Tom DeLay's ex-chief of staff got more than a third of U.S. Family Network's $3.02M in revenue, mostly drawn from clients of Jack Abramoff

Here prison prison prison prison. Read the rest of this post...

Massive rally in LA: "Republicans Hate Latinos"

(Photo by Max Blumenthal)

500,000 people marched against the Republican immigration bill being debated next week. There is a God. Max Blumenthal has the coverage, including more photos, over at HuffPost.

You want to talk about civil war? Just watch what the Republicans are going to do to their own party next week. This is fun. Read the rest of this post...

Washington Post ex-blogger appears to have plagiarized Jonah Goldberg too

Well, at least he plagiarized "authentic conservative voices." Wasn't that after all what the Post was after, an authentic conservative voice? They never said it had to be HIS authentic conservative voice.

Man I love the family values crowd. Win at any cost, and jam your values down everyone else's throats, while you ignore them in your own life.

Who would Jesus copy?

And one final point. Can I just say how much we saved the Washington Post's ass in all of this? Just imagine the scandal had this guy gone ahead and published plagiarized pieces on behalf of the Washington Post. And with his record, it's easy to imagine him doing just that, what with the pressure of writing for such an august (well, formerly august) paper.

While they may not be ready to recognize it now, that newspaper owes us, big time. Read the rest of this post...

Our loonies versus their loonies

Whenever I get into a discussion with a Republican over how nasty conservatives have become over the past 15 years, I often get the "well you have Michael Moore" refrain.

Only problem is, yes we do have Michael Moore, and when did he ever suggest blacks are genetically inferior to whites (Republican David Duke), that Supreme Court justices should be assassinated (Republican Ann Coulter), and when was he ever indicted (Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Scooter Libby, and oh so many more)?

He hasn't, because Michael Moore is someone conservatives simply disagree with, and that makes him per se hateful. Kind of like the Dixie Chicks, except they have boobs too, which makes it an even bigger crime in Republican circles that they have opinions.

I started thinking about all of this during the brouhaha this week with the Washington Post's ex-blogger who was a plagiarist and a liar, in addition to having some interest racial views about Coretta Scott King. I was trying to think of whether the top bloggers on the left were as dishonest and angry and hateful as the top bloggers on the right. And that got me thinking more generally. And what I realized was that across the board, the liberals who conservatives most hate simply aren't as hateful themselves as the worst the conservatives have to offer.

They have terrorists - pro-lifer murderers. Who do we have on the liberal side who outright murders their political opponents?

Ann Coulter and Pat Robertson have called for the assassination of their political opponents. Jerry Falwell and the religious right groups are bigots who are still embraced by the Republican party. Who do we have on the religious left who even holds a candle to these hatemongers?

Then there's the angry factor: Ken Mehlman, O'Reilly, Hannity, Scarborough, Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, Newt, Frist, Santorum, Delay, George Will, Krauthammer, most of the top Republican bloggers, Bob Dole, Cheney, and more. The Republicans are an angry party, most of their leadership on TV, the radio and in politics is simply motivated by, and exudes, an unhealthy anger.

But who on the left exudes the same? Michael Moore? Hardly, the man is usually smiling and laughing in his appearances. Compare him to Sean Hannity. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Hillary or Bill? None of them are angry or nasty. Nor are our TV personalities angry: Keith Olbermann and Jon Stewart get their points across with humor and facts, but not the obvious seething hate you see from a Hannity.

Think about the conservatives most hated by the left. They're all angry, negative, nasty-hearted mean people. But compare them to those most hated by the right: Hillary, Bill, Moore, Soros, Phil Donohue, Alan Alda, Norman Lear, and a whole host of Hollywood - Barbra Streisand on down. Where do you find the hate and the anger spewing from those people? Sure, the right hates them, but you really can't point to any of these people who are as filled with hatred and anger as anyone on the right. In fact, the quality most often shared by those hated by the right: intelligence, eloquence, and a message.

So, in conclusion, their religious folks are angrier and nastier than ours - well, theirs are outright bigots, ours are puppy gods. Their political leaders are angrier and nastier, whereas again, ours are puppy dogs. Their TV and radio personalities, and their other celebrities, all kind of nasty (they get Charlton Heston, enough said, gun man).

Across the board, conservatives are represented by people who are simply motivated by, and exude, an irrational hatred and anger. Is it any wonder that Republicans are so prone to striking out domestically and internationally at whomever they perceive as today's enemy?

The real question is who would want to join a political movement whose cohesive element is fear and loathing? About 33% of the population, tops. And that's where you find the Republican party today. Read the rest of this post...

Bush's battle cry for 2006: fear and scare

As Bush goes out on the campaign trail to raise money and actually appear with the candidates who aren't worried about his low approval ratings, he is giving his standard "scare America" speech:

At a luncheon fundraiser here, Bush repeatedly called Sodrel an indispensable ally in fighting terrorism, and emphasized his support for the military and a robust U.S. foreign policy. Sodrel, he said, "understands this is a nation at war" against terrorists intent on striking America again. It is imperative that voters elect candidates who know that "there is an enemy which hates those of us who embrace freedom and would like to strike us again."

Can Democrats please start reminding voters that Bush was President when Al Qaeda attacked us? He was warned about the attack on August 6, 2001 and stayed on vacation. (Just like he did when Katrina was destroying the gulf coast)

Bush has been trying for years to prove his manhood and cover up that mistake. Unfortunately, those efforts have not made us safer. And, yes, we are a "nation at war." It's a war Bush started and which he claimed we'd won three years ago. His war is a disaster and he has no plan. We need a Congress that puts a check on Bush's dangerous incompetence, not another GOP Congress that gives him a blank check.

Apparently, he's also pulling out that old "taxes" chestnut of the GOP, too:

He warned the crowd that Democrats will raise taxes and harm the economy if they are elected. "If you want the government in your pocket, vote Democrat," Bush said.

Interesting choice of words from the President who whose intrusiveness and willingness to violate the privacy of Americans is unprecedented. The GOP wants to get in to more than the pockets of Americans. If you want the government in your bedroom, in your sex life, in your internet files, in your family decisions, in on your phone calls, in every aspect of your personal life, vote Republican. Read the rest of this post...

Saturday Afternoon Open Thread

What's the buzz on this Saturday afternoon? Read the rest of this post...

Clearly, The Dixie Chicks were right in March of 2003

I know John posted the Dixie Chicks new song the other day... it's so easy to forget how crazy the country was just three years ago. What happened to Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks should never be forgotten. It's a lesson for the ages -- a lesson about how warped this country had become under George Bush. Because, three years ago, anyone who spoke the truth about Bush was vilified and threatened.

But undaunted, the Dixie Chicks have a new song out...and despite the efforts to censor and bully them, they're right back at it:

It addresses the controversy head on, with Maines singing in the chorus, "I'm not ready to make nice. I'm not ready to back down. I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go round and round and round."

She also sings, "How in the world can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge," and "I made my bed and I sleep like a baby."

You know, god forbid an American actually speak their mind like Natalie Maines did before the war. Imagine if the traditional media had done their job and questioned Bush. Instead, they joined in the bashing of anyone who did.

Hell, all Natalie Maines did was say she was ashamed of Bush then...and there were a lot of Americans who shared that view. Guess what? We were right. He was lying then and he can't tell the truth now. He took us to war with no plan to get out.

Being ashamed of Bush -- and saying it in 2003 -- was brave. Anyone who isn't ashamed of the dangerous incompetence in 2006 just isn't paying attention. Read the rest of this post...

Illinois man arrested for using neighbor's wi-fi without permission

I especially enjoy this paragraph:

A police officer arrested Kauchak in January after spotting him sitting in a parked car with a computer. A chat with the suspect led to the arrest, Wartowski said.

Ah yes, the old "man sitting in his car using a laptop" scheme. Glad that cop immediately suspected trouble and investigated. Who knows, it could have been Osama using that laptop. (Would Osama use a Mac or a PC?) Read the rest of this post...

Good LA Times opinion piece on Ben

If that's his real name. Read the rest of this post...

Slew of House Republicans promised term limits, now breaking promise

Yeah, more conservatives found out to be liars. Surprise.

Tennessee Republican Rep. Zach Wamp this year is breaking a pledge he made in 1994 to seek no more than six terms, or 12 years, in the House.

Wamp also is overwhelmingly favored to win a seventh term this November — a fact that speaks volumes about how much the issue of congressional term limits has faded in recent years.

Wamp is far from alone. The advocacy organization U.S. Term Limits counts seven other members, all Republicans, whose personal term-limit pledges are coming due in this year: Barbara Cubin of Wyoming, Phil English of Pennsylvania, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Timothy V. Johnson of Illinois, Ric Keller of Florida, Frank A. LoBiondo of New Jersey and Mark Souder of Indiana.

All are seeking re-election; all are solid favorites to win.

And all are Republican. Read the rest of this post...

Barbara Bush is an investor in the company to which she funneled a "charitable contribution"

Wow. This is even sleazier than it first appeared. According to Talking Points Memo, the former first lady is actually one of the investors in the very company to which she gave a "charitable contribution." Josh asks the right questions:

So how is it exactly you get away with making a tax subsidized contribution that you stipulate must be used to purchase products from a company in which you are a partial owner?

Isn't that a scam of some sort?

The Bush family really has no shame. The son hoodwinked America. The mother finagles charitable contribution for her own benefit. They're just blue blooded grifters. Read the rest of this post...

Did you hear the one about how I shot a 78 year old guy in the face?

Bush and Cheney make a great comedy team. It's all fun and games even when someone gets hurt:

Cheney himself said that when he returned to the White House from the hunting trip, Bush told him, "Dick, I'm 38 percent in the polls and you shot the only trial lawyer who supports me."

They're so funny... Read the rest of this post...

Saturday Morning Open Thread

Let's get started...again...but just starting early. Read the rest of this post...

PJ O'Rourke says he never gave Wash Post ex-blogger permission to plagiarize

UPDATE: Okay, he's finally issued another statement, this time saying he's sorry and taking responsibility for what he's done. Good. It's time to move on from this and back to the Washington Post and the war and Iran and all the other reasons conservatives are proven liars.

Just stop it already. Admit the truth, say you're sorry, and commit to being a better human being in the future.

From the NYT

He explained the passage that appeared to be copied from Mr. O'Rourke's book by saying that Mr. O'Rourke gave him permission.

Contacted at his home in New Hampshire, Mr. O'Rourke said that he had never heard of Mr. Domenech and did not recall meeting him.

"I wouldn't want to swear in a court of law that I never met the guy, Mr. O'Rourke said of Mr. Domenech, "but I didn't give him permission to use my words under his byline, no."

The article concludes with the following:

Mr. Domenech addressed his detractors yesterday in a blog post on RedState.com, where he will remain a contributor. "To my enemies: I take enormous solace in the fact that you spent this week bashing me, instead of America," he wrote.

Straighten out your own seriously screwed up values first Ben - perhaps you could start by no longer lying about this entire affair - then come back and lecture the rest of us on how to live our lives.

As for America, she's doing just fine without the help of yet another conservative liar. Read the rest of this post...

Barbara Bush's compassionate tax reduction strategy

You may recall the compassion the President's mother showed shortly after Katrina hit:

Barbara Bush said: "Almost everyone I’ve talked to says we're going to move to Houston."

Then she added: "What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.
"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them."

Ah, another compassionate conservative just like her son.

At least with the mother, we get some sense of what that means. Compassionate conservatives figure out how to use tragedies to their financial advantage.

Looks likes W's mother managed to pull a double tax dodge with her "gift" to Katrina. She contributed to a non-profit, so gets to take that as a charitable deduction. But, she earmarked the gift to her son's company via the non-profit.

The reality of the transaction is that instead of giving Neil a direct gift, he gets the money funneled via the non-profit. Therein lies the second part of the dodge -- if Barbara gave the money directly to Neil, she'd have to pay a gift tax on the amount that exceeded $12,000. It's probably safe to assume that her contribution was over $12,000 based on today's article in the Houston Chronicle:

She gave specific instructions that part of the money be sent to the Scottish Space School Foundation. She asked that group, in turn, to use the money to buy eight Ignite systems — valued at $3,800 each — for Harris County schools with large numbers of Hurricane Katrina evacuees, according to Bush and fund officials.

Big tax deduction for her gift. Neil benefits from his mother's earmark. No gift tax. She's a shrewd one that Barbara Bush.

It's good to be Barbara Bush and not pay taxes...only the little people do that. Read the rest of this post...