Am I first??

Fitz & Jane!!

fitz

Oilfieldguy @ 0

Am I first??

Yep Oilfieldguy you’re first & Darn I’m second!

Juck Foe.

my contempt for Joe Lieberman will never subside.

punaise @
5

Juck Foe.

my contempt for Joe Lieberman will never subside.

mine as well. Contempt doesn’t begin to describe it.

Digby calls him “a vindictive old prick.” I think that puts it mildly.

I will hesitantly gainsay the wisdom of Digby by pointing out an “old prick” can serve a useful function.

Now, if we could get a reacharound with that…

I believe

Joe Switchpack

is the new nomenclature.

The Republicans refusing to investigate stealing and fraud about the Katrina response, and Lieberman helping them out. What a surprise.

And what a STORY! I hope we ride this one all the way.

[rubbing hands in glee]

I call him a traitorous bastard!

Hope somebody is following up on the rumor that Bush’s speech was taped and not delivered live. Remember they didn’t allow any witnesses photographers. Strange stuff goin’ on here.

Ann in AZ @ 9

I call him a traitorous bastard!

I am not a bastard. I just don’t know where my folks are at.

My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside…My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside…My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside.

It is now 100% certain that Lieberman does not care for human beings. How does this effect the minimal efforts to aid the people on the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans? If you don’t know what you did wrong how are you going get it right the next time??????

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I’ve got a little list–I’ve got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed–who never would be missed!
There’s the pestilential nuisances who write for autographs–
All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs–
All children who are up in dates, and floor you with ‘em flat–
All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like _that_–
And all third persons who on spoiling tete-a-tetes insist–
They’d none of ‘em be missed–they’d none of ‘em be missed!

CHORUS. He’s got ‘em on the list–he’s got ‘em on the list;
And they’ll none of ‘em be missed–they’ll none of
‘em be missed.

snip

And that Nisi Prius nuisance, who just now is rather rife,
The Judicial humorist–I’ve got him on the list!
All funny fellows, comic men, and clowns of private life–
They’d none of ‘em be missed–they’d none of ‘em be missed.
And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind,
Such as–What d’ye call him–Thing’em-bob, and
likewise–Never-mind,
And ‘St–’st–’st–and What’s-his-name, and also You-know-who–
The task of filling up the blanks I’d rather leave to you.
But it really doesn’t matter whom you put upon the list,
For they’d none of ‘em be missed–they’d none of ‘em be
missed!

CHORUS. You may put ‘em on the list–you may put ‘em on the list;
And they’ll none of ‘em be missed–they’ll none of
‘em be missed!

– W. S. Gilbert

Joe is at the top of that list.

I have never in my life hated so many people in government at the same time as I do now. My anger is reaching record levels and I feel stressed by it all. Could this all be a collective nightmare we’re having? We’ll all wake up and the last 7 years will never have happened except in our minds?

Ya know – this is in error:

Sen. Joe Lieberman, the only Democrat to endorse President Bush’s new plan for Iraq,

I quoted this elsewhere and it took an observant ‘user’ (screen handle – cool one) to spot it.

The most obvious…is the most inobvious.

Lieberman @ 12

Ann in AZ @ 9

I call him a traitorous bastard!

I am not a bastard. I just don’t know where my folks are at.

Well a traitorous orphan isn’t as dramatic!

Someone with more patience and better research skills than I could find great alignment between the donors of RGJoe’s $20,000,000 general election fund and corrupt Katrina contractors, I betcha.

Lieberman is a compassionate conservative.

RevDeb @ 8

I believe

Joe Switchpack

is the new nomenclature.

Fini FiniTOOBZ! @ 13

My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside…My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside…My contempt for Joe Switchpack will never subside.

so resolved: Joe Switchpack it is.

Fuck Lieberman. There was plenty of malfeasance during and after Katrina. There must be plenty of House and other Senate committees with jurisdiction.

bilzim @ 22

Fuck Lieberman. There was plenty of malfeasance during and after Katrina. There must be plenty of House and other Senate committees with jurisdiction.

I’m not so sure, Homeland Security is his committee and they have oversight of FEMA and Chertoff’s bright shiny toy. Could Government Reform do it?

TeddySanFran @ 19

Someone with more patience and better research skills than I could find great alignment between the donors of RGJoe’s $20,000,000 general election fund and corrupt Katrina contractors, I betcha.

Now wouldn’t that be intersting?

Any reporters left in CT who actually want to do their jobs? Report to the assignment desk.

Joe is NOT a democrat, he is a judas sheep WHY is he still chairing our committees?

Joe Switch-PAC

I wonder if Bush has recently replaced the US Attorney in NOLA as was done in San Diego. Do ya think they might be stacking the deck.

bg @ 26

Joe Switch-PAC

more better.

perris @ 25

Joe is NOT a democrat, he is a judas sheep WHY is he still chairing our committees?

Asked

bg @ 26

Joe Switch-PAC

Answered

Joe Switchprick? He has so many nicknames now I can’t keep track.

Hey (prevTopic) here’s my Calitics diary seeking support tomorrow in Assembly District Thirteen. For more information, and to learn how to participate in the State Delegate election process in California in your hometown, go here.

Hello, I am Teddy Partridge, and I’d like your vote Sunday for delegate in AD-13. I’m an online progressive activist, inspired by the wide-ranging success of the BlueAmerica, firedoglake, and DailyKos communities to become involved in California Democratic Party politics. Long ago, I managed congressional and USSenate campaigns in Virginia for Democrats, but this is my first foray into the California Democratic Party.

As your delegate, I will work to open the California Democratic Party to grassroots and netroots activists; to ensure our State Party provides online tools, forums, and accountability measurements; and to push our Democratic officeholders to promote our progressive values, ensuring that the Governor doesn’t highjack OUR issues — like universal health care and combatting global warming — and then dilute them to please his real constituencies.

I’m an AIDS/HIV educator and successful grant-writer for non-profits. As a disabled San Franciscan, I am motivated to engage our party in people-powered politics by combining the activism of the Web with the progressive values that make our City great.

I ask for your vote on Sunday. I am not aligned with a slate.

Mary McCurnin @ 27

I wonder if Bush has recently replaced the US Attorney in NOLA as was done in San Diego. Do ya think they might be stacking the deck.

Dianne Feinstein is concerned about this.

Excerpt:

“It has come to our attention that the Bush Administration is pushing out U.S. Attorneys from across the country under the cloak of secrecy and then appointing indefinite replacements without Senate confirmation. We know that this is not an isolated occurrence, but we don’t know how many U.S. Attorneys have been asked to resign – it could be two, it could be ten, it could be more. No one knows,” Senator Feinstein said.

“And, we have no idea why this is happening. The Attorney General could have legitimate reasons for asking for specific resignations, or this could be motivated by political concerns or worse, derailing on-going investigations. Again, we just don’t know.

Quato-joe

RevDeb @ 28

bg @ 26

Joe Switch-PAC

more better.

oh, yeah. that’s good.

TeddySanFran @ 32

Mary McCurnin @ 27

I wonder if Bush has recently replaced the US Attorney in NOLA as was done in San Diego. Do ya think they might be stacking the deck.

Dianne Feinstein is concerned about this.

Excerpt:

“It has come to our attention that the Bush Administration is pushing out U.S. Attorneys from across the country under the cloak of secrecy and then appointing indefinite replacements without Senate confirmation. We know that this is not an isolated occurrence, but we don’t know how many U.S. Attorneys have been asked to resign – it could be two, it could be ten, it could be more. No one knows,” Senator Feinstein said.

“And, we have no idea why this is happening. The Attorney General could have legitimate reasons for asking for specific resignations, or this could be motivated by political concerns or worse, derailing on-going investigations. Again, we just don’t know.

So is Senator Mark Pryor, much to my surprise.

This ‘bipartisan’ working group or whatever Bush/Joe have cooking is really a group of spies and traitors. It lets Joey2Face play the role of Cheney in Senate affairs. For one. He’ll be advancing Bush interests at every turn and subverting moves to challenge the Admin (THAT’S PARTISAN! We need BIPARTISAN solutions.”) …at our peril, if you will.

I’m stickig w/Joey2Face. It embodies scorn, it has a catchy ring of a comic book DickTracy/Batman bad guy, the aura of ‘horse-head-in-bed’ offer ya can’t refuse and is symbolic of his chameleon/changeling nature.

perris @ 25

Joe is NOT a democrat, he is a judas sheep WHY is he still chairing our committees?

Because the number of Senate republiscams if 49, the number of Senate Democrats is 50, with one ill and hospitalized. And then there’s Joe.

perris @ 25

Joe is NOT a democrat, he is a judas sheep WHY is he still chairing our committees?

Good question. Do we need to talk to Harry Reid?

My contempt for Joe Leiberman is as vast as his ego.

my contempt for Joe Switch-PAC is boundless.

TeddySanFran @
32

Mary McCurnin @ 27

I wonder if Bush has recently replaced the US Attorney in NOLA as was done in San Diego. Do ya think they might be stacking the deck.

Dianne Feinstein is concerned about this.

Excerpt:

“It has come to our attention that the Bush Administration is pushing out U.S. Attorneys from across the country under the cloak of secrecy and then appointing indefinite replacements without Senate confirmation. We know that this is not an isolated occurrence, but we don’t know how many U.S. Attorneys have been asked to resign – it could be two, it could be ten, it could be more. No one knows,” Senator Feinstein said.

“And, we have no idea why this is happening. The Attorney General could have legitimate reasons for asking for specific resignations, or this could be motivated by political concerns or worse, derailing on-going investigations. Again, we just don’t know.

They need to find out.

egregious @
11

Hope somebody is following up on the rumor that Bush’s speech was taped and not delivered live. Remember they didn’t allow any witnesses photographers. Strange stuff goin’ on here.

I was in a motorhome… same DirecTV feeds as at home, but the first few paragraphs sounded like he was talking from inside a tin can.

egregious @
11

Hope somebody is following up on the rumor that Bush’s speech was taped and not delivered live. Remember they didn’t allow any witnesses photographers. Strange stuff goin’ on here.

Jeez, if it was taped why didn’t they do a few re-takes? It was so awful it had to be live, I can’t imagine they would let that go to air if they had a choice. Unless, of course, they did do re-takes and that was the best one…

Teddy,

Please recommend an e-mail address for those who want to help MSNBC correct their mistake in labeling Lieberman as ” the only Democrat.”

egregious @
11

Hope somebody is following up on the rumor that Bush’s speech was taped and not delivered live. Remember they didn’t allow any witnesses photographers. Strange stuff goin’ on here.

Through the day we were told he was working for at least two hours practicing his speech… I’d wondered, two hours for a twenty minute speech???

I just hope that all the nice folks over at the DSCC, the DLC and Clinton and Schumer and all the other supporters of Joe, or the non-supporters of Ned are happy now.

We all know that if the party establishment had gotten behind Ned and came to CT to make the point that Joe was no longer a Democrat then perhaps a majority of the 35% of Dems who voted for him would have voted Lamont and Ned would be in the Senate and that lying piece of trash would be a lobbyist for big Pharma.

When the Dems gain seats in the Senate in ‘08 and Lieberliar is no longer pivotal to keeping a majority I hope they strip him of his chairmanship for malfeasance over this. Let the whiny bastard eat crow or switch parties and join the minority. Either way, he will become the most irrelevant man in Washington.

Mary Landrieu will have a fair bit of explaining to do to folks down home about Joe- Party-of-One not following up on promises he made. Chertoff must be relieved, Halliburton too.

mui @ 38

perris @ 25

Joe is NOT a democrat, he is a judas sheep WHY is he still chairing our committees?

Good question. Do we need to talk to Harry Reid?

Harry Reid cannot change the numbers. Is he gonna cut off his nose to spite his face? Are you?

TeddySanFran @ 31

Hey (prevTopic) here’s my Calitics diary seeking support tomorrow in Assembly District Thirteen. For more information, and to learn how to participate in the State Delegate election process in California in your hometown, go here.

Hello, I am Teddy Partridge, and I’d like your vote Sunday for delegate in AD-13. I’m an online progressive activist, inspired by the wide-ranging success of the BlueAmerica, firedoglake, and DailyKos communities to become involved in California Democratic Party politics. Long ago, I managed congressional and USSenate campaigns in Virginia for Democrats, but this is my first foray into the California Democratic Party.

As your delegate, I will work to open the California Democratic Party to grassroots and netroots activists; to ensure our State Party provides online tools, forums, and accountability measurements; and to push our Democratic officeholders to promote our progressive values, ensuring that the Governor doesn’t highjack OUR issues — like universal health care and combatting global warming — and then dilute them to please his real constituencies.

I’m an AIDS/HIV educator and successful grant-writer for non-profits. As a disabled San Franciscan, I am motivated to engage our party in people-powered politics by combining the activism of the Web with the progressive values that make our City great.

I ask for your vote on Sunday. I am not aligned with a slate.

YEAAAAAA!!!! Teddy

We just finished voting in AD 5, and everyone I voted for WON. WOOHOO!

I haven’t heard from Nefarious Leslie in the 8th or Donna Marie in the 3rd yet, but I have my fingers crossed for them too.

P.s. fingers crossed for Mommybrain too – if she’s running again

For those who don’t mind self-abuse I post this link to Holy Joe on Broadwater. via CTBob
For those who want to see something more cheerful and a breath of fredh air, I post this link.

Joe Lieberman, I douchebagious.

-GSD

I did call Sleazy Joe’s senate office and said he should just end the pretenses and switch parties.

-GSD

Punaise and I have agreed to share our mutual, boundless, and utter contempt for Holy Joe.

Vindictive old prick — I’ll add it to the collection of Lieberman curses I asked for yesterday.

Do you think Bush is try to flip Lieberman (and thus the Senate) by calling him out in the speech with another “Kiss” (albeit a rhetorical one)? Or is Bush just toying with Lieberman by naming him to a non-existent committee and getting a blowing-up-frogs kinda thrill by watching Lieberman prostitute himself? Or is Bush just trying to get under our skin?

Joe Lieberman is…

70 nomads. Who gives a shit?

Should been 100.

What was it about those who are willing to kill innocents to advance their political agenda?

-GSD

GSD @ 52

I did call Sleazy Joe’s senate office and said he should just end the pretenses and switch parties.

-GSD

Satisying, perhaps, but counterproductive. Let’s wait two years until we have a larger majority and kick him to the curb then.

Digby calls him “a vindictive old prick.” I think that puts it mildly.

I defer to Henry Rollins.

(H/T to driftglass for linking this video a couple days ago.)

well, just went and kicked Barbara Boxer in the shins again about her good friend, Joe…

apparently, I am still really mad at her…

I’d rather get it over with. I’d rather lose than be blackmailed.

-GSD

Joe-Party-of-One is an unstable isotope for either party. If he switched I don’t think the Repubs would trust him very far. He is doomed to be an unhappy man. It is too bad he causes the problems he does for everyone else as there is important work to be done ripping the guts out of GWB and Friends.

AZ Matt @ 47

Mary Landrieu will have a fair bit of explaining to do to folks down home about Joe- Party-of-One not following up on promises he made. Chertoff must be relieved, Halliburton too.

I wrote to her (again) and said she should be ashamed of herself for supporting Ho Joe. She has really screwed NOLA.

I agree with “why are they still calling him a Dem?” He’s not even the leading man in his own party. He’s a man without a party.

Joe Bad the Nomad

uncle toby @
54

Vindictive old prick — I’ll add it to the collection of Lieberman curses I asked for yesterday.

Do you think Bush is try to flip Lieberman (and thus the Senate) by calling him out in the speech with another “Kiss” (albeit a rhetorical one)? Or is Bush just toying with Lieberman by naming him to a non-existent committee and getting a blowing-up-frogs kinda thrill by watching Lieberman prostitute himself? Or is Bush just trying to get under our skin?

All of the above.

GSD @ 56

70 nomads. Who gives a shit?

Should been 100.

What was it about those who are willing to kill innocents to advance their political agenda?

Even Joe Klein is scared now

john in sacramento @
49

YEAAAAAA!!!! Teddy

We just finished voting in AD 5, and everyone I voted for WON. WOOHOO!

congrats!

If Lieberman wants to caucus with Democrats, fine. But he is not a Democrat or an Independent Democrat and the media should not make that mistake. Joe should not have a choice in this description because the CT Dems have spoken in their primary.

At least we can still have investigations in the House.

GSD @ 52

I did call Sleazy Joe’s senate office and said he should just end the pretenses and switch parties.

-GSD

Ah, a numbers change! Well, try this on for size. The number of republiscams is 50, the number of Democrats is 50, with only 49 voting with one hospitalized. Even when or if the one recovers, the number of voting Dems is 50, and guess who gets to break the tie. You got it, Big Dick!

Liberman (I-Banality)

uncle toby @ 54

Vindictive old prick — I’ll add it to the collection of Lieberman curses I asked for yesterday.

Do you think Bush is try to flip Lieberman (and thus the Senate) by calling him out in the speech with another “Kiss” (albeit a rhetorical one)? Or is Bush just toying with Lieberman by naming him to a non-existent committee and getting a blowing-up-frogs kinda thrill by watching Lieberman prostitute himself? Or is Bush just trying to get under our skin?

The correct answer to that question is “All of the Above.”

By George, there’s been a coup.

Could it be better to insist that Ho Joe switch over and bite the majority bullet now? Why should the Dems let him manipulate the senate? He is such an ass(0).

From the dictionary:

Bi-par-ti-san-ship (noun)

Of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties, specifically the Republicans and the Lieberman for Lieberman party.

AZ Matt @ 61

Joe-Party-of-One is an unstable isotope for either party. If he switched I don’t think the Repubs would trust him very far. He is doomed to be an unhappy man. It is too bad he causes the problems he does for everyone else as there is important work to be done ripping the guts out of GWB and Friends.

Joe is like that girl you “stole” away from another guy. But the problem you don’t see on the front side, is that because of her leaving another man to be with you, you can never trust her. And the relationship is doomed. That’s Joe.

Teddy at 31 has identifying personal information.

How. Very. Sad.

Almost as sad as Alberto Gonzalez firing the U.S. Attorney investigating Duke Cunningham because her investigation was leading into criminal activities carried out by the CIA.

We truly are a Nation governed by thugs and criminals

IMPORTANT post over at BlueMassGroup. We must pay attention to this.

Moyers on the Media

Lieberman (I-Self)

and,

An Open Question to Senator Hagel:

How can a man of conscience remain a Republican in these times?

Let’s hope Hagel’s brother and Jim Webb can provide more perspective to the Senator on that question. And Senator Kerry…his “Last man” question of the Vietnam era resonates in both the Katrina and Middle East debacles.

For the love of God, for the love of America, Senator, please listen.

Digby calls him “a vindictive old prick.” I think that puts it mildly.

“Vindictive” means he screws over those who oppose him; but Joe screws over those who support him, too. His other Homeland Security brainstorm is to support the spreading of first-responder/preparedness money equally across the country, which is a great big fuck-you to Bloomberg, who was *also* a big help to him in ‘06.

Joe’s like a hooker that gets in the biggest car that pulls up every 1/2 hour. No offense to hookers.

Mary McCurnin @ 73

Could it be better to insist that Ho Joe switch over and bite the majority bullet now? Why should the Dems let him manipulate the senate? He is such an ass(0).

If he won’t lead the Homeland Security Committee then Reid should replace him.

ccmask @ 81

Joe’s like a hooker that gets in the biggest car that pulls up every 1/2 hour. No offense to hookers.

None taken.

Eureka Springs, AR @ 67

If Lieberman wants to caucus with Democrats, fine. But he is not a Democrat or an Independent Democrat and the media should not make that mistake. Joe should not have a choice in this description because the CT Dems have spoken in their primary.

But he’s sort of got everybody over a barrel–the repugs, if they want to claim ‘bipartisanship’, and the dems, because if he ever switches parties, all the committee chairmanships go by the wayside. Unless I’m missing something?

Eli you funny.

I know this waaaaay OT, but I just got in town and missed all the morning threads. Having just run for state assembly here in WI, I second everything NYBri had to say. If anyone else is interested in insight about running, I’m willing to talk too, although my experiences were quite different than his. My contact info can be found on my official site, which is linked to off the webpage link here. Hope that’s not to circuitous.

spurious @ 84

Eureka Springs, AR @ 67

If Lieberman wants to caucus with Democrats, fine. But he is not a Democrat or an Independent Democrat and the media should not make that mistake. Joe should not have a choice in this description because the CT Dems have spoken in their primary.

But he’s sort of got everybody over a barrel–the repugs, if they want to claim ‘bipartisanship’, and the dems, because if he ever switches parties, all the committee chairmanships go by the wayside. Unless I’m missing something?

The thing is, unless Joe *really* thinks he’s going to be president or veep, he could doom himself to irrelevance in 2009 if the Democrats increase their Senate majority. Which they have an excellent chance of doing (21 Republicans up for re-elect, vs. only 12 Dems).

Damn you, Al Gore. Why did you pick Lieberman to be your running mate? He brought nothing to the ticket, and it made him a big name in the party. Without your boneheaded decision, Lieberman would be just another random northeastern senator that nobody paid much attention to. What were you thinking, Al?

Here’s an important New York Times story I found by way of Raw Story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01…..nted=print

January 14, 2007
Military Expands Domestic Surveillance
By ERIC LICHTBLAU and MARK MAZZETTI

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 — The Pentagon has been using a little-known power to obtain banking and credit records of hundreds of Americans and others suspected of terrorism or espionage inside the United States, part of an aggressive expansion by the military into domestic intelligence gathering.

The C.I.A. has also been issuing what are known as national security letters to gain access to financial records from American companies, though it has done so only rarely, intelligence officials say.

Banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions receiving the letters usually have turned over documents voluntarily, allowing investigators to examine the financial assets and transactions of American military personnel and civilians, officials say.

The F.B.I., the lead agency on domestic counterterrorism and espionage, has issued thousands of national security letters since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, provoking criticism and court challenges from civil liberties advocates who see them as unjustified intrusions into Americans’ private lives.

But it was not previously known, even to some senior counterterrorism officials, that the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency have been using their own “noncompulsory” versions of the letters. Congress has rejected several attempts by the two agencies since 2001 for authority to issue mandatory letters, in part because of concerns about the dangers of expanding their role in domestic spying.

The military and the C.I.A. have long been restricted in their domestic intelligence operations, and both are barred from conducting traditional domestic law enforcement work. The C.I.A.’s role within the United States has been largely limited to recruiting people to spy on foreign countries.

Carl Kropf, a spokesman for the director of national intelligence, said intelligence agencies like the C.I.A. used the letters on only a “limited basis.”

(snip)

Wait a second — is this carved in stone? Can’t Reid yank Liebertraitor’s ass off the Homeland Security Committee if he fails to hold hearings? He’s an Independent, remember? Isn’t he there by the grace of the Dems? And can’t they kick him to the curb regardless of who the hell he “caucuses” with and what does that mean, anyway, if he protects the opposing party? I’d really like to know if the rules prohibit dumping him.

Eureka Springs, AR @ 82

Mary McCurnin @ 73

Could it be better to insist that Ho Joe switch over and bite the majority bullet now? Why should the Dems let him manipulate the senate? He is such an ass(0).

If he won’t lead the Homeland Security Committee then Reid should replace him.

HoJoe is probably most useful as an R-tool if he stays on committees and basically does sabotage.

dalloway @ 89

Wait a second — is this carved in stone? Can’t Reid yank Liebertraitor’s ass off the Homeland Security Committee if he fails to hold hearings? He’s an Independent, remember? Isn’t he there by the grace of the Dems? And can’t they kick him to the curb regardless of who the hell he “caucuses” with and what does that mean, anyway, if he protects the opposing party? I’d really like to know if the rules prohibit dumping him.

I seem to recall a lot of talk after the CT primary about how Joe couldn’t be removed from committees without some kind of procedural vote which could only take place at the start of a new congressional session or something like that. Probably bullshit, though – I suspect that if they really want to boot someone, they can find a way.

Can somebody please get Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins or Chuck Hegel or somebody to jump ship, so we don’t need Lieberman any more?

going to sue the United States for nearly two billion dollars for “unfairly accusing” Niger of selling uranium to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

“Our lawyers are about to file a lawsuit against the US calling for damages of about 1000 billion CFA francs ($2.42 billion dollars) for the harm suffered” by the country, Moustapha Kadi, president of the Collective of organisations in Niger defending the right to energy (CODDAE).

In January 2003, US President George W. Bush accused Saddam of having bought uranium from Niger to make weapons of mass destruction.

The Niger collective said in a statement that investigations by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), world media and US officials, all concluded that it was a “false accusation” against Niger.

That false information was used by Bush “to invade Iraq,” said the collective’s statement, which also called for support from Niger’s President Mamadou Tandja, who back in 2003 said the US allegations were “harming Niger’s image”.

Niger is the world’s third-largest producer of uranium with about nine percent of the global market, according to 2003 figures.

The country’s two uranium deposits have been mined for 40 years by the French group Areva, number one in civil nuclear energy.

http://www.theaustralian.news……02,00.html

egregious @ 76

Teddy at 31 has identifying personal information.

Which is quoted again at 49.

Teddy?

Mods?

Yooohooo?

[Mod Note; we saw it the first time and are confident that if he’d like it removed, he undoubtably will let us know.]

cleter @ 92

Can somebody please get Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins or Chuck Hegel or somebody to jump ship, so we don’t need Lieberman any more?

They would just wellstone somebody. Maybe they already tried.

Mary McCurnin @ 73

Could it be better to insist that Ho Joe switch over and bite the majority bullet now? Why should the Dems let him manipulate the senate? He is such an ass(0).

The question is: How could it be better to insist that Ho Joe switch over and bite the majority bullet now? As it stands, we will undoubtedly lose a few due to Who’e Joe’s manipulation, but we have a majority, which gives us the leadership position, Committee Chairmanships and subpoena power.

If that speech was taped instead of live, could Bush already be at Ranch 2.0?

spurious @ 84

Eureka Springs, AR @ 67

If Lieberman wants to caucus with Democrats, fine. But he is not a Democrat or an Independent Democrat and the media should not make that mistake. Joe should not have a choice in this description because the CT Dems have spoken in their primary.

But he’s sort of got everybody over a barrel–the repugs, if they want to claim ‘bipartisanship’, and the dems, because if he ever switches parties, all the committee chairmanships go by the wayside. Unless I’m missing something?

My point here is in relation to how the media incorrectly labels this. He may caucus with Dems but he is not a Dem. He doesn’t need to switch party, just with whom he will caucus. Not sure what would happen if he did switch caucus in the middle of a term. Would all committees change over to Republican?

egregious @
11

Hope somebody is following up on the rumor that Bush’s speech was taped and not delivered live. Remember they didn’t allow any witnesses photographers. Strange stuff goin’ on here.

My initial reaction is that his handlers are now having trouble keeping him sober on a regular weeknight at 9:00pm. The alternative is to tape the speech early in case he gets too drunk too early. He was a mess the next morning addressing the troops in a memorial/medal service and I think I saw where the troops weren’t allowed to dine with him at lunch. I’ll have to look this up.

My comments are speculation for entertainment value.

egregious @ 76

Teddy at 31 has identifying personal information.

By the way, I’ve been meaning to say, congratulation Teddy! Does this really mean you’re taking the leap? If so, Best of Luck to you!

Eureka Springs, AR @ 98

Not sure what would happen if he did switch caucus in the middle of a term. Would all committees change over to Republican?

Yes.

Reid is shrewd and mean. I have no doubt that he’s been working on all possible defectees… either they won’t bite or, for all we know, negotiations are in progress. Hopefully these negotiations include a new chair for the homeland sec committee. Please, please, please let that be the case.

egregious @ 96

cleter @ 92

Can somebody please get Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins or Chuck Hegel or somebody to jump ship, so we don’t need Lieberman any more?

They would just wellstone somebody. Maybe they already tried.

ccmask @ 98

If that speech was taped instead of live, could Bush already be at Ranch 2.0?

ya’ know, I just wonder if the reason it might be taped is they were afraid shrub would, at the last minute, refuse to read what was prepared for him… the bland background, his weird demeanor – I almost wonder if it wasn’t a “practice” tape that was put together for him to watch and he then refused to do the live speech…

something is wrong with that address…

PoliShifter @ 77

How. Very. Sad.

Almost as sad as Alberto Gonzalez firing the U.S. Attorney investigating Duke Cunningham because her investigation was leading into criminal activities carried out by the CIA.

We truly are a Nation governed by thugs and criminals

Now we’re starting to understand how Mexico feels. I tell you, it’s time to give Alberto his walking papers. This is doable!

My contempt for Joe Lieberman knows no bounds and will never fade.

ccmask @
98

If that speech was taped instead of live, could Bush already be at Ranch 2.0?

George Bush Drunk?

Just think, if a few more votes had been counted in 2000, this thread might have us all moping about how Vice President Lieberman had an insurmountable lock on the nomination for 2008.

I believe the procedure for a 50/50 split would provide for shared control. The last time this happened was early 2001. PBS described the procedure here:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/ex…..aring.html

Eli @ 102

Eureka Springs, AR @ 98

Not sure what would happen if he did switch caucus in the middle of a term. Would all committees change over to Republican?

Yes.

dalloway @ 90

Wait a second — is this carved in stone? Can’t Reid yank Liebertraitor’s ass off the Homeland Security Committee if he fails to hold hearings? He’s an Independent, remember? Isn’t he there by the grace of the Dems? And can’t they kick him to the curb regardless of who the hell he “caucuses” with and what does that mean, anyway, if he protects the opposing party? I’d really like to know if the rules prohibit dumping him.

But couldn’t he just broker a deal with the Repugs to jump ship in exchange for a Republican chairmanship, in the resulting Republican senate?

It seems that by being around Bush so much, Lieberman has picked up Bush’s one talent: extending the middle finger to as many of us as possible at every opportunity.

spurious @ 109

dalloway @ 90

Wait a second — is this carved in stone? Can’t Reid yank Liebertraitor’s ass off the Homeland Security Committee if he fails to hold hearings? He’s an Independent, remember? Isn’t he there by the grace of the Dems? And can’t they kick him to the curb regardless of who the hell he “caucuses” with and what does that mean, anyway, if he protects the opposing party? I’d really like to know if the rules prohibit dumping him.

But couldn’t he just broker a deal with the Repugs to jump ship in exchange for a Republican chairmanship, in the resulting Republican senate?

Yep. And I suspect there was a conversation between him and Reid at some point wherein Joe spelled out that a chairmanship (Homeland Security specifically?) was a condition for him caucusing with the Democrats.

707 twolf

Did any of the MSM report the speech live?

Lieberman is “owning” the Katrina fiasco (and trying desperately to do the same with Iraqi war) for Democrats. This stench cannot stand.

cleter @ 88

Damn you, Al Gore. Why did you pick Lieberman to be your running mate? He brought nothing to the ticket, and it made him a big name in the party. Without your boneheaded decision, Lieberman would be just another random northeastern senator that nobody paid much attention to. What were you thinking, Al?

He was mad at Clinton; so mad he let his anger get away from him and Joe came out all indignant about Clinton’s indiscretion. He thought it was the best way to distance himself from Clinton, not realizing that he didn’t need to, since Clinton’s polls were still high. The operative words here are: he let his anger get the best of his better judgement. Sound familiar?

Eli, Spurious, Dalloway et al, see my post in 109 above. Basically, if the ratio becomes 50/50 due to a defection, a formula for shared control and a coordinated set of committee agendas will have to be reached between Reid and Lott.. this is what happened in 2001. Of course, as soon as this happens, they’ll be a free-for-all with both parties trying to work deals for defections from the other side. It’ll be a mess, when we all have to focus on Iraq.

ccmask @ 114

Did any of the MSM report the speech live?

CSPAN had the ‘LIVE’ badge on the screen

Hey, where’s my comment?

Mary McCurnin @
27

I wonder if Bush has recently replaced the US Attorney in NOLA as was done in San Diego. Do ya think they might be stacking the deck.

He’s doing it in Arkansas too.

WASHINGTON — A former Republican political operative and top aide to President Bush was named late Friday as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

The appointment of Tim Griffin drew criticism from Arkansas senators Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, both Democrats. Pryor accused the Bush administration of circumventing the traditional nomination process on behalf of a political ally.

Morning News from Dec. 16th. As always, the Bush regime is up to no good.

Joe, and all idiots that voted him into office should go to New Orleans, and explain to the people there why they hate the Crescent City.

Joe, you have no soul, for you take politics over the well being of your fellow man. You are sick.

RevDeb @
8

I believe

Joe Switchpack

is the new nomenclature.

I can see the movie marquee, now: Switchback Mountain
heh-heh

flashback -

JAKE TAPPER (ABC): Joe Lieberman said that this was basically liberals in the party purging moderates such as him and you out of the party, and that there needs to be a voice for more moderate national security voices.

BILL CLINTON: Well, if I were Joe and I were running as an independent that’s what I’d say, too. But that’s not quite right. That is, there were almost no Democrats who agreed with his position, which was I want to attack Iraq whether or not they have weapons of mass destruction. And his position was the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld position.

cleter @ 88

Damn you, Al Gore. Why did you pick Lieberman to be your running mate? He brought nothing to the ticket, and it made him a big name in the party. Without your boneheaded decision, Lieberman would be just another random northeastern senator that nobody paid much attention to. What were you thinking, Al?

He was mad at Clinton. He let his anger at Clinton get away from him, and Lieberman came off all indignant about Clinton’s indiscretion. So he thought the best way to distance himself from Clinton was to nominate Lieberman, not realizing that he didn’t need to distance himself from Clinton because Clinton’s polls stayed pretty high. So he let his anger get the better of his judgement. Sound familiar?

twolf1 @ 118

ccmask @ 114

Did any of the MSM report the speech live?

CSPAN had the ‘LIVE’ badge on the screen

I guess I read the Fox`”live” backwards and thought nothing of it.

OT – Iraqi leader goes own way to fill top post
He picks an unknown to lead forces in Baghdad, which raises questions about his motives.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has filled the top military job in Baghdad with a virtually unknown officer chosen over the objections of U.S. and Iraqi military commanders, officials from both governments said.

Iraqi political figures said Friday that Maliki also had failed to consult the leaders of other political factions before announcing the appointment of Lt. Gen. Abud Qanbar.

Speaking of Congress, Fred Barnes, a hideous little man, claims Bush’s aides are “amused by Democratic pretensions of being charge of Washington. ‘It’s jstu hilarious,” an aide says. ‘They’ve got o legislate. We govern. We run things.” The colum is all about what the Democratic majority can’t do. What they can do? ” They can make like unpleasant for the Bush administration. They can turn oversight hearings into partisan show trials. They can bombard the administration with subpoenas. They can leak what they find to the press. They can recommend Bush appointees for criminal prosecution.”

But Bush gets his way in Iraq and he can respond with recess appointments if Dems reject his nominations for various positions.

Everyone is relying on Democrats not pulling the plug on war funding.

I wish they’d pull the plug in the bathtub and this whole admin would yell “turning points” as they circle down the drain. If I could, I’d ban the use of bipartisanship until we have huge majorities in both houses and have a dem president. Even then, I’m skeptical.

Holy Joe’s personal Doomsday clock is only a few minutes to midnight…

Most excellent news!

Katrina is Congressman Waxman’s jurisdiction.
The WH has got to be shitting their shorts.

twolf1 @ 126

OT – Iraqi leader goes own way to fill top post
He picks an unknown to lead forces in Baghdad, which raises questions about his motives.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has filled the top military job in Baghdad with a virtually unknown officer chosen over the objections of U.S. and Iraqi military commanders, officials from both governments said.

Iraqi political figures said Friday that Maliki also had failed to consult the leaders of other political factions before announcing the appointment of Lt. Gen. Abud Qanbar.

What, do they think they’re a sovereign country now?
The nerve.

Eureka Springs, AR @ 99

spurious @ 84

Eureka Springs, AR @ 67

If Lieberman wants to caucus with Democrats, fine. But he is not a Democrat or an Independent Democrat and the media should not make that mistake. Joe should not have a choice in this description because the CT Dems have spoken in their primary.

But he’s sort of got everybody over a barrel–the repugs, if they want to claim ‘bipartisanship’, and the dems, because if he ever switches parties, all the committee chairmanships go by the wayside. Unless I’m missing something?

My point here is in relation to how the media incorrectly labels this. He may caucus with Dems but he is not a Dem. He doesn’t need to switch party, just with whom he will caucus. Not sure what would happen if he did switch caucus in the middle of a term. Would all committees change over to Republican?

Does anybody remember that we briefly took the majority during the last Congress when Senator James Jeffords became an Independent but caucused with Democrats because of perceived rough treatment by the Republiscams.

ccmask @ 125

twolf1 @ 118

ccmask @ 114

Did any of the MSM report the speech live?

CSPAN had the ‘LIVE’ badge on the screen

I guess I read the Fox`”live” backwards and thought nothing of it.

Ohhhh. That is good.

Our esteemed senator’s motives are easy to figure out: You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

Ann in AZ @ 124

He was mad at Clinton. He let his anger at Clinton get away from him, and Lieberman came off all indignant about Clinton’s indiscretion. So he thought the best way to distance himself from Clinton was to nominate Lieberman, not realizing that he didn’t need to distance himself from Clinton because Clinton’s polls stayed pretty high. So he let his anger get the better of his judgement. Sound familiar?

I don’t think he was mad at Clinton, it was just a political judgment (that he needed to distance himself by choosing someone sanctimonious) that turned out to be wrong. Remember, he was getting advice from losers like Bob Shrum at the time.

TruthProbe @ 131

Our esteemed senator’s motives are easy to figure out: You scratch my back, I’ll stab yours.

Fixed your typo.

I hope somebody is working on an investigation of Holy Joe’s “petty cash”. That might lead to enough dirty laundry to shut him down.

shoo: I’m glad someone got it.

Blub @ 117

Eli, Spurious, Dalloway et al, see my post in 109 above. Basically, if the ratio becomes 50/50 due to a defection, a formula for shared control and a coordinated set of committee agendas will have to be reached between Reid and Lott.. this is what happened in 2001. Of course, as soon as this happens, they’ll be a free-for-all with both parties trying to work deals for defections from the other side. It’ll be a mess, when we all have to focus on Iraq.

Well, that depends on whether they allowed for the possibility of shifting control in the organizing resolution. Does anyone know if they did? If the Dems had tried to pass a resolution that would have left them in control even if the numbers shifted (which has happened a few times in the past), there would have been a big fight about it. Since there wasn’t, it’s a reasonable assumption that they included the power-sharing option, but I haven’t heard anything specific.

punaise @
66

john in sacramento @
49

YEAAAAAA!!!! Teddy

We just finished voting in AD 5, and everyone I voted for WON. WOOHOO!

congrats!

Had to go grab some lunch.

I only did the least I could do – which was vote – but the real people who deserve credit are those running – like Teddy and Nefarious Leslie and Donna Marie and Mommybrain and all those I don’t personally know about.

Standing Ovation for all Who’ve Done More Than Vote

Hey, has your AD voted yet punaise?

Ann in AZ, Sorry, I didn’t know. I spent a few years in the fetal position denial (’02-03-04-05).

Joe’s an asshole- but apparently he’ll be around for another six years. Main thing is to keep him voting for dem leadership until 08 when hopefully dems will win a few more seats and can let him do whatever the fuck he wants-

Only a fool disses the dem party at the very moment they are taking over leadership..Goopers may be away from power for a spell- and Ol Joe ain’t gonna be a factor too many more years- whatta putz.

ccmask @ 137

shoo: I’m glad someone got it.

Can I borrow your wit sharpener?

Military Expands Intelligence Role in U.S.

The Pentagon has been using a little-known power to obtain banking and credit records of hundreds of Americans and others suspected of terrorism or espionage inside the United States, part of an aggressive expansion by the military into domestic intelligence gathering.

The C.I.A. has also been issuing what are known as national security letters to gain access to financial records from American companies, though it has done so only rarely, intelligence officials say.

shooogarp @ 142

ccmask @ 137

shoo: I’m glad someone got it.

Can I borrow your wit sharpener?

ccmask funny

Fini FiniTOOBZ! @
23

bilzim @ 22

Fuck Lieberman. There was plenty of malfeasance during and after Katrina. There must be plenty of House and other Senate committees with jurisdiction.

I’m not so sure, Homeland Security is his committee and they have oversight of FEMA and Chertoff’s bright shiny toy. Could Government Reform do it?

The Appropriations committee has jurisdiction over EVERY single $ in the budget. The Homeland Security appropriations subcommitte list has yet to be updated:
http://appropriations.senate.g…..e=homeland
however, Robert Byrd was the senior Democrat prior to this session. (Needless to say Conrad Burns and Mike DeWine are no longer part of the committee as a whole despite what the website says and I know Jon Tester was appointed to this committee although that is not reflected on the website either).

Since Byrd will chair the overall committee, that leaves either Inouye, Leahy or Mikulski or even someone less senior to chair the subcommittee since the subcommittee chairmanships are “divvied-up” and traded among majority party members as much as they are acquired through seniority. Obviously, Inouye has first dibs.

slainte,
cl

‘Pathetic’ doesn’t hardly begin to describe this man we call President. But it’s a decent start.

AP – President Bush on Saturday challenged lawmakers skeptical of his new Iraq plan to propose their own strategy for stopping the violence in

IMHO, whatever evil Joe does, it’s better to have a Republican shill in charge of one committee than to have Republicans in charge of all the committees. It’s frustrating as hell, but it’s still better. We just need to raise as big a stink as possible over Katrina and anything else he ignores for the benefit of his Republican paymasters, so the leadership won’t let him get away with it (and even if it technically falls under his committee, there are ways to get things done in the Senate.)

Oklahoma kiddo @ 144

‘Pathetic’ doesn’t hardly begin to describe this man we call President. But it’s a decent start.

AP – President Bush on Saturday challenged lawmakers skeptical of his new Iraq plan to propose their own strategy for stopping the violence in

My response was to issue the same challenge to all those who oppose my plan to replace petroleum with sand as the world’s primary energy source.

And shrub is, like any good millenialist, trying with all his might to drag the minute hand toward true… and if it gets there, he’d probably think he’s done the world a favor.

Kelven @ 128

Holy Joe’s personal Doomsday clock is only a few minutes to midnight…

I just don’t want him falsely described in the media as an Independent Democrat and I want someone to investigate every aspect of the disasterous response to Katrina.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 146

‘Pathetic’ doesn’t hardly begin to describe this man we call President. But it’s a decent start.

AP – President Bush on Saturday challenged lawmakers skeptical of his new Iraq plan to propose their own strategy for stopping the violence in

Yeah, that crap was on CNN when I was at the blood donation center this afternoon.

“Hey, see this building that’s burning down around us? My plan is to reinforce the structure with highly flammable glue! So unless you have a plan for that’ll keep it from burning down, you’re not allowed to say mine won’t work; we have to do it. Getting out of the burning building doesn’t count as a plan.”

They must have offered Indy Joe a Free Gas Card for life. He is so used to treating the people who vote for him like **it that he never has any regrets and never keeps his word and there’s always someone willing to buy him. Always a victim never a bride.

ELECTION 2008
Christian leader rejects McCain
Dobson says he couldn’t support senator ‘under any circumstances’

http://www.wnd.com/news/articl…..E_ID=53743

Oklahoma kiddo @ 151

ELECTION 2008
Christian leader rejects McCain
Dobson says he couldn’t support senator ‘under any circumstances’

http://www.wnd.com/news/articl…..E_ID=53743

Except if he were running against a Democrat…

I’d like to know who, for the last eighteen years, has bankrolled Lieberman’s elections.

Redshift @ 151

“Hey, see this building that’s burning down around us? My plan is to reinforce the structure with highly flammable glue! So unless you have a plan for that’ll keep it from burning down, you’re not allowed to say mine won’t work; we have to do it. Getting out of the burning building doesn’t count as a plan.”

THis is perfect, mind if I borrow it?

Ann in AZ @ 130

Does anybody remember that we briefly took the majority during the last Congress when Senator James Jeffords became an Independent but caucused with Democrats because of perceived rough treatment by the Republiscams.

So all Joe would need to do would be to caucus with the Republicans to upset the whole apple cart? Jeebus.

TeddySanFran @ 19

Someone with more patience and better research skills than I could find great alignment between the donors of RGJoe’s $20,000,000 general election fund and corrupt Katrina contractors, I betcha.

It doesn’t have to be that direct, although it could be. I expect it was part of the deal he made with Rove, et al., to get Republican backing after he lost the Democratic primary.

Well… we don’t need them to vote for us.. we just need SOME of them to stay home and watch the 700 club on e-day… which is why it’s all the more important that we make sure Hillary’s campaign as dead-in-the-water. Nothing will turn out the millenialist vote faster than her smirk. They’ll absolutely detest Edwards or Gore, but they may not hate them in the emotive gut enough to bother to vote in the absence of a tolerable rethug alternative.. and that may be all we need from them.

Eli @ 154

Oklahoma kiddo @ 151

ELECTION 2008
Christian leader rejects McCain
Dobson says he couldn’t support senator ‘under any circumstances’

http://www.wnd.com/news/articl…..E_ID=53743

Except if he were running against a Democrat…

From Bush’s radio address today 01/13/07:

Members of Congress have a right to express their views, and express them forcefully. But those who refuse to give this plan a chance to work have an obligation to offer an alternative that has a better chance for success. To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..113-2.html

Of course, as Bush has shown by recklessly embarking on his latest disastrous binge in Iraq, he won’t listen to anyone. The idea that all of us are obliged either to give this newest fiasco in the making a chance or to offer an alternative is just another strawman from the master proposer of false choices. Americans want out of Iraq. What’s hard to understand about that? That’s our plan. He’s offering us the opposite. Maybe it’s too straightforward for a mind that came up with this twisted logic in his January 10 speech: that we can only leave Iraq if we stay and that if we leave we will be forced to stay. Finally, who is Bush to speak of irresponsibility after having lied us into a war and miring us there for 4 long years with (if we follow his plan) no end in sight? It would be funny if it weren’t for the human and material costs of his ongoing idiocy.

Fini FiniTOOBZ! @
16

I have never in my life hated so many people in government at the same time as I do now. My anger is reaching record levels and I feel stressed by it all. Could this all be a collective nightmare we’re having? We’ll all wake up and the last 7 years will never have happened except in our minds?

No, FF Toobz, this is happening. But it wouldn’t be happening if we weren’t prepared to understand it, and take action. Because we are genetically ready for the shi’ite to hit the fan. We just have to believe that we know what we’re doing, and the info here helps us KNOW. We don’t have to hate, though there is nothing like the feeling where as our fist goes deeper into Lieberman’s gut with strength, we rejoice in the small feeling of power watching him double over, recognizing we are right and his coughs of self-survival are but the first glimpse for him that he’s betrayed humanity.

It’s not a nightmare, it’s the pain of awakening. The birth canal is smaller than we need, but we do it anyway, since a few hundred million generations.

We return you now to your regularly scheduled political discussion, in which will will not discuss that Hillary can make a statement about Iraq after 4 hours in the Green Zone.

Someone above has mentioned Hillary. OMG.

Hill’s trip to the Zone. Tax money at work!

I still say, IMHO the best way to distract the current administration from their path of destruction is to fuck with their underlings (who’e Joe not included.) A barrage of impeachments hitting the AG, Mikey, et al. Pick them off one by one by one! Sounds like a strategy to me. By the way, who is responsible for enforcing SF312 or Executive Orders anyway? Sure would be nice to find a way to screw with Rove. It’s called, “the best line of defense is attack!” What’dya think?

Mack @ 156

Redshift @ 151

“Hey, see this building that’s burning down around us? My plan is to reinforce the structure with highly flammable glue! So unless you have a plan for that’ll keep it from burning down, you’re not allowed to say mine won’t work; we have to do it. Getting out of the burning building doesn’t count as a plan.”

THis is perfect, mind if I borrow it?

Please do!

The other analogy I’ve been tossing around lately is in response to the wingnuts who say when asked for their plan for success that we have to win because it’ll be really bad if we lose. They’re like a guy who’s jumped off a cliff and has just realized it’ll be really bad when he hits the ground. I don’t disagree that it’ll be really bad, but no matter how hard you flap your arms, it’s not going to change that.

(Then ask if they agree that maybe they should listen to the people who could see that jumping was a really bad idea, instead of continuing to listen to the ones who thought it was gonna be great.)

Hey Teddy—

If I’m reading your map right, you’re in egrDaughter’s district!

So I hotlined an email and text message to her and her spouse to vote for you and ask everybody they know to do the same.

Best of luck in your election, and let us know what happens!!!

spurious @
157

Ann in AZ @ 130

Does anybody remember that we briefly took the majority during the last Congress when Senator James Jeffords became an Independent but caucused with Democrats because of perceived rough treatment by the Republiscams.

So all Joe would need to do would be to caucus with the Republicans to upset the whole apple cart? Jeebus.

Jeffords left the GOP in 2001. The Dems controlled until Jan. 2003. In November 2002, the Dems. who lost were the ones who ran as GOP-lite candidates and “given the choice between a Republican and a Republican, voters generally pick the Republican.” October 2002 is also when Paul Wellstone was killed, which also helped cement the Democrats losing the senate. After Wellstone’s funeral, the GOP condemnend the Democrats for such a “nasty political” event and the Democrats stood up for their values by apologizing. It was one of the most pussyfied strategies of any national party in U.S. history. It worked so badly that John Kerry insisted on repeating the same strategy in 2004 while scoffing at Howard Dean for suggesting that confrontation with Republicans was a more effective manner in which to convey the party’s message — but I digress.

So . . . the GOP re-took control after the 2002 elections and held it for the next four years (i.e. the next two congresses).

cl

Would love for someone to give Clusterfuck a civics lesson.

HE’S the commander in Chief.

It’s NOT the job of congress to come up with ideas for how to prosecute the war- it’s HIS responsibility. It’s the job of congress to say “yes” or “no” to his dumbfuck ideas..

That’s the way the constitution works-

Dumber than a microbe- and about as moral.

Hillary, you ain’t a dollar short, but you sure as hell are a day late.

OT: TeddySanFran – your profile mentions that you’re a successful grant writer for non-profits. Do you have any recommended “grant writing for non-profits for dummies” reading or other information sources?

Hugh @ 160

From Bush’s radio address today 01/13/07:

Members of Congress have a right to express their views, and express them forcefully. But those who refuse to give this plan a chance to work have an obligation to offer an alternative that has a better chance for success. To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..113-2.html

Of course, as Bush has shown by recklessly embarking on his latest disastrous binge in Iraq, he won’t listen to anyone. The idea that all of us are obliged either to give this newest fiasco in the making a chance or to offer an alternative is just another strawman from the master proposer of false choices. Americans want out of Iraq. What’s hard to understand about that? That’s our plan. He’s offering us the opposite. Maybe it’s too straightforward for a mind that came up with this twisted logic in his January 10 speech: that we can only leave Iraq if we stay and that if we leave we will be forced to stay. Finally, who is Bush to speak of irresponsibility after having lied us into a war and miring us there for 4 long years with (if we follow his plan) no end in sight? It would be funny if it weren’t for the human and material costs of his ongoing idiocy.

Someone should send him a copy of Larry Johnson’s post at Dkos with big red letters saying HERE’S OUR PLAN!

There some type of rule about that?

Oklahoma kiddo @ 162

Someone above has mentioned Hillary. OMG.

By the way, shrub admin official Stimson accused more than a dozen prominent law firms from accepting terrorist financing to represent gitmo prisoners:– “Some will maintain that they’re doing it out of thegoodness of their heart — that they’re doing it pro bono. Others are receiving monies from who knows where and I’d be curious to have them explain that.” To be clear, if they took money from terrorists, that’d be a crime, so shrub is accusing these lawyers of a Federal crime. We are really really scarily far into a Terry Gilliam film here…

OT – sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.

Eerily convenient, but local college is airing on cable “The Constitution:That Delicate Balance” — and the program tonight is a seminar on War Powers, with Gerald Ford, Brent Scowcroft, Edmund Muskie, Orrin Hatch, Chris Dodd, Barbara Mikulski all participating.

Recommend highly that FirePups watch this same video (available on line free) and consider the question of covert action, the Constitutional authority of the President and Congress, and the 60-day rule.

Based on the “slip” by Condi Rice in front of Senate, it appears that Bush authorized military action against Syria and Iran. We don’t have the details of the authorization, so we don’t know when the action started. Does Bush have the authority to ask for and approve this as Executive? Is there immediacy of threat to merit an Executive Order without consult with Congress? When does the 60-day clock start/end?

Still watching this, but I haven’t seen the 90-day rule mentioned; the War Powers Act of 1973 says that the President has 90 days to ask permission from Congress, allowing enough leeway for the President to take immediate action without having to scurry to get Congress on board if there is a serious threat. (Not unlike FISA and warrants…there was plenty of wiggle room…)

We are already in the middle of a Constitutional crisis, hinging on the War Powers Act, as I see it. We all of us should be better educated on this Act.

Yeah- Lieberman could turn the senate gooper in five minutes by takin a short walk across the aisle. He’s got a lot of power- but only for 24 months- then he turns into a pumpkin.

Blub @ 172

There some type of rule about that?

Oklahoma kiddo @ 162

Someone above has mentioned Hillary. OMG.

By the way, shrub admin official Stimson accused more than a dozen prominent law firms from accepting terrorist financing to represent gitmo prisoners:– “Some will maintain that they’re doing it out of thegoodness of their heart — that they’re doing it pro bono. Others are receiving monies from who knows where and I’d be curious to have them explain that.” To be clear, if they took money from terrorists, that’d be a crime, so shrub is accusing these lawyers of a Federal crime. We are really really scarily far into a Terry Gilliam film here…

Nope. It just get’s me going. ;)

The only dems who need a plan are those running for president- but they’d be idiots to write em yet- with two years to go.

You must be young!

Fini FiniTOOBZ! @
16

I have never in my life hated so many people in government at the same time as I do now. My anger is reaching record levels and I feel stressed by it all. Could this all be a collective nightmare we’re having? We’ll all wake up and the last 7 years will never have happened except in our minds?

rwcole @ 168

It’s NOT the job of congress to come up with ideas for how to prosecute the war- it’s HIS responsibility. It’s the job of congress to say “yes” or “no” to his dumbfuck ideas..

That’s the way the constitution works-

Ideally, I think Congress sets the goals, and the President figures out how to achieve them, but it’s often as you describe, depending on the subject.

It’s wierd that I’m not shocked by anything anymore though. That bothers me.

Cujo–

Sets the goals? Well they declare war- and then usually leave the hows and whens to the pres- subject to their approval..It would be fuckin CRAZY for congress to try to PROSECUTE a war as a group of 500 with serious bonding problems. It almost HAS to be this way.

Good for you, Joe. What a sellout. You deserve to be a Republican. Don’t deny that that’s what you’ve really been all along. Glad you didn’t become Vice President. Oh, wait a minute. That would have to mean I’m glad Al Gore didn’t get elected. I take it all back. But, you are indeed a “Vindictive Old Prick,” to be sure, “Joey Sellout.”

Congress- conceived to be dysfunctional- if they’re about to kill each other- they’re doin their jobs.

Redshift—

That’s such a good analogy.

Caoimhin Laochhda @ 167

spurious @
157

Ann in AZ @ 130

Does anybody remember that we briefly took the majority during the last Congress when Senator James Jeffords became an Independent but caucused with Democrats because of perceived rough treatment by the Republiscams.

So all Joe would need to do would be to caucus with the Republicans to upset the whole apple cart? Jeebus.

Jeffords left the GOP in 2001. The Dems controlled until Jan. 2003. In November 2002, the Dems. who lost were the ones who ran as GOP-lite candidates and “given the choice between a Republican and a Republican, voters generally pick the Republican.” October 2002 is also when Paul Wellstone was killed, which also helped cement the Democrats losing the senate. After Wellstone’s funeral, the GOP condemnend the Democrats for such a “nasty political” event and the Democrats stood up for their values by apologizing. It was one of the most pussyfied strategies of any national party in U.S. history. It worked so badly that John Kerry insisted on repeating the same strategy in 2004 while scoffing at Howard Dean for suggesting that confrontation with Republicans was a more effective manner in which to convey the party’s message — but I digress.

So . . . the GOP re-took control after the 2002 elections and held it for the next four years (i.e. the next two congresses).

cl

I defer to your much better grasp of the historical context of the subject matter. Thanks. I think now they’re getting the idea.

I am thinking it’s time to place the presidency in ‘receivership’. Perhaps appoint a guardian or something.

Well, I’m going to make a Cosmo. Be back.

OT – Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced a bill Friday that says, “shrub must get permission from Congress to attack Iran.”

Perhaps gooper sponsorship will help get it passed.

We won in November with our words and money but this time it’s not as obvious.
What can America do? We no longer have the luxury of words and time.
Lieberman cant be stopped and changed. Hes out of our hands.
What can we do? We cant wait to the next election.

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

OT again (sorry Jane) — after thinking the War Powers Act over, I believe that the reason Bush deliberately blew off the ISG is that his secret Executive Order may already have been in force prior to the the election.

Orrin Hatch respondng to question about Congress’ steps in stopping president not recognizing War Powers:
– Congress cut off money;
– Congress can go to court, but Court would have to rule on conflict between Article 1, Section 8 and Article 2 of Constitution.

Judges asked in this seminar do not believe they have the power to rule on Congress v. POTUS in War Powers. [sigh]

I believe the question comes down to immediacy of threat. Did Bush’s secret EO encourge aggravating postures and actions that would entice Syria and Iran to strike, thereby creating the immediacy needed to get around the War Powers Act?

Good God, I hate these criminal bastards that they have done this to the Constitution.

rwcole @ 187

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

Unless it has two-thirds support…

rwcole @
174

Yeah- Lieberman could turn the senate gooper in five minutes by takin a short walk across the aisle. He’s got a lot of power- but only for 24 months- then he turns into a pumpkin.

Exactly why he’ll never do it. His power is all wrapped up in threatening whether the “other shoe will drop.”

His big shoes are like the big balls he thinks he has. Problem is (and he realizes this) his balls are like the shoe, once it drops, its off and on the floor for good. Instead of being “shoeless Joe” he’s then “dickless Joe” for his last four years of shuffling barefoot through the senate chamber. He will quickly lose his power and any semblance of credibility to which he still believes he’s making a colorable argument to his D.C. friends.

Also, he knows which way the wind is blowing and two years is a short time in a 6 year term and four years in the minority (as a Gooper) would be an eternity for him. Besides, he realizes that if he sticks with them who brought him (or at least appears to) he can argue in the next congress to his Dem. colleagues “see how I stuck with you guys.”

On part opportunism, multiple shakes of hypocrisy and a big dose of delusion and pour another round of Holy Joe Switchback slurpies.

slainte,
cl

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 — The Pentagon has been using a little-known power to obtain banking and credit records of hundreds of Americans and others suspected of terrorism or espionage inside the United States, part of an aggressive expansion by the military into domestic intelligence gathering.

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

Clusterfuck misguaged the resistance to his social security plan- and it brought down his presidency- now he is probably misguaging the reaction to his dumbfuck surge strategy- that could turn him from a lame duck to a dead duck as some wag suggested. If he pushes far enough- goopers will join dems in quietly cutting his nuts off- and that will be the end of him. He will spend a couple of years flappin his jaws- but he will be totally nuetered.

egregious @ 183

Redshift—

That’s such a good analogy.

Thanks. It came to me because we really need a way to “un-ask” the question instead of arguing on their turf, and put the blame for how bad things will be when (not if) we leave where it belongs.

Caoimhin Laochhda @ 167

Ann in AZ 183

I defer to your much better grasp of the historical context of the subject matter. Thanks. I think now they’re getting the idea.

Yes it helps a great deal. Thanks to both of you.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 185

I am thinking it’s time to place the presidency in ‘receivership’. Perhaps appoint a guardian or something.

I love this idea! Too bad it’s not legal!

rwcole @ 193

If he pushes far enough- goopers will join dems in quietly cutting his nuts off- and that will be the end of him. He will spend a couple of years flappin his jaws- but he will be totally nuetered.

And this would be a good thing, as Grover Norquist would be the first to tell us.

Bob Woodward, why don’t you start investigating Lieberman?

Oklahoma kiddo (193) — the DoD has violated Posse Comitatus. Libertarian, Lib-Repugs and Dems are going have to take action to check the DoD, and hard.

If ya yank Lieberman’s chairmanship- yer yankin em all- cause Joe would cross the aisle and goopers would have ALL the chairmanships. This doesn’t make any sense at all to me- does it to anyone..

Do we hate Joe enough to give goopers back the senate?

Oklahoma kiddo @ 200

Bob Woodward, why don’t you start investigating Lieberman?

…and then release the book after the point that it could have done some good.

mui — I wonder if the blogs shouldn’t create a firestorm about Lieberwhore’s rejection of investigation.

$22 billion. Hundreds of thousands of Americans affected directly.

The next catastrophe not guaranteed to get any better performance.

This is not a situation that affects only Lieberwhore’s constituents, or the residents of the Gulf Coast. It’s about ALL of us.

new thread

The Katrina debacle will be investigated in the house if Lieberman refuses to look at it- doesn’t really matter where it happens- and we’d probably get a more competent job in the house anyway.

Caoimhin Laochhda @ 192

Exactly why he’ll never do it. His power is all wrapped up in threatening whether the “other shoe will drop.”

He’s always been like that. I later found out that HoJoe willy nillyed on Clarence Thomas. I think according to the Hartford Courant, some folks in the early 90s were onto him and fed up with his shtick.

rwcole — 1) Are we whores? Would we sell out the entire country to Lieberman so he could keep his chair and not do his job? I didn’t say take him off the committee; I said yank his chairmanship.
2) What is the right thing here? Lieberman is already not voting with us if he is siding with McCain.

The other thing we need to do is put a full court press on Collins to join the Dems.

rwcole @ 202

If ya yank Lieberman’s chairmanship- yer yankin em all- cause Joe would cross the aisle and goopers would have ALL the chairmanships. This doesn’t make any sense at all to me- does it to anyone..

Do we hate Joe enough to give goopers back the senate?

You can’t be sure of that. HoJoe’s already AWOL

Rayne @201..Posse Comitatus went out with the Warner Defense Appropriations Act of 2006. I think it was section 1076 or 1078 (right after granting added hunting and fishing rights to people in the military). It allows, among other things, the president to use the military in the US. The only person to object was Leahey.

snowbird42 @ 188

We won in November with our words and money but this time it’s not as obvious.
What can America do? We no longer have the luxury of words and time.
Lieberman cant be stopped and changed. Hes out of our hands.
What can we do? We cant wait to the next election.

What you can do is write to the Congressperson of your choice, perhaps the leadership as well, send them a copy of Looseheadprop’s post about the Homeland Security Fiasco, and present them with the idea that if they’re reluctant to impeach the President for a number of reasons, how would they feel about impeachment for cause of Michael Chertoff and Alberto Gonzales for playing politics with the the federal prosecutors?

rwcole @ 202

If ya yank Lieberman’s chairmanship- yer yankin em all- cause Joe would cross the aisle and goopers would have ALL the chairmanships. This doesn’t make any sense at all to me- does it to anyone..

This is what I think too. Leave Joe alone. Ignore him. He hates that.

Do we hate Joe enough to give goopers back the senate?

Rayne @ 208

rwcole — 1) Are we whores? Would we sell out the entire country to Lieberman so he could keep his chair and not do his job? I didn’t say take him off the committee; I said yank his chairmanship.
2) What is the right thing here? Lieberman is already not voting with us if he is siding with McCain.

The other thing we need to do is put a full court press on Collins to join the Dems.

I am so with you, Rayne. I think the reason Lamont won the primary and gained so much ground in little time, and the same thing happened across the country is because we were talking on principles. No more bull sh*t

Steve — they violated it BEFORE they passed the Warner Defense Appropriations Act; the pertinent section was ass-covering after they had already used military resources to spy on private citizens. Now they do it with impunity.

I wish my voice would be heard with Bob Corker and a weenie named David Davis

rwcole @ 189

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

Unless there are enough votes to override! Attack, Attack, Attack!

mui @
194

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

I agree, but see comment above around #145 or so re: Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security. I don’t know how it has been reorganized, but they have appropriations oversight which basically means oversight over any aspect of Homeland Security that requires money (i.e. everything).

We probably need to push there. Also, as Jane corretly notes “Pride trumps all.” If Holy Joe realizes another committee is stealing all the thunder, he might try to get into the act. Once he opens the door, every Dem. on Joe’s oversight committee or primary jurisdiction (and some GOPers who are worried about their reelection) can open fire.

Holy Joe doesn’t have the only committee that can go after Homeland Security and we need to remind the members on Appropriations of that fact.

slainte,
cl

Rayne @ 204

mui — I wonder if the blogs shouldn’t create a firestorm about Lieberwhore’s rejection of investigation.

$22 billion. Hundreds of thousands of Americans affected directly.

The next catastrophe not guaranteed to get any better performance.

This is not a situation that affects only Lieberwhore’s constituents, or the residents of the Gulf Coast. It’s about ALL of us.

They should. That is a lot of cash. And I recently saw a movie/documentary on New Orleans musicians. I was so angry at our government I wanted to spit. We have got to channel our anger to make the gov do right by New Orleans.

Caoimhin Laochhda @ 217

mui @
194

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

I agree, but see comment above around #145 or so re: Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security. I don’t know how it has been reorganized, but they have appropriations oversight which basically means oversight over any aspect of Homeland Security that requires money (i.e. everything).

We probably need to push there. Also, as Jane corretly notes “Pride trumps all.” If Holy Joe realizes another committee is stealing all the thunder, he might try to get into the act. Once he opens the door, every Dem. on Joe’s oversight committee or primary jurisdiction (and some GOPers who are worried about their reelection) can open fire.

Holy Joe doesn’t have the only committee that can go after Homeland Security and we need to remind the members on Appropriations of that fact.

slainte,
cl

Word up.

I said above and will say it again. Lieberman is “owning” the disasterous handling of Katrina (and the war in Iraq if we let him) for Dems.

It’s why Rayne is correct if something is not clearly done to point to direct action by other committees who are doing Liebermans task for him.

Rayne- Joe will vote however he will vote- whether or not he retains his committee assignments. (Actually he votes with the dems more often than not I think- but that’s another issue).

If- on the other hand- you yank his chair- he would be forced to walk across the aisle- which gives us a 50-50 tie in the senate- and Cheney breaks the tie and makes the Cretin from Kentucky the majority leader…

So that’s no big deal? That means ALL of the senate investigations that were going to happen of Clusterfuck are down the tubes- that means that judiciary committee is back in gooper hands- and that means more conservative judges…without dems in control of the judiciary committee to stop em. It would be- the most valiant- and most stupid move in political history.

Rayne @ 214.Tell it to Roberts and Alito. (just frustrated snark)

twolf1 @ 143

Military Expands Intelligence Role in U.S.

The Pentagon has been using a little-known power to obtain banking and credit records of hundreds of Americans and others suspected of terrorism or espionage inside the United States, part of an aggressive expansion by the military into domestic intelligence gathering.

The C.I.A. has also been issuing what are known as national security letters to gain access to financial records from American companies, though it has done so only rarely, intelligence officials say.

Correct me if I’m wrong, and I’m sure someone will :-), but they’ve been doing domestic surveillance for several years.

ACLU Warns Against Domestic Spying Role For CIA; Urges Congress to Reject Flawed Bush Proposal (5/2/2003)

WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today strongly urged Congress to reject a Bush Administration proposal to allow the Central Intelligence Agency and the military broad authority to spy on Americans and raised concerns about how the Administration attempted to push the proposal through a closed Senate hearing.

“Such a radical change in U.S. law must be never be debated behind closed doors,” said Timothy Edgar, an ACLU Legislative Counsel. “This proposal would allow the CIA and the Pentagon to snoop through Americans’ personal records with no oversight by the courts or Congress. It is dangerous and un-American.”

The proposal was secretly tucked into an intelligence authorization bill now pending in Congress. Democrats discovered the language, which would allow the CIA and the military to use what are called “national security letters” to gather sensitive personal information about Americans, and raised strong objections to the sweeping provision during a closed Senate Intelligence Committee hearing yesterday….

______________________

The Other Domestic Spying

… Local law enforcement is still in on the action. A 2003 memorandum from the FBI sent to 17,000 local police agencies urged surveillance of a wide range of demonstrations, telling them to be alert for “possible indicators of protest activity and report any potentially illegal acts to the nearest FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.” (There are now more than 100 JTTFs around the country operated jointly by the FBI, Homeland Security, and other agencies; according to a 2004 report in USA Today, the CIA has also assigned dozens of agents to work with the FBI, mostly through the JTTFs.) …

… A 2004 GAO report noted more than 200 federal datamining efforts. A February 2006 investigation by the Christian Science Monitor entitled “U.S. Plans Massive Data Sweep” offers a glimpse of a Homeland Security Department system called ADVISE (Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight, and Semantic Enhancement), which received $50 million in funding last year. The article says ADVISE “would collect a vast array of corporate and public online information—from financial records to CNN news stories—and cross-reference it against U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement records. The system would then store it as ‘entities’—linked data about people, places, things, organizations, and events.” …

____________________

Another Day In The Empire

…All of this should be familiar, as the Pentagon’s Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA) kept a database on “a motley group of about 10 peace activists [who] showed up outside the Houston headquarters of Halliburton” in 2004, according to Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, in order to protest the corporation’s “supposed” war profiteering. “A Defense document shows that Army analysts wrote a report on the Halliburton protest and stored it in CIFA’s database. It’s not clear why the Pentagon considered the protest worthy of attention,” muses the clueless Isikoff, about as tuned in to domestic spook operations (in the case of the CIA, quite illegal under its charter) as his colleague, William Arkin, who should know better. The CIFA’s activity in regard to Haliburton is reminiscent of Proiect RESISTANCE, a domestic espionage operation coordinated under the DOD, a fact discovered with a simple Wikipedia search (obviously, writers working for Newsweek and the Washington Post cannot be bothered with online encyclopedias).

Under Operation Chaos and Project MERRIMAC, the CIA went about violating the strictures of the Bill of Rights with customary zeal. The CIA “infiltrated agents into domestic groups of all types and activities. It used its contacts with local police departments and their intelligence units to pick up its ‘police skills’ and began in earnest to pull off burglaries, illegal entries, use of explosives, criminal frame-ups, shared interrogations, and disinformation. CIA teams purchased sophisticated equipment for many starved police departments and in return got to see arrest records, suspect lists, and intelligence reports. Many large police departments, in conjunction with the CIA, carried out illegal, warrantless searches of private properties, to provide intelligence for a report requested by President Johnson,” writes Lyon. …

The greater violation isnt in the CIA domestic surveillance but the military special operations instead. They are some kick-ass bloggers though.

mui @ 194

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

Well congrats you guys. If followed, your methods just got the Chairmanship of every other Democrat in the Senate yanked. And, Mui, I think that was the same premise used when the Republiscams tried to discipline Jeffords. Good luck with that!

What’s the matter with Connecticut?

Ann in AZ @ 224

mui @ 194

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

Well congrats you guys. If followed, your methods just got the Chairmanship of every other Democrat in the Senate yanked. And, Mui, I think that was the same premise used when the Republiscams tried to discipline Jeffords. Good luck with that!

I have no idea what you are talking about. We usually beat around ideas, not beat up on others in order to come up with some good ideas. I am halfway between Rayne and Caoimhin Laochhda @ 217. Please don’t be condescending.

I don’t know Connecticut politics well- but I believe that the state has some heavy defense industries inside it’s borders- which tends to create a pro defense type of political candidate.

It was no accident that Scoop Jackson came from Washington State- home to Boeing and lots of Navy money.

rwcole @ 227

I don’t know Connecticut politics well- but I believe that the state has some heavy defense industries inside it’s borders- which tends to create a pro defense type of political candidate.

It was no accident that Scoop Jackson came from Washington State- home to Boeing and lots of Navy money.

That’s not quite right. If it were true, MA would be waay more pro defense.

mui @ 226

We usually beat around ideas, not beat up on others in order to come up with some good ideas.

I like that so much I wanted to make sure it didn’t get lost…except for the EPUfactor, of course.

rumi!

Caoimhin Laochhda @ 217

mui @
194

Rayne @ 173
sorry, already said my piece earlier today that Joe-the-’Ho ought to have his Chairmanship yanked by Reid; his failure to investigate is tantamount to coverup, gross negligence.
I think you are right. Lieberman is already AWOL. Yanking his charmanship is the right thing to do. The public needs to know that the Dems want to investigate Katrina and find NOLA important. It’s far more damaging to Dems, if they don’t show some muscle here.
In the end Lieberman doesn’t need any incentive or reason to turn gooper. He’ll do it anyway in a heartbeat, chairmanship or not. He’s just an evil pr*ck.

I agree, but see comment above around #145 or so re: Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security. I don’t know how it has been reorganized, but they have appropriations oversight which basically means oversight over any aspect of Homeland Security that requires money (i.e. everything).

We probably need to push there. Also, as Jane corretly notes “Pride trumps all.” If Holy Joe realizes another committee is stealing all the thunder, he might try to get into the act. Once he opens the door, every Dem. on Joe’s oversight committee or primary jurisdiction (and some GOPers who are worried about their reelection) can open fire.

Holy Joe doesn’t have the only committee that can go after Homeland Security and we need to remind the members on Appropriations of that fact.

slainte,
cl

Now that’s the way to go about sensible opposition!

rwcole @ 221

Rayne- Joe will vote however he will vote- whether or not he retains his committee assignments. (Actually he votes with the dems more often than not I think- but that’s another issue).

If- on the other hand- you yank his chair- he would be forced to walk across the aisle- which gives us a 50-50 tie in the senate- and Cheney breaks the tie and makes the Cretin from Kentucky the majority leader…

So that’s no big deal? That means ALL of the senate investigations that were going to happen of Clusterfuck are down the tubes- that means that judiciary committee is back in gooper hands- and that means more conservative judges…without dems in control of the judiciary committee to stop em. It would be- the most valiant- and most stupid move in political history.

RW, by God, I think you got it!

rwcole @ 188

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

I’m thinking they may have plenty enough to gt an override…

mui @ 226

I have no idea what you are talking about. We usually beat around ideas, not beat up on others in order to come up with some good ideas. I am halfway between Rayne and Caoimhin Laochhda @ 217. Please don’t be condescending.

Mui,
I do not think we are too far apart, I am suggesting in substance what you are suggesting in form (arguably vice versa). In other words, instead of taking Joe off of Homeland Security, take as much of Homeland Security as possible out from under Joe and move it to the appropriations subcommittee.

I 99% sure Holy Joe is bluffing or will cave if push comes to shove. The point is to let him think he is a BSD, and after the 2008 election, he can wonder why he keeps hearing that annoying dial tone.

slainte,
cl

Coastie–My guess is it would be CLOSE in the senate- I don’t know about the house- fewer goopers supporting I would guess.

mui @ 230

rumi!

I almost didn’t recognize my name to see this. The exclamation mark confused me.

:-D

OldCoastie @ 232

rwcole @ 188

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

I’m thinking they may have plenty enough to gt an override…

How long could Jr Pres. just sit on a bill? (pocket veto)

In other words, instead of taking Joe off of Homeland Security, take as much of Homeland Security as possible out from under Joe and move it to the appropriations subcommittee.
I sensed that and I like your idea too. As long as there is an actual investigation, I’m fine with it. If there is an obstacle, we can’t let him/her mess with justice for their own political ends.

rumi @ 236

mui @ 230

rumi!

I almost didn’t recognize my name to see this. The exclamation mark confused me.

:-D

Terrible signifiers, those darn exclamation points.

Eureka Springs, AR @
237

OldCoastie @ 232

rwcole @ 188

Trouble with the “get permission” bill is that it’s a bill- requiring Clusterfuck’s signature.

I’m thinking they may have plenty enough to gt an override…

How long could Jr Pres. just sit on a bill? (pocket veto)

If he sits on the bill, it becomes law w/o his signature. Basically all enrolled bills become law in 10 days UNLESS they are vetoed. The Pres. can sign it earlier however and almost always does except for symbolic refusal reasons.

The so-called “pocket veto” only occurs if Congress adjourns prior to the 10 day period in which the President has to veto legislation. (from the notion of keeping a bill in his pocket until congress leaves town)

slainte,
cl

OldCoastie @
59

well, just went and kicked Barbara Boxer in the shins again about her good friend, Joe…

apparently, I am still really mad at her…

This ole lifetime democrat is done with her completely as are many other former devoted constituent/volunteers whose confidence and trust in her vanished into thin air the day she arrived in CT. to endorse hopeless Joe No-momentum. Seven of us here on the central coast tried – without success – to be removed from all future mailings from Boxer’s office. We now simply mark the unopened mail Return to Sender hoping the gesture may yet spare us reminders of our misplaced trust and disappointment.

That’s ok for Joe, they were mostly goyem down in New Orleans anyway. And not of the right color, either. This is racist and he should be called on it.

No! Don’t you see? It was Joe’s Senate Seat! Joe’s! And how can he just sit idly by while people are so unfair to him? He has to put his foot down now, and hard, to make sure everybody knows that there are rules of behavior in this world, and voting against non-partisan serious candidates is just so unfair that it cannot be tolerated.

Crazy Horse @
161

will not discuss that Hillary can make a statement about Iraq after 4 hours in the Green Zone.

well Crazy, we know she will… but we are ready! as you said WE KNOW

Of course Joe’s acting this way. We hurt his feelings. Did we all think that would be without consequences.

There is an easy solution to this. We should all send him flowers. Or balloons. With some hallmark card with a little troll with big eyes saying, “I’m sawwy!”

Maybe we should all take him out to dinner, rub his shoulders, talk about how we all make mistakes, but oh gosh oh gee, we sure did blow it this time! Won’t he just give America one more chance, one last chance, to be worthy of him?

Mr. Liberman has the mental presence of a moldy tomato. Mr. Liberman
needs to reconsider the actual needs of his State and the country as a whole. He has lost any and all semblence of being honorable. He should resign and become a lobbyist.

Caoimhin Laochhda @
167

— but I digress.

cl

no digression… absolute TRUTH

I’m thinking Joe’s actions show he is in the swan song phase of his electability

I hate the motherfucker. My fantasy is to give him a good, swift kick in the crotch.

rwcole @
195

Clusterfuck misguaged the resistance to his social security plan- and it brought down his presidency- now he is probably misguaging the reaction to his dumbfuck surge strategy- that could turn him from a lame duck to a dead duck as some wag suggested. If he pushes far enough- goopers will join dems in quietly cutting his nuts off- and that will be the end of him. He will spend a couple of years flappin his jaws- but he will be totally nuetered.

RW,
please allow the familiarity, as we’ve been together here often…
may I suggest please.
The Social Security blow was domestic… hence I believe Rove related and a mere misstep.
This more recent nut cutting and Lieberman influence is foreign policy, hence Cheney influenced.
Rove’s take down is a piece of cake compared to what we need to do to defend against the Cheney shadow government.

rwcole @ 195

Clusterfuck misguaged the resistance to his social security plan- and it brought down his presidency- now he is probably misguaging the reaction to his dumbfuck surge strategy- that could turn him from a lame duck to a dead duck as some wag suggested. If he pushes far enough- goopers will join dems in quietly cutting his nuts off- and that will be the end of him. He will spend a couple of years flappin his jaws- but he will be totally nuetered.

:~}

neokneme says:
October 31st, 2006 at 12:05 am *

Message to those Angry Repulsive-can’ts:

You are all neurotic people. You talk against birth control, drone on and on about the preciousness of life, then bomb and massacre. It is too absurd. You are concerned with an unborn life while you are killing thousands and thousands of people by bombing, starvation, poverty and terrorism. Your concern about life is only to make a political issue out of it. It is just an academic discussion.

What a spectacular implosion! Tricky Dick part deux. Lame deux. Dead deux all.

And yet the Democrats made him chairman. In the larger sense I think that demonstrates Democrats have little or no intention of honoring their pledges either. Quel surprise.

Eureka Springs, AR @
220

I said above and will say it again. Lieberman is “owning” the disasterous handling of Katrina (and the war in Iraq if we let him) for Dems.

It’s why Rayne is correct if something is not clearly done to point to direct action by other committees who are doing Liebermans task for him.

Henry Waxman….COME ON DOWN!

TeddySanFran @
31

Hey (prevTopic) here’s my Calitics diary seeking support tomorrow in Assembly District Thirteen. For more information, and to learn how to participate in the State Delegate election process in California in your hometown, go here.

Hello, I am Teddy Partridge, and I’d like your vote Sunday for delegate in AD-13. I’m an online progressive activist, inspired by the wide-ranging success of the BlueAmerica, firedoglake, and DailyKos communities to become involved in California Democratic Party politics. Long ago, I managed congressional and USSenate campaigns in Virginia for Democrats, but this is my first foray into the California Democratic Party.

As your delegate, I will work to open the California Democratic Party to grassroots and netroots activists; to ensure our State Party provides online tools, forums, and accountability measurements; and to push our Democratic officeholders to promote our progressive values, ensuring that the Governor doesn’t highjack OUR issues — like universal health care and combatting global warming — and then dilute them to please his real constituencies.

I’m an AIDS/HIV educator and successful grant-writer for non-profits. As a disabled San Franciscan, I am motivated to engage our party in people-powered politics by combining the activism of the Web with the progressive values that make our City great.

I ask for your vote on Sunday. I am not aligned with a slate.

Hi Teddy,

What district are you in? My daughter lives in Noe Valley and has been an activist.

Let me know, and I will contact her if she is in your district.

Kathie

Joe doesn’t seem to be working for the US anymore, maybe that’s why Katrina is not a priority for him. His imperatives are to keep the war alive, destroy Iran and play kissy face with anyone who will help hi m achieve his imperatives. Joe wasn’t supported by the Republicans because of his personality, he has none. He didn’t make his deal with the devil in order to work for the people, his response to Katrina proves that. He might be a prick, but, he’s so much more than that. Joe has been forced to show his face, he’s not who he says he is. But then everyone here has known that for a long, long time.

There he goes, parking wherever he wants again.

Dear Seantor Leiberman,

As you know, the chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee obligates you as a constitutional responsibility to provide oversight for agencies including FEMA.

Your re-election campaign pledge to require the executive branch to submit documents relating to its handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans is paramount to meeting that responsibility.

If that is not a necessary and sufficient reason to investigate, then the fact this issue was one of your campaign issues, and you told CT voters that you would pursue it, ought to compel you to investigate as a personal committment to those who re-elected you.

Although you won your seat in reelection as an Independent, your seniority as a Democrat was preserved and it is by this mechanism that you have become chair of this committee. The rubberstamp Republican Congress of the last six years is one of the reasons our government is broken. Don;t shirk your job investigating FEMA.

Americans from fifty states have the right to expect the problems at the Federal Emergency Management Adminstration have been fixed.

How will we know until we know what the problems were?

Well, then perhaps the rest of the Homeland Security committee should stage a revolt. Who are these senators?

Maybe, just maybe Lieberman wouldn’t feel such bravado IF Harry Reid, Majority Leader, hadn’t promised him and assured him of his chairmanships. If Harry Reid had the cojones he would have removed these chairmanships from Lieberman the non-democrat. Let’s call a spade a spade.