
Is The Right Wing Machine So Broken That It Can’t Tell When Two Of It’s Most Wanted List Are Already In Custody?
This is just sad.
Iraqui Women really Suffering From Abuse
Is The Right Wing Machine So Broken That It Can’t Tell When Two Of It’s Most Wanted List Are Already In Custody?
This is just sad.
Iraqui Women really Suffering From Abuse
