LEFT is RIGHT (blogging against The Bush-war) |
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Iraq War Cost BLOG CONTRIBUTORS: Mike Seven of Six
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| "If hospitals were failing to heal two out of three patients, would we continue to pour money into them? Of course not. So shame on those who defend the status quo." |
Labels: quotes
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July 05, 2007
[Click this photo to see which candidate for President
in '08 now has the nickname of "The Mole"]
"It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." - - - Alfred Adler
[Click this photo to see which candidate for President
in '08 now has the nickname of "The Mole"]
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Labels: quotes
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July 03, 2007
A MUST SEE! THE MOST POWERFUL COMMENTARY FROM KEITH OLBERMANN YET!
Here's the last part of the script.
Catch Olbermann's full transcript at Crooks and Liars.
"RESIGN"
A MUST SEE! THE MOST POWERFUL COMMENTARY FROM KEITH OLBERMANN YET!
Here's the last part of the script.
| And in the end, even Richard Nixon could say he could not put this nation through an impeachment. It was far too late for it to matter then, but as the decades unfold, that single final gesture of non-partisanship, of acknowledged responsibility not to self, not to party, not to “base,” but to country, echoes loudly into history. Even Richard Nixon knew it was time to resign Would that you could say that, Mr. Bush. And that you could say it for Mr. Cheney. You both crossed the Rubicon yesterday. Which one of you chose the route, no longer matters. Which is the ventriloquist, and which the dummy, is irrelevant. But that you have twisted the machinery of government into nothing more than a tawdry machine of politics, is the only fact that remains relevant. It is nearly July 4th, Mr. Bush, the commemoration of the moment we Americans decided that rather than live under a King who made up the laws, or erased them, or ignored them — or commuted the sentences of those rightly convicted under them — we would force our independence, and regain our sacred freedoms. We of this time — and our leaders in Congress, of both parties — must now live up to those standards which echo through our history: Pressure, negotiate, impeach — get you, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Cheney, two men who are now perilous to our Democracy, away from its helm. And for you, Mr. Bush, and for Mr. Cheney, there is a lesser task. You need merely achieve a very low threshold indeed. Display just that iota of patriotism which Richard Nixon showed, on August 9th, 1974. Resign. |
Catch Olbermann's full transcript at Crooks and Liars.
Labels: 7of6, impeach, Keith Olbermann, Progressives, quotes, Video
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Gipsy Kings - Volare
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Regarding the Libby Commutation:
| "The next time you hear a Republican bellow about the Rule of Law when it comes to illegal immigrants, think of their doublestandard [sic] when it comes to rich white Republicans." Steve Soto |
Labels: Mike
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| "...But I'm of the opinion that there are political risks to impeachment, and these are no small matter. I wish it weren't so close to the elections. I wish the majorities in the House and Senate were larger. I wish fewer voters bought the crap they get from Foxaganda and its kin, which will certainly be in fine spew if impeachment hearings actually get underway. "But what is our choice? We can't only defend the Constitution when the timing is convenient. We can't always wait until election day to make matters right. If that were the Founders' view, there would be no mention of impeachment in the Constitution. If the Bush-Cheney Administration cannot be compelled to turn over subpoenaed documentation relating to its Constitution-dismantling outlawry, and it plans to try every legal maneuver and delaying techinique at its disposal to avoid that compulsion, what remedy remains? "A court battle over these subpoenaed documents could take, in political terms, forever, with no guarantee at the end of even partial victory. The Nixon Administration engaged in legal wrangling over releasing incriminating audiotapes for more than a year, and that was before rightwingers had their hooks so deeply embedded in the federal judiciary. "The political risks of impeachment must be weighed against what's at risk from not impeaching, for failing to shield the Constitution and the American people from the continuing depredations of the lying, unaccountable cabal that's been in charge for the past six-and-a-half years." Meteor Blades |
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Why, oh why, is everyone so upset, angry and outraged by Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence? Come on, is anyone truly surprised? Did anyone really not expect this to happen? Is this action by Bush in any way inconsistent with his behavior over the past 6+ years? Come on, people, give me a friggin' break. (Mike)
Labels: Mike
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July 02, 2007
The Madness Never Ends!
This is really sick! Bill Kristol, from the National Review, June 11, 2007.
Damn, the madness never ends! The (p)Resident (criminal) of the United States is taking policy from a Fox News commentator and PNAC crony.
h/t Think Progress
| —On Scooter Libby— KRISTOL: I think [the president] will not let Scooter Libby go to jail. He may not pardon him. He may commute the sentence, the prison sentence — in other words, say no prison sentence, but let Libby pay the $250,000 fine that Judge Walton imposed and therefore not overturn the actual verdict. |
Damn, the madness never ends! The (p)Resident (criminal) of the United States is taking policy from a Fox News commentator and PNAC crony.
h/t Think Progress
Labels: 7of6, impeach, media, quotes
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Do you shop at Ralphs, Albertson's or Vons? If so, watch this: (Mike)
Labels: Labor
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The Struggle Isn't Over
Some of the patrons from "The News Blog", the late, great Steve Gilliard's place, have formed their own place: "The Group News Blog". Lower Manhattanite first lays out the welcome mat in fine fashion and then gives up a fine tribute to Steve. He makes sure that this will not be an imitation of Steve because nothing can be. Never the less, Lower Manhattanite lets it be known that this new blog is an "uncanny offspring of a supremely talented cat...":
He shares some light on his fellow bloggers at "The Group News Blog", Hubris Sonic and "Doc" Wendel.
He also gives thanks to the many supporters, commentators and lurkers who helped them through the last few months while Steve was sick.
Mostly, Lower Manhattanite informs us that the struggle isn't over:
It's already in my favorites. Another place to visit for our continued struggle of good versus evil. It's not the same place, it never could be, only slightly different. I'll drink it in just the same, because we all know...LEFT is RIGHT!!
h/t terri at dkos
| No, this is a kind of offshoot, wild-assed, cross-pollination, quill-shooting, radioactive mutant, test-tube baby of what happened those last four months at The News Blog, where some of us learned about the level and even presence of some of our nutty, hard-to-harness "powers". But the main thing is--the vision. The natural flow from "We Fight Back", to "We Fight On" as you see in the masthead above. So yeah, it's gonna be political. It's gonna be rough. It's even gonna be fun, and snarky and all that shit at times. But we're gonna try to make it one thing for certain: Sucka-free. Ain't gonna be about no back-slidin' or half-steppin. I'm a liberal. I'm a progresisve. I'm a dirty fucking hippie--cept' I ain't that dirty, and I like real nice clothes. I'm all the shit that wingnut bastards hate and I'm Goddamned proud of it. So rest assured, the fastballs are comin' as usual, hard and portside. And I love beaning slow-reflexed right-wingers. I got notches in my glove for every one. That's how this place is gonna play. It's gonna deal with the international, the national, and the local shit. We're gonna discuss war, and how to get...to peace. We're gonna look at what's shaping up to be--the longest election season since Guyana's Three-Toed Sloth Council voted for its Circle of Jungle Elders. Pop culture will be commented on--as will food, and yes...even advice. Health and gadgets too, ya'll. It'll be here. And I'll be here, too. Maybe a little hesitant. But fuck, now I can at last answer those who've said "Well, why ain't you blogging?" for the longest, with a simple, "I am...now." |
He shares some light on his fellow bloggers at "The Group News Blog", Hubris Sonic and "Doc" Wendel.
He also gives thanks to the many supporters, commentators and lurkers who helped them through the last few months while Steve was sick.
Mostly, Lower Manhattanite informs us that the struggle isn't over:
| So, we've had our sadness. Our hurt. It's gonna leave a scar. But you know what? The fight still goes on. Bastards still wanna flex--wanna boost your shit. Be it your rights, your dignity, or your very existence. Fuck all that. You're gonna fight, and live, and Goddamnit--enjoy. So belly up cats and kiddies, dudes and dudettes. And get your bloggy drank on. 'Cause we want you good and blotto on the grog we'll be serving when that inevitable moment comes. You know the one. Some wingnut's gonna roll by, like he's the man, and we're gonna have to say to him... "Hey! There's a new joke goin' round--have ya heard it? It goes...'What...did the five fingers say to the wingnut's face?" SLAP! :) |
It's already in my favorites. Another place to visit for our continued struggle of good versus evil. It's not the same place, it never could be, only slightly different. I'll drink it in just the same, because we all know...LEFT is RIGHT!!
h/t terri at dkos
Labels: 7of6, Progressives, quotes, Steve Gilliard
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June 30, 2007
Great aritcle by Juan Cole - "Bush Turns Iraq into Israel/Palestine; Gaffe endangers US Troops"
Labeled Under - "Monumental Stupidity"
Bush said in a speech on Thursday that he hopes Iraq will be like Israel, a democracy that faces terrorist violence but manages to retain its democratic character:
These words may be the stupidest ones ever uttered by a US president. Given their likely impact on the US war effort in the Middle East, they are downright criminal. The US political elite just doesn't get it. Israel is not popular in the Middle East, and it isn't because Middle Easterners are bigots. It is because Israel is coded as the last European colonial presence in the region, an heir to French Algeria, British Egypt, and Dutch Indonesia-- and because the Israelis pugnaciously continue to try to colonize neighboring bits of territory. (This enmity is not inevitable or eternal; in 2002 the Arab League offered full recognition of Israel in return for its going back to 1967 borders, but the Israeli government turned down the offer.) But for the purposes of this analysis it does not really matter why Israel is unpopular. Let us just stipulate that it is. Why would you associate American Iraq with such an unpopular project, if you were trying to do public diplomacy in the region? Bush had just announced a new push to get the American message out to the Muslim world, the day before. Let's just take the analogy seriously for a moment. Israel proper is a democracy of sorts, though its 1 million Arab citizens are in a second class position. But it rules over several million stateless Palestinians who lack even the pretence of self-rule. It is hard to characterize a country as a democracy when it has millions of disenfranchised subjects. Bush manages to only think about Jewish Israelis in the above analogy, wiping out millions of other residents of geographical Palestine who don't get to participate in 'democracy' or exercise popular sovereignty. It is true that the Israelis managed to blunt the terror attacks of Islamic Jihad, the Qassam Brigades, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigades over the years after the eruption of the 2nd Intifada. But there are still attacks, including by rocket. The reason for those attacks is that the Palestinians had mostly been driven from their homes and off their land, and were militarily, politically and economically subjected to the Israelis. The Israelis reduced the terror attacks by essentially imprisoning millions of stateless Palestinians in the territories, further restricting their movements, destroying their trade and livelihoods. The Israeli government continues to grab Palestinian land and put more colonists on it, even as we speak. Israel-Palestine is among the world's hottest trouble spots, and the conflict has poisoned politics throughout the Middle East. It was among the motives for Bin Laden's attack on the US on September 11, so it has spilled over on America, too. A second one of those would be a good thing? So who would play the Palestinians in Bush's analogy? Obviously, it would be the Sunni Arabs, who apparently are meant to be cordoned off from the rest of Iraqis and put behind massive walls and barbed wire, and deprived of political power. That is not a desirable outcome and is not politically or militarily tenable in the long run. And, let's just stop and think. Even if it were true that an Israel-Palestine sort of denouement were in Bush's mind for Iraq, was it wise for him to make it public? That sort of scenario is precisely the propaganda message broadcast by the Jihadi websites in Iraq and the Arab world! They say that the US military occupation of Iraq, in alliance with Shiites, has turned the Sunni Arabs into Palestinians! Bush could not have handed the guerrillas a better rhetorical gift. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that DVD's of Bush's comments will be spread around as a recruiting tool for jihadis, and that US troops will certainly be killed as a result of this speech. You could say that the US military presence is already pretty unpopular in the Sunni Arab areas. But what of the progress in al-Anbar Province? Will Bush's speech help or hurt Sunni Arabs who want to ally with the US against the foreign Salafi Jihadis? Hurt, obviously. If Bush had said something like that in 2002, you could have written it off as inexperience and lack of knowledge of the Middle East. But he has been the sitting president for so many years, and has had so much to do with the Middle East that this faux pas is just inexcusable. I don't know the man and can't judge if he is just not very bright. I can confirm that he says things that are not very bright. And, worse, he says things that are guaranteed to put more US troops into the grave in Diyala, Baghdad, Salahuddin and al-Anbar Provinces. I don't know whether to sob in grief or tear my hair out in frustration. How much longer do we have to suffer? - Juan Cole |
Labels: 7of6, Iraq, Progressives, quotes
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"Sicko": True or False?
CNN did some fact checking on Micael Moore's movie "Sicko". Its conclusion:
I've yet to see a film by Michael Moore when he doesn't do his homework. I'm looking forward to seeing "Sicko".
| Moore covers a lot of ground. Our team investigated some of the claims put forth in his film. We found that his numbers were mostly right, but his arguments could use a little more context. As we dug deep to uncover the numbers, we found surprisingly few inaccuracies in the film. In fact, most pundits or health-care experts we spoke to spent more time on errors of omission rather than disputing the actual claims in the film. |
I've yet to see a film by Michael Moore when he doesn't do his homework. I'm looking forward to seeing "Sicko".
Labels: 7of6, health/medicine, media, Progressives, quotes
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June 29, 2007
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - Albatross
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Bits and Pieces for the Week of June 24 - 30
Don't eat before you read this. At a VA Hospital in Hampton, Virginia, they found "nearly 100 maggots coming out of a patient's trach tube." I'm sure it's an isolated incident...right? (7 of 6)
What an "08" strategic blunder for House Democrats: Voting to give themselves a raise! The minimum wage is still the same as it was 11 years ago. (7 of 6)
Catch Larry Scott's interview with Thom Hartmann, covering funding and "Priority 8" Veteran issues. (7 of 6)
How cool...Scientists think they found the "crater left by the biggest space impact in modern times - the Tunguska event". (7 of 6)
whatkindofworlddoyouwant is a collection of homemade videos from a special contest for raising money for charities. Check some of them out, including this one made by a mother with an autistic child. (Mike)
Is 2007 the year California goes up in smoke? (Mike)
Living well in CA, the GOP hypocrisy: Michael Kamburowski, an Australian immigrant, the California Republican Party's chief operating officer, who had been deported, jailed in 2001, and is suing the U.S.; abruptly resigned Sunday. (7 of 6)
It's sad when a Supreme Court Justice blatantly sides with corporations in 13 of 14 decisions in his first term. Just think we might have 25 - 30 more years of Alito! (7 of 6)
Kucinich tries to correct Congress's misinterpretation of President Ahmadinejad's intentions. (Mike)
I must read a British news site to find out about severe drought conditions here in So. Cal. (Mike)
HONK TO IMPEACH (Mike)
A sobering look at the U.S. economy (Mike)
Possibly the most-injured soldier to survive Iraq (Mike) [NOTE: LINK FIXED]
From CAP: Research America and other partners have started "Your Congress, Your Health," posting the positions of all members of Congress on a host of health care issues, ranging from universal coverage to stem cell research. See where your representative stands on the key issues HERE. (Mike)
SCOTUS says, "...ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge a White House initiative that helps religious charities get a share of federal money." So the "religious charities" get rich and the poor still do not get enough help from these so-called "Faith-Based and Community Initiatives." (7 of 6)
My new favorite website! Yes, I know, I know, I said I would not donate any money until we are out of Iraq. Call me a hypocrite, I don't care. Any site devoted to "Ditch Mitch" McConnell will get some cash from me. (7 of 6)
The Washington Post has the first of a 4 part series on "the Dick" Cheney secrecy issues. What I found the most interesting in Part 1, was the level of his blatant cunning and calculating deception that goes into his twisted view of the office of V/P. It's horribly evident that serving the needs of the people is vacant. (7 of 6)
What an "08" strategic blunder for House Democrats: Voting to give themselves a raise! The minimum wage is still the same as it was 11 years ago. (7 of 6)
Catch Larry Scott's interview with Thom Hartmann, covering funding and "Priority 8" Veteran issues. (7 of 6)
How cool...Scientists think they found the "crater left by the biggest space impact in modern times - the Tunguska event". (7 of 6)
whatkindofworlddoyouwant is a collection of homemade videos from a special contest for raising money for charities. Check some of them out, including this one made by a mother with an autistic child. (Mike)
Is 2007 the year California goes up in smoke? (Mike)
Living well in CA, the GOP hypocrisy: Michael Kamburowski, an Australian immigrant, the California Republican Party's chief operating officer, who had been deported, jailed in 2001, and is suing the U.S.; abruptly resigned Sunday. (7 of 6)
It's sad when a Supreme Court Justice blatantly sides with corporations in 13 of 14 decisions in his first term. Just think we might have 25 - 30 more years of Alito! (7 of 6)
Kucinich tries to correct Congress's misinterpretation of President Ahmadinejad's intentions. (Mike)
I must read a British news site to find out about severe drought conditions here in So. Cal. (Mike)
HONK TO IMPEACH (Mike)
A sobering look at the U.S. economy (Mike)
Possibly the most-injured soldier to survive Iraq (Mike) [NOTE: LINK FIXED]
From CAP: Research America and other partners have started "Your Congress, Your Health," posting the positions of all members of Congress on a host of health care issues, ranging from universal coverage to stem cell research. See where your representative stands on the key issues HERE. (Mike)
SCOTUS says, "...ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge a White House initiative that helps religious charities get a share of federal money." So the "religious charities" get rich and the poor still do not get enough help from these so-called "Faith-Based and Community Initiatives." (7 of 6)
My new favorite website! Yes, I know, I know, I said I would not donate any money until we are out of Iraq. Call me a hypocrite, I don't care. Any site devoted to "Ditch Mitch" McConnell will get some cash from me. (7 of 6)
The Washington Post has the first of a 4 part series on "the Dick" Cheney secrecy issues. What I found the most interesting in Part 1, was the level of his blatant cunning and calculating deception that goes into his twisted view of the office of V/P. It's horribly evident that serving the needs of the people is vacant. (7 of 6)
Labels: Bits and Pieces
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I (Mike) am heading out of town for a few days. 7 of 6 will continue with his excellent posting from his Southwestern U.S. locale. It's two days early, but I couldn't survive the weekend knowing there were no Friday Fun links to make you moan and groan (and maybe even laugh)...
FRIDAY F U N
- Surprisingly, Shakespeare invented many words commonly used today
- WWII in color
- Try this philosophy vs. god quiz. I received only 1 direct hit, which is a good score.
- Now you can take a 20-minute guided video tour of the iPhone
- Eew. Just eew.
- Supercool Winkytool (the greatest rock song ever.... or so they claim)
- Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers
- How does your rent compare to similar units in your area
Labels: fridayfun
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June 27, 2007
A truly sincere and peace-loving gentleman from my city has formed a group to campaign for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will promote world peace. Here is their web site's summary:
With this proposed constitutional amendment, we are placing the greatest hope of all people, World Peace, in the hands and conscience of the federal and states elected officials; furthermore, with such determination the United States Government will validate its opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The time is now, for the optimistic people who would rather live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world’s nations, to unify their efforts in support for the mission delegated to the United Nations as the only way to guarantee our generation and the ones that will follow a much safer world to live in. Undoubtedly, the national security of all participating nations will become stronger and safer with their commitment to world peace. Peace on Earth is historically the greatest hope of all people; we profoundly believe that a friendlier world will be a more prosperous and healthier world for all nations. |
Labels: Progressives
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| "War paralyzes your courage and deadens the spirit of true manhood. It degrades and stupefies with the sense that you are not responsible, that 'tis not yours to think and reason why, but to do and die,' like the hundred thousand others doomed like yourself. War means blind obedience, unthinking stupidity, brutish callousness, wanton destruction, and irresponsible murder." Alexander Berkman |
Labels: quotes
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June 26, 2007
Continued Republican Obstruction
Let's be perfectly clear: Who sides with bu$h on all issues detrimental to Middle Class Americans? Republi-cons!
This "Continued Republi-con Obstruction" message that Kos has so politely pointed out is what the Democrats need to have blasted over the Main Stream Media.
It's the only way for the people to get the message. How about, a commercial during the Paris interview with Larry King?
UPDATE: 239. Number of bills the House of Representatives has passed and sent to the Senate only to be held up, with conservatives "objecting to just about every major piece of legislation that [Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)] has tried to bring up."
The Employee Free Act, passed by the House, was killed by Republican filibuster. This legislation is dead. Reid could've switched his vote to the "no" side in order to preserve his ability to revisit the issue. But... It was a great way for unions to demonstrate to their memebers (who vote and volunteer for Democrats higher than just about any other group), without ambiguity, which party stands for workers, and which party doesn't. |
This "Continued Republi-con Obstruction" message that Kos has so politely pointed out is what the Democrats need to have blasted over the Main Stream Media.
It's the only way for the people to get the message. How about, a commercial during the Paris interview with Larry King?
UPDATE: 239. Number of bills the House of Representatives has passed and sent to the Senate only to be held up, with conservatives "objecting to just about every major piece of legislation that [Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)] has tried to bring up."
Labels: 7of6, Labor, Progressives, quotes
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June 24, 2007
| "Every paper that is not running this [Iraq War] story on the front page, every day, is providing a blessing to the administration's actions. Every television station that wastes a minute on celebrity gossip, is complicit in the destruction of democracy. And every one of us not actively protesting these actions is passively supporting them." DevilsTower |
Labels: quotes
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This might seem like a frightening picture, but click it to read a truly scary reality:
[click image]
And yet, it pales in comparison to the utter destruction and inhumanity detailed here.
[click image]
And yet, it pales in comparison to the utter destruction and inhumanity detailed here.
Labels: 1984
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June 23, 2007
"Bush Claims Exemption From His Oversight Order"
Looks like bu$h has joined "the Dick"!
Does this mean the Dictatorship has officially begun? Yet again on another late Friday evening White House statement release?
There is more to the article, but who has the stomach for the fall of this "Once Great Nation"!
Pitchforks and torches anyone?...anyone? Yes, the silence is deafening!!!
Does this mean the Dictatorship has officially begun? Yet again on another late Friday evening White House statement release?
| WASHINGTON -- The White House said Friday that, like Vice President Dick Cheney's office, President Bush's office is exempt from a presidential order requiring government agencies that handle classified national security information to submit to oversight by an independent federal watchdog. The executive order that Bush issued in March 2003 covers all government agencies that are part of the executive branch and, although it doesn't specifically say so, was not meant to apply to the vice president's office or the president's office, a White House spokesman said. The issue flared up Thursday when Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., criticized Cheney for refusing to file annual reports with the National Archives and Records Administration, spelling out how his office handles classified documents, or to submit to an inspection by the archives' Information Security Oversight Office. The archives, a federal agency, has been pressing the vice president's office to cooperate with its oversight efforts for the past several years, contending that by not doing so, Cheney and his staff have created a potential national security risk. Bush issued the directive in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as a way of ensuring that the nation's secrets would not be mishandled, made public, or improperly declassified. The order aimed to create a uniform, government-wide security system for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information. It gave the archives' oversight unit responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness of each agency's security classification programs. It applied only to the executive branch of government, mostly agencies led by Bush administration appointees, as opposed to legislative offices such as Congress and judicial offices, including the courts. In the executive order, Bush stressed the importance of the public's right to know what its government was doing, particularly in the global campaign against terrorism. "Our democratic principles require that the American people be informed of the activities of their government," the executive order said. But from the start, Bush considered his office and Cheney's exempt from the reporting requirements, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in an interview Friday. Cheney's office filed the reports in 2001 and 2002 -- as did his predecessor, Al Gore -- but stopped in 2003. As a result, the National Archives has been unable to review how much information the president's and vice president's offices are classifying and declassifying. And the security oversight office cannot conduct inspections of the executive offices of the president and vice president to see if they have safeguards in place to protect the classified information they handle and to properly declassify information when required. Those two offices have access to the most highly classified information in all of government, including intelligence gathered against terrorists and unfriendly foreign countries. Waxman and J. William Leonard, director of the archives' oversight office, have argued that the order clearly applies to all executive branch agencies, including the offices of the vice president and the president. Fratto said that the White House disagrees. "We don't dispute that the ISOO has a different opinion. But let's be very clear; this executive order was issued by the president, and he knows what his intentions were," Fratto said. "He is in compliance with his executive order." Fratto conceded that the lengthy directive, technically an amendment to an existing executive order, does not specifically exempt the president's office or the vice president's office from the requirements. Instead, it refers to "agencies" as being subject to the requirements, which Fratto said did not include the two executive offices. "It does take a little bit of inference," Fratto said. Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists' government secrecy project, disputed the White House explanation of the executive order. He noted that the order defines "agency" as any executive agency, military department and "any other entity within the executive branch that comes into the possession of classified information" -- which he said includes Bush's and Cheney's offices. Cheney's office drew criticism Thursday for claiming that it was exempt from the reporting requirements because the vice president's office is not fully within the executive branch, citing his role as president of the Senate when needed to break a tie among senators. At a Friday news conference, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that while constitutional scholars can debate that assertion, Cheney's office is exempt from the requirements because the president intended him to be from the outset. Cheney's office did not comment Friday. Several security experts said that they were not aware that the president had exempted his own office from the oversight requirements. But they said it fit a pattern in the administration of avoiding accountability, even on all-important matters of national security. "If the president and the vice president don't take their own rules seriously, who else should?" said Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive, a nongovernmental research institute at George Washington University in Washington that lobbies for open government. "If they get a blank check, it's a recipe for disaster. I can't think of a quicker way to break down the credibility of the entire security classification system." |
There is more to the article, but who has the stomach for the fall of this "Once Great Nation"!
Pitchforks and torches anyone?...anyone? Yes, the silence is deafening!!!
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Here's a good example of the mixed messages that Progressive organizations send to us. This first one I just received from the Union of Concerned Scientists, of which I'm a member:
A few minutes later, I received the following from Friends of the Earth:
Goddamit, was it a good bill or a bad one??!! Fellow Progressives, we must do a better job of qualifying our message, or all those independents and Bush-weary Republicans are going to stay on the fence.
| Dear Michael, I‘m writing to share wonderful news. Late last night the Union of Concerned Scientists and our allies won a major victory on fuel economy! Thanks in part to your numerous emails and phone calls, the Senate voted yesterday to substantially increase the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard of America's cars and trucks for the first time in over 30 years—setting a target of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. At a press conference in the U.S. Capitol, UCS staff were invited to stand up with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Senate leaders. UCS was explicitly recognized for our work in helping to get this critical legislation passed—work that we couldn’t have done without your help and support! The next step will be to get these strong standards passed in the House and signed into law. We’ll need your help so look for more alerts in the months ahead. But fuel economy standards were only part of the Energy Bill that was passed yesterday. Unfortunately, we were less successful in another one of our main objectives—increasing our use of clean, renewable electricity from sources like the sun, energy crops, and wind. UCS and a national coalition were blocked from adding a national renewable energy standard to the Senate energy bill by a small group of senators. But Senate leadership has committed to letting the standard be introduced as an amendment. We still have a good shot for a vote at some point this year. UCS supporters and activists like you have played a pivotal role in convincing 23 states and the District of Columbia to adopt renewable energy standards. A federal standard is still one of the most practical solutions to global warming, so we'll be turning to you once again in the coming months to voice your support for a federal renewable electricity standard—and for passing the fuel economy standard in the House. But for today, let's take time to celebrate this historic moment! |
A few minutes later, I received the following from Friends of the Earth:
| Michael, The energy bill passed by the Senate was a major disappointment. Last night the Senate passed a bill that shows us just how off the mark our nation currently is when it comes to confronting global warming. The upcoming battle in the House will be all the more important now. As you know, the Senate took action after monumental pressure from groups and activists like us, but the result is by no means a major green victory. Consider the unfortunate facts: 1) The mandate for 36 billion gallons per year of "renewable" fuels will rely heavily on corn ethanol and imported palm oil. Production of corn ethanol requires: massive amounts of energy, 4-5 gallons of water per gallon of fuel, vast quantities of fertilizer and land. What's more, creating and using corn ethanol often produces just as much global warming pollution as gasoline! Palm oil has already led to mass deforestation in Southeast Asia, with any carbon savings offset by the burning of carbon-capturing trees. The protections in the Senate bill that take into account the threats posed by these fuels to our air, land and water are insufficient. 2) The much ballyhooed fuel standards are not only weak, they can be waived at the auto industry's request! First off, the new standard requires automakers' fleets to reach an average of 35 mpg 12 years from now, which isn't much given that hybrids on the road today average around 50 mpg. Second, incremental improvements for each year after the 2020 target date were removed, so we could well stop at 35 mpg once we get there. Third, we might not even get the 35 mpg in the first place, thanks to a provision that allows the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to declare the regulations null and void should the auto industry persuade it that the standards cannot be reached without financial hardship. Finally, if this lame fuel standard gets signed into law, fuel economy legislation will likely be taken off the congressional agenda until 2020 (assuming NHTSA doesn't buckle to the auto industry before then). 3) What does this bill not include? Lots of good things were left out of this bill before passage, such as: mandates on use of renewable energy sources, like solar or wind; strong energy efficiency standards; and the elimination of tens of billions of dollars in tax giveaways to the wildly profitable oil and gas industry (money that would have gone to renewable resources). While it's true that this is the best energy bill passed by the Senate in years, that is only in comparison to GOP legislation that aided and abetted global warming. Friends of the Earth believes that legislation must instead be judged by how it addresses the ongoing global crisis. By those standards, this bill is a bitter disappointment. We hope to make the House bill an improvement over the Senate's, so that the final package emerging from Congress is one we can support. We will let you know how things are developing as the House brings legislation to the floor in July. - Friends of the Earth |
Goddamit, was it a good bill or a bad one??!! Fellow Progressives, we must do a better job of qualifying our message, or all those independents and Bush-weary Republicans are going to stay on the fence.
Labels: Mike, Progressives
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June 22, 2007
FRIDAY F U N
| "If I were advising Senator Clinton on what to say about Iraq, this would be it: 'Our troops have fought courageously and with great skill against the totalitarian, genocidal Saddam Hussein regime and its security forces. They did their job, but the Bush administration did not do its. Bush failed to secure a United Nations Security Council resolution for the war, depriving the war effort of key international support and casting the administration as an outlaw regime in the eyes of much of the world. There was no planning for the aftermath of the war. Stupid decisions were taken to dissolve the Iraqi army, to fire thousands of experienced bureaucrats and teachers, to marginalize the Sunni Arab community, and to deliver Iraq into the hands of expatriate carpetbaggers, some of them overly friendly with the ayatollahs in Tehran. Neither the US military nor the Iraqis bear the primary blame for the subsequent catastrophe. It is on the shoulders of the Bush administration. The administration has so spoiled the situation that there is no longer any hope of a military solution. Any solution to this festering crisis must be political and diplomatic. The US military is essentially being ordered to support some sides in a multi-pronged civil war against others, but without any real hope of having being able to triumph decisively in these low-intensity guerrilla wars. That is why I favor getting our troops out of Iraq and insisting that regional powers, NATO and the UN now come in to bring about a political resolution, even as the world ensures that a nonsectarian Iraqi military is trained, equipped and deployed for the protection of all Iraqis.' "Caveat: I am not giving my own speech above. I'm just taking what Senator Clinton often says and rephrasing it so that the blame is put where it belongs, which is not on the poor Iraqi public but on Bush-Cheney. I think she'd find this approach a stronger rallying cry and also that it would allow her to occupy a higher moral ground. - - - Juan Cole |
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- Well-timed photography
- Proposing a "people-powered" energy source
- Famous Photos
- 34 uses for Coke (read the comments too)
- The Best Online Research Apps/Sites You've Never Heard Of
- Creepy eyes (move pointer over eyes)
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- Truck Art
- Some recent movies and TV shows you can watch online
- 120+ resources for bloggers
- Future of the web: Keep an eye on these web sites
Labels: fridayfun
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June 20, 2007
Killed by Mexicans 3/6/1836: Never forget!
Muchas Gracias TBogg
The Real Reason Behind Immigration Reform
Muchas Gracias TBogg
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| Well the weight of the world is FALLING And on my back I've been CRAWLING The state of affairs is APPALLING And the 6 o'clock news keeps CALLING Well I've been trying to see the world through their eyes Where black is white and day is night Left is Right Left is Right Left is Right, For me Well negotiations keep STALLING The United Nations keeps CALLING The Skeletons you're HAULING Won't hold when you're FALLING I’ve been trying to see the world through their eyes Where day is night and black is white Left is Right Left is Right Left is Right for me Put your head in the sand and you'll never know What's waiting for you in the depths below (below) Don't believe everything that you read Take what you want and keep what you need I’ve been trying to see the world through their eyes Where day is night and black is white Left is Right Left is Right Left is Right for me I said Left is Right Left is Right Left is Right for me For me, For me, For Me! TWISTED NIXON Written in 1998 after Johnny Punish who was sitting at the Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book and was hit by the absurdity of the place. It absorbed him and he wrote the phrase "LEFT is RIGHT for me" on a drink napkin. That night in a studio in the seedy back alleys of Las Vegas, LEFT IS RIGHT was born when then lead guitarist, Brian Jay Cline, wrote the clever verses while Twisted Nixon added the melodies. Sung by Brian Jay Cline, Left is Right is clearly Twisted Nixon's best ever in terms of a pop anthem. This song is the most requested song by fans. Produced by Paul Hampton of The Skeletones |
CHICK HEARN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE MEMORIES.
