Stick a fork in the bitch, she's done

Katherine Harris' wobbly Senate campaign now may be in peril

"Rep. Katherine Harris, a fourth-generation Central Floridian, has always found a safe haven in this railroad and ranching town south of Tampa, where the smell of citrus blossoms and horse manure swirls in the moist, warm air. With her campaign to unseat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in a tailspin now because of illegal donations she received from a corrupt defense contractor - and speculation that she could face a primary election challenge - the 48-year-old Republican came back to Arcadia over the weekend to wait out the storm and seek comfort".

The woman who almost single-handedly gave the country the Bush disaster, Katherine Harris, is now getting her just deserts by being exposed as just another common Republican criminal on the take. This couldn't be happening to a more deserving slut!

Their cruelty has to be a genetic defect

Money to feed disabled kids is cut Florida's Medicaid agency has cut off payments for nutritional supplements for severely disabled children, saying it needs to control costs.

"In an effort to save money, Florida Medicaid officials have stopped paying for the feeding supplements for perhaps thousands of children who suffer from severe physical disabilities, have HIV or are dependent on kidney dialysis to survive, healthcare officials say. Most at risk, doctors say: children with severe disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, who cannot eat or swallow on their own and receive all their sustenance from feeding tubes connected directly to their stomachs. Earlier last week, Gov. Jeb Bush announced in his State of the State address that a top priority of his last year in office was to return $1.5 billion in tax money to Florida taxpayers".

I sometimes use the term 'phony-Christians' to describe Republicans and this is definitely a time when that term is appropriate. You cannot get any greedier or be more niggardly than to cut off feeding supplements for severely disabled kids because you say you don't have enough and then turn around and say your biggest priority is to cut taxes by $1.5 billion. These Republicans are always bringing up God and Jesus when it benefits them or when they think the cameras are rolling but they'll be judged not by the amount of tax cuts they give but by the way the treat the neediest of us. You would think the phony bastards would know that. Or at least care.

Religious Right Pickets Soldier's Funeral

"A Kansas group made their latest stop protesting at the funeral services of a Michigan soldier yesterday. But they were met by hundreds of people carrying signs defending the military and honoring the soldier as a hero. Members of Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, have outraged mourning communities across the nation by showing up at soldiers' funerals. They say soldiers are being struck down by God for defending a nation that tolerates homosexuality. Six women picketed the funeral of Army Sergeant Joshua Youmans.

Fred Phelps and his band of despicable rightwing religious nuts picketed a Michigan soldier's funeral yesterday. I'm sure the right feels proud knowing these are their brothers and sisters in their fight to get us to where they want us to be.

Not taking it anymore!

"Stop this war, John, grow some balls" "Bush Lied. Kerry Complied. Bring the troops home now" "Just look at the way so many Democrats caved in the runup to the war. In 2003, a lot of us were saying, where is the link between Saddam and Bin Laden? What does Iraq have to do with 9/11? We knew it was bullshit. "Which is why it drives me crazy to hear all these Democrats saying, 'We were misled.' It makes me want to shout, 'Fuck you, you weren't misled. You were afraid of being called unpatriotic." Throw all the bastards out of Congress (keep those who were brave enough to have voted 'no') right after we hang Bush and Cheney and let's start over. Just be smart enough this time to elect a Democrat majority instead of the Traitor Party!

Chile's New President-We helped murder her father

Michelle Bachelet, Chile's first woman president, was sworn in on Saturday before a who's who of Latin America's resurgent leftist leadership, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Bachelet, a medical doctor and former defense minister, is the fourth consecutive leader from the center-left coalition that has ruled Chile since the country returned to democracy in 1990 after the 17-year dictatorship. Speaking to reporters traveling with her to Chile, Rice said her attendance at the inauguration reaffirmed America's strong relationship and friendship with the Chilean people. "I think it is good to remember that it has now almost been 20 years that the United States has been a friend and supporter of democracy in Chile. We actually helped with the transition to democracy in Chile," she said. The United States, alarmed by the socialist government of democratically elected Salvador Allende in the early 1970s, also supported the Pinochet regime".

Condi Rice is down in Chile doing some artful bobbing and weaving while she congratulates Chile's new President, Michelle Bachelet. You can't help but think Condi feels a little foolish down there playing the role of friendly diplomat. After all, the United States backed the coup and the murder of Salvador Allende and installed in his place, the brutal military dictator Augusto Pinochet, who eventually murdered Bachelet's father. Ms. Rice has quite a bit of pomposity to be there touting the image of us being a long-time "friend and supporter of democracy in Chile" when you consider what really happened. The Chilean people, and especially Pres. Bachelet are very aware of the fact that the current U.S. President is an awful lot like the one in 1973 that ordered the overthrow of the 'democratically elected' Allende. I'm sure it's not hard to remember who supported those who murdered your fathers. You think? Bachelet and Chileans, like all South American's have good reason to be skeptical of the current regime in Washington. Chile only has to look north to see how Bush and those around him have treated Venezuela to know this administration is 'different', and devious and Nixonian. President Bachelet might want to watch her back around Condi Rice. And oh yeah, by the way, Chile has been under 'center-left' governments since the ouster of the brutal U.S. puppet we installed and life for Chileans has never been better. Of course, it wouldn't take much to be 'better' than the previous 17 years of dictatorial rule that was driven down their throats by none other than Henry Kissinger and Richard M. Nixon. But, isn't that ironic? We helped murder her father...and now she's President of her country. Nice story, huh? You won't read 'that part' of the 'story' on Chile in the newspapers or hear it on Fox..., or probably any of the networks for that matter.... But, I'll remind you of it...you can get that information here.

G.O.P. Peers Hail Maverick Who Opposed Bush on Ports

"Representative Peter King of New York is the kind of Republican who has been something of an outcast in the clubby world of Washington Republicans. He can be pushy, outspoken and fiercely independent — a New Yorker, that is. Case in point: after Newt Gingrich of Georgia became House speaker following the Republican takeover of the House in 1995, Mr. King accused the Republican leadership in Congress of appealing to "barefoot hillbillies."

Isn't it hilarious how quickly the Republicans are crumbling? It's now come to the point where the farther you are from being aligned with Bush, the more 'elevated your standing' is in the party. Like rats jumping from a sinking ship. And Congressman King, 'barefoot hillbillies'? I know you're a Republican from New York but you need to get a clue about the base of your Republican Party, my man. Look at a map - 'Barefoot hillbillies'? - Nah, they wear shoes...

Getting their money from Enron

Enron settlement status argued Lawyers debate who is certified as a stockholder "Lawyers representing Enron shareholders argued in court Tuesday for a certification that would bring both the payout of settlements and a trial closer to reality. District Court Judge Melinda Harmon heard arguments regarding class certification, the process of defining who qualifies as a shareholder in the lawsuit and would be eligible for payouts that come from settlements or a trial. This could include not only individuals, pension funds and other investors that lost billions of dollars in Enron stock when the company collapsed, but investors who owned Enron debt or other securities as well. Class certification is one of the last major steps that has to occur before a class-action lawsuit can go to trial or settlements can be paid out. The Enron shareholder case is set for trial in October, but so far many defendants have chosen to settle, putting nearly $7.3 billion in payments in bank accounts for future payout. Among the largest settlement payouts are Citigroup ($2 billion), JPMorgan Chase ($2.2 billion) and CIBC ($2.4 billion). The lawsuit claims Enron investors lost more than $40 billion when the company's stock fell from a high of around $90 per share in late 2000 to just a few dollars shortly before it filed for bankruptcy. In Tuesday's hearing, Deutsche Bank, one of the seven banks that has not settled, argued that the holders of Enron debt it underwrote in overseas markets should not be included in the class because it was not traded in an "efficient market," one in which prices change in a timely manner based on publicly available information. That's one of the conditions for any securities holder to have their claims included in a class-action. The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Bill Lerach, challenged the claim by showing how the price of that debt moved along with other Enron securities in the years before bankruptcy. Expert witnesses for both sides testified on Tuesday. The judge is not expected to issue a decision immediately. More on Enron

What Middle East Allies?

David Sirota nails it. Bush acts as if the Dubai ports deal is going to damage our relationship with our allies in the Middle East. What crap! How much more damage could killing 30,000-50,000 civilians in Iraq do? How much damage has torturing or humiliating them while they are chained to the wall done? Just how stupid do these people think we are?

Bush, pundits & Dems feign "concern" for national security "With the termination of the Dubai ports deal, President Bush now says he is "concerned about a broader message this issue could send to our friends and allies around the world, especially in the Middle East." This line has been parroted by the punditocracy, which claims that legitimate questions of national security are "ethnic profiling" (aka. "racial profiling"). The hypocrisy is as thick as a milkshake - Suddenly, we're expected to believe George W. Bush and the pundits who pushed the Iraq War deep down really cares about the messages America is sending to the rest of the world. What an incredibly insulting joke. Where was this so-called "concern" when Bush authorized the use of torture? Where was this "concern" when Bush decided to ignore the Geneva Conventions with respect to detainees? What about the "broader message" we sent to the world when Bush deliberately fabricated the perception of an "imminent threat" of WMD and used that perception as a justification to invade Iraq? Or, what about the "broader message" that Bush sent when he cracked a joke immediately after telling the press 30,000 Iraqis - many innocent bystanders - have been killed since the war began? Or what about the "broader message" that continues to be sent when Bush holds White House events to publicly fawn all over the most oppressive dictators on Earth? What kind of message does that send to the millions of ordinary citizens oppressed by those same dictators? For the pundits, the hypocrisy is even more disgusting. They claim those who do not want the UAE - a country with very recent ties to terrorists - to control our ports are supposedly "racial profiling" all Arabs. These are the same pundits who, knowing that there was no connection between Iraq and the 9/11 terrorists, loudly supported invading Iraq anyway because it would supposedly send a message "in the heart of the Middle East" - clear code for sending a message to all Arabs. The Iraq War was, in other words, the greatest act of indiscriminate ethnic profiling/targeting in America's recent history - ethnic profiling largely supported by the same class of elite pundits that now self-righteously berates those who courageously sought to stop the UAE deal. the rest...

cartoon editorials

Another Bush 'Family Values' Hypocrite

by Doug Ireland

"Former Bush domestic policy czar Claude Allen (right) has been arrested in Maryland on charges of swindling at least $5000 out of Targets and Hecht's stores in a refund scam, the Washington Post reports this morning. When Allen was named by Bush as his White House domestic counselor a year ago, I wrote a profile of Allen for the L.A. Weekly detailing how Allen was "a notorious homophobe, a ferocious enemy of abortion and an opponent of safe-sex education who for years has been one of the AIDS community’s principal enemies," and explaining why his appointment was was "a huge victory for the social reactionaries of the Christian right."

Bush doesn't do real well with his African-American picks, does he? Colin Powell, the shameless fool who lied to the entire world about Iraq and then turned around and lied and blamed others for duping him. Condi Rice, Bush's partner in incompetence when they both refused to act on the August 6, 2001 PDB and she then lied to Congress by saying no one could have imagined anyone flying planes into buildings. And now, this good 'family-values' Christian, Claude Allen-a guy who hates homos (I'm sure he is one-all homophobes are) and preaches how everybody else should act while he's out ripping people off. These's phony-ass Christian Republicans are so much alike.

Dixie Chicks Still Right!

These ladies should be given awards at the highest level for being so right when so many were so wrong. These Texas beauties spoke of 'Bush the Embarrassment' before the vast majority were smart enough to realize it! And, they're coming out with more on the man who embarrasses us all. "The Dixie Chicks will reemerge late this spring with the most personal album of their career. Due May 23 via Open Wide/Columbia, 'Taking the Long Way' opens with 'Not Ready To Make Nice,' which addresses the controversy that ensued in March 2003 after singer Natalie Maines criticized President George W. Bush. Afterward, a number of country stations refused to play the group`s music".

"The Butcher of the Balkans" dies

"Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugoslav leader branded "the butcher of the Balkans" for orchestrating a decade of wars that eventually broke up his country and led to his war crimes trial, was found dead in his prison cell Saturday. Milosevic has been on trial since February 2002, defending himself against 66 counts of crimes, including genocide, in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo".

Pentagon spying on civilians

Why there needs to be an investigation in the spying on American citizens "The Department of Defense admitted in a letter obtained by NBC News on Thursday that it had wrongly added peaceful demonstrators to a database of possible domestic terrorist threats. The letter followed an NBC report focusing on the Defense Department’s Threat and Local Observation Notice, or TALON, report. Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Roger W. Rogalski’s letter came in reply to a memo from Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who had demanded answers about the process of identifying domestic protesters as suspicious and removing their names when they are wrongly listed".

Using the the military for domestic purposes is a flagrant violation of the law and an assault on established principles that we've held in this country for nearly a 130 years. Once again, this administration tramples on basic constitutional rights and sees no problem in doing it. If the adminstration isn't doing it, they're turning their heads and allowing it to happen. Keep the military out of private citizens' lives. The military reports to US not the other way around. Go to North Korea if you don't like our established way of life and try reading about posse comitatus while you're at it. If the Pentagon is spying on civilians, round their guilty asses up and sentence them appropriately.

'US not doing enough to stop Iran'

Israeli Defense Minister-"They can't reach you, but they can reach us!" The United States has until now not done enough to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, a senior Defense Ministry official has told The Jerusalem Post while expressing hope that Wednesday's referral of the Iranian issue to the United Nations Security Council would prove to be effective. "America needs to get its act together," the official said. "Until now the US administration has just been talking tough but the time has come for the Americans to begin to take tough action."

Uh Oh, looks like Israel is getting a little inpatient with our progress with Iran. Having done their dirty work for them in Iraq, Israelis have come to expect the U.S. to not only supply them with $5 billion a year, but to die for their protection too, if they deem it necessary. Expect Condi to pay a visit to Israel real soon to apologize and to reassure them that the administration realizes what needs to be done. We'll try to get our act together soon, Mr. Secretary

"good decision-maker"

"I know some would like me to change, but you can't be a good decision-maker if you're trying to please people. You've got to stand on what you believe, that's what you've got to do, if you're going to make decisions that are solid and sound." - Stand-up Comedian, George W. Bush practicing his comedy routine during a question-and-answer session with a national newspaper group, on Friday, March 10. 'Solid and Sound' decisions by George; Invaded Iraq (what else would we spend $500 billion on?) Turned $200 billion surplus into a $450 billion deficit (that's hard to do) Borrowed more money than previous 42 Presidents combined (that's harder to do) Tried to bankrupt social security (Republican math-add by subtracting) Opposed Patriot Act (before he supported it) Opposed 9/11 Commission (sat on Unka Dickie's lap in later testimony) Prescription Drug Kick-Back Program (how's Billy Tauzin's new job coming?) Leaked the classified identity of a covert CIA agent Allowed the torture and murder of POWs Failure in Afghanistan (You know, the tall guy with the beard) Spying on Americans (Yeah sure, the call came from al-Qaeda) Terri Schiavo lunacy (what a bunch of intrusive idiots) Katrina response (Hey, everybody needs a few months of vacation each year) Harriet Miers (we should be so lucky) DP Ports (come on, the UAE hasn't supported terrorists in almost three months!) Yeah, that's being a real good 'decision-maker', Dubya.

Gale Norton - "I've made enough"

In an extremely generous display of wanting to share with others, Interior Secretary Gale Norton decided to step down today and give someone else the opportunity to be on the Crony Cabinet. Stating that she had "made boatloads of money on the side in her five years as secretary", Norton decided now was a good time to leave. Of course her close association with Jack Abramoff, who prosecutors are having a hard time shutting up these days, helped somewhat with her decision, she insisted it was mostly that she had "made enough" and it was time for her to "go back into the private sector before they starting handing out more indictments".

Interior Secretary Gale Norton Resigns Gale Norton today announced her resignation as the nation's first female secretary of the Interior, ending a controversial five-year tenure at a time when the cloud of a burgeoning lobbying scandal in Washington is looming over her agency. Her resignation is to take effect at the end of March. In recent months, Norton has become linked to Washington's burgeoning lobbying scandals by her former chief deputy, Steven Griles, who was close to now-disgraced "super-lobbyist" Jack Abramoff. A second former close Norton associate, Italia Federici, who worked with a nonprofit organization that promoted energy interests, also was linked to Abramoff. Federici helped him gain access to Griles in exchange for contributions from Indian tribes who had hired Abramoff as their lobbyist.

They should watch Fox News

Are Fox News' ratings down? Why all the despair in the country? Do you want to feel good about needlessly spending $7 billion a month in Iraq? Do you want to pretend that our young aren't really dying (2,306)or being gravely wounded (16,653)in Iraq? Do you like to pretend that wage increases have exceeded inflation for the last two years? Does the fact that Bush and the Republicans have added an additional $3 trillion to the nation's debt in 5 short years really bother you? Does the reality of now knowing Bush and Republicans gave the pharmaceutical and HMO corporations a $1/2 trillion in kick backs 'get your goat'? If all these minor and irrelevant little things bother you than you need to put your blinders back on and go back to watching Fox News with the rest of your flock and quit complaining! Being fucking clueless is much less stressful!

Bush's Approval Rating Falls to New Low "Nearly four out of five Americans, including 70 percent of Republicans, believe civil war will break out in Iraq — the bloody hot spot upon which Bush has staked his presidency. Nearly 70 percent of people say the U.S. is on the wrong track, a 6-point jump since February. Bush's job approval among Republicans plummeted from 82 percent in February to 74 percent, a dangerous sign in a midterm election year when parties rely on enthusiasm from their most loyal voters. The biggest losses were among white males. On issues, Bush's approval rating declined from 39 percent to 36 percent for his handling of domestic affairs and from 47 percent to 43 percent on foreign policy and terrorism. His approval ratings for dealing with the economy and Iraq held steady, but still hovered around 40 percent".

1,000

1,000 168

..."Wiped their feet with him"

Pat Tillman (l.) and his brother, Kevin, in Saudi Arabia shortly before being deployed to Iraq in 2003. "The administration used Pat", said Pat Tillman's mother, Mary Tillman. "They tried to attach themselves to his virtue and then they wiped their feet with him." "I’m sure he was on their radar and I’m sure the Army wouldn’t do this without the administration knowing. The administration covered it up because they needed to promote the war and it came at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal," she said. “They spun a fantasy story that made his Silver Star suspect — I know that Pat was heroic and I didn’t need their deceptions to confirm it." And as Pat Tillman's father, Patrick Sr., has said, "They blew up their poster boy". The sad reality of an entire hierarchy of deceit and dishonesty that permeates down the chain and soils and infects nearly everyone in its path who doesn't have the integrity to resist. The Army knew what story their superiors wanted told - it just wasn't, and still hasn't been, the truth..... But, then again, we should all be used to that by now.

But, but... what about the appeals...?

Iraq Executes 13 Insurgents "Iraq hanged 13 insurgents Thursday, marking the first time militants have been executed in the country since the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein nearly three years ago, the government said. Death sentences must be approved by the three-member presidential council headed by President Jalal Talabani, who opposes capital punishment. In the September executions and again in Thursday's hangings, Talabani refused to sign the authorization himself but gave his two vice presidents the authority".

Republicans leaning pro-choice & pro-gay rights in 2008

"Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is the most popular person in national politics, according to a national poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University". Among Republicans, Giuliani, who is adamantly pro-choice and pro gay rights, is leading his nearest challenger, John McCain, 33% to 25%. Republicans-the party of principles. As long as they don't always have to abide by them... But you damn well better! If the Republican party can move that far to the center in 2008, this country just might be able to rebound from the previous 8 years - even if another Republican was elected. Maybe...it took Clinton four years to clean up after Reagan's and Bush Daddy's 12 consecutive years of fiscal irresponsibility....After Dubya, we may never be able to climb out of his mess... But, seeing Republicans leaning toward a pro-choice (albeit, basically just another Republican criminal in a little more expensive suit), candidate like Giuliani gives progressives a little hope that at least some on the 'right' are clear thinkers when it comes to basic individual rights.

Straight talk from Boehner on DP World

"Listen, this is a very big political problem," said House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), explaining that he had to give his rank-and-file members a chance to vote. "There are two things that go on in this town. We do public policy, and we do politics. And you know, most bills at the end of the day, the politics and the policy kind of come together, but not always. And we are into one of these situations where this has become a very hot political potato."

Let me try and interpret what the new House Majority Leader, Mr. John A. Boehner is trying to say here; It's an election year and Dubya's approval rating is at about 35% and polls are running at close to 70% against turning over the management of our ports to the United Arab Emirates so it isn't always about what you might feel is right but what you had better do to get relected. Thank you for your candor, Mr. Boehner.

DOD News Release(s) 13 Soldiers, 2 Marines

U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060308-12622.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 197-06 March 8, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Dwayne P. R. Lewis, 26, of New York City, died in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 27, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire during a dismounted patrol. Lewis was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060307-12614.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 195-06 March 7, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Kevin P. Jessen, 28, of Paragould, Ark., died in Rawah, Iraq, on March 5, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations. Jessen was assigned to the Army's 22nd Chemical Battalion (Technical Escort), Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060306-12613.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 194-06 March 6, 2006 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, of Finksburg, Md., died March 3 from a non combat-related vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060304-12607.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 191-06 March 4, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Christopher S. Merchant, 32, of Hardwick, Vt., died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, on March 1, when his HMMWV came under attack by enemy forces using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade. Merchant was assigned to the Army National Guard's 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, Jericho, Vt. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060303-12600.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 187-06 March 3, 2006 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. John J. Thornton, 22, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Feb. 25 of wounds received as a result of an enemy mortar attack in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060303-12605.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 189-06 March 3, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Joshua V. Youmans, 26, of Flushing, Mich., died at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, on March 1, from injuries sustained in Habbaniyah, Iraq on Nov. 21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Youmans was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion,125th Infantry Regiment, Saginaw, Mich. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060303-12604.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 188-06 March 3, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Tina M. Priest, 20, of Austin, Texas, died in Taji, Iraq on March 1, from non-combat related injury. Priest was assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divison, Fort Hood, Texas. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060302-12586.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 181-06 March 2, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Master Sgt. Emigdio E. Elizarraras, 37, of Pico Rivera, Calif., died in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan on Feb. 28, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during a reconnaissance mission. Elizarraras was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060302-12594.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 185-06 March 2, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Benjamin C. Schuster, 21, of Williamsville, N.Y., died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq on Feb. 25, from a gunshot wound. Schuster was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 101st Cavalry Regiment, Buffalo, N.Y. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060301-12578.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 174-06 March 1, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Joshua M. Pearce, 21, of Guymon, Okla., died in Mosul, Iraq, on Feb. 26, when an improvised explosive device detonated near Stryker military vehicle during patrol operations. Pearce was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060301-12580.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 177-06 March 1, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Schornak, 28, of Hoover, Ala., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 26, when his dismounted patrol was engaged by enemy forces using small arms fire. Schornak was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060301-12584.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 179-06 March 1, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pvt. Joshua F. Powers, 21, of Skiatook, Okla., died in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 24, from a non-combat related injury. Powers was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060301-12581.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 178-06 March 1, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Dimitri Muscat, 21, of Aurora, Colo., died in Balad, Iraq, on Feb. 24, of non-combat related injuries sustained earlier that day in Samarra, Iraq. Muscat was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060301-12585.html IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 180-06 March 1, 2006 DoD Identifies Army Casualties The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 26, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during patrol operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division of Fort Drum, N.Y. Killed were: Spc. Clay P. Farr, 21, of Bakersfield, Calif. Spc. Joshua U. Humble, 21, of Appleton, Maine. --------------------------------------------------------------------------

John McCain not walking the walk

"John McCain presents himself as a reformer, particularly in the area of lobbying reform. From Fox News Sunday, 1/22/06:

[L]obbying is out of control. But the reason why the lobbying is out of control is because of the process, the system that prevails here on Capitol Hill… We need to have the lobbying reform. We need to close those loopholes.

Behind the scenes McCain is slow-rolling real reform and pumping lobbyists on K-Street for big contributions. From The Hill:

Good-government advocacy groups working on lobbying reform say their longtime ally Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has played a smaller leadership role on the issue than they had expected. McCain’s lower-than-hoped-for profile on the sensitive subject coincides with what prominent lobbyists describe as a quiet effort by his political team to court inside-the-Beltway donors… McCain has been reaching out to K Street to strengthen his national fundraising network.

Think Progress John McCain not doing what he says needs to be done? Now there's a surprise. Another Republican in the back-pockets of lobbyists? Who would have ever thought?

62-2 ?

Republicans show their fear of Bush's plummeting support!

House panel dominated by Republicans voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a Dubai-owned firm "By 62-2, the House Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports. The landslide vote was the strongest signal yet that more than three weeks of White House efforts to stunt congressional opposition to the deal have not been successful. Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress. But there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall's elections. The White House said the president's position was unchanged".

When a vote like that happens the first thing I usually think about is, who were the two who voted 'no'? I mean, it really takes something to be so different. "Only Reps. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and Jim Moran, D-Va., voted against the measure".

Ambassador didn't get the memo...

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad goes way off the 'company line' "The top U.S. envoy to Iraq said Monday that the 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime had opened a "Pandora's box" of volatile ethnic and sectarian tensions that could engulf the region in all-out war if America pulled out of the country too soon. In remarks that were among the frankest and bleakest public assessments of the Iraq situation by a high-level American official, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said the "potential is there" for sectarian violence to become full-blown civil war".

The ambassador said what a lot of us have been saying all along. Removing Saddam Hussein from power would leave a huge power vacuum. Unfortunately the Bush administration and all the sheep that followed weren't savvy enough to realize that before their historic blunder. Most of these wingnuts had never heard of a Shiite, a Kurd or a Sunni. Stupid is as stupid does. Ambassador Khalilzad slipped up big-time and I'm sure he'll get a huge dressingdown from Condi or Bush real soon. Those in this administration best not stray from the company line. We were safer, had many more allies in the 'real' war on terror, had over 2,300 additional living young men and women, 17,000 less severely wounded and some $400 billion+ richer,.. with Saddam Hussein in power. Too bad we didn't have the right leadership, or fewer sheep, when it counted...

Breathtaking conversation with your president

President Uses His Oval Office Floor Covering as a Metaphor for Optimism and Leadership "Elizabeth Vargas, the ABC News anchor, was the latest to get the treatment. She went by last week to interview Bush before his trip to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Sure enough, she wasn't in the room but a minute or two before he started telling her about the carpet. "You know an interesting story about the rug?" he asked. "Laura designed the rug." "She did?" Vargas said. "Yeah, she did. Presidents are able to pick their own rugs or design their own rugs." Bush went on: "The interesting thing about this rug and why I like it in here is 'cause I told Laura one thing. I said, 'Look, I can't pick the colors and all that. But make it say 'optimistic person.' "

.."Make it say, optimistic person"?...? ...Could you raise your hand again if you ever voted for this fool? Uh, come on now you, you in the back there - the one with the four Bush/Cheney lawn signs.....raise your hand there, little bo peep...

Republicans choose party over the law-Vote down spying investigation

The Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by the pointy-headed obstructionist snake, Pat Roberts from Kansas, once again rolled over for the Bush administration and voted against an investigation into the illegal wiretapping of U.S. citizens. Along party lines the Republicans on the committee caved in to partisanship and neglected their constitutional duty of oversight. Oversight over an executive branch of government that flaunts the rule of law and tramples on the Constitution. It's unbelievable that there will not even be a closed congressional investigation into the illegal wiretapping and the government's spying on American citizens. They want us to believe that they were only listening in if one of the calls came from 'a known member of al-Qaeda', and they actually say it as if there's some reason to believe them anymore.

Senate Intelligence Committee Votes Down NSA Spying Investigation "Voting along party lines, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted against an investigation of the President's domestic warrantless spying program, dealing a blow to Democrats intent on learning more about the program, but also indicating they expect the White House to bow to Congressional oversight..." Democrats on the committee are furious. They had gone into the meeting expecting a vote in favor of an investigation. Intel committee vice chair Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, visibly frustrated after the vote, called the deal "rank partisanship" and an affront to the special charter of the intelligence committee." (On which Democrats have more power than other committes and there is only one more Republican than Democrats). He said today's vote against an investigation is proof that the White House controls the intelligence committee. "Today was an important day. There was a lot at stake for our country and all Americans, but my Republican colleagues would prefer to operate in the dark," Rockefeller said.

The 'Obstruction of Justice Party' members on the Senate Intelligence Committee Pat Roberts, Kansas Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Mike Dewine, Ohio Christopher S. Bond, Missouri Trent Lott, Mississippi Olympia J. Snowe, Maine Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Source

Kirby Puckett Dies at 45

PHOENIX - Twins legend Kirby Puckett died in a Phoenix hospital far removed from the sites of his fondest baseball memories and greatest baseball achievements, but close to many of the baseball figures who revered him. And so, over the two days Puckett spent at St. Joseph's Hospital, he received visitors worthy of a red carpet.

Kirby Puckett

The Republican Reality

Administration asks Congress to up debt limit-U.S. will pass $8.2 trillion ceiling around March 20 "Treasury Secretary John Snow notified Congress on Monday that the administration has now taken "all prudent and legal actions," including tapping certain government retirement funds, to keep from hitting the $8.2 trillion national debt limit. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said last week that under President Bush the total of the deficits has increased by $3 trillion, a 40 percent increase from where the national debt - the total of previous deficits - stood when Bush took office in January 2001".

Boy, life sure is good under these phony, so-called conservatives, isn't it? Oh, I know, the Republicans will hear this news and say what they always say, 'Bush isn't a 'real' conservative'. When one of those phony-conservatives says that to you, your answer to that should be the question, who is a 'real' conservative? Ninety-nine percent of the time they will answer, 'Ronald Reagan', and then you have them right where you want them. Because the only president to accumulate more national debt than George W. Bush, is Ronald Reagan. Reagan was also miserable failure when it came to the nation's budget. Of course, Reagan did his damage to this country in eight years and Junior has done his in only five. Yeah, you got love those conservatives. They are 'social' conservatives in that they love to tell free individuals how to run their private lives but when it comes to fiscal responsibility, there is absolutely nothing 'conservative' about the Republicans in this country. Absolutely nothing! They have nothing to base their argument on.

Ahmed Chalabi and his sheep

Another Iraq story gets debunked "In November 2001, just two months after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, two high-profile U.S. journalists Chris Hedges of the New York Times and Christopher Buchanan of PBS' "Frontline" were ushered to a meeting in a Beirut hotel with a man identified as Jamal al-Ghurairy, an Iraqi lieutenant general who had fled Saddam Hussein. The high-ranking Iraqi military officer claimed he had witnessed terrorist training camps in Iraq where Islamic militants learned how to hijack airplanes. About 40 foreign nationals were based there at any given time, he said. "We were training these people to attack installations important to the United States," he told the journalists at the meeting arranged by the Iraqi National Congress. Now, the liberal investigative magazine Mother Jones has exposed the "general" as a fake. According to the magazine, the Ghurairy tale was one of 108 stories the Iraqi National Congress and Ahmed Chalabi, who was exiled from Iraq, planted in the American and British media between October 2001 and May 2002".

Just one more story of many of how the Bush administration and their Iraqi point-man, Ahmed Chalabi, deliberately misled the media and duped the American public into needlessly invading a country that wasn't a threat. And in the meantime, our young men and women are still dying, we're spending $8 billion a month, and Ahmed Chalabi is trying to get appointed Iraq's oil minister. Maybe Chalabi will have something eventually to payback those who allowed him to dupe the sheep and to go along.

Getting them to like us

Government Propaganda Case I Military Will Keep Planting Articles in Iraq

The ranking U.S. general there says a Pentagon review found the program does not violate policy. It could be replicated elsewhere. The U.S. military plans to continue paying Iraqi newspapers to publish articles favorable to the United States after an inquiry found no fault with the controversial practice, the top U.S. general in Iraq said Friday. Army Gen. George W. Casey said the internal review had concluded that the U.S. military was not violating U.S. law or Pentagon guidelines with the information operations campaign, in which U.S. troops and a private contractor write pro-American articles and pay to have them planted without attribution in Iraqi media.

Do Gen. Casey and the rest of the Pentagon actually think this type of paid-for propaganda works? It's simply ridiculous to pay Iraqi newspapers to write glowing articles on what's going on over there. Good things are either happening or they're not and the Iraqis aren't dumb enough to think any differently. If it's news and it's true why do you have to act like it's from an Iraqi? And if it's news and it's true, why doesn't an Iraqi write it?

Army to investigate Pat Tillman's death

Government Propaganda Case II Mother's persistence leads to investigation

"Patrick Daniel Tillman, 27, died on April 22, 2004, when he was struck by gunfire during a firefight along a canyon road near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The Army said at the time that the barrage of bullets came from enemy fire. A report by the Army later found that troops with Tillman knew at the time that friendly fire had killed the football star. Officers destroyed critical evidence and concealed the truth from Tillman's brother, also an Army Ranger, who was nearby, the report found. More than three weeks after a memorial service in San Jose, Calif., the Army announced on May 29, 2004, that friendly fire rather than an enemy encounter caused Tillman's death. However, even at the time of the memorial, top Army officials were aware that the investigation showed the death had been caused by an act of "gross negligence," the report said".

It's always about the cover-up. The Pentagon just could not allow the true story of how Pat Tillman died to get out into the public. America's number one war war hero killed by friendly fire was not the story they wanted told. To the Pentagon the true story was their worst nightmare and because they tried to cover-up what really happened that day, there's now going to be the fifth investigation into Pat Tillman's tragic, but accidental death by friendly fire.

The ‘Salvador Option’

"Roots of Iraq Civil War May Be in ‘Salvador Option’ In January 2005, Newsweek reported that the Bush Administration was considering using the “Salvador option” against insurgents in Iraq:

[T]he Pentagon is intensively debating an option that dates back to a still-secret strategy in the Reagan administration’s battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador in the early 1980s. Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported “nationalist” forces that allegedly included so-called death squads directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers.

It should come as no surprise, then, that sectarian death squads tied directly to the Iraqi Interior Ministry are running rampant in Iraq. Today we learned that the head of the Baghdad morgue has fled the country in fear for his life after reporting that the units have killed more than 7,000 people since last summer". Think Progress Just more fuel to what will lead these Iraqi factions to continue their centuries old hatred for each other.

Zacarias Moussaoui-the "20th Hijacker" goes on trial

Zacarias Moussaoui a/k/a "Shaqil," a/k/a "Abu Khalid al Sahrawi," Born in France of Moroccan descent on May 30, 1968. Resident of the United Kingdom with a masters degree from Southbank University in the United Kingdom and traveled widely. Member of al-Qaeda

Moussaoui Trial Will Examine If 9/11 Could Have Been Prevented Prosecutors Say Al Qaeda Member Withheld Information That May Have Alerted Government of Attacks "On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, while the world watched the horror of jetliners smashing into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, Zacarias Moussaoui sat in a jail cell -- possibly withholding information which could have averted the attacks. Moussaoui -- the only person charged in the United States for having direct knowledge of the Sept. 11 attacks -- goes before a jury Monday in a federal courtroom in Alexandria, Va., to determine whether he knowingly lied or covered up knowledge of the attacks. If they find him guilty, the jury will then decide if he should be executed or face life in prison. The government's prosecution will focus on whether the attacks could have been prevented had Moussaoui told FBI agents about al Qaeda's plans.

Zacarias Moussaoui, known as the '20th hijacker' and arrested in Minnesota one month before 9/11 after an alert employee at a flight school sensed something wasn't right, goes on trial this week in what could end up being an embarrassment to the federal government's failure to act before 9/11. The government wants to convict Moussaoui of 'knowing' about and 'covering up' for the attacks on 9/11. Moussaoui defense is going to try and show the government should have been smart enough to figure that out themselves. After all, this is what the 9/11 Report says; "CIA Director George Tenet was briefed on Moussaoui's arrest on Aug. 23, 2001. "Tenet was ... told that Moussaoui wanted to learn to fly a 747, paid for his training in cash, was interested to learn the doors do not open in flight, and wanted to fly a simulated flight from London to New York," according to the 9/11 report". And, as we all know about that infamous day, August 6, 2001 when George and Condi sat nestled together out at 'Prairie Chapel Ranch' in Crawford, Texas and had their Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) entitled "Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in the U.S.", read to them as they glared into each others eyes. No wonder Condi tesified before the 9/11 Commission that that PDB didn't say anything about attacks within the United States. Nah, the country had no way of knowing 9/11 was going to happen. Zacarias Moussaoui is guilty - get on with the show.

Scoot over

"Earlier, Mr. Bush began his final day in India with a four-hour trip to the southern city of Hyderabad, where he met with Indian entrepreneurs, toured an agricultural university and patted a water buffalo. Hyderabad is a center of India's booming high-tech industry, and was also on President Bill Clinton's itinerary when he visited India in 2000. There, Mr. Bush strongly defended the outsourcing of American jobs to India as the reality of a global economy, and said that the United States should instead focus on India as a vital new market for American goods. "People do lose jobs as a result of globalization, and it's painful for those who lose jobs," Mr. Bush said at meeting with young entrepreneurs at Hyderabad's Indian School of Business, one of the premier schools of its kind in India. Nonetheless, the president said, "globalization provides great opportunities."

Had a little interventional radiological surgery yesterday and the lead surgeon was Spanish, the 'chief fellow' was a white dude from the Chicago area, in probably his eighth year of training, and another 'fellow' was a guy from India who came here from the UK for a year of training. The world is very global. But, it's been way 'too' global for many of the 'middle-class' or even upper middle class when comes to India. At least up until this point. Twenty five years ago everyone was told a computer science degree was the ticket to a well paying career and a job secure future. And then corporations realized that Indians could do the same work for a 1/4 of the cost. India has nearly 1.1 billion people, and 40% of them are illiterate and 25% live below India's 'poverty line'. U.S. workers who's jobs have been outsourced are never going to get back from India what they, and U.S. corporations have gotten. And until countries like India can provide a market that can also buy from us at a decent level, make 'fair trade' a littler fairer, than a lot of people will have to make do with their two jobs. And the 'intervention' went well and the Indian 'fellow' was probably the best of the three. They were all very excellent, but the dude from India...he had a little extra... Yeah, we better scoot over....Bush is over there selling your job.

Katherine Harris-King Maker

The woman who made George W. Bush President-Part XXII

Dirty Harris "U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris may have given her dirty campaign money to a charity, but she can't pretend to have cleansed herself. "Representative B," as she is called in a federal prosecutor's account of bribery and election fraud by Washington defense contractor Mitchell Wade, is too close to this scandal to brush it off. Voters deserve more answers than the vague statement she released Thursday night. Leave aside the fact that, in March 2004, Wade personally placed 16 $2,000 campaign checks with the same date in Harris' hands. Now comes the disclosure that one of her aides, Mona Yost, left last May to work for MZM Inc., the company Wade owned. Further, Harris dined with Wade in early 2005 and then asked her Defense Appropriations subcommittee to set aside $10-million for an MZM facility in Sarasota. The subcommittee refused. This is past the point where Harris can credibly claim ignorance.

St. Petersburg Times editorial

Randy "Duke" Cunningham

Democrats and Republicans show little sympathy for Cunningham

Cunningham Sentenced to 8 Years Four Months "Former congressional colleagues of Randy "Duke" Cunningham showed little sympathy Friday for the convicted North County Republican, with GOP lawmakers suggesting his jail sentencing might close the book on the scandal and Democrats suggesting it could become a campaign issue".

A highly decorated and much celebrated former Vietnam war hero who had everything most men could ever want and it wasn't enough. I still don't believe in prison terms for non-violent criminals. Heavy fines, governmental work programs where some one like Duke Cunningham would be required to work with disadvantaged youths in San Diego, for instance, would be far more productive, and certainly a lot cheaper burden on society than sending a non-violent offender to prison for eight years. I guess that probably makes too much sense and doesn't seem punitive enough for most people in this country.

2,300

2,300

Bush on Pakistan

"On my trip to Islamabad, I will meet with President Musharraf to discuss Pakistan's vital cooperation in the war on terror and our efforts to foster economic and political development so we can reduce the appeal of radical Islam. I believe that a prosperous, democratic Pakistan will be a steadfast partner for America, a peaceful neighbour for India, and a force for freedom and moderation in the Arab world. Pakistan is not an Arab country.

Tom DeLay, like Bush, hardly knew Jack

Lobbyist's Credit Card Bill Outs DeLay Trip Delay's Trip to Golf Resort Paid for by Abramoff

"The paper trail seems so obvious, it makes you wonder whether anyone ever worried about getting caught. When Congressman Tom Delay and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland, in June, 2000, the first class air fare cost $14,001. A big ticket item for a public servant. But someone else was paying. The American Express bills of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff show he footed the bill for the tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules. "The source of the travel expenses may not be...a registered lobbyist," according to the House rules. Abramoff was a registered lobbyist at the time".

Now that's a nice way to fly to Europe. Nothing but the best for our public servants and their wives. And of course it's silly to think Tom DeLay was ever expected to return any favors for this type of treatment. And to think, DeLay hardly even knew Jack Abramoff and he still got those two first class tickets to Scotland.

"$7 billion word processing error"

As we all know, the oil companies are having a hell of a time earning any money these days. ExxonMobil couldn't even manage to average $10 billion in profits a quarter last year. They only earned $36 billion for the entire year. The oil and energy companies are hurting so bad economically that Congress is getting ready to roll over and give them an additional $7 billion to spread among themselves. It seems that back in the 1990's when oil was below $30 a barrel and natural gas was $2-$3 per thousand cubic ft, the government decided that to incentivize energy companies to use federal lands for oil and gas exploration they would not charge those private companies any royalties for the product recovered from federal land. The 'no royalties' deal was suppose to stop when the price of oil per barrel hit a threshold of $34 and natural gas $4.34 per thousand cubic ft. Now when was the last time oil was $34 a barrel? Maybe five or six years ago? Oil is now consistently over $60 a barrel and natural gas is now around '$9-per-thousand-cubic-feet'. Somehow the threshold requirement was "inadvertently dropped" from an addendum attached to the agreement way back in the late 1990's and these companies want the government to forget this $7 billion that's owed to taxpayers. I think the government should just give those companies the $7 billion since the U.S. Treasury has so much money it doesn't know what to do with it and it's obvious these energy companies are low on funds and can't make a dime on oil or natural gas anymore.

Just make it go away...

U.S. Plan to Eliminate Survey of Needy Families Draws Fire WASHINGTON - Researchers and legislators are rallying to block a Bush administration plan to scupper a U.S. survey widely used to improve federal and state programs for millions of low-income and retired Americans. President George W. Bush's proposed budget for fiscal 2007, which begins this October, includes a Commerce Department plan to eliminate the Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The proposal marks at least the third White House attempt in as many years to do away with federal data collection on politically prickly economic issues ranging from mass layoffs to employment discrimination. Social scientists, public policy makers, and legislators helped thwart the previous administration plans, which had targeted the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Opponents of the plan to axe SIPP said they hoped for a similar success. By mid-day Wednesday, some 415 liberal and conservative economists and social scientists had signed a letter to be sent to Congress Thursday urging that the survey be fully funded because it ''is the only large-scale survey explicitly designed to analyze the impact of a wide variety of government programs on the well being of American families.'' A group of Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives reportedly are leading a drive to get lawmakers to sign a similar letter defending the survey to be sent to the White House.

Maybe if you don't report on it, or maybe if it's something no one reads about - it'll all just eventually go away.

Wisconsin's lonely crusader

"With public angst high about national security, virtually every senator is lining up to vote for renewing the USA Patriot Act as early as Wednesday, following exhortations from President Bush that the bill is necessary to the fight terrorism. Not Sen. Russell Feingold. The Wisconsin Democrat is crusading against the bill, and he finds himself in a familiar place. He has almost no support--and some outright hostility--from his colleagues, just as he did after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when he provided the sole vote against the original Patriot Act....read the rest

Video Shows Bush Lied About Levees

"In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage. Bush didn't ask a single question during the final briefing before Katrina struck on Aug. 29, but he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: "We are fully prepared."

George Bush said on Sept. 2, 2005 "I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees" surrounding New Orleans...Newly released video footage obtained by The Associated Press clearly shows that not to be true. It was anticipated, and told directly to George Bush just five days earlier. George Bush did not cause Hurricane Katrina. He didn't build the levees around New Orleans either, but he was clearly warned of the catastrophic potential to New Orleans if those levees were breached and he flat out lied about it. This newly released footage leaves no doubt to that. The first reports of the levees being breached were late Sunday, August 28. So what did Dubya do on that Monday, August 29? He sang happy birthday to John McCain. And Tuesday August 30? George goofed around and played his new guitar. Nice guy. Man of action.....real in touch .. .. 'Compassionate conservative'.

Good one, Judge

Saddam and his co-defendents in court listening to the judge read a translated transcript of Dick Cheney telling Tim Russert on Meet The Press that it was "pretty well confirmed" that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were allies.

Early Spring cleaning

Pakistan Strikes Suspected al-Qaida Camp Pakistani soldiers and helicopter gunships attacked a suspected al-Qaida camp Wednesday near the Afghan border, killing more than 45 militants and angering residents who called for a holy war days before a visit by President Bush. The slain men - most from Central Asian and Arab countries - included an al-Qaida-linked Chechen commander, identified only by his code name, Imam, who died when a helicopter fired on a vehicle in which he was fleeing, an army official said.

News travels slow for Marines

U.S. Marines play basketball on a makeshift court at their base in the western border city of Husaybah, Iraq

"News travels slowly to American troops deployed in the desert plains of Iraq. Days after the bombing of a Shiite shrine convulsed the country in religious violence, word hadn't reached U.S. Marines some 160 miles away. "We don't know what's going on in Iraq, except for what's going on here," said Cpl. Matt Waldman of Somerset, N.J., of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Regiment. "We're so far away that we don't hear anything."

Cpl. Waldman also admitted that he had not heard of the DP World/America port controversy until that same Saturday when George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld finally found out about it.

al-Jaafari faces strong opposition

Iraq's non-Shiites challenge Shiites over leader

"Leaders of Sunni, Kurdish and a secular political party decided Wednesday to ask the Shiite alliance to withdraw its nomination of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari for another term, political officials said. The move is expected to draw sharp opposition from radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose support enabled al-Jaafari to win the nomination by a single vote in a Feb. 12 caucus of Shiites who won election to the new parliament Dec. 15. A political battle over al-Jaafari could further complicate efforts to form a national unity government — a key step in the U.S. plan to begin withdrawing its troops this year".

What a mess. And George Bush thinks we can avoid getting involved in their civil war...

ann coulter Snubbed in Michigan?

"Chris Meyer immediately bought 10 more tickets to the Kent County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner -- once he heard commentator Ann Coulter backed out of her March 16 commitment as keynote speaker". Coulter was scheduled to speak in Grand Rapids, Michigan and some local Republicans complained - and although the event's organizers didn't think they'd have a problem selling all 1,500 seats at $75 each and paying Coulter her $35,000 fee, her appearance somehow got cancelled. Or did Coulter have a "scheduling conflict' with another speaking arrangement at Florida State University? I checked for the announcement about Coulter's planned visit to FSU on March 16, but nothing came up. She has definitely appeared there before. I'll try to remember to check this out in a couple of weeks to see if she does appear at FSU and really did have a 'scheduling conflict'.

So I guess a key is out of the question?

Brokeback Mountain costars Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams

S.D. school distances self from Academy Award nominee, 'Brokeback' actress "Not so proud is Santa Fe Christian headmaster Jim Hopson. “We don't want to have anything to do with her in relation to that movie," said Hopson. "Michelle doesn't represent the values of this institution. We would not approve of her movies and TV shows (including the teen drama "Dawson's Creek"). We'd not like to be tied to 'Brokeback Mountain.' "I hope we offered her something in life. But she made the kinds of choices of which we wouldn't approve. 'Brokeback Mountain' basically promotes a lifestyle we don't promote. It's not the word of God."

Nice warm Christian welcome for girl done well.

Even I can show some compassion...

Everyone is entitled to a few major mistakes in life and depending at what level you are in a government run by secret and by omission, you're bound to slip up and commit an act of treason by spilling top-secret intelligence to the press at some point. And, everyone deserves a break and the best legal counsel that your wealthy co-conspirators can buy you, so take a moment here and visit (and if you can or cannot afford it, please contribute to) the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's Defense Fund.

"Osama haunts Bush in Afghanistan"

"What should have been a triumphant moment for President Bush in Afghanistan also served as a vivid reminder of setbacks in his war against terrorism. His visit came at a time of increasing violence and drug trafficking in the country. And Osama bin Laden remains at large, more than four years after Bush demanded his capture, "dead or alive." Seattlepi.com Analysis

Bush Goes to Jobs Fair in India

Natural allies? Manmohan Singh and George W. Bush

"Change can bring apprehension and there is big change afoot in US-India relations as President Bush arrives in Delhi. His administration has expressed its determination to move beyond decades of coolness, mistrust and false starts to forge an enduring strategic alignment with India. The vision for this strategy is captured in the July 18, 2005 joint statement between President Bush and Prime Minister Singh and its centrepiece is the agreement on civil nuclear cooperation. But the US goal is even more ambitious than what is articulated in that statement: Washington has essentially decided that it is in long-term US national interests to support India’s ambitions to be a global power. For the administration this new direction is a “no-brainer”, but for many members of the US Congress and the bureaucracy this new vision threatens time-honoured practices and policies. There is the visceral fear of globalisation and out-sourcing among the representatives of the rust-belt states. There is anxiety about the impact of the US-India civil nuclear agreement on the Non-Proliferation Treaty among arms controllers. There is doubt in the human rights community about India’s real commitment to putting shared values into practice in dealing with regimes like Burma or Iran".

What this trip amounts to actually is George Bush is going to India to tell them we are going to lighten up on our 'mistrust' of their nuclear ambitions if we can continue, or even increase the number of jobs we outsource to them. He could have told Singh that over the phone and saved the air-fare. The Indian Express

Veterans May Face Health Care Cuts in 2008

"At least tens of thousands of veterans with non-critical medical issues could suffer delayed or even denied care in coming years to enable President Bush to meet his promise of cutting the deficit in half - if the White House is serious about its proposed budget. After an increase for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing by leaps and bounds, White House budget documents assume a cutback in 2008 and further cuts thereafter. In fact, the proposed cuts are so draconian that it seems to some that the White House is simply making them up to make its long-term deficit figures look better. More realistic numbers, however, would raise doubts as to whether Bush can keep his promise to wrestle the deficit under control by the time he leaves office. The veterans' medical care cuts would come even though more and more people are trying to enter the system and as the number of people wounded in Iraq keeps rising. Even though Iraq war veterans represent only about 2 percent of the Veterans Administration's patient caseload, many are returning from battle with grievous injuries requiring costly care. The White House budget office, however, assumes that the veterans' medical services budget - up 69 percent since Bush took office and which would rise by 11 percent next year under Bush's budget can absorb cuts for three years in a row after that".

For those of you who don't realize this, career retirees and those who have service-related wounds or injuries are 99% of those using veterans' medical benefits. In some cases, other veterans who are poorer than dirt, meaning they're "eligible for Medicaid", can get VA medical benefits - But even those vets had to be receiving those benefits prior to 2003. The VA is going to need more money, not less money for medical services with all the wounded coming back from Iraq. Bush is playing a shell game - looking to save a few bucks on the backs of veterans instead of asking those who benefited, to come up with a little more. It's a national disgrace!

Libby's case of perjury-counts 1, 2 & 4

"Handwritten notes taken by the CIA show Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide knew the name of CIA spy Valerie Plame Wilson a month before her cover was blown. It appears to be the first known document in the hands of prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that directly contradicts Lewis "Scooter" Libby's claim he learned from reporters in July 2003 that Valerie Wilson was a CIA employee. Libby, who was Cheney's chief of staff, has been indicted for perjury in the CIA leak investigation".

Not only did Libby lie about when he learned about Valerie Plame but he also said that it was Tim Russert who told him and Russert tesitifed to the grand jury that that was not true. Perjury, counts 1, 2 and 4.

DOD News Release(s) 8 Soldiers, 1 Marine

U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060228-12573.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 172-06 February 28, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Adam J. Vanalstine, 21, of Superior, Wis., died Feb. 25, from an improvised explosive device in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060228-12572.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 171-06 February 28, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Jessie Davila, 29, of Greensburg, Kan., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Feb. 20, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Davila was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry, Lawrence, Kan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060228-12576.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 173-06 February 28, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Identifies Army Casualties The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died near Balad, Iraq, on Feb. 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle. All three soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Curtis T. Howard II, 32, of Ann Arbor, Mich. Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II, 23, of Sparks, Nev. Spc. Thomas J. Wilwerth, 21, of Mastic, N.Y. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2006/nr20060224-12564.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 165-06 February 24, 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Identifies Army Casualties The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Al Hawijah, Iraq, on Feb. 22, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during patrol operations. All four soldiers were assigned to the Army's 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Gregson G. Gourley, 38, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Sgt. Rickey E. Jones, 21, of Kokomo, Ind. Pfc. Christopher L. Marion, 20, of Pineville, Mo. Pfc. Allan A. Morr, 21, of Shiawassee County, Mich. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Signers of the U.S. Constitution

Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the states present the seventeenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven and of the independence of the United States of America the twelfth. In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names, G. Washington-Presidt. and deputy from Virginia New Hampshire: John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman Massachusetts: Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King Connecticut: Wm: Saml. Johnson, Roger Sherman New York: Alexander Hamilton New Jersey: Wil: Livingston, David Brearly, Wm. Paterson, Jona: Dayton Pennsylvania: B. Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robt. Morris, Geo. Clymer, Thos. FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouv Morris Delaware: Geo: Read, Gunning Bedford jun, John Dickinson, Richard Bassett, Jaco: Broom Maryland: James McHenry, Dan of St Thos. Jenifer, Danl Carroll Virginia: John Blair--, James Madison Jr. North Carolina: Wm. Blount, Richd. Dobbs Spaight, Hu Williamson South Carolina: J. Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler Georgia: William Few, Abr Baldwin Who is conspicuously missing?

72% of U.S. Troops Want Out of Iraq Within One Year

"Bush says pulling out of Iraq would undermine our troops’ morale:"

It is also important for every American to understand the consequences of pulling out of Iraq before our work is done. … We would undermine the morale of our troops by betraying the cause for which they have sacrificed. [12/18/05]

U.S. troops say they want out of Iraq within a year:

A new poll to be released today shows that U.S. soldiers overwhelmingly want out of Iraq — and soon. The poll is the first of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, according to John Zogby, the pollster. Conducted by Zogby International and LeMoyne College, it asked 944 service members, “How long should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?” Only 23 percent backed Mr. Bush’s position that they should stay as long as necessary. In contrast, 72 percent said that U.S. troops should be pulled out within one year. Of those, 29 percent said they should withdraw “immediately.” [Zogby-2/28/06]

"American Progress has a plan that will drawdown the U.S. troop presence in Iraq within one year. If the troops support it, why can’t their Commander-in-Chief?" Think Progress More soldiers (29%) serving in Iraq say, 'leave now' than those (23%) who say 'stay as long as necessary'. Damn, those soldiers must be reading the liberal press' take on how things are actually going over there!