Sunday, May 23, 2004

Why the Republicans are scared to death of "The Day After Tomorrow"


So I just got an email from NewsMax (basically, a far-right version of the National Enquirer (think Hillary and Bill somehow mentioned in every story)). And the very first item is talking about how the Army is aiding and abetting (did you catch their use of the word "abet"? - now apparently even the Army is treasonous) John Kerry in taking the White House come this fall. How is Kerry doing this?

Well, the Army apparently let some Hollywood producers use a few of the military's helicopters to film the new disaster flick coming out this summer, "The Day After Tomorrow." And - get this - because the film is based on the premise that global warming envelopes the earth and destroys us some day, that makes this a film whose secret intent is to throw Bush out of the White House!

The worst part about all of this is that NewsMax actually called an Army spokesperson to get them to respond to these allegations. Yes, we're at war and folks like NewsMax are wasting the Army's time responding to black helicopter theories of moviemaking.

Besides the fact that this is just so bizarre as to be comical, what really gets me is how, yet again, Republicans are trying to censor every single thing happening in this country since September 11. If it doesn't involve dogs playing poker on black velvet, then it's treasonous.

Since September 11 I've really come to understand, for the first time and first hand, how good countries go bad. How free nations become dictatorships, and how they turn against their own people, and others, in a supposed effort to defend them. This kind of crap is laughable, but it's also scary. It's high time folks on the left told people like NewsMax, in no uncertain terms, to shut the fuck up.

Army Abets Anti-Bush Movie

Supporters of President Bush's re-election are steamed that the U.S. Army has aided the producers of the envirocrat film backed by Al Gore and others who want to oust him from the White House.

As confirmed to NewsMax by a military spokeswoman, the Army allowed the makers of "The Day After Tomorrow" to use its Blackhawk helicopters on location in Montreal (more outsourcing of jobs by the Hollywood left to Canada) for the disaster flick, which hypes the theory of human-caused global warming.

Although Gore has admitted some of the scenarios in the film are implausible, it nonetheless serves what he sees as the noble purpose of indoctrinating the public with a Kyoto-like polemic.

Courageously, President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol as a threat to millions of jobs in the U.S.

Katherine Ross, the Army's director of public affairs in Los Angeles, confirmed to NewsMax that the service did in fact aid in the film's production.

Ross told NewsMax's Wes Vernon that in agreeing to participate, the Army did not know the movie would create a controversy.

She said the flick was intended to be a "summer entertainment," a "time-honored genre" of the disaster movie, not unlike "aliens landing." The Army takes no position on the theory of global warming, she said.

NewsMax has interviewed climatologist Patrick Michaels, long a critic of the "global warming" theory, who says liberal politicians and left-wing groups see "The Day After Tomorrow" as the movie that will make John Kerry president of the United States.

Along these lines, NewsMax Magazine's upcoming June edition will have a blockbuster investigative report on how Hollywood and the major media are backing John Kerry. Make sure you read this report.
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Rumsfeld bans camera phones in Iraq


WTF?
Cellphones fitted with digital cameras have been banned in US army installations in Iraq on orders from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a business newspaper reported.

Quoting a Pentagon source, the business newspaper said the US Defense Department believes that some of the damning photos of US soldiers abusing Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad were taken with camera phones.
You see, the REAL problem at Abu Ghraib wasn't the torture. No, the REAL problem at Abu Ghraib was the fact that someone took pictures EXPOSING the torture. Rummy is obviously familiar with the famous metaphysical conundrum: If an Iraqi falls in a prison and there's no camera to prove it, did it really happen? Read More......

Gen. Zinni: 'They've Screwed Up'


The former US general in charge of all American troops in the Middle East (same job Schwarzkopf and Tommy Franks held) went on 60 Minutes tonight to declare that the Bush administration has "screwed up" in Iraq. It was one hell of a show. You can read the transcript here (I watched the show, but thanks to Buzzflash for finding the transcript). Read More......

TIME: Bushies AGAIN investigated for divulging highly classified info, putting lives at risk


Absolutely outrageous. If Bill Clinton had done this - leaked highly classified information to an untrustworthy foreigner, who then leaked the info to Iran - he'd be impeached, again. The Bushies do it and it's a blurb in a Time magazine article. We're talking leaking highly HIGHLY classified info here, folks. Stuff that is so highly classified it puts peoples' lives at risk, according to the FBI.

One big problem with the Time article, quoted below, is that is says this scandal could reach high-ranking civil officials at the Pentagon. Excuse me, but VP Cheney was a top top TOP supporter of Chalabi. I hope the investigation is looking at this office as well, rather than, yet again, scapegoating yet another agency for Bush's total lack of oversight over his renegade subordinates.

Finally, let's not forget that this is the 2d time highly classified information was leaked by senior members of this administration. Do these people appreciate that in the intelligence world people's lives are at risk?
U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement officials tell Time they are also investigating more serious offenses. After a CIA complaint, the FBI launched a full field criminal probe into whether Chalabi and senior i.n.c. aides passed high-level intelligence to Iran - information believed to be so sensitive, a senior U.S. official says, that it may have provided Iranian authorities with insights into the U.S.'s sources and methods for collecting intelligence and could even 'lead to the loss of lives.'

U.S. intelligence officials told the FBI that they have 'hard' evidence that Chalabi met with a senior officer of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security in Iraq. A senior U.S. official says Chalabi and his intelligence chief, Aras Karim Habib, are suspected of giving Iran 'highly classified' data that were 'known to only a few within the U.S. government.' The FBI investigation, sources say, will probably involve dozens of agents and a full arsenal of investigative techniques, possibly including court-authorized searches and wiretaps.

The probe will examine whether U.S. officials illegally transmitted state secrets to the i.n.c. The investigation could ultimately reach high-ranking civilian officials at the Pentagon and the Defense Intelligence Agency (dia) who have dealings with Chalabi and his organization. - TIME
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New Poll: majority oppose anti-gay constitutional amendment


Bad news for the fundies, and the Bushies. A new poll shows 42% of Americans in favor of the amendment and 50% opposed. In red states (states Bush won in 2000 by 6% or more), opinion was 46 in favor, 45 opposed to the amendment, a statistical tie - and that's among Bush's strongest supporters! In Blue states (states Gore won by 6%+) it's 37 in favor, 54 opposed. And in swing states, it's 42 in favor, 51 opposed.

The poll does show that folks aren't in favor of laws permitting gay marriages, though that's not really a surprise. But folks aren't ready for an amendment either - or at least aren't ready yet. And that's good news, assuming we can get our act together as a movement. As for Bush, it shows that the amendment issue is a wash with his own supporters, and is a big loser with Democrats and independents. Thus, it's a net loss for Bush to talk about a federal amendment. Not good news at all for his fundie buddies. Read More......

Bible study gone bad


Where's the love? Read More......

Democrats showing hope for taking back Congress


It's very early days, but the general trend is looking positive for Democrats in Congress. Looks like the Republicans were getting ahead of themselves when they dreamed about expanding their control in Washington last year. The political realignment of Texas may very well be the deciding factor for the Republicans if they hold on to the House. You can only get people to believe lies for so long and then you need to show results. Despite all of the spin, the results just are not there for the GOP.

"For Democrats, the challenge remains to translate that general discontent into specific victories. But the party's chances of winning control of the Senate have significantly improved in recent months, because of both the unexpected strength of Democratic candidates in several Bush strongholds and retirements by GOP incumbents." - LA Times
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