How much does a war of convenience cost?

$119.4 billion, and rising.

Funny how Republicans always want to cut the budget unless you give them the chance to blow something up. Read More......

And while Iraq burns some more...

...Republicans debate the other most important issue facing America - tax cuts.

I'll bet all this talk of tax cuts has Al Qaeda quaking in their boots. Read More......

While Iraq burns...

...Alabamanians have their eye on the most important issue facing America. Read More......

Jerry Falwell's flamers

Can you pick out the flames? Read More......

Cheney debates the definition of "is"

Reuters -

"The vice president had no operational involvement with letting of any contracts,' she said on NBC's 'Today' show."

The vice president, or the vice president's office? Cheney could have easily told his staff "I don't want to hear anything about Halliburton - you know what to do when they call (nudge nudge, wink wink)." This stinks to high heaven that they checked with Cheney before giving Halliburton the contract. And now they're claiming they checked with Cheney to AVOID controversy. Yeah, right.

And I'm sure no one inhaled. Read More......

Religious Right: Unitarian Universalits are "a cult"

That's funny, coming from people who wouldn't know the true word of God if it hit them in their self-righteous ass.

From the religious right's AgapePress:

Texas officials have reversed an earlier decision denying tax-exempt status to a controversial religious cult in that state. The state's comptrollers office initially ruled that the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church was not a religious organization for tax purposes since it did not have one unified system of belief. However, after a review by the agency's general counsel, that ruling was reversed. Members of the group include atheists, Buddhists, Jews and pagans, and are known for their resistance to dogma. Unitarian Universalists, who do not even agree whether to describe their meeting places as churches or call themselves a denomination, generally support homosexual "marriage" and emphasize "the right and responsibility of each individual to search for his or her own religious truth and meaning."

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Howard Dean starts syndicated column

Great idea. This is something I've long been saying Clinton should do, or at least start a Web blog or email list with regular updates about issues of the day. Can you imagine the power that man would have? Read More......

Wash Post: Army offenses much wider than Abu Ghraib

So, what you're telling me, is that Bush lied?Washington Post:

President Bush and other senior administration officials have sought to explain the abuses at Abu Ghraib as reflecting the aberrant behavior of a few low-ranking soldiers last fall, graphically exposed in photographs and an internal Army report that emerged a month ago. But the Army's list of investigations appears to bolster the contention of others, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, that misconduct by U.S. forces has been more extensive -- and its consequences more damaging -- than can be blamed on the troubled actions of a small group.

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The rats are fleeing

New York Times:

"Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Tuesday blamed Washington for misinforming him about the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and denied lying to the public or misleading Parliament.

Speaking to reporters before leaving on a trip to the United States, where he will discuss Iraq with President Bush, Howard said U.S. Defense Department bureaucrats had failed to brief him on the abuse.

``I am very unhappy that I've been misinformed,'' Howard said. ``We're dealing here with what was clearly an inadequate briefing.''"

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Mehlman personally promises conservatives that gay marriage won't happen

Ken, Ken, Ken....

Ken Mehlman, Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign manager, told the crowd [at the The 32nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), held Jan.22-24, 2004 in Arlington, Virginia] that Bush will protect and promote marriage, assuring the crowd personally that gay marriage will not happen under Bush's watch.

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Mehlman praises arch-homophobe Rick "Man-Dog Love" Santorum

This is getting interesting:

White House political director Ken Mehlman calls Santorum 'one of the original compassionate conservatives.'

And more:

The people of Pennsylvania, no matter who they are or where they’re from, understand how hard [Santorum's] working for them, understand that he has a philosophy that is good for them and that will help improve their state.

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Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman defends anti-gay constitutional amendment

Mehlman is defending the anti-gay constitutional amendment. Ok, well, if these guys want to push the 'family values' agenda, fine. Then we have a right to hold them to it. I want to know if Mehlamn or anyone else in the Bush administration is gay. And if they are, I want to know how they, and Bush, reconcile that with the apparent concern they have that 'gay values' will destroy our country. Same goes for any congressman who support the amendment and their staff. Gay or not, and if so, how do you reconcile the two?

Christian Science Monitor:

On whether Bush's call for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage will divide the party:

"The president's position - his goal - has not changed. What has changed is the means to accomplish that goal.... When [the Defense of Marriage Act] is called into question because of decisions that say the law is no longer operative, all you can do to keep the principle going forward is the constitutional amendment."

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Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman thinks gay issue is fair game

The Harvard Crimson:

In response to a question from Nicholas F.B. Smyth '05 - who was sporting a shirt supporting Kerry's candidacy on renouncing the use of 'wedge' issues such as race and gay marriage, Mehlman said that he did not consider gay marriage a wedge issue but rather one of great importance to the American people.

If it's fair game to use the gay issue to smear the other party and score political points, then wouldn't that same justification apply to 'outing' closeted gays who support such political smear tactics, either directly or by working for folks who do? Not sure if this is where Mehlman really wants to be headed... Read More......

Bush administration is falling apart at the seams

According to the NYT... Read More......

When righteous people need abortions

Very moving article from the Salt Lake Tribune, of all places. Read More......

The "ministry of fear" coverup?

The stand-up folks in the administration appear to be standing up and walking away from getting to the truth on the Abu Ghraib scandal. Previously depicted in the press as a team of people that knew how to take charge and do the right thing are now suddenly the team of the "I didn't do its." What the hell kind of "independent panel" allows someone like Rummy to form the panel? These people look more and more like the Nixon administration ever day.

"Yet no officer above General Fay's rank is likely to have to worry about the conclusions of his investigation. Under military doctrine, Fay, as a two-star general, "can only hold a one-star accountable," says an Army general...

The White House insists the president wants to conduct a "systemwide" probe of the detainee issue. Administration officials point to a new "independent panel" formed by Rumsfeld. A top Bush aide says the panel—consisting of four members of Rumsfeld's Defense Policy Board, including former Defense secretaries James Schlesinger and Harold Brown—will address "the totality" of all the investigations. But Rumsfeld himself, in his letter appointing the panel, indicates that his interest is mainly in looking at future issues like interrogation, force structure and training.

Some senators say the Pentagon has so far obscured two issues: who ordered Miller to Abu Ghraib in the first place, and who in the Pentagon knew of the interrogation practices put in place there.

Even Bush's Republican allies, like Armed Services Committee chair John Warner, want to know more. And now the White House seems to be constructing a legal moat around the president." - Newsweek

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Krugman: Dooh Nibor economics

Interesting read on Robin Hood in reverse economics. Q: Who is going to foot the bill for the tax cuts and the budget cuts? A: It is not going to be the Pioneers. Read More......