Terrorists Threaten War Profiteers

Found this over at Digby. I guess when the President he insists he only spies on terrorists, he's talking about peaceniks and Quakers.

Internal military documents released Thursday provided new details about the Defense Department’s collection of information on demonstrations nationwide last year by students, Quakers and others opposed to the Iraq war.
[...]
The documents, obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, show, for instance, that military officials labeled as “potential terrorist activity” events like a “Stop the War Now” rally in Akron, Ohio, in March 2005.

The Defense Department acknowledged last year that its analysts had maintained records on war protests in an internal database past the 90 days its guidelines allowed, and even after it was determined there was no threat.

The documents indicated that intelligence reports and tips about antiwar protests, including mundane details like the schedule for weekly planning meetings, were widely shared among analysts from the military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.

“There is simply no reason why the United States military should be monitoring the peaceful activities of American citizens who oppose U.S. war policies,” said Ben Wizner, a lawyer for the A.C.L.U.

It's pretty clear, Bennie, Bush is spying on his political enemies. Why do you think he is fighting tooth and nail to prevent oversight? No judge would fail to issue a warrant to spy on terrorists, but no judge would issue a warrant to spy on Quakers.

Republican October Surprise

Pai Mei, of Kill Bill fame, reportedly taught North Korean strongman Kim Jong Il a variance of the "five-point palm exploding heart" technique. The technique used by Kim Jong Il is the "nuclear test seven rotation Hawaii earthquake" sneak attack. Full explanation, coupled with shiny new war graphics, are expected to be supplied by "Foxperts" on the "fair and balanced" news (?) network.

A Potential Democratic Rout

The polls are showing the potential for a landslide repudiation against the Republican authoritarian cult of unlimited executive power and the mewlish rubber-stampers that hangs over their necks like an ax. Clearly, this is a vote against the results of conservatism as opposed to support for progressive issues, as Glenn Greenwald once again posts a root cause of the lack of passion coming from Democratic candidates.

The single most erroneous and destructive premise among the Beltway political class -- which includes the Democratic consulting class along with their intellectual twins in the David-Broder-led punditry circles -- is that anger and passion are the enemies of successful political movements. They preach a mindset of fear and defensiveness -- never articulate a view too strenuously and never be driven by principle or passion because to do so renders one an unmoderate extremist who will alienate normal Americans.

Shorter Glenn: If Democrats are not passionate about anything, voters will not be passionate about them. It is difficult to elect leaders who fail to lead. Citizens who vie for public positions should put positions in front of them, and drag the public towards it, not carefully triangulate based on polling data in an effort to appear popular.
So, it is hoped that these consultants that advise Democratic candidates to get elected, they must be "republican lite" to do so, will either realize the error of their ways, or be kicked to the curb. Arming your candidates with a willow switch to go into battle is indeed very poor advice.
Go large or go home.
Something that is becoming louder and clearer within the Republican party is the meme that conservatism cannot fail, politicians fail conservatism. Witness conservative apologist Andrew Sullivan on Larry King Live:

ANDREW SULLIVAN, AUTHOR, "THE CONSERVATIVE SOUL": Well, I think it gets to the whole idea that they've been in power too long and that they've gotten very used to power and they're abusing their power, not only over pages but spending billions of dollars that they don't have, not protecting the border, and betraying basic conservative principles of limited government. And, it's time to get back to those principles, which means some conservatives are saying kick these people out.

KING: So, you are saying the Bush administration is not conservative?

SULLIVAN: Yes, I am saying that. I'm saying that when you've increased the debt the next generation has to pay from $20 trillion to $43 trillion in five years, when you can't even control your own borders, when you've engaged in a war that you haven't planned for and have no strategy for that's not conservative in my book.

The fair weather friends of the Republican party are trying to save the failed conservative movement by throwing their own under the bus only after they tank in the polls.
The ideological difference between the parties exists on the placement of the exceptional nature of America.
Conservatives believe our strength exists within the power and wealth of our corporations and captains of industry.
Progressives believe our strength exists within the power of the middle class. However, since the middle class is a non-entity for conservatives, they claim progressives do not believe America is exceptional, which implies we hate America.

PRAGER: Neither owns values, but they have different values. And I'll give you one example. This is a topic for, you know, a marathon Larry King show. But one is, the Republicans believe in American exceptionalism and the Democrats believe in a much more universalist vision, like the West Europeans. That's a huge difference. That is why it matters -- laughing doesn't answer it.

See, the daddy party is telling you how great you are, but the Democrats, not so much. Prager lobs this intellectual bomb into the discourse of Larry King and came off sounding like a true believer in the superior Aryan race.
Democrats who fail to define themselves appear weak and rudderless and allow Republicans to define them as such. But no amount of spin can alter the reality of the wholesale mess the Republicans have brought us since Bush took office.
Republicans have defined themselves in the process, with very little help from the Democrats. We can't let conservatives divorce themselves from this reality.

Iraqi Inhofe Is New Baghdad Bob

Jim Inhofe R-OK has left the Red Earth reservation of reality. Back in August, he enthralled us with his keen insights:

“What’s happened there is nothing short of a miracle,” the Senator reported to the Tusla World about Iraq.

And now it appears that civilian deaths are somewhere north of 650,000.

War has wiped out about 655,000 Iraqis or more than 500 people a day since the U.S.-led invasion, a new study reports.

Violence including gunfire and bombs caused the majority of deaths but thousands of people died from worsening health and environmental conditions directly related to the conflict that began in 2003, U.S. and Iraqi public health researchers said.

"Since March 2003, an additional 2.5 percent of Iraq's population have died above what would have occurred without conflict," according to the survey of Iraqi households, titled "The Human Cost of the War in Iraq."

Now, lots of rightards are screaming about these figures, dismissing them as flawed and questionable. They may have a point in that we still have unidentified bodies in New Orleans and an incomplete body count, but the concern for victims of both tragedies from this adminisration are relatively the same. Baghdad Inhofe thinks the war is going smashingly well. I wonder if he talked to this guy?

BAGHDAD, Oct. 12 — Sabah al-Atia sometimes calls home every 10 minutes when he is working to let his wife know he is still alive. After all, his job is one of the most dangerous in the city.

Mr. Atia is a trash collector.

In a city where a bomb could be lurking beneath any heap of refuse, and where insurgents are willing to kill to prevent them from being discovered, an occupation that pays only a few dollars a day has become one of the deadliest. Most of the 500 municipal workers who have been killed here since 2005 have been trash collectors, said Naeem al-Kaabi, the city’s deputy mayor.

“When we are working, we are working nervously,” said Mr. Atia, 29, who started collecting trash during Saddam Hussein’s rule. “We are carrying our souls in our hands.”

The danger to trash collectors is at the root of one of the most visible symptoms of collapse in Baghdad. Garbage is ubiquitous, especially in dangerous neighborhoods, blanketing street medians, alleys and vacant lots in stinking, fly-infested quilts. Trash collection has joined a long list of basic services, including electricity, water and sewerage, that have slipped badly in many places since the American-led invasion.

Trash collectors have frequently refused to venture into especially problem-plagued Baghdad neighborhoods, including Dora, Adhamiya, Jamiya and Ghazaliya, where spasms of violence have often been the norm. Or they have dashed in and out when the danger ebbed, hauling away what they could.

Insurgents have taken to hiding roadside bombs amid the refuse. Trash collectors sometimes stumble upon them and notify the police, but other times they are not so lucky.

To protect the bombs set for American and Iraqi convoys, insurgents have killed scores of trash collectors.

If it weren't for all the trash and bombs and dead bodies everywhere, it sounds like a swell place.

Inhofe, you are a sockpuppet for big oil and war profiteers, both who are dealers for doom.

Crazy Jesus Lady

Peggy Noonan clutches her pearls and heads for the fainting couch:

The Sounds of Silencing
Why do Americans on the left think only they have the right to dissent?

To support her brash headline claiming lefties don't know how to behave in public, she trots out four examples. Columbia University students protesting a Minuteman presentation on illegal immigration, an unnamed blogger complaining about the Chirpy Little Tart putting a grieving father on teevee, blaming the Amish schoolchildren murders on abortion, Barbra Streisand dealing with a heckler, and Rosie O'Donnell harping about gun control.

That's it. Students, an unnamed blogger and a couple of movie stars represent the entire left and her thesis that these examples demonstrate lefties are intolerant of alternate views:

What is most missing from the left in America is an element of grace--of civic grace, democratic grace, the kind that assumes disagreements are part of the fabric, but we can make the fabric hold together. The Democratic Party hasn't had enough of this kind of thing since Bobby Kennedy died.

The hypocricy of this whole editorial is absolutely staggering. We have listened to the wingnuts shriek incessantly for years, dragging the debate down into the gutter, calling any criticism of this President "treasonous" and "seditious". The Crazy Jesus Lady is surrounded by the likes of Michelle Maulkkkin, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and the Faux News Network that constantly try to quash dissent by labeling all those who disagree with their views as siding with terrorists, when in fact it is now clear that the policies they advocate are terrorist multipliers.

Perhaps Noonan is looking at the polls and seeing a defeat for her viewpoint and is doing a pre-emptive call for civility. Talk to your friends lady, cause I'm not listening.

Crunch Time

Republicans are hoist by their own petard by basing their control on the "values voters." Now comes the time for each activist to gently encourage non-voters to participate. I learned something very valuable in my sales career--every call results in a sale being made. Either they buy my story, or I buy theirs.

Don't let people throw their hands up and say "They're all crooks," because that is what Republicans who run attack ads want. Democrats have to respond with their own negative ads, or be labeled spineless, and campaigns descend into the territory that validates popular low opinion of elected officials.

Challenge this opinion. Vote the crooks out--these people work for us, and do things in our name. America is supposed to be a world leader, and as such, should not be behaving like a soiled brat. Votes in the district I live in very well could end the brutal killings and baby girl rapes of Darfur, not to mention the abomination that is Iraq, a disaster that has our fingerprints all over it.

America can return to being a respected world leader. This power comes from the American people, and this power is weakened and perverted when its citizens fail to hold their servants accountable by voting. Not voting is an endorsement, an agreement with current events. I point this out to everyone I talk to who does not regularly vote. Like it or not, we are the world leader, and it is time for Americans to take this responsibility seriously and perform the duty that makes us so. Not voting counts too.

HAD ENOUGH?

October Surprise Trifecta

Chicken little Democrats have been quivering in the corner waiting for the big bad Rethuglicans to drop the infamous "October Surprise" on them, reversing the national trend against the rubber stampers of Dubya's disastrous reign, allowing them to retain their foot on the throat of the middle class. And then the National Intelligence Estimate leaked out:

The war in Iraq has become a primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world whose numbers may be increasing faster than the United States and its allies can reduce the threat, U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded.

The N.I.E. is put together by 16 of our national security agencies. They basically pile up all their data, sort through it, and put forth an estimate. My phone never rang.

[...]
First of all, when someone is killed, usually it makes someone else upset that they lost their friend or family member. And maybe it pisses off several people. Some have been known to strike back indiscriminately, especially if the death of their friend or loved one was senseless. The Bush Doctrine, for this reason, is a terrorist multiplier.
[...]

Here I am, a truck driver from Oklahoma, all caught up with them and shit.

Then came the release of Bob Woodward's blockbuster indictment of all things Bushwhacked: State Of Denial

[...]
There was a vast difference between what the White House and Pentagon knew about the situation in Iraq and what they were saying publicly. But the discrepancy was not surprising. In memos, reports and internal debates, high-level officials of the Bush administration have voiced their concern about the United States' ability to bring peace and stability to Iraq since early in the occupation.
[...]

Of course, us bloggers on the left have been saying "bullshit" every time Dubya opens his mouth, but this is different. This is Bob Woodward, and he can never be confused with the dirty hippies of the "rabid lambs of the left."

Then came the "hat trick" of the trifecta, if I may mix my sports metaphors: The La Cage Aux Foley

[...]
Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former teenage male page.
[...]
The page worked for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who said Friday that when he learned of the e-mail exchanges 10 to 11 months ago, he called the teenÂ’s parents. Alexander told the Ruston Daily Leader, "We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem," a reference to the HouseÂ’s Republican leaders.

So the Republican Leadership new about this letch and let him continue preying on children in the halls of congress for nearly a year. As Think Progress points out:

One of the few members of Congress informed of Foley's actions was Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), currently the Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
[...]
As Hill columnist Josh Marshall writes, the NRCC is "the House Republicans' election committee, a political organization entirely separate from the House bureaucracy and the Congress. Marshall notes, "Considering that the issue involved a minor, it seems highly inappropriate to discuss the matter with anyone not charged with policing the House. More to the point, however, you tell the head of the NRCC because you see the matter as a political problem." On May 10, 2006 -- two months after he was informed of Foley's emails -- Reynolds's personal PAC, TOMPAC, wrote Foley a check for $5,000. In July, the NRCC accepted $100,000 from Foley.
[...]

So, we have 16 Federal agencies, who agree with me, that Bush has fucked up the entire Global War on Terror, a prestigious journalist, who also agrees with me, saying Bush has the reverse midas touch, and the enabling rubber stamp Republicans who not only shield Bush by calling critics terrorist sympathizers, but also coddle and shield pedophiles. mmmkay?

Looking at this whole sorry spectacle, I must admit I have mixed emotions, like watching my ex-wife drive off a cliff, in my brand new cadillac. This is my country and these people are supposed to represent American values. I hardly recognize the place anymore. I ache all over.

Fight Back Against Republican Sex Scandals Double Standards

Representative Mark Foley's resignation in disgrace over allegations of improper sexual advances towards little boys once again bring the familiar refrain; it's Bill Clinton's fault. The party of personal responsibility and family values are neither. The opportunity exists, for those of us in the netroots, to cast aside one such double standard hypocritical rightard running for the open seat of Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. Mary Fallin, long insulated in her cocoon of Rethuglican cohorts, feels she can step out of the shadows of her long twelve year stint as Lt. Governor, the demanding daily task requires every morning to ask, "How is the Governor feeling today?" Sure, her good buddy Governor Frank Keating threw her projects to make her political bones. But someone else may have been "boning" Fallin.

While Governor Keating was hammering Clinton for his "pecadillos", Lt. Governor Mary Fallin was embroiled in her own steamy little tryst with a hunky Highway Patrol officer assigned to guard her body (yikes!)
The real "body guards" of Fallin's professional career are Frank Keating, a real mucky-muck in the DoJ of the Reagan and Bush administrations,prior to his stint as Governor of Oklahoma, and Bob Ricks, (yes, THAT Bob Ricks, mouthpiece of the FBI at WACO) and who got the cushy job of Oklahoma's Director of Public Safety, from, you guessed it, Frank Keating. Now, think this through, the Governor tells some old chum of his that he appointed to "leave no stone unturned" in investigating the alleged "poking" of his second in command, by one of his ol' buddies employees.
Now, this is sleazy to be sure, and I'll be taking a shower when I'm done writing it, but it is a story that is not being told. Insiders shielding insiders and shrieking violently about immoral behavior(IOKIYAR).
Which brings us to the 5th Congressional District of Oklahoma. Political neophyte Dr. David Hunter won the Democratic primary and is facing Fallin on November 7. It is an open seat as Istook wants to be Governor (not gonna happen.) Hunter opposes the Iraq war and the Republican Torture Authorization Act.

I set up a donation page at Act Blue for Dr. Hunter. Please hit the tip jar over their so we can get oversight in congress, and really just bitchslap these rightards and their one-way ethics. Everything helps.

Republicans Shield Child molesters

The party of "family values" has a shiny new member to place on its list of pedophiles. Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) has resigned in disgrace when it became publicly known that he was allegedly sexually harassing a 16-year-old male page via email and instant messages.

As sick as these allegations are, even more distressing is that the Republican leadership has known about this for nearly a year, and were more concerned with protecting their leadership positions than protecting the children of America from pedophiles. Once again, the Republican leadership was willing to trade oversight for overlook and end the session without any investigation and hit the campaign trail. Not so fast, says House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi:

Whereas for more than 150 years, parents from across the country have sent their children to be pages in the U.S. Capitol, the Page School is a national treasure, and the children who attend it and work in the Congress are our special trust;

Whereas, according to press reports, Representative Mark Foley (R-FL) reportedly engaged in highly inappropriate and explicit communications with a former underage page;

Whereas these allegations were so severe that Representative Foley immediately resigned his seat;

Whereas the page worked for Representative Rodney Alexander (R-LA) and, according to press reports, Representative Alexander learned of the emails "10 to 11 months ago"; (AP, September 29, 2006)

Whereas Representative Alexander has said, "We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem", and the Democratic leadership was not informed; (AP, September 29, 2006)

Whereas all Members of Congress have a responsibility to protect their employees, especially young pages who serve this institution;

Whereas these charges demand immediate investigation, including a determination of when the emails were sent, who knew of the emails, whether there was a pattern of inappropriate activity by Mr. Foley involving email or other contacts with pages or former pages, when the Republican leadership was notified, and what corrective action was taken once officials learned of any improper activity;

Whereas given the serious nature of these charges, the pages, their parents, the public, and our colleagues must be assured that Congress will take responsibility that such egregious behavior is not tolerated and will never happen again;

Therefore be it resolved,

That the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct shall immediately appoint an Investigative Subcommittee to fully and expeditiously determine the facts connected with Representative FoleyÂ’s conduct and the response thereto; and

That Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is further directed to make a preliminary report to the House within ten days.

That is the text of Leader Pelosi's privileged resolution. It simply cannot be any clearer that the Republicans are unethical and completely uninterested in anything other than their grip on power. It was hard for me to fathom anything Republicans could do any worse than they have already done last Thursday. Friday, they threw the bar on the ground and tripped over it.

One can only imagine what kind of pressure was applied to this lad to STFU. Imagine being a 16-year-old boy and having the power of the future of the world in your possession. Surely someone took a run at him.

Welcome To The United States Of Torture

Okay, so we've all seen the pictures of Abu Grahib prisoners being humiliated and gnawed on by german shepherds, so we can say "bullshit" when Dubya says we do not torture. As an end run around the Geneva conventions, detainees were classified as enemy combatants, and since they belong to no government that signed any treaty, they were persona non grata, the Bush administration could run their own little petri dish of intel gathering, however they saw fit. Remember, none of these detainees have even been charged with a crime. Some, without doubt, are evil, as some, without doubt, are just poor unlucky bastards.

Then, the Supreme Court ruled that Dubyas little kangaroo court idea needed a serious enema, and oh, by the way, the detainees are protected by the Geneva conventions. Did you see the "fiendish fourteen" terrorists suddenly come out of the secret CIA prisons and get transferred to Gitmo? Did ya here Bush tell Congress to enact the bill he proposed to enable the CIA program to "go forward?"

CIA agents were told their torture program was legal. The Supreme Court told them they are fulla shit. The CIA spooks told Bush "fuck this" we are like not doing time for war crimes, so they halted their operation "Terror/Torture".

Now Bush is thumping his chest saying the deal is done and operation Terror/Torture can continue. McCain, Graham and Warner have returned oversight to the executive branch and the Democrats are tediously gnawing their fingernails, shell shocked into an opinionless mass of quivering shit.

We do not have to be a lawyer or listen to anything this administration says to understand what is going on. This administration tortures people. SCOTUS says no-no. Program stops. POTUS gets new rules, program re-starts.

How would you like to be the poor unlucky bastard when your tormenter returns, reinvigorated after a hiatus, armed with the power of God? Surely some people think torture could be an effective tool. Please, do not confuse America with countries who accept this, even though Bush has.

They actually think they can prevent the courts from reviewing any of this. It's in the language of the bill. These guys are not strong on defense, they're lame in the brain. This will not stand. The only question I have is where do the Democrats stand?

Nationbuilding With The Wingnut Welfare Program

So, to build a shining example of Democracy and free-enterprise, one would think you would assemble the best and brightest for the job. But then again we are talking about a program coming from the culture of corruption and cronyism that defines the Bush administration. From the Washington Post.

After the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in April 2003, the opportunity to participate in the U.S.-led effort to reconstruct Iraq attracted all manner of Americans -- restless professionals, Arabic-speaking academics, development specialists and war-zone adventurers. But before they could go to Baghdad, they had to get past Jim O'Beirne's office in the Pentagon.
[...]

Yeah, I said that already. You know there is a "but" in there somewhere.

[...]

To pass muster with O'Beirne, a political appointee who screens prospective political appointees for Defense Department posts, applicants didn't need to be experts in the Middle East or in post-conflict reconstruction. What seemed most important was loyalty to the Bush administration.

O'Beirne's staff posed blunt questions to some candidates about domestic politics: Did you vote for George W. Bush in 2000? Do you support the way the president is fighting the war on terror? Two people who sought jobs with the U.S. occupation authority said they were even asked their views on Roe v. Wade .

[...]

Now, I have never applied for a Federal job before, I always assumed it would be different somehow.

[...]
Many of those chosen by O'Beirne's office to work for the Coalition Provisional Authority, which ran Iraq's government from April 2003 to June 2004, lacked vital skills and experience. A 24-year-old who had never worked in finance -- but had applied for a White House job -- was sent to reopen Baghdad's stock exchange. The daughter of a prominent neoconservative commentator and a recent graduate from an evangelical university for home-schooled children were tapped to manage Iraq's $13 billion budget, even though they didn't have a background in accounting.
[...]

hmmm. This Bush appointee O'Beirne is married to Kate, the far right talking head that spins faster than a Texas tornado. This is basically just a wingnut welfare jobs program for the sons and daughters of rightwing think tanks, all of whom will eventually wind up being "Foxsperts" on some blah blah bullshit sales job on the rank and file of racist homophobic "value voters" Republicans hoodwink into voting for their fundraising schemes.

The article in the Post very long and is an excerpt from a book. I strongly recommend reading it. To be aware of these things makes it very difficult to vote for Republicans. Impossible for me.

FBI Triples Fraud Investigators In DC

This is why Grover Norquist wants to reduce the size of government where he can drag it into the bathroom and drown it into a bathtub.

WASHINGTON - There is so much political corruption on Capitol Hill that the FBI has had to triple the number of squads investigating lobbyists, lawmakers and influence peddlers, the Daily News has learned.

For decades, only one squad in Washington handled corruption cases because the crimes were seen as local offenses handled by FBI field offices in lawmakers' home districts.

But in recent years, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and other abuses of power and privilege have prompted the FBI to assign 37 agents full-time to three new squads in an office near Capitol Hill.

FBI Assistant Director Chip Burrus told The News yesterday that he wants to detail even more agents to the Washington field office for a fourth corruption squad because so much wrongdoing is being uncovered.

[...]

Try to remember, the cops and robbers both are on our payroll. Vurp!

Abramoff And Bush Connected

Remember Jack Abramoff, the crooked lobbyist that no Republican knew?

Press briefing by Presidential spokesliar, Snotty McClellan, January 17, 2006.

Q So would the White House be open to complying with the Democrats' request to go ahead and provide that kind of information, the contacts Abramoff had with senior staff, that type of thing?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I've already indicated to you a general description of any contacts that were there.

Q Can you be more specific about the contacts with the senior staff? You said you were going to get back to us on that. Can you give us --

MR. McCLELLAN: I did check. There were a few staff-level meetings. As I indicated there were -- I think I previously indicated that he attended three Hanukkah receptions at the White House. It is actually only two Hanukkah receptions that he attended.

Q And the years?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think it was the earlier years, earlier 2000 -- early in the 2000 time period. I can double-check that. And so that's --

Q Specific staff? You were going to get back to us on the specific staff --

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, my understanding from the check that we did was that there are just a few staff-level meetings in addition to those.

Q Who was in the staff meetings?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't get into discussing staff-level meetings.

Q Why not?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, if you got something to bring to my attention, Elisabeth, I'll be glad to look into it. If you've got something specific, I'll be glad to take a look into it.

Q Did he meet with Karl Rove, for example?

MR. McCLELLAN: We don't -- we don't ever tend to get into those staff-level meetings.

Gee, sounds like just a couple of times, like maybe religious ceremonies or something. Or not.

Former associates of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff had dozens of appointments with Bush administration staff members, according to Secret Service visitor logs the White House released yesterday to settle a lawsuit by the Democratic Party and an ethics watchdog group.[...]

Seems the Dems weren't willing to rely on ole Snotty to get back to the steno capitol crew and had to break out the lawyers to find out who has been in the people's Whitehouse, currently occupied by Repugnicons.

[...]
Republican activists Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed, political allies of President Bush and longtime Abramoff associates, totaled more than 100 visits to the Bush White House. Abramoff, a former GOP lobbyist, has pleaded guilty to fraud and is cooperating with prosecutors in an influence-peddling investigation. White House officials said they believe all their meetings that included Bush were group events, such as Christmas parties or policy briefings for GOP supporters.[...]

Ah, Grover and Ralph, lobbying for Jack and the mighty right-wing welfare programs. I guess when Snotty said "two" referring to meetings, he left out the modifier "hundred." It only took nine months to get these records. If this story gets any traction Iran better head for cover.

NSA Claims Wiretapping Program Illegal

The National Security Agency provided a list of "talking points" about the warrantless eavesdropping program on American's in America to Senate intelligence agency chair, Pat Roberts (R-Kan) that somehow ended up on the pages of WaPo. The one that caught my eye, was the one that admitted guilt.

"Current law is not agile enough to handle the threat posed by sophisticated international terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda"

So instead of following the law, that is not "agile enough" (72 hour retro-warrants are waaay too slow) they chose to ignore the law. Which is a polite way of saying they are engaged in criminal activity, and their own talking points point that out. Can somebody get a judge on the phone?

The Path To 9/11; A Critical Review

So, over the vehement protestations of hundreds of thousands of people, ABC/Disney elected to air the GOP-U-Drama, Path To 9/11, saying to criticize it before viewing is "irresponsible." So, this is my attempt at being responsible.

For full disclosure, I was busy, and missed some of the start of the shillathon and cannot review the treatment the previous administration received for rounding up all of the perpertrators that first attacked the world trade center, prosecuted, convicted who now sit rotting in a maximum security prison in Colorado. Even though that attack occurred very early in the Clinton administration, I do not recall anyone blaming Bush the Senior.

What I did witness was the path to 9/11 during the Clinton Administration was aided and abetted by the constant stumbling over the Clenis--apparently the previous Commander-In-Chief was thinking with the wrong head. Deep throat wore a blue dress and bin Laden got away because our President couldn't shoot straight.

Enter Leader-by-landslide Dubya (aka The English Patient) and Kinda Sleazy Rice knicking her leg by pushing Dick away from the Adults table. The tin star Rexall Ranger is tired of "swatting flies" and wants to go all "shock and awe" on bin Laden, but the apparatus left by Clenis is impotent, unable to penetrate and deliver a climax to the baddies.

FISA can't help and wiretapping laws have them hamstrung. Shit, these guys hit all the points in making this $40 million gift for the Republican party.

Okay, so Disney/ABC chose to air a movie that is a huge stain on the events of 9/11. The writers and producers are well known partisan hacks as has been brought to light on the internet. They took the default position of the "Party of Personal Responsiblity" and blamed Clinton. They peopled their movie with actors portraying real people who are still alive and have them saying things they do not say, and doing things they do not do.

They claimed their shillathon was based on the 9/11 bi-partisan commission report, even though their movie was not bi-partisan, contradicted the 9/11 report and carried a blantant political slant.

Now it is not possible to put this turd back into the elephant that shit it out, but those involved with this must know it is not without consequences.

I'll start out this way; Disney/ABC--Fuck You.

I won't be going to Disneyland or anything like that--for sure. I'll be sure and tell everyone I know that you hire and coddle child molesters. You belong with the GOP, the party of child molesters. Fifteen-year-old boys would be safer on an all male Greek freighter. At least they don't wear goofy costumes and preach about family values.

ABC is joined at the hip with these assfuckers. An Iron Curtain of Orwellian Reich-speak has descended upon the corporate media. Would you approve of a holocaust denial movie-of-the-week "docudrama?" Credibility is like virginity, once you've lost it, you're fucked. And in the words of Pat Paulsen, "I'm trying to up my standards, so up yours."

The Actors.

Lending starpower to such a politically slanted movie is a dangerous thing to do. Perhaps you were misled. However, ignorance is no excuse, and making political statements can be quite costly. I watched in horror as flight Toby Keith crashed into the Dixie Chicks tower, reducing the Chicks careers to a smoldering hole in the ground. Maybe Keith thinks it's kewl to beat up on chicks, but the message stands; you have tread on treacherous ground.

Certainly your high priced handlers are saying "no comment" as fast as they can. Wolf is trying to get out in front. Shave your heads, put ashes on your forehead, gird your loins up in sackcloth, and when you go out in public, wear clappers and bells and yell "unclean, unclean" whenever someone approaches, and maybe you can weather this shitstorm.

Yeah, I'm a little pissed over this deal. The movie is a fucking lie, Republicans refuse to accept responsibility for anything, and they wrap their failure around the Clenis. Everyone involved in this project is part of the military-industrial complex of war profiteers, getting rich off of fomenting strife and death throughout the world and the manufacture and sales of mechanized doom. They have dishonored the victims of September 11, 2001 by turning their memory into an excuse to blame their political rivals and an opportunity to line their pockets.

Disney/ABC/GOP--Fuck You.

Happy Labor Day

The final stretch to the November elections and Karl said he's bringing the two "t's" to the fight. Terrorism and turnout. Looks like the Republicans are going to focus on six congressional seats to maintain a slim majority and avoit oversight and indictments. They have $60 million to spend on this, half of which is dedicated to get out the vote.

Everyone has a voice. Use it. Get active. Donate and do whatever you can. Many people have no voice and are no longer active. To see who I am talking about, click right here.

(h/t to cbl @ fdl for the link. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Double Down Presidency

cross posted at firedoglake

In an awkward pivot from Bush's failed Katrina response anniversary, the President tries to drum up support for additional wars with Iran and Syria, heading toward the 9/11 anniversary, while stuck in the Iraqi tar-baby debacle. Some choice excerpts of his speech on August 31, 2006.

The enemies of liberty come from different parts of the world, and they take inspiration from different sources. Some are radicalized followers of the Sunni tradition, who swear allegiance to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda. Others are radicalized followers of the Shia tradition, who join groups like Hezbollah and take guidance from state sponsors like Syria and Iran. Still others are "homegrown" terrorists -- fanatics who live quietly in free societies they dream to destroy. Despite their differences, these groups from -- form the outlines of a single movement, a worldwide network of radicals that use terror to kill those who stand in the way of their totalitarian ideology.

Okay. We have a worldwide boogeyman but the big ol' fat bullseye is painted on Iran and Syria.

Second, we have made it clear to all nations, if you harbor terrorists, you are just as guilty as the terrorists; you're an enemy of the United States, and you will be held to account.

He has done so well with Iraq, now he wants to expand the war. And he will.

The Iranian regime arms, funds, and advises Hezbollah, which has killed more Americans than any terrorist network except al Qaeda. The Iranian regime interferes in Iraq by sponsoring terrorists and insurgents, empowering unlawful militias, and supplying components for improvised explosive devices. The Iranian regime denies basic human rights to millions of its people. And the Iranian regime is pursuing nuclear weapons in open defiance of its international obligations.

Like a gambler on a losing streak, Bush insists on doubling down. His administrations complete failure on the GWOT seeks to pick bigger fights with larger nations and even more dangerous adventures. Using new buzzwords like fascism, nazi, and Hitler, they are pandering to the warporn wing of the country, nastier images are required to achieve erection and gratification.

This administration will generate more wars. It is what they do, even if very badly. To stop them, Democrats must undertake a blistering assault on their warmaking. I'll pass some ammunition.

Half of the people in Iraq are under eighteen, according to UNICEF. I wonder where their parents are and if they are enjoying their freedoms from them? Are the policies of this administration reducing the ranks of terrorists or increasing them?

The number of terrorist attacks worldwide increased nearly fourfold in 2005 to 11,111, with strikes in Iraq accounting for 30 percent of the total, according to statistics released by U.S. counterterrorism officials yesterday.

Does this make anyone feel safer? Not a very good track record coming from the Daddy party. This current track of escalating wars is doomed to fail for two very basic reasons. First of all, when someone is killed, usually it makes someone else upset that they lost their friend or family member. And maybe it pisses off several people. Some have been known to strike back indiscriminately, especially if the death of their friend or loved one was senseless. The Bush Doctrine, for this reason, is a terrorist multiplier.

The second reason it is doomed for failure is that a fella needs to work. When war comes to town, it sorta makes it hard to find a job, and soldiering is about the only game in town. And clearly Bush does not get these two points, even as simple as he is. Bush wants war, so the Democrats must give him one. Never explain, never defend, always attack. Keith Olbermann shows us how it's done.

The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.

Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.

Mr. Rumsfeld’s remarkable speech to the American Legion yesterday demands the deep analysis—and the sober contemplation—of every American.

For it did not merely serve to impugn the morality or intelligence -- indeed, the loyalty -- of the majority of Americans who oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land. Worse, still, it credits those same transient occupants -- our employees -- with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither common sense, nor this administration’s track record at home or abroad, suggests they deserve.

Two words: K. O.

Had Enough?

The uncurious and incompetent Bush administration. He decides yes and no and leaves the room for his war profiteering cronies to run the show. Meanwhile, Rove teaches the chant for Republicans, "Our firm dealing with terra has saved Merkins from being hit since 9-11."

The Dems response? "Republicans are so proud to only have one Pearl Harbor type attack on us under their so-called protection. Where is Osama? Where is the leader of the attack and his chief lieutenant? When we were attacked under Democratic leadership, we rounded up all of the terrorists and now they are rotting in a maximum-security Colorado jail. The Republican mismanagement of National Security has increased the ranks of international terrorists four-fold, while our own military cannot recruit enough soldiers to carry out their botched policies. This Administration and their Rubber Stamp Republican Congress has failed to protect this country, swelled the ranks of our enemies, evaporated most allied support, ruined our credibility, emptied our treasury and badly misspent our Armed Forces. We would be amused at their boasting and swagger, standing atop such a vast pile of ruination, if the consequences of their incompetence were not so grave. No longer will we sit idly by while this confederacy of dunces claim they are showing strength. They are not showing strength, but stupidity. And the entire world is a much more dangerous place because of it."

Okay, that is not the Democratic response, but it should be. To hell with making a plan for Iraq. An energy plan? Fuhgeddaboudit. Health care plan? Tax policy? Nope and nope. The democrats have a ten-point plan for everything under the sun fer chrissakes. Nobody's gonna hear about it, 'cause the press will just say "the Dems don't have a plan." It is too close to November. Never explain, never defend, always attack.

JANEDALF

And so it came to pass that Janedalf, the progressive pilgrim whose sparks of snark are heralded as the flame of the west came to the fork in the road where the fellowship of the hoblogits of Nutmeg would part. They begged the wizardress to linger, for she was a chieftain of the High Order and wielded great power, for their was much left to do. She laughed a merry laugh, and as she did, a cool breeze wrapped about the company, fresh born from the snowy crests of distant mountains that marched on the margins of view. And in answer, a nearby sycamore tree that housed a multitude of colorful birds; a curious mix of Striesandols and Kadylanes burst into a song of hope and rainbows, and the pasture at nigh blanketed with whortle and midsummer niphredels kissed the bees and butterflies.

"My dear Nutmeggers," she began with a sparkle in her eye, which never dimmed after the battle, "I have other deeds in this long campaign against the Dark Lord and his good buddy Dubya. But you no longer need my help. You have grown, indeed you are now giants. The deeds you have performed, the battles you have fought and the victory you have achieved have entered the councils of the great and shaken the foundations of tyranny. Indeed, even if the chief Kossack of the High Council Himself, Master of us all, summoned all his minions throughout the four corners of the land to the impenetrable fastness of Townhouse Castle, verily you four would sit in honor at the head of the table, two on his right hand, which holds thunder and lightning and two on his left hand, which hold wisdom and mercy. Or is that gold and silver?"

TRex, a vaguely domesticated carnivore whose diet consisted exclusively of racist wingnuts, cared little about meetings spelled without an a, and didn't feel slighted by being overlooked. His keen green eyes furtively scanned the field in search of athelas, or kingsfoil, a known numbing agent for a cramped bowel. It had been a very target rich environment lately, but TRex had vowed not to release his captives save only on the steps of the Dark Lords palace. He wanted to leave a glistening display to the wingnuts future prospects. Not spying any athelas, TRex casually uprooted a small thirty foot tall pine tree for a toothpick. Hair of the dog, he mused.

Somehow, Spazeboy, the intrepid documenter of battles, didn't feel like much of a giant. He looked at his friend CT Bob, who understood his mind at once.

"But Janedalf, we have dealt a grievous blow, to be sure, but Saurilooserman still walks yet, and continues to gnaw the ends of his broken schemes." The two battle scarred warriors, Ed and Keith, glanced nervously at one another sitting in their battle wagon, powered by the Poodles of Doom, still dragging their trophy of the beaten-but-not-destroyed hideous two headed foe.

Janedalf stiffened in her saddle, and the four had not marked how tall and Queenly she was; an unrevealed power shone through that lifted the hearts of the righteous and caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth of evildoers and their stenographers.

"Behold," she thundered. "A great shadow has been removed from the East. But it can return. As you must straight away. Remove all the foundations of Saurilooserman and circumcise the false flesh away from the wolves wearing sheeps clothing. Remember our battle cry; Kos to the fore, skins or not."

And with that, Janedalf departed, and the four warriors headed for Nutmeg, TRex galloping happily behind the warriors, wagging his thunderous tail clearing acreages of timber on both sides of the road. He felt the scours coming on.

Authors note: This is my response to the silly claims of the power wielded by the far-left bloggers. It's the message, stupid, not the medium. Artwork provided by the incomparable Darkblack. Go bloggers!

...And Down The Stretch We Come

cross-posted at firedoglake

The Connecticut Primary reminded me of George and Lorraine and Biff. You remember, from Back To The Future. Mild mannered, always polite and courteous, George McFly was constantly ridiculed and beset by the foul, uncouth and obnoxious Biff. It's just the way it was. Biff nearly broke George's arm, and still, he would not defend himself. But when Biff manhandled Lorraine, The object of George's love down to his very soul, his density as it were, that tore it. With a punch delivered from three counties over, Biff was snoring before he hit the ground.

And so it was in Connecticut. Americans tired of thugs mauling and sullying the reputation of their country fought back against those who enable such atrocities. The collective heads across America snapped to the East to witness--and I'll paraphrase Tweety here, "The smote heard 'round the world." However, grim business is before us, and the high-fives and towel snapping will have to wait. Joenabler refuses to concede, and the peoples choice in Lamont still has no job. No one is interested in living off this latest round of press clippings.

Before this victory, the Reich-Wing gleefully hung the goose egg around the neck of left-wing political blogger victories. Now we are dangerous far-left hippy peaceniks. Yawn. The dog barks but the caravan rolls on. And now we are not alone. Death, destruction, corruption and fluent incompetence are the Bush legacy and his Rubber Stamp Republican Lickspittle sycophants. And George McFly is not happy.

We are down to the final quarter. This is where the coach calls a gut check. Well, how bad do you want it? Donate all you can to your local candidates. Turn your evening stroll into doorhangings/knockings and over-the-fence visits. Write Letters to the Editor. Pitch in to a phone bank. Check with local nursing homes about rides to the polls. Any other ideas?

What About Joe?

Everytime he opens his mouth, we'll be there. And again, this time we will not be alone. Perhaps someone feeding from the same donation troughs will gently urge the feedmaster to invest their money more wisely. After all, Joe is obviously headed to the pasture of punditry, where him and his good buddy, Joe Klein, can generously fertilize the same fields as the crap they spew is so similar. Even Pox News may see the coming progressive tide and offer them a spot to represent the Democratic viewpoint. The Joe/Joe Show. They can copy the graphics of 60 minutes, but instead of a stopwatch going tic, tic, tic, they can put up a nagging mother going tsk, tsk, tsk.

A Very Dark Chapter

Sorry to have been away so long kids, but Papa has been busy supplying an addicted nation. So let's dive right in, shall we?

Can you feel it? I sure as hell can, and it's not a little spidey sense thing either. The turn is occurring in our political make-up. I can feel it and it is palpable. The natives are truly restless. People are coming too and realize they no longer live in a country they recognize as America. Being mislead into a disastrous occupation of a country that was not a threat and did not attack us, costing us the sons and daughters of our country, Billions of dollars, worldwide sympathy and goodwill has taught us this administration is not strong but stupid. The entire worldview of the Bush junta diplomacy is summed up in the final scene of Scarface. Say hello to my little friend.

They brought us Abu Grahib, Gitmo, Abramhoff, Delay, Alito, Enron, Exxon, Cheney deals made with Big Oil behind a door sealed by the Supreme Court, stripped us of civil rights, K-street earmarks, Duke Cunningham, 9/11, voter fraud, fear, racism, war profiteering, gross negligence in the Katrina aftermath, Terri Schiavo, civil war in Iraq, nuclear arms by North Korea quadrupled, Iran on the brink of nuclear abilities, Osama in the wind and worldwide contempt.

Just to hit a few highpoints.

This is the tedious drip, drip, drip that is soaking by osmosis into the American consciousness. Folks are starting to get the hint that running a Republic is not a spectator sport. It is very serious shit when you are the world superpower, and when fanatical idiots like the ones we have now hold the reins of power, we get the government we deserve. Clearly the Bush cabal is all about talking points and marketing, but they have no clue how to govern. This is simply a matter of a group of people stealing our nation blind. Seriously, no one with an IQ over room temperature can give a coherent argument that these guys really give a shit about anything at all except their own fortunes.

I feel people are tired of the Mid-South Wrassling/Carney Pitchman crap they spew. Regular folks don't care how high you jump when you preach, but how you walk when you hit the ground. And Joe Lieberman got thrown under the bus the other day in favor of a real progressive, Ned Lamont. Everyone is all atwitter over them nasty radical hippy McArthyite anti-war bloggers dragging the Democratic party to the far left, where they can't win elections. Pshaw!

Let's deal with that, shall we? First off, welcome to the 21st Century, dickheads. Iraq is a civil war and we are involved in an occupation. See that? Their war, our occupation. Their war caused by stupidity, not by strength. We need somebody besides Scarface, or worse, Kindasleezy Rice, to figure out that mess. And wassup with the pounding the innernets? Sure, journalists maybe don't like it, cause it is not a one way medium like newspapers, teevee and radio, or two way like telephones. It is a multi-way medium. Still, it is nothing more than a message and information system. Ned had the right message and Joe did not. Instead of Ned and Joe paying the innernets to get out their messages, we did it for free and gave them the opportunity to allow us to pay them. Pretty fucking outrageous, huh. I know, it stands the God of Media culture, Marshall McLuhan on his head. It is the message, not the medium.

Joe still wants to play though. Seems all them voters for Ned are al Qaida sympathizers. Yup. Ol Joe Nomentum said something very similar to that. That may shock some people, and if it does, it just means you haven't been paying attention. You see, all us nasty left-wing anti-war hippy bloggers knew along time ago Darth Cheney had turned Joe into his own widdle sock puppet. A three-way race? Fuhgedaboudit. Other Dems are looking for ways to look more progressive. Hell, even Hillary was heard bitchslapping Ronald Dumsfeld the other day. It's a tough thing for a chick to try and look tough while distancing herself from a hawkish position. I'm willing to cut her a hell of a lot of slack on that deal. Joe, not so much.

I wish I could conclude this hopeful post by declaring a complete takeover by both houses by Democrats in November, but I can't. You see, the people want some entirely different shit happening in the halls of power, you know like honesty and restraint and diplomacy and non-stop investigations, indictments and froggermarches, but the remaining Dems in power, especially in the Senate (I'm talkin' about you Chuck) aren't quite ready for all that for some reason. Oh, well every dog has his day.

SCOTUS Bitchslaps POTUS

and his little Chief Justice too!

The Supreme Court of the United States shot down the Presidents attempt of setting up a kangaroo court to try Gitmo detainees. Chief Justice Roberts had already ruled in favor of the Bushco end run around the law before he nabbed the top slot at the top court, so he had to sit on the sidelines and watch his decision get overturned. The majority opinion written by Justice John Paul Stevens:

What the hell are you thinking, you stupid motherfucker? You ain't the boss of the world. You have no earthly idea what the hell you are doing, do you? Well, if you don't know, you better axe somebody. Like maybe congress. And read the directions for chrissakes, their in the constitution.

Okay, so maybe I paraphrased a little bit. The wingnuts have their viagra infested knickers in a twist over this activist court impeding the authoritarian cult train, insisting this 5-3 decision is actually a 5-4 decision as they count John Roberts vote in favor of Bush. This of course overlooks the fact that it was a 5-4 decision that gave us this nitwit for a President to begin with. But they head for the feinting sofa clutching their pearls at the thought terrorists will be given the same due process as military personnel or even trials in our civilian courts. And they tremble at the fact terrorists, who belong to no country, who are not signatories to the Geneva Convention protections, will nonetheless be offered the protections outlined therein.

Okay, so here's the thing. We go into Afghanistan to take out the Taliban and al Qaeda. We don't really know who the bad guys are, unless they are shooting at us, so we offer a reward of $5,000 to the locals for turning in bad guys. Now, this sounds good on paper, but it can have very bad results. Say, for example, a guy has a problem with his neighbor. He can get rid of him, start banging his neighbors old lady and smack his bratty kids around and pick up a cool five grand in the process. The poor sap that got lied on finds himself under the control of the military, under orders from Ronald Dumsfeld that it's okay to torture these assholes, because the Geneva conventions don't apply. And we're not talking about fraternity pranks here that just involve panties on the head; their have been over 130 documented fatalities.

So, it might be the case that quite a few of these "detainees" are nothing more than victims being punked, unless of course the right wing wants us to believe everything we are told by swarthy mid-easterners, which of course includes the detainees themselves. This decision also affects the issue of torture as it brings the detainees under the protection of the Geneva convention. Bush is the President of torture. McCain passed a bill with overwhelming support, over the objections of the VP of torture, Darth Cheney. After Bush signed the veto proof bill into law, he filled out a Presidential signing statement that said--neener neener, Kings X. Of course, all experts agree that torture doesn't work. Victims say whatever you want them to say, regardless of whether it is true or not. In fact, the reason we are in Iraq right now is because a torture victim named curveball supplied the bogus information that Saddam was collaborating with al Qaeda. Okay, bad example, maybe that one did work if you own stock in Halliburton.

In Search Of Single Women

Republicans vote, so the half of the country who do not vote are who the Democrats should be talking to. Twenty million unmarried women did not vote in 2004. These figures clearly show where the democratic party should be searching for victory. The question is how do we change apathy into participation? How do we reach out to those who do not participate and extend an invitation and even a welcome to cast a vote? They do not exist on direct-mail voting lists, newspaper circulation is in decline and the electronic media is becoming increasingly fractured (this blog is a testament to that fact). Not to mention the HUGE pressures placed on single parents who simply don't have the time or energy to be politically involved. The number one group in America that Democrats can help are disenfranchised by the economic pressures placed on them by hostile policies of their government.

There is, of course, only one way to reach those who do not vote and that is with an in-person visit. In my neighborhood, I am conducting a voter participation drive. I have a clipboard with squares drawn on it to represent homes that I have visited. I let them know I'm a neighbor ("I live in that brown house over there") and ask them if they are registered. If they aren't I let them know about the tag agency just up the road where they can register--a very simple process. For those who do not vote, my message is very simple and clear; "I would like to extend a personal invitation for your help in running this country. Too many people don't vote and I think the only ones talking to our politicians are lobbyists, and I think that's a shame, don't you?"

These are sales techniques. People generally want to help, especially by personal invitation. Asking their opinion after a statement is called a test close. Make no mistake, this is truly a sales call. The sale is an intangible idea of the future of the country and our priorities. I spend very little time with registered voters--I merely thank them for their participation and move along. Those who don't vote, are encouraged to share opinions on various subjects, our occupation of Iraq, healthcare, etc. I am inviting them to participate and I want them to start right now. My own opinions are subdued, as I see them as irrelevant to their participation. To close the sale I say, "If I can get everyone else on this block to vote, you would do it too, wouldn't you?" No one likes to be the killjoy and nearly always you get a yes. I jot down yes on their little square on my clipboard, thank them and move on.

So, how effective is this? It definitely works, as I got the idea from this article several months back.

[...]

Another aspect of their work that was different was the choice of who to canvass. There were many groups making similar efforts in New Hampshire at the time. Some spoke only to registered voters, some only to registered Democrats, some only to registered Republicans. Swing the Vote decided to talk to everyone, Democrat or Republican, registered or unregistered.

Each volunteer was given a specific goal: so many doors per day, per week, per month. They wore out the shoe leather in Troy, Alstead, Swanzey, Keene, Dublin, Jaffrey, getting people to talk about what concerned them in the upcoming election. If people weren't registered, they explained how to register. They let people know that New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration, and if they wanted to, they could go down to their polling place on election day, register right there, and vote.

It worked. On election day 2004, Cheshire County saw the largest voter turnout in recent memory. Some 6,000 unregistered voters came out, people who had not been targeted by any other group because they were not on any voter roll. They registered, and they voted. Cheshire County went blue, and for only the third time since 1948, New Hampshire was won by a Democratic presidential candidate.

[...]

Yes, this is hard work, but a huge Democratic constituency is wandering in the wilderness with no voice in the path to prosperity. If we can bring them into the fold, then there exists a vast new voice concerned with daycare, and healthcare, and good wages, and clean water and air. If we can deliver this constituency, the political dialogue will turn forcibly to address these issues. We may even be able to build a world-class civilization.

How To Build A World-Class City

(cross posted at Firedoglake)
This is a story of hope, of bold visionary leadership, and grassroots political action successfully improving the lives of its citizens. A message very important in these dark days of rudderless and incompetent leadership.

Welcome to Oklahoma City!

A blast from a cannon announced the birth of Oklahoma at high noon on April 22, 1889. The children of these pioneers have overcome tremendous obstacles to make their sires proud at the close of the last century and the beginning of the new. In true pioneer spirit, they saw a better future over the horizon and dug deep to put forth the most massive quality of life package ever devised in this nation. A total of nine whopping projects, each one being massive enough to stand alone for voter approval. Oklahoma law requires tax increases to be approved by a vote of the people. To build a world-class city, the requirements are 1) A need 2) leadership and 3) value.

The need.

Oklahoma City was in pretty bad shape. Huge expansion had made it the largest city in the nation when I was a kid. The running joke in the 60s was Fidel better straighten out or we'll send them OKC boys down there to annex Cuba. The SCOTUS "white flight" decision brought blight to our inner city, as it did throughout the country. "Urban renewal" just made things worse, by eliminating a lot of housing and the oil bust of the mid 1980s was ruinous to our economy. Penn Square Bank collapsed, followed by a whole slew of others. If it was Thursday, more banks would fall. Personally, I could not find work in the oilfields of Oklahoma and took other work, each one paying less than the last. And when poverty knocks at the door, love flies out the window. My wife left me with three small children, the youngest in diapers. To try and improve our future prospects, I enrolled full-time at college, swallowed my pride, and took a part-time job flipping hamburgers.

Leadership.

Mayor Norick took office in 87. He was picking cotton in the arena of public service in the huge shadow of his father, former Mayor Jim Norick, who oversaw the expansion of the 60s, modernized our water system and built the convention center, and other large projects. The needs were huge and the funds were non-existent. The push was on to lure major employers. Large corporations, knowing their worth, require tithes for consideration. Three times Mayor Norick called for, and received a vote to increase sales taxes for the benefit of these jobs. All three times the employers chose to go elsewhere. The natives were growing restless. Our infrastructure was crumbling. The ADA was going to make our baseball park obsolete, the Canadian River that divides the town from north to south drained so well we had to keep it mowed. The livestock area of our state fairgrounds were dilapidated as was our convention center and civic center. Mayor Norick joined with other city leaders to address these needs and instead of making a "Sophies Choice" the decision was made to bundle all of them together and offer an all or nothing choice to the people. The nine projects were:

The river project. City leaders, sensitive to the "dust bowl" image suffered by Oklahoma, proposed creating a series of river lakes by building a series of three dams. This "crown jewel" project cost a total of $52 million.

A brand new 20,000 seat indoor sports/entertainment arena. Total cost $64.8 million.

Renovation of the Civic Center performing arts building. Total cost $51 million.

Renovation of the Myriad Convention Center and the addition of 100,000 square feet of new ballrooms and meeting rooms over the north plaza. Total cost $63.1 million.

State Fair renovations. The loss of the National Finals Rodeo to Las Vegas in '85 was a severe blow to OKC. Updating the fairgrounds arena and other equine facilities was seen as mandatory to prevent future hemorrhaging. The fairgrounds project was the only one to be completed on time and on budget. Total cost $14 million.

Public transportation linkage to the projects. Originally planned as a light rail system, that got railroaded by our very own congresscritter Earnest Istook R-Warr Acres, who blocked matching Federal funds as a waste of money. City leaders pivoted to 9 rubber tire trolley replicas. Total cost $5.3 million.

A shiny new baseball field located in Bricktown. The Oklahoma Redhawks is the farm team for the Texas Rangers, and the ballpark was fashioned after Dubyas old sandbox located south of the red river, in the state we refer to as "Baja Oklahoma." This 12,000 seat facility was rated in the top two nationwide for minor league play. Total cost $34.2 million.

The Bricktown Canal. Bricktown was one of the more blighted areas of downtown. An old brick warehouse district that virtually sat in the evening shadows of the downtown skyscrapers defiantly jutting out of the plains. Some going concerns remained, but most buildings were vacant, sporting broken windows and housing unsavories. The idea was to model it after Dallas' famed "West End" with the canal being reminiscent of the San Antonio riverwalk.
the canal would be a mile long, have water taxis, and link downtown to Bricktown to the river. Did I mention vision yet? Total cost $23.1 million.

The Library/Learning Center. Four stories tall and 110,000 square feet it has been called the "Ft. Knox of learning". Boasting meeting centers and all forms of modern multi-media state of the art gizmos, the aptly named Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library provides those seeking wisdom a one stop shop. Just call Ronnie "the bus driver" cause he's taking us all to school. Total cost $21.5 million.

So there you have it. Nine projects totaling $329 million dollars and is not related to directly recruiting a major employer. The vote would be a county-wide one cent sales tax increase for five years. A real tough sell for a city that was broke and closing banks in the throes of a major recession. It was obvious this was a "pie in the sky boondoggle."

Value

As a major in journalism, I became acquainted with Dave Sellers, the owner and publisher of the Capitol Hill Beacon, a community paper serving South (of the river) OKC. He hired me out of college as an adman, because "there isn't a lot of money in journalism." Dave, just like Dave Thomas of Wendy's, sported hokey short sleeve dress shirts and was the salt of the earth. I had been with the paper for a couple of years before the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPs) vote came up. Southside, where I have lived most of my life, is very strong blue collar, and at the time, mostly democrats. The Beacon had been publishing newspapers since five years before Tolstoy died. Since the community didn't seem to support a subscription based newspaper, the Beacon elected to be a free paper, delivered to every home in South OKC (appx 46,000) every week. The regular Joes and empty nesters frequently voted down bond issues and such and was viewed as a negative area by the "silk shirts" that resided to the north. In short, the issue would fail without the support of the Southside.

I heard many refer to this negativity issue, and I resented it. One day, the President of Southwestern Bell came to visit Dave. I was sitting there when he asked Dave "What's wrong with the people on the Southside? They are so negative and vote down bond issues. Dave smiled, more to show his teeth than to show his pleasure, "It's a question of value." Did you catch that? Five words, none more than two syllables. Can he edit or what?

Dave saw the value and decided to support the measure. We were to put out a special publication spelling out all the details and benefits. My role was to generate the funds to get this message out. There isn't a damn thing free about the press. Dave knew the no vote was always built in. To counter it the choices are to suppress it or increase the yes vote. The vote passed by a narrow margin on December 14, 1993. The Southside also supported it by a very narrow margin.


And now, thirteen years later, you can't find anybody who voted no. The river we used to mow now has national boat races. Bricktown is shiny and buzzing and full of eateries and classy fashion stores and dance halls. Our new indoor arena just completed hosting a season of professional basketball (a first professional anything for OKC) by the New Orleans Hornets, due to the loss of their stadium from Katrina. Promoter boasts of private investment of $140 million were wildly off the mark; they have topped $500 million. Coffers are full and rainy day funds are being created. I'm so fuckin' proud I could just bust. The word for this success is "progressive".

My next project is:

How To Build A World Class Civilization.

Can I get a little help over here?

An Invitation to Bill Frist

I feel Senator Frist has some explaining to do about getting kittens from animal shelters and treating them as pets before killing, dissecting and testing their cuddly little furry bodies. He was in medical school after all where he was not majoring in humanity. I just hope he doesn't have any trouble with my pet moderator. He really frowns on kittenstompers. So come on down Bill, pull up a keyboard and win some hearts and minds and votes.

Energy & The Environment: A Progressive Position

So everyone is all atwitter over Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth. Expert hacks, paid by the wingnut welfare system and big oil, are making the rounds denouncing claims that fossil fuels are contributing to global warming. I admit, it is much too lofty a claim for me to defend or refute, but the jury is not out on the harm to our environment. I plan to kill any dissent to this fact right here and right now.

I invite any naysayers (especially the "ex-sperts" [has-been drips under pressure]) we see on teevee and read articles they publish, to conduct the following experiment. After a grueling day of spewing smoke-filled distortions on the mighty right-wing wurlitzer to the courtier class stenographers, our wingnut retires to his home, located nicely in the flat earth society nestled on the banks of de nile.

Having dined with his homeschooled wingnutlets, who are nourished with a rich diet of racism and homophobia, he retires to bed with his wife, sans sex, who prays thankfully for the poolboy. After everyone is asleep, our ex-spert sneaks downstairs and starts the engine on his Huge Chrome Detroit Land Yacht parked in his garage. Leave the garage door shut, and the door to the house open since this is a test of environmental harm. Go upstairs and pleasant dreams you stupid motherfucker.

Now that's just crazy talk. Everyone knows no one will get out of that house alive. Now think about that for a moment. Our atmosphere is a closed system. It's our house--it's where we fucking live for chrissakes. If anybody hears anybody spitballing Al Gore tell 'em to take my test. We won't have to listen to them anymore.

Suggested Progressive Agenda

We need cleaner fuels provided by numerous competitors to break the Big Oil monopoly and to save our environment. A recent tax-giveaway of 14.5 Billion was recently given primarily to the wildly profitable oil companies. The Gubmint giveth and the Gubmint taketh away. Maybe double. Nearly $30 Billion should be pretty good seed money to say, I dunno, save our planet? We should call it the "Big Oil Gashole Tax". Lot's of providers of cleaner fuel would guarantee competition at the pump which would dramatically lower prices. It might even put the fossil back in fossil fuel.

The Illegitimate President

In a withering article written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in this weeks Rolling Stone Magazine the facts were laid bare on the stolen 2004 election. I was as guilty as most others in living in the world of denial and dismissing such claims as these on the internet as tin-foil-hatty conspiracy theorists. We were all duped into this position by the Corporate medias refusal to view this administration in a cynical fashion, which is the duty of the fourth estate. The talking heads of the MSM draw down huge salaries which is contingent upon access to power. To report on the huge and systematic criminal enterprise of voter suppression and outright fraud would have threatened their seat on the cocktail weenie circuit, and the criminal enterprise, (aka the republican party) has made it perfectly clear that if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.

So, the Bush crime family stole not one, but two Presidential elections. They found they could not win on their agenda, one particular heinous part is the PNAC, and had to resort to thuggery and outright crime on their march to worldwide rape, pillage and plunder of resources, environment and civil rights. The lame talking points they use for campaigning was insufficient to get the job done, so the morally superior party of "personal responsibility" and "family values" felt the need to disenfranchise vast swath's of Americans who understood what their code words really meant. "Reduce taxes" and "states rights" really mean they hate niggers. "Family values" means they hate queers. Why do they hate Americans? The trampy little Jesus pimps they drag up like Ralph Reed, who uses gambling money to fight off other casinos to the benefit of the gambling donors, who preach about the evils of gambling. Huh?

The Party of Law and Order (not to be confused with the cheap and illegal labor fans who enjoy immaculate lawn order) must be hoist by their own petard. Prison is said to be a good deterrent against criminal activity. The results of this particular crime is absolutely breathtaking in its global nature in lives and environment and can actually be measured by monetary damages in the trillions of dollars. Americas position in the world is in shambles, our treasury has been looted with the debt falling even unto our grandchildren, our military has been spent and our constitution has been shredded.

The article in the Rolling Stone is already being denounced by those in wingnuttia. They carefully expose all of the flaws in the data and expose it for the partisan hatchet job that it is. Okay, so I made that part up. They actually say nothing about the merits of the article or any information contained therein. Instead, they attack all things Kennedy and go back to the Kennedy v. Nixon race. Yawn. Whadda bunch of fucking dickheads. I guess they are in favor of criminals. Weak on crime they are. What do you expect from people who get their news from phone sex enthusiasts and degenerate junkies. The whole time their heads bob up and down like a fake dog in the back window of an El Dorado. Puleez.

Beware of False Prophets

Jesus pimp Ralph Reed is running out of cheeks:

"The radical left, the Big Labor Union Bosses, and Bill Clinton want to pass a law preventing Chinese from coming to work on the Marianas Islands," the mailer from Reed's firm said. The Chinese workers, it added, "are exposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ" while on the islands, and many "are converted to the Christian faith and return to China with Bibles in hand."

A year earlier, the Department of the Interior -- which oversees federal policy toward the U.S. territory -- presented a very different picture of life for Chinese workers on the islands. An Interior report found that Chinese women were subject to forced abortions and that women and children were subject to forced prostitution in the local sex-tourism industry.

[...]

This is the same guy who took gambling money to fight gambling in his Jesus pimpy sorta way. So I guess Ralphie was for gambling before he was against it and against abortion before he was for it. Oh, wait, that was forced abortion and prostitution he was for. So, I guess it's just the choice part he's against. Ya got no choice, bitch, because old white guys hold the title to your womb. It is important to remember that the DoI report cited came out before Gale Norton and "Jack in the Box" Abramoff moved in.

Mr. Reed obviously has no moral center. He defends and promotes slavery. He condones and profits from child prostitution and forced abortion. He defiles the blood spilled by the Marines who died in the fight to free Saipan, now known as the Marianas, by supporting sweatshop owners, and sex slave traffickers. I guess he thinks its okay for the Chinese slaves to be raped by America, as long as they have a good book to read while they are getting fucked. How can anyone possibly lose a political race to this asshat? He makes me sick.

The French Respond!

Recently, I wrote an email to AT&T asking them about the rumors on the internets about handing over all phone records over to the Federal Government. They kindly responded and I would like to share it with you, along with my translation of what they sent:

Dear Ms. Andrews- 

Not off to a very good start, since I most definitely have two chromosomes, as well as other male physical attributes!

ATT cares about your privacy. We understand your concern and want to
stress that we  vigorously protect our customers' privacy. 

Unless, of course, it interferes with our sharing of cocktail weenies with those capable of creating multi-tiered internets and stifling such pesky bloggers such as yourself.

It's our policy not to comment on matters involving national security
or
litigation.  However, rest assured that AT&T follows all laws with
respect to requests for assistance  from governmental authorities.  

Now, I specifically asked them not to include "national security" in their response. I'm an oilfield truck driver fer cyin' out loud. I saw "Matlock" once and I heard them say something about probable cause. And these fucks have the balls to tell me to calm the fuck down because the echo chamber of the Bushco Crime family's consigliere branch nods with approval? We continue...

There has been a lot of speculation in the news media.  The fact is,
AT&T does not allow  wiretapping or give customer information to law
enforcement authorities or government  agencies without legal
authorization.

Hmmm, speculation, yeah right. This is all we have since the Runaway Executive has avoided judicial review even more than congressional overlook. He is a fugitive from justice. Also I noticed the "without legal authorization" curiously did not contain the words subpoena or warrant. Maybe they have a permission slip from Torture Memo Abu Gonzales.

We have an obligation to assist law enforcement and other government
agencies  responsible for protecting the public welfare, whether it be
an individual or the  security interests of the entire nation.

We have an obligation to assist the Republican Party, and all their crony filled branches are protected from dissident Oklahoma truck drivers and all those who would threaten our supply of cocktail weenies, er, I mean, protect us from screaming brown meanies.

We prize the trust our customers place in us. If and when AT&T is asked
by government  agencies for help, we do so strictly within the law and
under the most stringent  conditions. Beyond that, we can't comment on
matters of national security. This is a  national security issue and
needs to be addressed on a national level.
We do appreciate hearing from you and we value your business.

Thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,
Privacy Policy Mailbox Manager

There is only one way that I can read this letter. I mean did you notice what I noticed? There is entirely too much tippytoeing around going on in this statement. I read it as saying, yes, we handed over all calls that you made and all calls that were made to you because the feds showed up and said the magic words, "national security." I mean, they used that phrase like twelve times in this missive. This was by no means a denial. It wasn't even a non-denial denial. They did it. And now, to quote Uncle Junior Soprano, "That fed is so far up my ass I can taste brylcreme."

Dot Dot Dot, Dash Dash Dash, Dot Dot Dot

In case you forgot, that title is morse code for S.O.S. Just finished writing an email to SBC which is now AT&T asking about the story in USA Today where the NSA has asked, and received everyone's calling lists, creating the largest database ever assembled in the history of the world. Taking a cue from T-Rex and Siun, fellow FDLers, this is what I sent them:

I am very concerned with the story in USA Today that states AT&T is providing the NSA with all of my calling records. I would like assurances that you are not giving my private information to the Federal Government. If this was legal then I'm sure that QWest would have been forced to comply as well. Unless they are operating under a different set of federal laws. Some say this is a matter of National Security. Please do not include this in your response. This is a legal issue. I certainly hope you have not violated any laws as your stockholders will have to pay dearly if you have.

If you have been supplying the Federal Government with this information, please count on me to contact the numerous pension fund investors of your stock and explain the legal jeopardy you have placed their pensions in. Then I'll continue to wade through all of your financial supporters to whittle away at your cushy little insulated bubble. And so will all my friends that are on my calling and email and bloglists that you so blithely handed over to the Federal Government. Sort of a "Reach Out And Touch Someone" campaign. So, did you, or did you not decide to try and bankrupt your shareholders?

Impatiently Waiting

We gotta play hardball with these people folks. If money is what they understand, we'll just have to talk to them in that fashion. Then follow through.

How Stupid Is This?

War profiteering apparently bring on stupidity:

Halliburton Solves Global Warming
SurvivaBalls save managers from abrupt climate change

An advanced new technology will keep corporate managers safe even when climate change makes life as we know it impossible. [Speech, photos]

"The SurvivaBall is designed to protect the corporate manager no matter what Mother Nature throws his or her way," said Fred Wolf, a Halliburton representative who spoke today at the Catastrophic Loss conference held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Amelia Island, Florida. "This technology is the only rational response to abrupt climate change," he said to an attentive and appreciative audience.

[...]

At today's conference, Wolf and a colleague demonstrated three SurvivaBall mockups, and described how the units will sustainably protect managers from natural or cultural disturbances of any intensity or duration. The devices - looking like huge inflatable orbs - will include sophisticated communications systems, nutrient gathering capacities, onboard medical facilities, and a daunting defense infrastructure to ensure that the corporate mission will not go unfulfilled even when most human life is rendered impossible by catastrophes or the consequent epidemics and armed conflicts.

"It's essentially a gated community for one," said Wolf.

[...]

You just gotta see them pictures. I just wish they had one of them "bubble boys" giving a one finger salute to the rest of us.

(h/t to SandyH)

Update:

According to commentor Anonymous, the actual Halliburton URL does not contain the word "contract" in it. He surmises that the spoofers apparently cribbed several bonafide pages of Halliburtons onto this to make it appear legit. Still, careful perusing through the sidebars and such bring additional joys. So I've been punked I guess. And after minutes of exhaustive research I didn't catch that error. Oh well, at least it wasn't about WMD's. I'm doin a heckuva job.