Why should anyone suspect it was n isolated incident? If we can torture people to death with impunity at Abu Giraib, why can’t we Terminate them with Extreme Prejudice wholesale? There are more corpses where these came from.

Wow…heh I was eating when I looked at this post and the picture almost made me gag…ugh

Fitz please

Leslie’s at the Chateau Marmont with Mr. Sheri Annis? How trendy!

The place is usually awash with visiting foreign film directors like Leos Carax, rock star wannabes, and the ghosts of John Belushi and Helmut Newton.

Schumer was divided among himself, stating that the people don’t want partisan fighting and don’t want investigations, but, on matters such as Iraq, “our job is to hold the president accountable on these issues.” How Schumer intends to hold Bush accountable without investigations and partisan fighting remains a mystery, much like Chuck’s career success itself.

And that is both a) why I worry about November and b) the quote of the week.

Gore/Obama ‘08 ?

Pukez!

Bentsen was a democrat and Clinton’s first secretary of the treasury.

Boy was I surprised when this turned out to be on topic.

In defense of English as a national language Part V

We are one nation from the Rio Grande to Montana, from Florida to Los Angeles and San Francisco. As one who is an aficionado of English, I say it is this language that binds us and our nation together. English is too important to become a political piñata. It has helped make us Número Uno in the world. We should keep it and although there is little chance of us losing it, if we did lose it, we could lose the whole enchilada and that would be plain loco. However unlikely, we could be left pronto with zero, zip, nada and that would be muy malo for us all.

Understand those who support English as the national language are not waging a guerilla war on some but are making a sincere effort to create a unifying and unitary ambiente simpático for us all. Nor is it an act of machismo by the current jefe and his junta. Indeed Bush’s pregnant pauses are the very opposite of this. They bespeak a man embarazado and that is an embarrassing state of affairs indeed. No, amigos, compañeros, English as a national language is an act of faith, an auto de fe, as it were, of our rights. Let us not say hasta la vista, baby to an idea whose time has come. Let us embrace our inner pendejo and have the cojones to bid adiós to our doubts. To those who ask in the plaza of public opinion, ¿Qué pasa? here, let our answer and our language be clear: ¡Que será será!

Schumer the Schmuck must go.

Obama is a man much like ‘Chuckie’…without substance.

I would never vote for him.

Feingold is the real thing. Thus:

Gore/Feingold 2008!

Hugh- I greatly enjoy your “defense of English” posts. I have to go back and find the ones I’ve missed. I hope they get widely read- even more widely that at FDL.

I’m not defending the practice, but I think Schumer and other Dems (including Dean) are speaking in code. Conservative politicians mastered this years ago. They motivate their base with the code, while not angering moderate voters.

I think the Dems hope to win, and then say, “well look, we aren’t partisan, the evidence objectively led us towards these investigations.”

Roger — that picture is both repulsive and perfect for the Sunday talking head shows. Genius. *g*

And Jane is right — that IS the quote of the week.

Uh, Lloyd Bentsen was once the Democratic V.P. nominee… he didn’t switch parties just to get the nomination, Roger.

Hugh, you are the ‘mera mera’

I’m de-lurking to tell you guys I WAS eating dinner!

I beg to differ with Senator Schumer. I want an investigation–an investigation of the basis on which the DSCC decides to allocate campaign funds to Democratic Senate candidates, whether the process involves cocktail weenies, and what role the DSCC has played in discouraging independent-minded Democrats from running for the Senate–or actively working against them.

I no longer watch these shows – hell, even Roger’s no doubt spot on assessment of the blatherings makes my blood boil – but thanks Roger,

Chuck Stop The Inanity! Schumer

In light of both the Cheney & Glenn threads can someone explain to me whether Mitch (Lewinsky Choir Boy) McConnell is a clueless wimp or a souless wimp -

“wave the white flag on terrorism” indeed, spout that party line pap – meanwhile the WH makes steady progress towards making these vapid tools obsolete – do they reallly not know that yet (clueless) or do they know and not care ?(souless)

Thank you again Roger

Mitch McConell is a Senator from Kentucky, not Tennessee.

sorry, McConnell

Ok, first: Blech! Gross, p-tuh p-tuh, etc. on your meat “product”, ya big meanie.

Thanks for the run-down, Roger.

Ron – I’m willing to believe it’s code too, but Schumer is behind the clock on this one. Don’t something like 80% think it’s important to investigate the war intel, at least? If there are polls on the other issues I haven’t seen them. Still, how can threats of justice for a 29 percenter be risky?

The thread picture makes menudo look appetizing by comparison.

You’d think by now that the Dems would have a pat answer for expected question about investigations of Bush. Like starting with a list of a half dozen or so Bush/agency ourageous practices that have been screwing the public but have been ignored/covered up by the rubber stampers, followed by the statement, “I think the American people would like to know how that happened and who was responsible and why the Republicans let it happen and go on for so long.” After all, isn’t the “had enough?” theme their main campaign element? “Enough” of what, Schumer? Having this answer ready is what they should be running on; it’s part of the answer to the question, “and what would the Dems do?”

All we need is for one articulate Dem to state the answer clearly, once, and I’ll bet the MSM stops asking the question. Can you see Tim MTP Russert setting up a Dem to hit that softball? NO. He’d instead play gothca and replay Nancy and Chuck promising not to investigate. Sheesh.

A. Citizen (#11):

Just curious….It’s clear Findgold is a leader who stands up for what’s right. It’s clear Gore is a Triangulist. Why would you put Gore first, or in there at all for ‘08?

I’m guessing people like yourself, and the many others in Blogland who are Gore cheerleaders probably feel safer with him because of familiarity? He’s been there before? Seriously, I can’t figure it out. This is a guy who, in two of the biggest decisions in his life, failed miserably (Tipper and Lieberman). I am honestly asking for opinions as to why I should get excited about him.

Yes, if Gore is the nominee, I will vote for him and probably campaign for him also, but I feel we have some better choices this time, and I just don’t understand so many people rallying behind him so soon. Thanks for the time…

Thanks Valley Girl and nenabeans.

cbl
McConnell is definitely soulless. I think he is one of the great unsung villains of our time. He won his Senate seat against a Democrat “Dee” Huddleston by what many saw as the first successful negative TV campaign, thus raising the moronic and vile levels of campaigning ever since. He has also been one of the biggest promoters of money (and all the resultant corruption) in politics. Anyone correct me if I’m wrong but he was a party to the lawsuit where the wisely senile Supreme Court declared that scurrilous dictum that “Money equates to free speech” putting much sending us on the downward spiral we have been on ever since. Anything McConnell says believe the opposite and check your wallet while you’re at it.

Ooops! ‘putting’ equals ‘pretty’ in my dyslexic universe.

My dream team…

Gore/Feingold

HHS– Dr. Dean

Secy of State: Jimmy Carter

Dept of Defense: Wes Clark

Dept of Peace: Dennis Kucinich

Chief of Staff: Jane Hamsher

Attorney General: Christy Hardin Smith

Press Secy: Ron Reagan, Jr.and Keith Olbermann– cause you should always have a partner when dealing with the press these days.

I worked hard for John Kerry– I think he can be Treasury Secretary

John Edwards can be Labor Secretary and

Teddy Kennedy can be Education Secretary

Presidential Truthsayer and Realitychecker: Stephen Colbert

etc. still working on the rest of the dream team.

Thanks Roger for a great rundown!

Rob Zuber (#13):

Sounds very Shrumian. Politics is all about the subliminal, isn’t it? More theories and strategery! (I know you weren’t defending it…)

I think Repubelicans have been winning so much because of other reasons, and not so much their “codes.” All of Frank Luntz’s work doesn’t go anywhere without a complicit press for instance.

Hugh- I went back and bookmarked all of the “English” series. Again, have you thought about putting them together for publication? They really are brilliant and hilarious.

Endless investigations, pausing only long enough to drive a stake through the heart of guilty evildoers (metaphorically speaking)

C’mon, we know there are some way yonder crooks running roughshod over our constitution (see last post) and getting fat off of war misery (Republiburtons). Investigate, prosecute, convict and punish the guilty. All of them. How can we keep this from happening again if we don’t investigate to find out how it happened this time, and punish the guilty to discourage future bad acts.

I’m sorry Chuck, I for one would like some serious charges brought against these yahoos.

bonkers – If you missed Gore’s speech at Constitution Hall last January, you could start there. Constitutional issues

He gave an ass kicking delivery. The content strikes at perhaps the greatest threats to our nation. I hope he picks up steam.

Hey, that head cheese doesn’t look that bad. I do prefer souse meat, however.

Sorry for the repost, but I was catching up on FDL Book thread and made a post which I now see was EPU’d. So here it is.

George A. says:
May 28th, 2006 at 7:20 pm

I’m sorry, but I’m not as optimistic as all of you are. In fact at the moment I’m very pessimistic about what’s happenning to our country. I have had a very uneasy feeling for a long time now that if it looks like the Republicans will lose either the House of Senate there will be no elections come November.

Bush and the rest of his gestapo will not give up power. Everything they have done too destroy our Constitution has worked. I have no doubt that we will either be at war in Iran or another attack will take place here. Of course it will be provided by the Fascist Administration in power, but it will enable Bush to suspend the Constitution and stop the electoral process, thereby assurring him retaining power in both the House and Senate.

I feel that as of now we are all living under the illusion of Democracy, but in reality the Constitution has been set aside and hidden from the American people. I wish I felt different, but I have been speaking about this to a lot of people for a long time and they just laugh at me and tell me I’m crazy.

All one has to do is study Hitlers rise to power in Germany to see all the similarities that exists to see what is really happenning here. I’m half German and for a long time been ashamed for not only what Hitler did to Germany and its people, but also ashamed of the German people for allowing it to happen. I believe Glenn mentioned that at one time and he’s right.

I never thought that one day America would be in danger of having a Dictatorship, but looking around me I see it happenning here as it did in Germany. The American people like Bush as the German people liked Hitler. A religious person who started the Christian Youth Movement that in reality turned in their neighbors for harboring Jews in Germany to the Right Wing Nuts being scared of Muslums and reporting them because they think their terrorists.

We have become a Nation Scared of anything and anyone who is different than us. We are so scared of out own shadow that we would turn it in and have it arrested as an Enemy Combatant who would do us harm.

That’s what I see going on now and it does scare me. I sincerely hope I’m wrong, but only time will tell. We don’t have that long to find out if indeed there is any chance to take our country back from these fascists, however we should know by November if he still have elections. If we do and we don’t win the House or Senate than all will be lost unless we have another Revalutionary War to take our country back.

Could we have blood sausage next week?

Mmmm, Blutwurst!

Howard Dean’s behavior has convinced me that they have internal polls showing that talk of impeachment and investigations is a loser. Dean has minimized talk of investigations as well, and he’s generally a straight talker.

Gore and Feingold, Feingold and Gore. These guys are the good guys, along with Hillary, Edwards, etc.
Nobody’s perfect. We’ll be lucky to have any of them. Get behind your choice and support your choice.
Don’t spend your energy knocking any of them. The RNC will take care of that for you.

This just in:

Holy Fuck – Now they’re playing ‘Three Card Monte’ with fucking NUKES. As if keeping them ‘on the table’ wasn’t enough%u2026
Monday’s NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05…..x=13065552 00&en=b89cd6873dd24e70&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

“Pentagon Seeks Nonnuclear Tip for Sub Missiles

By MICHAEL R. GORDON
Published: May 29, 2006

WASHINGTON, May 28 %u2014 The Pentagon is pressing Congress to approve the development of a new weapon that would enable the United States to carry out nonnuclear missile strikes against distant targets within an hour.

The proposal has set off a complex debate about whether this program for strengthening the military’s conventional capacity could increase the risks of accidental nuclear confrontation.

The Pentagon plan calls for deploying a nonnuclear version of the submarine-launched Trident II missile that could be used to attack terrorist camps, enemy missile sites, suspected caches of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons and other potentially urgent threats, military officials say.

If fielded, it would be the only nonnuclear weapon designed for rapid strikes against targets thousands of miles away and would add to the president’s options when considering a pre-emptive attack.”%u2026
—–
OK, it was EPU’d, but DAMN…

All this talk about Gore in 08 is nonsense.
Like it or not Gore is done. Just like Kerry.
They both allowed themselves a repeated Rovian bitch slapping….fighting back too little… too late and too meekly.

bonkers @ 25 – wrt gore…. i wasn’t a very enthusiastic supporter in 2000 – for all the reasons (and more) you mention. but i am now, and i confess it’s his speeches during the last 4 years that have won me over. i have mp3s of 10 of them – from 9/2002 thru 3/2006.

he says he’s in recovery from politics – at step 9.

step 9 is making amends. sounds to me like he might mean it.

p.s. wrt feingold – if possible, i’d like to see him have some time in a national office (like vp?)… give him a chance to learn the geography of corruption and formulate his own way to deal with it. may not be possible though.

Valley Girl

I wouldn’t have a clue about how to go about doing that but I am happy that people enjoy them.

Has anyone mentioned all those atrocious organs the English eat?

Haditha an isolated instance? Not a chance. Iraqi police report details civilians’ deaths at hands of U.S. troops. The date? March 19, 2006.

“According to police, military and eyewitness accounts, U.S. forces approached the house at around 2:30 a.m. and a firefight ensued. By all accounts, in addition to exchanging gunfire with someone inside the house, U.S. troops were supported by helicopter gunships, which fired on the house.

But the accounts differ on what took place after the firefight.

According to the U.S. account, the house collapsed because of the heavy fire. When U.S. forces searched the rubble they found one man, the al-Qaida suspect, alive. He was arrested. They also found a dead man they believed to be connected to al-Qaida, two dead women and a dead child.

But the report filed by the Joint Coordination Center, which was based on a report filed by local police, said U.S. forces entered the house while it was still standing.

“The American forces gathered the family members in one room and executed 11 persons, including five children, four women and two men,” the report said. “Then they bombed the house, burned three vehicles and killed their animals.”

The report identified the dead by name, giving their ages. The two men killed were 22 and 28. Of the women, one was 22, another was 23, a third was 30 and the fourth was 75. Two of the children were 5 years old, two were 3, and the fifth was 6 months old, the document said.

The report was signed by Col. Fadhil Muhammed Khalaf, who was described in the document as the assistant chief of the Joint Coordination Center.”

Gore will win if he chooses to run, Larry. Rove will either be indicted or in jail by then and the entire jig will be up for everyone to see.

I’ll fight for him, and not meekly at all– ker-POW.

60 Minutes tonight did interviews with Iraqi vets that were permanently maimed (lost limbs, brain injuries). It was actually pretty good matter-of-fact coverage.

Every one of these vets were overcoming their injuries but wouldn’t come out and say the war was a mistake (except one). They almost all wanted to go into some field where they could help the other shattered lives from this war, helping out other dismembered vets who are getting neglected by the government.

It was a sobering way to observe this Memorial Day weekend.

The question angie is will he fight for himself?

I don’t believe that a correctly worded poll would show that talk of investigations per se is a “loser.” Talk of impeachment maybe, but not investigations, especially when all other polls show the public highly dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

Congress’ job is to do investigations, to figure out what works, what doesn’t, and fix it. They have to investigate program effectiveness to fulfill their budget responsibilities. They have to investigate appointee’s credentionals to perform their advise and consent role re confirmations. What is this silliness about not doing investigations?

The question is, what should they investigate? Answer: they should at least investigate anything that has been going wrong for the last six years that needs to be fixed.

If any person running for Congress told me they did not intend to conduct investigations if elected, I’d conclude they’re either stupid, or lying, or both. How can that position be a “winner?”

I believe he will, Larry. He’s on fire and it isn’t just about our beautiful blue planet. He roars and vibrates with the truth– he is shimmering and brimming with love and respect for our country and our Constitution.

Hugh, alas I don’t have any idea about that either!

And, I think Mad Cow disease has cured the Brits of their affection for offal.

Haditha when charges are announced may be bigger in this country and in the rest of the world than in Iraq. In Iraq, it’s just one atrocity among so many others committed on all sides by all sides.

Actually I’m not for a selection of a candidate this early. I am for exposure of some of the best, the brightest, the most thoughtful, and most experienced people inside the Democratic Party. It gives us a chance to get to know them, appreciate their strengths, identify their weaknesses and deal with them. Seeing Gore redefine himself, Feingold and Durbin speak out, Obama develop or not, Dean build the roots, and Hillary triangulate are all good to show there are Democrats worth paying attention to.

Angie…I too believe that Gore resonates with truth and holds deep love and respect for our country.
I just have serious doubt about his testicular fortitude.

Frank Rich NYT ain’t at all impressed w/our Mr. Gore. Not at all…
RawStory excerpt from NYT:

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0527.html

“”Though many of the rave reviews don’t mention it, there are also considerable chunks of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ that are more about hawking Gore’s image than his cause,” Rich writes. “They also bring back unflattering memories of him as a politician.”

“The movie contains no other voices that might upstage him, not even those of scientists supporting his argument,” writes Rich. “It is instead larded with sycophantic audiences, as meticulously multicultural as any Benetton ad, who dote on every word and laugh at every joke, like the studio audience at “Live With Regis and Kelly.”"
——-
Myself, I don’t really care what Mr. Rich thinks on this. HE’s a FORMER DRAMA CRITIC. I’m a citizen.

I liked Gore enough to vote for him in MA Dem Pres Primary in ‘88; he’s fucked up a few times since, but the essence is still worth going with. He’s closer to an ‘organic’ reading of the lay of the political landscape (even as that gets whirlwinded daily).

Gore has been an ‘outsider’ for awhile. The next President will be an ‘outsider-type’. Gore is NOT in the Beltway Bubble. At least not now. Feingold is good, but would take alot of name recognition work. Gore already has that. Plus, all his negatives are already on the book (well, except for the new ones that will be manufactured, that is…) IANAM (marketer) but in Marketing 101 I learned that given ignorance of the target audience, the easiest campaign is to paint anything as a negative. Not sure if that’s been included as assumed in the comments about marketing I’ve read, but it is a key, imho.

Well, if our system of voting is still in operation by the time it comes to make such a decision.

Gore rules. I wish I voted for him when I could have. (Ralph Nader, you suck.)

If Gore was president, we wouldn’t be facing the end of the estate tax EARLY NEXT MONTH.

I’m on a mission here, because nobody is talking about this issue.

We in the netroots have got to get our representatives involved.

Start here: http://menditdontendit.blogspot.com/

There’s links to ways you can help.

When every Dem leader, Pelosi to Reid to Schumer and on and on, falls all over themselves with bugging terrified eyes to disclaim that there will be investigations –

Gosh, wonder why the poll numbers look off?

Really – get some leadership on something, SOMEONE.

Ask people about 9/11 – they don’t think it was properly investigated. Ask about Katrina – people don’t think it has been properly investigated. Ask about Abramoff, lobbying, whistleblowers, intelligence taking us to war – no one thinks any of it was properly investigated. Does anyone you talk to think that the NSA programs we know about so far are “it”? Don’t we have a guy who still hasn’t been allowed to testify?

Warner has promised an investigation “just like Abu Ghraib” into Haditha. Guess that means one that stops before you get to any officers or any chain of command issues and one that excludes other places or non-photographed incidents. He refuses to “get it” that you don’t investigate Haditha by investigating Haditha – you do it by exercising what should have been oversight all along. Oversight that should have gone into overdrive when they first saw the Gonzales memo about adopting “enemy combatant” status bc otherwise they were all guilty of war crimes.

How anyone can work for or with that man after reading that I’ll never understand.

Great diary over at DKos…http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/28/16850/4036

Been wondering for three years now what came of the French investigation into and the possible indictment of Dick Cheney as former Halliburton CEO. Seems there was some bribery of Nigerian officials on Dick’s watch…but I never saw a final resolution on this investigation.

Diarist Valtin asks whether there’s a relationship between Cheney and Jefferson in re: Nigeria. Which now begs the question: did Abu stand up for the FBI on the raid on Jefferson’s office as another volley in the tit-for-tat internecine warfare between OVP and POTUS?

Angie –

I agree 100% on Gore. All of the interviews I have read recently indicate that he understands the need to fight back against the Republican spin machine and the media. He has learned a lot since 2000, it seems. He is an experienced leader and a man who is keenly aware of the power of the progressive netroots and who generally shares its values.

My dream ticket is:

Gore for President
Bill Clinton for Vice President.

If the two of them could be brought together on the same ticket again, I really like their chances of winning – in a knockout.

And I think it is within the realm of plausibility that both Gore and Clinton could be amenable to teaming up again. Especially if called upon by a critical mass of people…

Larry 7:45 p.m.

This time, I believe he will.

http://www.grist.org/news/main…..9/roberts/

Interesting interview with Gore about the making of the movie.

[]You’re well known, particularly since 2000, for guarding your privacy. But this movie is quite personal. Was that the producers’ idea or yours?

answer It was definitely not my idea.

question Were you reluctant about it?

answer I was reluctant about it. And I would not have suggested that or wanted that.

But after we were into the production of the movie, the director, Davis Guggenheim, had earned my trust, because I had seen enough to gain a tremendous respect for his skill and sensitivity. And he said that one of the huge differences between a live stage performance and a movie is that when you’re in the same room with a live person who’s on stage speaking — even if it’s me [laughs] — there’s an element of dramatic tension and human connection that keeps your attention. And in a movie, that element is just not present.

He explained to me that you have to create that element on screen, by supplying a narrative thread that allows the audience to make a connection with one or more characters. He said, “You’ve got to be that character.”

So we talked about it, and as I say, by then he had earned such a high level of trust from me that he convinced me. And he was a very skillful interviewer. What you hear in those biographical segments is literally 1 percent of the interviews he did. I began to suspect that his basic technique involved getting me so exhausted that I didn’t care what I said anymore. [Laughs.]

[]

I posted this about Warner’s appearence on This Week sometime this afternoon. And even though it’s much later now I still feel the same way about him.

Sunday May 28, 2006

Dear Senator Warner,

When I saw you on This Week this morning and you started talking about the Marines who committed War Crimes {Murdering innocent civilians} you attempted to play the whole incident down. Just like Abu Garib those who committed crimes of Torture there were not held to the high standard that is required in our Military. Their sentences were in my humble opinion not worthy of the sentences they should have clearly received for their War Crimes. They clearly committed War Crimes and should have been sent to the Hague for their trials or imprisoned for the rest of their lives.

Now once again the Republicans who are responcible at the TOP will not be held accountable for what has transpired in Iraq. Those Marines who committed the Murder of Woman and Children should receive the Death Penalty for their Crimes and those at the Top of the Military Chain who condoned and covered up those Crimes should at the least be Dishonourably Discharged.

As in Abu Garib those at the Top of Civilian Command {Like Rumsfield} should have been fired for Instigating and condoning of Torture in Iraq {Which was also War Crimes}. But like so many of our Countries Laws, the Constitution has been stepped on and trampled on by the current Administration. We are now no longer the United States of America, but America the Fourth Reich being led by a Dictator who has Trampled OUR CONSTITUTION into the ground.

As I watch the new Fascist Government continue to spread fear against the citizens of America and the Republican Leadership in both the House and Senate continue to ignore their Constitutional duties to protect its citizens I fear for what will happen to our country.

It is very clear that the Republican Party has placed Party over Country by not holding this insane madman George Walker Bush to the High Standard that is required of the Office of the President, nor Dick Cheney for the Office of the Vice President. Both these men have committed High Crimes and Misdeamors and should be impeached and removed from Office before the rest of the World unites against American and forcibly remove them, arrest them and all those who are and were complicite in their War Crimes and send them to the Hague for Trial.

Americans will not stand for a Dictatorship by either political party and will fight to regain the freedoms that the Republican CongressSenate have taken from us. Either your a true American or your a Traitor like GWB and the rest of his Gestapho. Like Bush said your either with us or agin us. We the American People want OUR COUNTRY back.

Right now there are those who are True Americans fighting to remove a Dino from the Senate who has supported GWB over the will of true Democrats and the American People. The day of lifelong incumbancy for the House and Senate is {As Rumsfield once said} in its last throes. I for one look forward to the many Republicans being investigated for corruption to finally be removed from Office and tried and convicted for their crimes. Like Jefferson I hope he’s convicted and given a long sentence for his betrayal of his Office and the American People as you all have betrayed your OATH before God and the American People to Protect and Defend the Constitution of the United States from all Enemies, both Foriegn and Domestic.

As I started out above, your attempt too downplay the War Crimes of some of our military serving in Iraq made me want to puke. You sir are not only a disgrace to the Uniform you once wore, but also a disgrace to the Office you currently hold. You sir should immediatly resign your Office so a true Loyal American can serve OUR COUNTRY instead of the Republican Party.

I may not truly know what the Democrat Party stands for, but I know what the Republican Party certainly stands for. It is the Party of Death, Corruption, Fascism and Treason as has been shown by its Leadership and the Office of the Vice President and President. The outting of a NOC agent during a Time of War {Afganistan} was an act of Treason carried out at the highest levels of the American Government, and the Republican Party who controls all Branches of Government turned its back on America and condoned the Treasonous Acts of its leaders.

I pray to God that He shows mercy to our country before its destroyed in a Nuclear War where this President and the Republican Party are leading us. I’m also sure that when you and the rest ot those who are leading us down the path to destruction stand before my Lord that He will surly have a spot reserved for you all in Hell. I also pray that this happens sooner rather than later.

Sincerely yours,

George A.

PS: How many military funerals have you attended for the brave men and women who have been killed in Iraq. How many military service men and women who have been maimed and crippled for life have you visited in the hospital or at their homes?

I know Murtha goes regularly to Walter Reed, how about you? I doubt that you’ve ever attended a funeral of visited any of our service members in the hospital. How can you sleep at night knowing that GWB is destroying not only our country, but are military as well?

Scarecrow–that is exactly right. Though I may add the term that should be used–and to my endless frustration no Democrat seems to be using it–is oversight. Congress has the power and obligation to oversee the actions of the Executive. Just run on the issue that maybe the Administration wouldn’t have so royally screwed things up if the Congress had been doing its job all this time and overseeing. No need for all this talk about investigations–it can sound so vindictive. (Of course, Congress’ oversight duties necessarily involve some sort of inquiries. And of course if these inquiries turn up information of actions so egregious that they demand impeachment or impalement or whatever of Administration officials, that is the risk we have to take.)

What I’m not so sure about is how much to run against one-party rule. It would win alot of votes in ‘06 since the small-government types in the GOP are waking up to its dangers. The only problem is I’m hoping for one-party rule in ‘08.

RE: Gore. I’m ambivalent about him in ‘08. He is a changed man and not the triangulator we once knew. Plus he’s not running against Monica like he was in ‘00. Still, the media seems to have it in for him so much that I doubt he could win.

Angie..BTW….I aggressively campaigned and voted for him in 2000. Lived in West Palm Beach back then (heart of Palm Beach county)

Talk about the eye of the storm

There is only one man who can know the pain we have all experienced over these 6 years more profoundly than we do. His name is Al Gore. Don’t you think he has that bitter, metallic taste of defeat every waking moment of every single day? He smells and sees the destruction of our planet and her life everyday as we do. He probably has some nightmares when he can sleep and insomnia when he cannot– and dreams of a better world when he is lucky enough to slumber quietly. He knows what he relinquished and the mistakes that were made. I honestly believe, he learned from the past and will lead us forward if we rally around him and make our very own, very human mistakes known as well.

My S.O.’s top dream team is Gore/Bill Clinton too, xyz!

All any Dem with a brain has to do when asked about investigations is look whoever right in the eye and say:

Until you can tell me where this Republican Administration and Republican Congress put the 9 Billion that they can’t account for in Iraq – oh yeah buddy, there’ll be an investigation.

zatsohard?

Why does Chuck Schumer sound so thoughtful and intelligent when he gives longer interviews and so clumsy and stupid when he’s on the big news shows? He and Pelosi both take easily anticipated questions and give, weak, garbled answers like it never occured to them that anyone would ask about investigations or impeachment.

Don’t remember who linked to it the other day, but there was a site called “Steve, Don’t Eat It” … send him the head cheese!

Bill Clinton can’t be vice president, since he is consitutionally precluded from being President.

uncle toby — I wouldn’t assume that the “press has it in for Gore” so he can’t win. That is not universally true, even now. But I think that the press is going to be singing a different tune by 2008. Also, I could be wrong, but I expect the liberal/progressive blogsphere to be substantially stronger by 2008 than it is now, and it’s already starting to make a difference. The nature of “the press” is changing quickly, right here, and it seems to be very much in our direction, helped by the Jane Hamshers of the Left, Christy, Glen G and many others. All the investigations between now and then are also going to establish that our guys were “right” and should be listened to, and the other guys lied, repeatedly.

Mary 63 — absolutely. Was it only $9 billions? That was just one year!

Geoffrey Swenson,

Happily, you are incorrect on that point (FYI – IAAL). This CNN article explains why:

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/L…..ton.08.01/

Here’s the quote:

The Constitution permits Clinton to be elected vice-president, and if necessary to ascend for a third time to the presidency as careful attention to the language of the 12th and 22nd Amendments shows.

The 12th Amendment would allow a Clinton vice-presidency. Its language only bars from the vice-presidency those persons who are “ineligible to the office” of President. Clinton is not ineligible to the office of president, however. He is only disqualified (by the 22nd Amendment) from being elected to that office.

“This is no mere semantic distinction. Article II of the Constitution carefully defines exactly who is “eligible to the Office of President”: anyone who is a natural born citizen, at least 35 years old, and has been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years.”

Bonkers, Larry, et al.:

You’re not the only ones a bit taken aback by this sudden rush to Gore.

Maybe it’s partly because I’ve only read about his recent speeches and the movie, not seen them, but most of my surprise comes from taking him at his word when he says it suits him better to serve differently now.

Another piece of it for me — and yes, this does argue against taking him at his word — is the great hole blown in my respect for him by his Elian Gonzales-pandering in 2000. Maybe we hardcore Janet Reno partisans here in Florida took that one especially hard and remember it especially long, but boy did it stink up the joint around here. And past usually being prologue, I remain about 80% as uncomfortable with him as I am with HRC.

Without knowing enough about Vilsack, Warner and some of the other comers to have an opinion of them yet, at this point I yearn for the likes of Edwards and Feingold (in no particular order).

But 30 months IS a political eternity — especially with BushCo in charge — and we’ve all still got a lot to learn about the Class of ‘08, no? Looks like an embarrassment of riches for now.

Larry – in 2000, there was nothing for anyone to really boom about. For Rove it was playground. The shit has hit the fan, we are bleeding, the world is bleeding, and the Bush Administration remains as much a threat as ever. Compared to 2000, we are on another planet. Against today’s backdrop, Gore looks very different, in a good way.

Haditha is about anger, frustration and the wearing down of the military in Iraq. It’s not just the equipment, it’s the decay of discipline and the lack of a definable and winnable mission. It is the stress of not knowing who your enemy is and so seeing everyone as an enemy. It is the failure of a strategy and an absence of a plan by Bush, Rumsfeld, Pace, Abizaid, and whoever the current commander is on the ground in Iraq.

It is also about a slippery slope this country has been on for a while. Abu Ghraib was bad because there were photos but before and after it there was no ongoing and thoroughgoing retraining of troops, especially in how to deal with civilians. Indeed there have been sporadic stories of arbitrary detainment and mistreatment of Iraqis by American soldiers even in the docile American media for some time. Such abuse in the absence of command oversight creates a permissive atmosphere and it really isn’t that far from intimidation, to brutalization, to killing.

Our army and the soldiers in it are being torn apart by the insanity of Bush’s stay the course nonpolicy. No matter what they say this is not an isolated incident and it was completely and absolutely predictable. Put people in impossible circumstances, leave them there to hang without guidance long enough, and this is what you get.

Bush thinks Memorial Day is about flags and wreathes. It’s about people, what you ask of them and what they do, both the good and the bad.

Just saw a tv add against “net neutrality,” arguing that it is “sticking it to consumers.” The big bucks are at it again.

Hugh72 – absolutely.

It is the failure of a strategy and an absence of a plan

And that is what Congress will not, under Warner, be investigating when it investigates Haditha.

In all of the possible candidate matchups for Dems, it seems logical that the conventions would be highly unlikely to take two serving Senators. If control of the Senate is up for grabs in 2008, as it probably would be, it would make sense to pick both candidates from anywhere but the Senate. e.g., Gore/Edwards is fine, but Clinton/Obama (or any other Dem Senator) would be foolish. A Dem President needs a Dem Senate to get its appointments confirmed.

O/T kinda

Mary
are you still here ? Thanks for your thoughtful and as always inciteful response on the Cheney/Addington thread. We agree 110% on Addington’s M.O. and Capabilities.

I accept as plausible your response to the why-now-all-this-Addington-exposure question – but here’s another (and if I somehow missed it in my two readings of your response, please forgive me)

Why did Cheney and Addington back off and give their ascent to Hastert’s hissy fit ? To belabor the obvious, these two have enjoyed a five year run of uninterrupted Executive Power consolidation, and I can not recall two more arrogant beasts in the WH at the same time, so why now, why this ?

With all due respect, this nastiness about head cheese, tripe, and I suppose liver, brains, sweetbreads, etc. sounds awfully parochial, and awfully (or is that offally) American “I won’t eat it if it doesn’t come wrapped in plastic.”

Guys, please. The ancient Greeks actually preferred the “inner” to the “outer” meats (according to Homer, anyway) and they weren’t exactly culinary novices.

Disgust is cultural. I actually know people who’ve never tasted fish, and won’t eat anything green, even iceberg lettuce. For the sake of us folks who like a nice chunk of head cheese or scrapple once in a while, do try to keep an open mind, I beg you. :-)

Totally disagree that no punches were pulled. The thing that separates the Haditha tragedy from Abu Ghraib or other atrocities is not that civilians were killed. It’s that civilian children were killed.

Not once did Murtha mention the murder of children, nor ever did Stephonopoulos. While I was glad to see attention being given, I am outraged that the one element to the story that might destroy public support for the war, the cold-blooded killing of children, even tiny ones, was deliberately soft-pedaled.

Muzzy (#32):

Thanks for the link (didn’t realize he was around long enough to vote for FISA in ‘76). Yes, I’ve always liked his words on paper (sounds like the delivery is better nowadaze at least), but always felt like he was talking down to me, like I’m some sort of moron (Hey! I heard that!).

As a senator, do you think he would have stood up to the Patriot Act? The Iraq War? Scalito? I’m not so sure. He would have given some impassioned speech about it, but after some polling and strategy sessions with Lieberman, probably would not have rocked the boat in most cases. We have options this time…

http://feingold.senate.gov/~fe…..60523.html

I have lived in Wisconsin when Findgold has won elections, and he totally mops up, even in much of the rural and religious areas (and they’re not Jewish, believe me!). If this can happen in the Dairyland, can it not happen in the Bible Belt?

fahrender (#38): I haven’t picked someone to get behind yet. Russ has been a breath of very fresh air, and if he runs, I want to feel confident that he can do it. Gore has dissappointed me many times. By talking about it, especially with some of the helpful and insightful comments here, I’m re-examining some of my positions. That’s why I like primaries. Whoever gets the nomination will have my complete support.

Rob Zuber: Had similar thoughts about Dean and his silence on some issues. Man, I hope you’re wrong about the “internal polling.” Ughh…Stop the Strategery! Be real and honest. How hard is that to understand with these people?!?

cbl

inciteful? or insightful?

It finally occurred to me that the pic was a good visual pun for “Press the Meat”.

thanks neuro – of course insightful (but that’s what happens when the subject is Chaddington)

fyi – courtesy C& L

Paul Hackett called me and said that he is now representing Capt. James S. Kimber, commanding officer of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment who is one of the three officers that was relieved of duty. He said that he believes Kimber was relieved because one of his marines spoke out to the British news media and criticized the Iraqi security forces competence level that made it onto film. He also believes that Rumsfeld is applying pressure from the top down so that there will be no further disapproving rhetoric permitted in public about the newly trained Iraqi military.

Hackett will be guest hosting the Ed Schultz show on Monday and I’m sure he will be talking about this issue.

I’m sure glad that my elected officials are dealing with the importnat issues of the day. Such as…

1) Flag burning, it’s an epedemic.

2) Making sure that English is the “national” language.

THROW.THE.BUMS.OUT

Had enough?

I am curious after watching Jarhead and an Officer and a Gentleman (over the past couple of days) and so many other war movies that show us that our war fighters are humiliated into submission in boot camps and taught to hate the “enemy” in order to fight and respect almost without question the chain of command… imagine the difference if we invested in training and developing peace troops.

I wonder where that could take us.

If we trained people to go out into the world and learn about other cultures and to speak other languages and to make peace and understanding part of the international dialogue, would we spend less in blood and all the many other riches we have? Perhaps these peacemakers could come back home whole and share their knowledge and go to school or get a pension– I am not just talking about able bodied men and women; I think of our elders, our middle aged and our youth all spreading like a wave across the globe, engaging.

cbl – I have not a clue on the Hastert situation. One thing I have harped on is that it makes no sense to me that you have the kind of argument at the heart of the non-security prongs of Exec Privilege – how the Exec branch is going to handle important policy decisions re: Congress and three of the top lawyers in the Admin – Addington for OVP, Gonzales as AG and exWHC, and McNulty as Deputy AG – guys who presumably know a little about Ex.Priv – and in this anti-leak atmosphere, suddenly and promptly the whole story of Gonzales about to quit, Cheney and Addington willing to support Hastert , hits the paper.

HUH?

No way does that story not have an ok from Bush to hit the presses. All of which leaves me wondering what is going on.

Someone else (?can’t remember who/when?) posited something as possible as anything else about Cheney and Addington just not being all that hot on any corruption investigations. Could be. ??

I can’t really think of anything that works, though. I do wonder if any investigations might have hit a point were lower level DOJ or FBI are becoming cagey and distrustful of tier one and maybe this is to reassure them that there investigations will be protected and golly heck yeah Gonzales will go to bat for them? They didn’t have to bring in Addington and Cheney for that though. Maybe they specifically wanted some people in DOJ/FBI to see a public face to Gonzales standing up to Cheney and Addington? If so, that takes me back, again, to Plame and what is going on there. I can see Rove getting just this convoluted – to choreograph a tiff between Gonzales and Addington where Gonzales digs in with McNulty and Mueller to take them on and do what’s right as some kind of precursor to something that is going to happen between Cheney’s office and Gonzales – to make it look like they have been on the outs and so are not too “colluding-y” but that gets to stretching even my creative side.

Clueless, but without the fashion sense.

Coz- I thought this was a classic from Jane, in one of her comments:

If English becomes the national language, will Bush have to start using it?

bonkers (#79):

I’m with you 100% on Feingold. He’s definitely my first choice. However, I’m not convinced that what works in Dairyland will work in the South and I’m originally from Tennessee. The conservatism of Wisconsin and Iowa (where I also lived) is quite different from that of Alabama and Georgia. That said, I’m still behind Feingold. He has the kind of conviction and intellect that could not only win but as well make us glad in ‘12 that he won.

Angie (#84):

We have it. It’s called the Peace Corps.

cbl – what is the story on the 3 officers relieved of duty?

angie @ 84 – the nonviolent peace force is trying to do just that – there is a pilot program up and running in sri lanka now:

http://nvpf.org/np/english/mis…..t.asp.html

Thanks Mary !
’tis a puzzlement and I see you are scratching your head the same way I am

well it’s defiitely somethin’ – and if we get to find out (and I believe we will) it will be something even more outrageous than any of our guesses -outrageous in that it’ll be more heinous shit none of us were aware of

and hey kids – courtesy TPM Muck – Newsweek is reporting both DeLay and Duncan Hunter are being investigated for their ties to Brent Wilkes BWAAHAAA !!!

De-lurking for first time — long time reader of FDL, but haven’t felt need to comment until now.

cbl/# 82 – your comment about the K/3/1 Co Cmdr is first I’ve heard that aspect of this unfolding story. Is that why the 3/1 Bn C.O. was also relieved? I’ve been under the impression that these officers in 3/1 (Bn C.O. and two Co Cmdrs) were relieved because of the horrific killings of civilians in Haditha in Nov, ‘05.

I’m a retired Marine, still living and working on Okinawa for the Marines, and I’m sick at heart over this unfolding story about the murder of Iraqi civilians in Haditha. I am hoping that the Marine Corps is going to investigate this thoroughly and release it all to the public. It’s a very sad Memorial Day for me for a lot of reasons. I’m sick at heart over this news, and seething with pent-up anger over this terrible war. I am hoping so much that the upcoming mid-terms will be the sea-change that opens the door to throwing these criminals out of office, but I am also so angry at the feckless responses from the Dems – Pelosi, Schumer, the whole lot of them.

William Timberman– ditto! We are spoiled and have forgotten our indigenous roots– most poor immigrants and slaves made do with what they could afford or farm– they would sell the fancy parts and save the rest for themselves, and found endless ways of making them ever so tasty and satisfying and special. Filet mignon is still not affordable for the vast populations of the world, and you probably should not even eat it here since we don’t inspect our beef properly for Mad Cow, thanks to our Connecticut Texan simian in chief and his buddies.

FDL Late Night is up top.

Mary -
NYT on the 3 Commanders relieved of duty

Hackett is representing one of them claiming the guy was really busted for dissing Rumsfield to the British Press -

as ugly as this could get – I pray we bring it ALL to light

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05…..BRITANNICA

I hope those ties are nice naval square knots and are being used to affix an anchor to their necks.

Ok – here’s my creative side on Gonzales/Addington. Fitzgerald has the goods for a Cheney indictment – Gonzales is going to stop it in its tracks. Maybe by nudging McNulty to take back oversight from Margolis. Neither of them want to look too cushy with Cheney for when they bail him out. OTOH, if the info comes out anyway and depending on the 2006 elections, there is that very off off chance that Congress would say – outrageous that an indictment of the VP is being sat upon, perhaps we should consider impeachment if he did this bad things. In which case, Cheney wants to be seen as a champion of Congressional rights under the sep of powers. Cheney=Addington for all intents and purposes for the if and when of Congress considering impeachment.

Not pretty, not likely, but it ties things.

EPU’d, but…

Mary 9:20 p.m.

“Cheney wants to be seen as a champion of Congressional rights under the sep of powers.”

Isn’t it a little late for that?

ties comment about Delay and Hunter – thanks cbl.

Okidave – thank you for the service. Some cyberhugs for the things that are making this a tough day all around. I can see why a Marine or ex- doesn’t see much he/she can recognize as a leader in the Dems we have out front.

Here’s hoping for all off us, for all those in Iraq and Afghanistan and Bosnia and everywhere, that there is a seachange afoot (mixing metaphors really badly).

neuro – well, yeah, for the higher minded principles of how govt functions; but for the “hey, us crooks all hang together and I can help defend your turf if you defend mine” well, maybe that is still an option?

*g*

Just marching in place, not going anywhere with it really.

Mary – thank you for the comment.

It’s raining steadily here on Oki – hoping it will let up a bit so I can work on some projects and BBQ. I’ve got four of my dogs in the house with me hanging out – wife’s gone so I can let the dogs come in and keep me company.

I really wish there was a Dem out there who would really pound on these lying bastards and just never let up. I just don’t see one on the national stage. I suppose Murtha comes the closest to being that Dem politician. It’s frustrating, as I feel that Bush and his criminal cohorts are just ripe for being fatally exposed and terminally pounded to where they cannot ever regain the initiative. I just don’t see the national-level politician who can stand up and take the heat while just laying the wood to these bastards.

fahrender (#87):

In your opinion and with your Tenn background, on what grounds would most Southern conservatives object to Spinegold? Many of the Triangulist’s were saying Russ couldn’t win in Wisco either because he’s Jewish, short, and so on. I always thought Russ overcame any of those potential problems by just being a straight-shooter, and not in a contrived, wishy-washy “straight-shooter” facade like McCain. There are alot of Joe-NASCARs that see through that shit, and appreciate honesty, at least in my opinion. Do you think that same thing can happen with Southern conservatives?

OkiDave (#92): Many thanks for your continued service. I never served in the military, and deeply regret that. I wish some sort of military or public service was mandatory. The apathy in my generation (Gen X) is quite disgusting. I just can’t imagine the outrage military personnel must feel when their intense honor and patriotism are taken advantage of by corporate thugs. Just like Eisenhower warned…

http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu…..ndust.html

I just hope there will be a day when we hear a “Republican” talk like that again. All the best to you….

Name recognition at the start won’t mean that much this time, and to some degree, will be a disadvantage. Gore is a fine person, but is not a natural politician. And two names to remember: Donna Brazile and Joe Lieberman.

Of the current names bandied about, Feingold definitely is a possibility. I like Edwards, but I think he shot his wad too early running for VP with only one Senate term under his belt (which is compounded by his youthful look).

I think we need a fresh face with lots of plain old charisma who is not such a reflexive triangulator. From what I read, Schweitzer of Montana may fill the bill.

Whoever it is, they need to run a kickass campaign. Run ads that show the percentage of income that ordinary folks pay in income AND payroll taxes, and compare the relative tax burden to the rich. In 128 pt arial font or some such. Talk about the tax rates on wages vs. investments. “We value work, and will reward it with tax fairness.” Run ads that hit the social issues with a focus on keeping the gummint out of our bedrooms and churches. Run ads that use cheesy special effect to turn Rove and Cheney into devils. Parade their incompetent cronies and promise to make appointments based on ability and qualifications. Show Hastert holding the vote open so he can go around and twist arms. Use punchy slogans. Stay on message. Run an ad where a typical suburban couple meets with a lawyer to go over the inheritance from their “uncle.” Show the horror on their faces as they learn of the debt they will have to pay. Have the lawyer say, “Don’t worry, what you can’t pay will pass down to your children and grandchildren.” Show the skyline of Ketchikan (pop. 8,000) while flashing the $200M plus price tag for the bridge to Gravina Island (pop 50).

Hit them with the fucking chair!

Hi OkiDave and come back often and thank you for your service. We need you.

Oh, and of course, Delay. Make sure that shit eating grin mugshot of his shows up in the campaign against every pig who traded money with him. And of course, his buddy Jack Abramhoff. Over and fucking over again. And make sure there are dice and poker chips floating around on the screen every time his face is shown.

If I stare at it long enough I know I will spontaneously vomit.

Don’t forget the hookers!

As we used to say back home (eastern North Carolina): “Everything but the squeal.”

Thanks, bonkers, for your comment, and thanks for the link.

It’s interesting to watch the decreasing level of enthusiasm for Dubya among the Marines I work with out here. They aren’t nearly as vocal in their confidence that their CinC is the steady hand at the tiller. We’re taking some budget cuts out of this year’s operating funds, and everyone is being pushed to do more with less personnel and $$.

I’ve got a couple of bets with some of the officers out here in the senior HQs. My standing bet with several of them is that Bush doesn’t finish out his term in office. When i made that take-all-offers bet with several of them 6 months ago, they were snickering about my outrageous prediction. Now some of them are privately telling me that they really are getting tired of Dubya’s repeated demonstrations of incompetence. But what is frustrating to me is that with the exception of only a couple of Os, most will still state that they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Kerry. That is frustrating to me, but I won’t let up on pointing out the criminal incompetence of Dubya and the rest of these bastards every chance I get.

If masses of Americans don’t want a change of party by 2008—if they don’t want real leadership—screw’em. If the media wants to play the “Dems nasty, Repugs nice” game, screw them too. Lead a horse to water, can’t make him drink.

Roger, thanks for the rundown. Like Heather Havrelisky’s reviews of game shows, reading your reviews is infinitely preferable to having to watching the things myself.

OkiDave,

Very interesting insights. Slowly but surely as far as changing people’s opinions. Sounds like there’s been some decent progress already around there. We’ll do our best to keep you from going bonkers. Just hope they don’t start blocking “liberal” content for you, as they’ve done at other bases. FDL has a presence on Okinawa…Hot Damn…the Internet is so cool!

Has anybody else seen this article or related articles?

Isn’t this like some politico creating a slush fund? “Sorry, no audits, national security, you know”

and “By the way, Porter, take a hike. We’ll slip this one past MSM while everybody’s reading tea leaves on your dismissal.”

Too much tin in the tin foil?

Business Week Online

MAY 23, 2006

NEWS
By Dawn Kopecki

Intelligence Czar Can Waive SEC Rules
Now, the White House’s top spymaster can cite national security to exempt businesses from reporting requirements
President George W. Bush has bestowed on his intelligence czar, John Negroponte, broad authority, in the name of national
security, to excuse publicly traded companies from their usual accounting and securities-disclosure obligations. Notice
of the development came in a brief entry in the Federal Register, dated May 5, 2006, that was opaque to the untrained eye.

Unbeknownst to almost all of Washington and the financial world, Bush and every other President since Jimmy Carter have
had the authority to exempt companies working on certain top-secret defense projects from portions of the 1934 Securities
Exchange Act. Administration officials told BusinessWeek that they believe this is the first time a President has ever
delegated the authority to someone outside the Oval Office. It couldn’t be immediately determined whether any company has
received a waiver under this provision.

The timing of Bush’s move is intriguing. On the same day the President signed the memo, Porter Goss resigned as director
of the Central Intelligence Agency amid criticism of ineffectiveness and poor morale at the agency. Only six days later,
on May 11, USA Today reported that the National Security Agency had obtained millions of calling records of ordinary
citizens provided by three major U.S. phone companies. Negroponte oversees both the CIA and NSA in his role as the
administration’s top intelligence official.

FEW ANSWERS. White House spokeswoman Dana M. Perino said the timing of the May 5 Presidential memo had no significance.
“There was nothing specific that prompted this memo,” Perino said.

In addition to refusing to explain why Bush decided to delegate this authority to Negroponte, the White House declined to
say whether Bush or any other President has ever exercised the authority and allowed a company to avoid standard
securities disclosure and accounting requirements. The White House wouldn’t comment on whether Negroponte has granted
such a waiver, and BusinessWeek so far hasn’t identified any companies affected by the provision. Negroponte’s office did
not respond to requests for comment.

Securities-law experts said they were unfamiliar with the May 5 memo and the underlying Presidential authority at issue.
John C. Coffee, a securities-law professor at Columbia University, speculated that defense contractors might want to use
such an exemption to mask secret assignments for the Pentagon or CIA. “What you might hide is investments: You’ve spent
umpteen million dollars that comes out of your working capital to build a plant in Iraq,” which the government wants to
keep secret. “That’s the kind of scenario that would be plausible,” Coffee said.

AUTHORITY GRANTED. William McLucas, the Securities & Exchange Commission’s former enforcement chief, suggested that the
ability to conceal financial information in the name of national security could lead some companies “to play fast and
loose with their numbers.” McLucas, a partner at the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr in Washington, added:
“It could be that you have a bunch of books and records out there that no one knows about.”

The memo Bush signed on May 5, which was published seven days later in the Federal Register, had the unrevealing title
“Assignment of Function Relating to Granting of Authority for Issuance of Certain Directives: Memorandum for the Director
of National Intelligence.” In the document, Bush addressed Negroponte, saying: “I hereby assign to you the function of
the President under section 13(b)(3)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.”

A trip to the statute books showed that the amended version of the 1934 act states that “with respect to matters
concerning the national security of the United States,” the President or the head of an Executive Branch agency may
exempt companies from certain critical legal obligations. These obligations include keeping accurate “books, records, and
accounts” and maintaining “a system of internal accounting controls sufficient” to ensure the propriety of financial
transactions and the preparation of financial statements in compliance with “generally accepted accounting principles.”

If my access to FDL starts getting blocked at home, then the situation has really gone to hell. I have given out FDL as a ‘alternative’ site to a couple of my discussion partners, but none of the O’s will admit to really pulling FDL up and checking it out.

There’s one retired Marine out there who has been very vocal in his criticism of Bush and especially Rumsfeld – Anthony Zinni. He was the 4-star CENTCOM Cmdr from 1996-2000, and Bush appointed him as a ambassador rank special envoy to try and move the Palestinian/Israeli problem along back in 2002. Zinni made the very critical comment to the effect of ‘what are these guys thinking – what planet are they from’ back during the runup to war in late 2002. Then Zinni resigned his envoy position prior to the start of the war.

From everything I’ve heard, Zinni is on Bush’s persona-non-grata list. I’ve met him, and he is universally regarded by all Marines who have known him as a superb leader who has the vision and insight at the strategic level for making good choices at that level. He’s a life-long Republican, but he’s an honest man who loves his country, and I would love to see someone like Tony Zinni throw his hat in the ring for ‘08. I don’t think it will happen, but I do hunger for a tough, straight-up tested leader who has the guts and balls to challenge this current state of insanity that we’re living through.

Mitch McConnell, “(R-TN)” is actually the Senator from Kentucky. Let’s not add to TN’s misery (e.g.,Frist). All the aforementioned voted for Hayden. Correct me if I’m wrong, please.

Is there a good Democrat to oppose Schumer, or is this DINO “set in stone?” The ultra- “un”confident McConnell claims; “it is all about constituent reaction to incumbent performance”. There ya go! That can be the basis for Dems getting his seat as well.

Here’s my take on how Nir Rosen could serve up a dose of reality to Tim Russert.

OkiDave:

I would think the rank and file members of the military services would be furious if they understood that many people in Bush’s inner circle are followers of Leo Strauss and Strauss’s view on the use of the military as pawns in a game of perpetual war.

From http://www.secularhumanism.org…..drury_24_4

“Strauss thought that the best way for ordinary human beings to raise themselves above the beasts is to be utterly devoted to their nation and willing to sacrifice their lives for it. He recommended a rabid nationalism and a militant society modelled on Sparta. He thought that this was the best hope for a nation to be secure against her external enemies as well as the internal threat of decadence, sloth, and pleasure. A policy of perpetual war against a threatening enemy is the best way to ward off political decay. And if the enemy cannot be found, then it must be invented.

For example, Saddam Hussein was an insignificant tyrant in a faraway land without the military power to threaten America. And he wasn’t allied with the Islamic fundamentalists who attacked the World Trade Center in 2001. But the neoconservatives who control the White House managed to inflate the threat to gargantuan proportions and launched the nation into a needless war. Even though they are not hardcore Straussians, neoconservatives share Strauss’s view that wealth, freedom, and prosperity make people soft, pampered, and depraved. And, like Strauss, they think of war as an antidote to moral decadence and depravity. And this should make us wonder if they purposely launched the nation into a needless war because they were convinced of the salutary effects of war as such.”

Yes, Zinni has gotten alot of press here. Always found myself yelling at the screen or radio, “Right on!” whenever he was talking. The Repubelican talking point brigades are struggling to keep their storyline together…that all these Generals speaking out = traitors. Most of these people are just too damn respected, and they can’t find any dirt on them, which is the usual tactic of course.

Don’t have time to find the link, but crooksandliars.com had a video clip of Tommy Franks saying these Generals are just trying get some press, since they have books coming out. I shit you not, Franks was saying this on national TV, with two copies of his book carefully placed behind him over each shoulder. Even Norman Schwartzkopf has been chiming in…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6708495/

Anyway, off to bed, and look forward to hearing more from you OkiDave!

Just in case you’re interested, here’s the Tommy Franks nonsense…

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/15.html

Jesus’ General is up to his usual brilliance, he gets serious in his latest post. The article on Haditha he cites is here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com…..ernational

Thanks, bonkers — What’s interesting specifically regarding Zinni and Franks is that Zinni turned over command of CENTCOM to Franks. My opinion is that Franks damn well knows Zinni’s reputation and record of service (Zinni by all accounts was a superb CENTCOM cmdr.) It’s a what-if that will never be answered, but I would bet my first-born child that Zinni would have told Rumsfeld to shove it if Zinni had been CENTCOM during the Tora-Bora debacle back in Dec, ‘01, when Rummy evidently interferred and would not allow Franks to put the 10th Mountain Div/Ranger units directly into blocking positions to ensure that OBL and his nucleus of followers could not slip away from Tora-Bora. It’s the loyalty thing to Bush & Rumsfeld that have officers like Franks spouting the nonsense that they have. Anyway, have a good night – it’s mid-afternoon here – still waiting for the rain to slack off.

Ed N Sted,

That’s an interesting point you bring up regarding Strauss. I would state that during my several years out here as an expatriate/retired jarhead, all the senior leadership that I have encountered and worked with would not explicitly align themselves to such a radical view – they are too aware of the human cost and consequences of ordering young Marines into harms way, and they would not do so from such a cold-blooded philosophy. However, I have also observed that the American principle of unquestioning military subordination to the civilian leadership leads to a blindly loyal attitude to that civilian leadership. Combine that with the 25 year trend for the officer corps to be overtly Republican in political outlook (since Reagan’s years in office), and you get the current state of affairs where only a few retired GOs will dare speak out against the wrecking of their armed forces. I can’t think of a single officer I personally know who I would attribute a neo-con PNAC mind set. Yet they remain admirably loyal to the most wretched, deceitful and incompetent civilian leadership that has disgraced our country’s history.

Got to go pick up daughters — good night to all, and I really enjoy FDL – it’s a big daily highlight in my routine. And, here’s a Memorial Day’s shout out to all my fellow American vets and presently serving armed forces members — may the days ahead get brighter and may some sanity be restored to this current dismal state of affairs.

Come on Fitz!! — Please indict somebody soon and punch another hole in these bastards!!

The Phase 2 ‘ yellowgate’ cover up doesn’t need invesigating!?
The torture gulags, massacres and rendering’s!?
The mindblowing corruption (exposed by TPM) of defence procurement rigging!?
Including parties with hookers over years!?
This is the short list – there are about a dozen other BushCo scandals that are SCREAMING to be invesigated. To not investigate the short list would be a criminal offence. People go to jail for criminal negligence everyday.
The Vichy Dems are practising horizontal collaboration with pure evil. We may place them very temporarily in charge – then we will have them charged. This is tactical voting and it only takes a day. Thing’s happen fast these days. 08 is a million light years away in netspace/time. So we don’t have to get too prescriptive – just get behind the natural leaders we got. The ladies and pach and each other. The Fitzer and his team. The Dems with balls including the Dem ladies with balls like Barb Boxer. The odd Colberts,and Sheehans and Taylors out there who take a stand and make a difference. People power is strong and we are winning this thing. Listen to Norske, GSD, Mary and our man in San Diego. We are on a winner here. We can win in November but we must have investigations and a retreat to the Murtha line.
Some minimal standards and benchmarks.

Speaking of offal, Senator McConnell and his ANTI-Labor Secretary wife are equally despicable. At least they married and avoided spoiling two houses.

What really drove me up the wall was Kate O’Beirn smearing Rep Jefferson as an “accused felon”!

After all the Republican efforts to maintain innocence of Rove, Abramoff, Cunningham, Delay, etc… until convicted, or even indicted, she used this smear multiple times (Jefferson hasn’t even been indicted yet).

And the other journalist guests, plus Timmeh, all sat by like canned ham never challenging her – the whole place is so utterly conflicted, reporters from outside the beltway should be parachuted in to gather dangerous info and then extracted to somewhere safe where they can publish honest reports.

OkiDave

I am deeply saddened by events reported to have occurred in Haditha. Serious criminal misconduct by U.S. troops, however few were involved, is a very, very bad sign — for a number of reasons and at a number of levels.

It is, first and foremost, very bad for the Iraq civilians who were murdered and their families. There is simply no UNDO button for murder. “I’m sorry” or “I deeply regret…” or “I was under stress” just doesn’t cut it. People were murdered without justification and a price must be paid.

It is bad for troops who committed the murders. While I certainly don’t condone or excuse the actions of these troops in any way, I think it’s clear that this incident will likely ruin their lives and those of their families. And while I admittedly don’t know all the facts, it would not surprise me to learn that none of these soldiers had ever been in serious trouble before.

It is bad for the military who’s reputation will be tarnished by the behavior of these few — at a time when the military is already having trouble meeting recruitment goals.

It is bad for US/Iraq relations. Such incidents can quickly destroy years of efforts to build working relationships.

And it is very bad for public support of our troops here at home. Every time there is another My Lai type incident, support for the troops understandably goes down. My Lai was a significant turning point during the Vietnam conflict with respect to public support for our military. So far there has been an excellent effort by those who oppose the war in Iraq to differentiate between those who set policy and those who are tasked with enforcing it. But the unfortunate truth is that this distinction will fade if we have more incidents like this or if the administration is seen covering up the incident.

Amazingly, I have seen a number of posts about Haditha that serious suggest that we should simply ignore this kind of behavior and demand that our press not report on such incidents. To me, the only thing more cowardly than condoning such behavior would be attempting to cover it up. As mom use to tell me “If you’re so ashamed of what you’ve done that you feel you have to hide it, maybe you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

Citizen (#11):

I’m guessing people like yourself,
and the many others in Blogland who are Gore cheerleaders probably feel
safer with him because of familiarity? He’s been there before?

This is too long, but I’m excited and I’m going to post it hoping you feel inclined to do as much as you can. YES, I am a cheerleader! Gore – 2008. It’s Gore/Obama or Gore/Fingold for me. Obama is a little weak in my opinion, but Russ may be a little too strong for the average American. Let’s see what happens. Right now we MUST win back the House and Senate, which we CAN DO!

This is a guy who, in two of the biggest decisions in his life, failed miserably (Tipper and Lieberman). I am honestly asking for opinions as to why I should get excited about him.

He and Tipper have had a good life together. They look happy. Please keep her out of your bad decision column. She may NOT be your type, but he seems to love her and I won’t try to defend that… it’s their business. Right?

About Lieberman: YEP… bad, bad decision. He thought it was a smart decision so he could win Florida. Joe was supposed to get out the Jewish vote! It worked, but it didn’t WORK.

Today someone on Kos posted about a streaming Gore event today sponsored by The Guardian, UK. He was in England doing his global warming presentation. He was a little rough looking, but he is my candidate. Why? He touched my life. Until today I didn’t understand the crisis. I still don’t understand it from a scientific perspective, but I’m going to follow his direction. The host went through a bunch of *stuff* with him… yada yada yada, but toward the end the host asked him what he wants us to do. His response was:

1) Go to the movie with an open mind
2) Buy the book. Read it. Buy it for your friends and family.
a) Study the book
b) Learn it so you can talk about it using your own words
c) Make sure you can communicate it persuasively
3) Go to the website at http://www.climatecrisis.net I just clicked on the address I gave you to make sure the link is good. Just linking to the front page gave me chill bumps – know what I mean?
4) Make the changes in “… your life. Do what you can to become CARBON NEUTRAL. Click on “What You Can Do” and add one or two of them a week! http://www.climatecrisis.net/t…..tyoucando/ I am ABOVE the average so I’ll start tomorrow and make some small changes. Anyone want to buy me a new car?
5) Become an activist. consumer, voter and citizen by becoming politically active.
6) Change the world by changing YOUR WORLD.

Understand that we’ll get a HUGE backlash from Exxon/Mobil and the other oil companies, but especially from them. He said they’ve already started the TV ads to trash us. He said in a very sarcastic and evil sounding voice. The voices of corporate oil execs AND their investors are whispering to Americans: “They call it pollution – we call it life”

The bastards! They are willing to destroy the world for cash. It’s true, and it’s not something Al Gore taught me.

More – I know you’ll like this.
* We borrow money from China
* We pay Saudi Arabia for oil with the Chinese loan
* We destroy the planet with the money we borrowed from China to buy the oil from Saudi Arabia

Got it? Here’s another one:

Bush – “We’re addicted to oil.” Afterthought – “We need to BREAK the addiction to oil.”

Gore – He directed the message to politicians but included all of us, “Politicians need to BREAK the addiction to the money they make from the oil.”

Got it? This is my opinion:
* This is not about Gore, political candidate
* This is about Gore, American leader who’s been studying this issue for 30 years.
* He feels the calling, he’s willing to lead. For example, he told the story of his work to negotiate real café (gas) standards with the automobile industry as VP. He got them to agree to increase gas standards in a big way. They give them monetary incentives to do it. What happened? Upon arrival of the Bushies, the auto manufactures pocketed the money and washed their hands of their promise to America!

Boo, hiss… and then there is Kyoto, which he signed off on too! It’s difficult for me to stop denying that financial gain and the love of the ALMIGHTLY DOLLAR has that much power to make people do evil. As we know now, it has more than the power to make people do evil. Our Congressmen and women have sold themselves out to those lobbyists and oil and automobile executives! I’ve had enough, what about you?

One more thing: I connected deeply with Gore’s leadership spirit even though he wasn’t at the funeral of Coretta Scott King. The emotions from the funeral sent a reminder to me about the power of leadership. I knew after the MLK Day speech and the funeral that Gore would be my guy. Did you see the funeral? Did you feel the power of real Dems and people working together? They prepared this country for the 21st century, but fate jumped in on 911. We can unite again and save the country from this crisis. Notice the Bushie (both 41 and 43) faces and body language? Did you notice the same face and the same body language when Colbert was speaking to the press a few weeks ago? It’s the face and body language of a beaten man who lives in a bubble like his daddy. Let’s send daddy off to be with god (when he’s ready of course) and let’s send junior back to the ranch SOON so he can ride his bike and cut his brush. He’ll be happy there with Laura and the dogs… no more bad polls and war problems. He can go home and we’ll take care of it for him. Huh?

Remember Gore’s call to action speech on MLK Day – 2006? Remember his passion and that emotion you felt while listening to him and watching him in full passion mode? If you need encouragement please listen to his speech again and watch the King funeral video. I have a copy of the Gore speech, so let me know if you want to listen to the whole thing!

Here’s a short version from Crooks and Liars: http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..html#a6728

Al Gore wasn’t at the funeral, but if you saw it, you were likely reminded of the kind of country America can be and IS when a leader steps up and protects the US Constitution. You will likely recall the power that America can manifest when we have a leader who brings our people together for the common good of ALL people from all races, socio-economic status and belief systems. Be reminded of what America looks like and then please get to work on 2006!

Coretta Scott King Remembered:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/07.html

This is even better. Look at YOUR guy, GW Bush, President, United States of America:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11173305/

In closing, let’s not worry about why/why not we should elect Al Gore. Let’s consider Al as our climate control guru, and let’s follow his direction. Let’s send Bush home and let’s allow Cheney to retire for health reasons. Let’s steal our country back and work on Homeland Security, let’s at least sit down and listen to Iran, let’s bring our troops home and let’s take care of their mental health needs and their families, let’s take bold action and make good decisions about New Orleans, and let’s put farmers and technologists back to work by following Brazil’s example by saving America from the oil companies. Let’s do this… it will be fun.

I promise this is the end! We have ten years before it’s too late to save the planet. We have a shrinking window of opportunity. Let’s do it together. Let’s try it for the sake of the children, animals and this beautiful planet. Let’s not talk about what will happen if we don’t. The hurricane season is with us 3 days. I don’t think those of us with brains need any more disasters to remind us that we have to change! As Mr. Gore mentioned, this time there’s a voice in the background reminding us. It’s Mother Nature and she is asking us to act boldly and stop this chaos.

FYI, Durbin is a Democrat, not a Republican. You have him down as “R-IL”, not “D-IL”.

IfmassesofAmericansdon’twantachangeofpartyby2008—
iftheydon’twantrealleadership—screw’em.
Ifthemediawantstoplaythe”Demsnasty,Repugsnice”game,
screwthemtoo.Leadahorsetowater,can’tmakehimdrink.