fitz

I tell ya, I just feel them. But the Sight is not always a welcome gift. Some of the things I see are disturbing.

ROOTZ!

Wow!! We sure have a lot of Jane today. More Jane !!! ;-)

Download your Free Endless War Ribbon Here!:

http://freewayblogger.blogspot…..s-war.html

Be the First on your block!

As I posted on Howie’s blog. F–k the DCCC!! Do as Howard Dean said. Give to the candidates. Reward good behavior. Bypass the DCCC.

Jane!

Watching Hardball, it appears that Karl Rove has decided to recycle the tired, failed “cut and run” talking point on Iraq. The Republican talking head, whoever he is, used it more than once.

OT, I just read the CHS post on the Unitary Executive and I was wondering if any of the keen legal minds here would mind speculating on something I thought of:
Basically, Karl Rove was using a Republican National Comittee e-mail during his DOJ communications. So I would argue that this weakens any claims of hiding behind Executive Priveledge. See there is an Executive Order that WH empployees use the WH e-mail for official business, therefore since ROve wasn’t doing official business, he was essentially moonlighting for the RNC during his free time. What Rove does during his free time isn’t a Presidential preogative.

neurophius @ 8

Watching Hardball, it appears that Karl Rove has decided to recycle the tired, failed “cut and run” talking point on Iraq. The Republican talking head, whoever he is, used it more than once.

————————————–

That VICIOUS queen has been using that TIRED old cut and run meme since she first appeared on TeeVee months ago. Miss Vicious worked as an assitant to Rover and Scooter…so you see why it spews that tired old crap!

neurophius @
8

Watching Hardball, it appears that Karl Rove has decided to recycle the tired, failed “cut and run” talking point on Iraq. The Republican talking head, whoever he is, used it more than once.

Cut [our losses] and run.

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

I Love Jane Hamsher @ 6

As I posted on Howie’s blog. F–k the DCCC!! Do as Howard Dean said. Give to the candidates. Reward good behavior. Bypass the DCCC.

Word, word, and WORD!

Jane, I hope you are feeling well. I am heartened to see the volume of your (always superb) writing in the past few days.

Having been witness to Watergate I am finally feeling some hope that this will end the same way.
But I fear the the Bush family’s criminality and reach far surpasses Nixon and will continue to keep cronies who “know where the bodies are buried” to keep their mouths shut in fear of their own lives.

We will never know the total extent of the damage done by this cabal, but I will settle for at least a third. The outrage of the American people when they find to what extent they have been “had” will keep checks and balances in place for a long time to come hopefully.

Trust a Republican? Oh, it will be a loooong time before the majority of the country will do so again.

The biggest help will be if the MSM actually acts like the press again. In the meantime, we have our beloved blogs.

Thanks again for all you, Christy and all at FDL do for this country. You ARE true heroes.

Mauimom @ 12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

Cut [from the lies] and Run [to the truth]

tbsa @ 15

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

What? Halliburton sold off their asbestos abatement and removal companies?

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

The”pork” highlighted on the evening news was for peanut storage and some other stupid projects. Realize there’s a wide variety, but . . .

I’m still in awe of Bush’s “political theater” comment while he had those human props standing behind him.

Ed*ard Teller @ 17

tbsa @ 15

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

What? Halliburton sold off their asbestos abatement and removal companies?

The only reason I know that is because it was pointed out this morning by a democratic congressman.

tbsa@15

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

I think that might be the tunnel for the heating system for Congress.

Other projects for troops, like local VAs, etc. Only a couple of silly things, otherwise Rs would have had a field day.

Also, IIRC, this is the last spending bill they get to put kitchen sinks in before paygo.

But my problem is that, once again, Ds didn’t counter Rs talking points. For every silly pork item Rs shouted about, Ds should’ve countered with 2 good porks.

watertiger @ 19

I’m still in awe of Bush’s “political theater” comment while he had those human props standing behind him.

human props in front of the “well-read” book props.

*ahem*

OT: Apologies if this has bubbled into a comments thread before, but Mark Schmitt via Ezra Klein tells us that Hillary’s pollster, Mark Penn, is also the CEO of a PR business that has a union busting practice.

http://ezraklein.typepad.com/b…..s_mig.html

h/t to Brad DeLong

Minnesotachuck @ 23

OT: Apologies if this has bubbled into a comments thread before, but Mark Schmitt via Ezra Klein tells us that Hillary’s pollster, Mark Penn, is also the CEO of a PR business that has a union busting practice.

http://ezraklein.typepad.com/b…..s_mig.html

h/t to Brad DeLong

WANS=we are not surprised.

watertiger @ 19

I’m still in awe of Bush’s “political theater” comment while he had those human props standing behind him.

Yeah, no shame. But they think that plays to part of their support. You have to wonder.

eCAHNomics @ 24

WANS=we are not surprised.

You could tell me she had hired Dick Morris, Ari Fleischer, Dan Gerstein, and the rotting corpse of Lee Atwater, and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.

eCAHNomics @ 21

tbsa@15

Some of the so called “pork” was for asbestos removal at a factory that hundreds of people work at.

I think that might be the tunnel for the heating system for Congress.

Other projects for troops, like local VAs, etc. Only a couple of silly things, otherwise Rs would have had a field day.

Also, IIRC, this is the last spending bill they get to put kitchen sinks in before paygo.

But my problem is that, once again, Ds didn’t counter Rs talking points. For every silly pork item Rs shouted about, Ds should’ve countered with 2 good porks.

For the republic party to point out pork in a bill is, well, hypocritical to the nth degree. The republics are truly severely affected with congnitive dissonance.

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

One program that definitely should be in there is the Georgia Peach Care program which provides health care to uninsured children. It has run out of money and that’s a bit of pork that was added on.

Of course, that still wasn’t enough to make Barrow and Marshall vote for it. They hate the troops AND children.

I’m visualizing primary challengers.

I’m chanting as we speak.

the ‘good murphy’s law’

As it happens, I am a rather big fan of Woolsey. I voted several times for Ms. Woolsey when I lived in Sonoma County, Cali. Glad to say.

Franco @
10

neurophius @ 8

Watching Hardball, it appears that Karl Rove has decided to recycle the tired, failed “cut and run” talking point on Iraq. The Republican talking head, whoever he is, used it more than once.

————————————–

That VICIOUS queen has been using that TIRED old cut and run meme since she first appeared on TeeVee months ago. Miss Vicious worked as an assitant to Rover and Scooter…so you see why it spews that tired old crap!

Franco, I don’t have a TV, which vicious queen are you speaking of?

I suppose ya’ll are tired of me saying what a total scumbag asshole John Barrow is. . .

there is an astonishing amount of ‘political theatre’ yet to be staged i am hoping.

OT–Pat Tilman, 5.0, released late Friday.

re: Tillman:

http://www.nbc11.com/news/11350919/detail.html

Petulant Putz on KO

President Bush’s political theater is starting to look more like The Gong Show, and we’re at the part of the act where I keep looking over at the judges to see if any of them are getting up…

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

I was wondering the same thing myself, mauimom.

flounder @
9

OT, I just read the CHS post on the Unitary Executive and I was wondering if any of the keen legal minds here would mind speculating on something I thought of:
Basically, Karl Rove was using a Republican National Comittee e-mail during his DOJ communications. So I would argue that this weakens any claims of hiding behind Executive Priveledge. See there is an Executive Order that WH empployees use the WH e-mail for official business, therefore since ROve wasn’t doing official business, he was essentially moonlighting for the RNC during his free time. What Rove does during his free time isn’t a Presidential preogative.

Brillant catch Rove is trying to hide from subpenoas of White House E-mails by ussing the RNC emails the document dump made a mistake they never should have provided this E-mail. In the future all E-mails should be subpenoaed. Also executive priviledge should be void now the whitehouse can claim privlege for their E-mails, but not the RNC. I wonder how many other E-mails were sent through the RNC and not the whitehouse in an attempt to avoid subpenoas of whitehouse E-mails. We need these E-mails I bet all the good stuff is there!

What a crime Rumsfeld et al have perpetrated on the Tillmans and far too many others– thousands and thousands.

And yet he rests quietly and free at his home, Mount Misery.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/…..amy22.html

Well, I haven’t given to the DCCC in a while – I’ve used Blue America or gone direct. All the more reason to contribute carefully.

Mutant Poodle @ 41

Well, I haven’t given to the DCCC in a while – I’ve used Blue America or gone direct. All the more reason to contribute carefully.

All my contributions are now made through FDL and the progressive blogs. period.

Jane, thanks so much for the good news about Maxine Waters receiving a standing ovation.
IIRC, Maxine was tireless in campaigning for Ned in the hot summer when he smashed Lieberman for Lieberman in CT’s August primary.

John Casper @ 43

Jane, thanks so much for the good news about Maxine Waters receiving a standing ovation.
IIRC, Maxine was tireless in campaigning for Ned in the hot summer when he smashed Lieberman for Lieberman in CT’s August primary.

Maxine was a trooper for Ned. We saw her often on the campaign trail. She deserves all the kudos and strokes we can give her.

KO covering Pat Tillman right now but just finished it. Oh well, I’m not as fast as I once was…

There are some elected members (one in particular), of my party, the Democrats, who displease me no end. Specifically, on the matter of Iraq, and the whole of the Middle East.

dakine01 @ 45

KO covering Pat Tillman right now but just finished it. Oh well, I’m not as fast as I once was…

4 generals knew and covered it up.

Each time you think they can’t sink any lower, they prove you wrong.

Jane Hamsher @
38

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

I was wondering the same thing myself, mauimom.

I know I read that it included something for the farmers hit by the e-coli/spinach fiasco from earlier this year as well as some Katrina moneys…

Eli @ 37

President Bush’s political theater is starting to look more like The Gong Show, and we’re at the part of the act where I keep looking over at the judges to see if any of them are getting up…

Eli you crack me up.

Admittedly that’s not saying much as I’m close to the edge in general. But still.

Lay off the pork bush is a hippocrite he has signed lots of bills with nonrelated pork and now suddenly he cares about government spending? Nope he cares that Democrats are opposing his will and he’s just hitting back anyway he can. Congress has been passing laws this way since the begining.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 46

There are some elected members (one in particular), of my party, the Democrats, who displease me no end. Specifically, on the matter of Iraq, and the whole of the Middle East.

Speaking of Darwin-Award-deserving Ds, my senators are Clinton & schumer, & my rep is Carolyn Maloney–though it has yet to be termined if she is still alive.

When it comes to national politics, Manhattan doesn’t count. Yeah, yeah, there’s Rudy. If he wins I’m moving to Paris. Local buzz is pretty negative on him.

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

There’s lots of ranting out there if you do teh google and I am reluctant to link to much of it here, but here’s the Compost on it…some of it seems necessary, imho.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..15_pf.html

things come undone @ 39

Brillant catch Rove is trying to hide from subpenoas of White House E-mails by ussing the RNC emails the document dump made a mistake they never should have provided this E-mail. In the future all E-mails should be subpenoaed. …

I believe this is exactly why Waxman’s letter abou the Tobacco suit asks for ” All notes, in any form, kept by political appointees at the Department related to White House involvement in the tobacco litigation”.

No getting around that — notes whether electronic, or handwritten on the back of any printed document. Heh. Big Hank learns FAST.

Wasn’t it Thomas Jefferson who advocated a “legal revolution” every nineteen years? Perhaps I am wrong on this. When are we Democrats going to revolt and throw the DLC out?

Is the story about Pat Tillman writing Noam Chomsky requesting a meeting when he got back to the states a true account?

I’m happy that Waters, Lee, Woolsey and the other Out of Iraq Caucus were able to vote their conscience. The Dem Whip (can’t remember his name – Clyburn??) was able to convince some of them to change their vote so that those with very strong feelings such as the above-mentioned didn’t have to compromise. Mr. Whip downplayed his skill in the presser, but I think he was absolutely brilliant. Emanuel and Pelosi owe him a great deal and they recognized his efforts today at the presser. The vote today and the run up to it really put me at ease wrt the Democratic House and Speaker Pelosi. Class acts all. Some of the Out of Iraq Caucus members had to swallow a lot over the last few days, and ultimately submit to a vote that they, in their hearts, staunchly opposed. Those who switched their vote need to be applauded as well. Just think if you were one of them! The legislative process is a remarkable thing! Thank you FDL and all the authors and commenters here. I am a better person because of all of you and your insightfulness and passion. PEACE

Mabel’s Wig Shack @ 55

Is the story about Pat Tillman writing Noam Chomsky requesting a meeting when he got back to the states a true account?

yes. well, a friend had arranged a meeting with Prof Chomsky upon his return from Afghanistan. Apparently Chomsky was one of his favorite authors.

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

According to Ed Schultz on Air America, much of the pork was for Veteran care.

Mabel’s Wig Shack @ 55

Is the story about Pat Tillman writing Noam Chomsky requesting a meeting when he got back to the states a true account?

Noam Chomsky? This giant has been a major force in shaping my view on things for almost forty years. I adore this man.

angie @ 56

Mabel’s Wig Shack @ 55

Is the story about Pat Tillman writing Noam Chomsky requesting a meeting when he got back to the states a true account?

yes.

All right, my tinfoilhat just quivered. What was he going to talk to Chomsky about & could that me that the “friendly” fire wasn’t so friendly?

Bushie-speak translation:

Pork = revenues allocated for constructive purposes that doesn’t directly or obviously grease the skids, reward a corporate interest, benefit the Republican Party and its base, and so on. Also any monies to perfect our union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty are generally considered pure pork.

Thank you FDL and all the authors and commenters here. I am a better person because of all of you and your insightfulness and passion.

A lot of us have stated that over the years, but I’m not sure anyone has said it better.

Terry Olson @ 58

Mauimom @
12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

According to Ed Schultz on Air America, much of the pork was for Veteran care.

Certainly better then say a bridge.

Eli @ 37

President Bush’s political theater is starting to look more like The Gong Show, and we’re at the part of the act where I keep looking over at the judges to see if any of them are getting up…

HA HA!

RevDeb @ 42

Mutant Poodle @ 41

Well, I haven’t given to the DCCC in a while – I’ve used Blue America or gone direct. All the more reason to contribute carefully.

All my contributions are now made through FDL and the progressive blogs. period.

Me too, except for yesterday when I contributed on Edward’s site.

here and there’s lots more on this

The September 25, 2005 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper reported that Tillman held views which were critical of the Iraq war and did not support President Bush’s re-election. According to Tillman’s mother, a friend of Tillman had arranged a meeting with Noam Chomsky, to take place after his return from Afghanistan. Chomsky confirmed this [12]. The article also reported that Tillman urged a soldier in his platoon to vote for John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. [13]

Tillman’s religious beliefs are not totally clear, although by accounts, he was not religious. According to speakers at his funeral, he was very well-read, having read a number of religious texts including the Bible, Quran and Book of Mormon as well as transcendentalist authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau; his younger brother Rich stated that he “isn’t with God… He wasn’t religious.”[14] Another article quotes him as having told then-general manager of the Seattle Seahawks Bob Ferguson in December 2003 that “you know I’m not religious”.[15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman

Rayne@53 Big Hank is learning fast! Now I hope every investigation into the white house subpenoas possible RNC e-mails. If we find more evidence that the RNC e-mail system is being used to discus criminal activity in two or more seperate investigations then I think we can go after the RNC as a criminal organization or at least a criminally infiltrated one. Then we can look at all their E-mails.

The silence from Britain and America on this car smuggling business in the Persian Gulf earlier today, is disquieting. Wonder what, if anything, is being plotted.

Re. questions above on pork content -

Mentioned this in an earlier thread & still have no idea whether true or no…….. but per Obey today during Pelosi presser in response to same “ask” from reporter, it contained much of the stuff that the republics walked away from doing at the end of the year after losing. True or false, it was still a well-framed answer……..too bad that’s the only time anyone will get to hear it.

Around the radar. Our local 6 pm news on the ABC affiliate led with a story on the Justice Dept’s campaign for school kids warning about internet predators.

[sidebar–parents, are your schoolkids being fed programmed news, too? By whom? Might be worth finding out.]

Included in the segment was an interview with the local USA. Will be interesting to see how this plays out in Fargo media over the next few days. An orchestrated campaign as part of the rehabilitation of Gonzales? I’m betting the local Hannity, aka Scott Hennen, will have Gonzales as a guest before the end of next week.

Will this be happening thru the local USAs and media all around the country?

US and UK fail to find smoking gun

Although British and US military and diplomats often complain of Iranian support for insurgents in Iraq, there is no “smoking gun” to prove it, a senior British officer in Basra admitted yesterday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran…..13,00.html

OK– I can smell the smoking dung from way over and up here!

more on Tillman

As for Chomsky, whom Ann Coulter would undoubtedly label “treasonous,” Mary Tillman says a private meeting was planned between him and Pat after Pat’s return–a meeting that never took place, of course. Chomsky confirms this scenario. This was the real Pat Tillman: someone who, like the majority of this country, was doubting the rationale for war, distrusting his Commander in Chief and looking for answers. The real Pat Tillman, the one with three dimensions, must stick in the throat of the Bush-Coulter gang, a pit in the cherry atop their bloody sundae.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1007-22.htm

Man, Jane you have been on fire today. Thank you for keeping me sane. Your writings today have surpassed excellence. Take a break will you, and come back for more GOP Bear tomorrow.

I hope the party’ll be strong enough to make a lake and check it twice in ‘08… for the seven “dem” House members named above plus ONE indie senator.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 68

The silence from Britain and America on this car smuggling business in the Persian Gulf earlier today, is disquieting. Wonder what, if anything, is being plotted.

Excellent point. And Ahmedinejad cancels his visit/presentation to the UN because he can’t get visas, and sanctions discussions looming again.

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

flatford39 @ 73

Man, Jane you have been on fire today. Thank you for keeping me sane. Your writings today have surpassed excellence. Take a break will you, and come back for more GOP Bear tomorrow.

I think were getting a welcome secret benefit of Jane’s chemo. She’s just sitting there, being tyrranized into her walks, but otherwise just posting posting posting to keep herself sane and engaged. Damn, I’d never wish chemo on anyone. But I’m not complaining about Jane’s added posting.

Let’s just hope the chemo is better for her than it is for us, even.

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

Tithonia @ 77

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

Wag the Dog. That’s my fear.

Tithonia @ 77

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

you go to wag with the dog you have, not the dog you wish you had.

say, did y’all see kirk murphy’s post from the last thread? I’d hate to see it get lost…

kirk murphy @
92

Hey pups -

If anyone can help me describe this succintly, please pitch in.

This “motive-line” goes right to the center of the big winner in DOJ’s Get Out Of Jail gift to Griles – Big Oil, Big Gas, Big Mining. Cheney’s pals.

Outline

I) Energy/mining used Native American lands held in “trust” by the Department of Interior, and extracted oil/gas/coal/minerals.

II) The extractors using Indian lands were obligated to pay royalties to the individuals and/or tribes they took the goodies from.

III) The extractors and Bureau of Indian Affairs/DOI all fucked over the Indians, didn’t keep records of what they took from tribal lands, made token payments, and kept the vast majority of the royalties for the oil/gas/mining co’s.

IV) Native Americans sued DOI/extractors about the royalties, and the result is mammoth. A huge litigiation was consolidated under a Federal Judge who threatened the DOI secrectaries with prison for contempt of court – they kept “losing” the data required to figure royalties.

Even Gonzales admits the bill could be $200 billion. That’s why a real bill of a trillion – all payable by Cheney’s pals inbig Energy/Mining – is possible, once interest and penalties are assessed.

That – and the conspiracy to conceal it – is what the Griles plea deal will hide.

V) Kyle Sampson – that’s right, the Same Kyle who purged the USA’s – was White House Counsel in 2002. He, Griles, and Dale Norton tried to compel the Special Trustee for Indian Affairs to give false testimony to the Senat Indian Affairs Committee.

When the Trustee testified in person and honestly, Griles and Sampson had him fired:

In July, 2002, Special Trustee for American Indians Tom Slonaker (a Clinton appointee held over by Bush) testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (chaired then by Sen. Inouye) that the Interior Department’s handling of the Individual Indian trusts was pretty much as fucked fouled up as it had ever been, despite a federal court order that a “full accounting” take place. Slonaker had submitted his proposed testimony to his Interior superiors, namely Dep. Sec. J. Steven Griles and Gale Norton, who summarily demanded that he change most of it. Two Justice Department attorneys as well as Kyle Sampson, White House advisor to the President, also called Slonaker and demanded he change his testimony.

Slonaker did not submit his statement, but testified in person, saying that an accounting as Norton et al. were proposing would not meet the Court’s requirement. After he appeared before SIAC, Slonaker was fired. Sasha Polakow-Suransky, in TAP, asserted at the time Sampson was involved, “Slonaker claims he was forced out, and sources close to the case say Griles and White House counsel Kyle Sampson barred Slonaker from telling the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that the Interior Department was unable to live up to its trust responsibility because documents had been destroyed.”

Pete Dominici was at that SIAC hearing, as was Orin Hatch, for whom Sampson was a top aide before being placed at the White House. Sampson used twork for Parr, Waddoups, Brown, Gee & Loveless, many of whose clients are leasors of federal and Indian land, thus potentially affected by Slonaker’s testimony, i.e., if the government doesn’t have the docs for a complete accounting, then they need to get that info from the lessors.

I know it’s complicated, but I’ve argued for years that Interior and DoJ were in collusion to try and subvert the Court’s order on a full accounting, as it could cost the government and/or the resource extraction industries many billions (Gonzales testified recently that it could be upwards of $200 billion – that was just before he and Kempthorne offered a paltry $7 billion to settle all the cases.)

[wampum]

VI) The beneficiaries of Griles’ initial crimes will further benefit from plea bargains failing to compel Griles’ co-operation with future criminal invetigations.

The beneficiaries – oil, gas, and mining megacorps – work through the Office of the Vice President and Office of the President to direct the DOJ’s active participation in obstruction of justice.

The beneficiaries of Griles’ intial crimes appear to be engaged in an active conspiracy to deceive the court regarding their own complicity, and the DOJ’s plea agreement with Griles is an instument in that conspiracy.

The DOJ’s plea bargain for Griles only requires a Federal Judge’s approval to allow the DOJ to further conceal a pattern obstruction of justice and witness tampering in which Griles was an active participant along with the DOJ.

VII) Judge – please uphold the rule of law and reject this plea agreement.

Tithonia @ 77

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

Movie “Wag the Dog” which the Republics accused Clinton of taking off from when he bombed whoever it was trying to get Bin Laden during MonicaGate. Wag the dog to distract American people from all the political troubles. In this case, probably invade Iran and make the clusterf*ck complete.

emptywheel @ 78

Tithonia @ 77

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

Wag the Dog. That’s my fear.

I don’t think it’s looking to good either, but until they put a 3rd aircraft carrier over there, I’m not going to lose my mind… any less firepower and I think the military will have a fit.

punaise @ 79

Tithonia @ 77

Something is weird. And my dog is looking mighty waggy of late.

Dog looking waggy? Is that bad?

you go to wag with the dog you have, not the dog you wish you had.

You talking about the Iranian Navy thing?

Since when does the leader of a sovereign nation and his entourage have visa problems to enter our country? Come on Condi– do yer job!

Oh, right we live in Boosh’s Murka and he can’t define/describe sovereign.

“Tribal sovereignty means that; it’s sovereign. I mean, you’re a — you’ve been given sovereignty, and you’re viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities.” —Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

(I am waggy, too.)

I Love Jane Hamsher @
6

As I posted on Howie’s blog. F–k the DCCC!! Do as Howard Dean said. Give to the candidates. Reward good behavior. Bypass the DCCC.

I worked for the DCCC in Chillicothe Ohio for Zack Space who ran for Bob Ney’s seat. Although Zack Space is an honorable candidate and won the seat. The organization or I should say the two young men who were representing the DCCC were shisters.

I agree …Give the money to the candidate

Question: The neocons have blatantly said a bunch of times that they are going to deal with Iran. There is no question about that. The question is, what do WE do if the Administration attacks them?

Valerie Palme should also go after RNC emails of Scooter,Rove Cheney etc if they used the RNC e-mails to talk about outing Valerie and then never turned over those e-mails. Then she can bankrupt the RNC by making them a defendant in her lawsuit. I know that all e-mails should have been turned over to Fitz, but can anyone really believe that bush and company really have been THAT careful about what they e-mail?

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/ar…..1.php#more
Gonzales said W shut down the warrantless wiretapping investigation. Gonzales objected, but didn’t stop the shutdown. Hichey (one of the real ones), who requested the investigation, will now call for Gonzales’s resignation.

And how can a foreign leader not be issued a visa in order to address the UN?

Tithonia @ 87

And how can a foreign leader not be issued a visa in order to address the UN?

Last I heard he got the first 38 visas he requested, but was denied the second 38. But don’t take my word for it.

new thread from Jane– how does she do it?

Jane, are you still around? If so, I discovered what the problem was and it has nothing to do with FDL. A new feature of quicken got slick and started renaming all of my paypal charges to FDL. (I found the feature and turned that #$%@# feature off).

Prairie Sunshine @ 70

Around the radar. Our local 6 pm news on the ABC affiliate led with a story on the Justice Dept’s campaign for school kids warning about internet predators.

[sidebar–parents, are your schoolkids being fed programmed news, too? By whom? Might be worth finding out.]

My 13 year old son has come home from school saying, “Mom? I’m a Republican.”

Me: (cough) Why (cough) Sweetie?
Him: Mr. X at school says that the Democrats want to institute the draft. And I don’t want to go to war.

Of the ones listed above, Dan Boren and Lincoln Davis also voted:

o For the Military Commissions Act

o For the Bankruptcy bill (technically known as “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act”)

o Against Net Neutrality (technically the “Markey of Massachusetts Amendment” to the “Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006″)

Brownandserve @ 94

Of the ones listed above, Dan Boren and Lincoln Davis also voted:

o For the Military Commissions Act

o For the Bankruptcy bill (technically known as “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act”)

o Against Net Neutrality (technically the “Markey of Massachusetts Amendment” to the “Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006″)

Looks like some finr places for primary challenges.

That’s what I’m hoping for.

How do you do it Jane? I can’t keep up. Come home from work and there are three, maybe four new articles. You’re dynamite!!! A plus!

angie @ 91

new thread from Jane– how does she do it?

it’s called passion, i reckon.

I’ll just add that my Republican Congresscritter (Wayne Gilcrest) voted both in favor of today’s bill and against the military commissions act. I owe him a thank you letter.

Oklahoma kiddo @
59

Mabel’s Wig Shack @ 55

Is the story about Pat Tillman writing Noam Chomsky requesting a meeting when he got back to the states a true account?

Noam Chomsky? This giant has been a major force in shaping my view on things for almost forty years. I adore this man.

I can happily report that it was because of me that Joe Klein called Chomsky an America hater(at least when he called Chomsky that on Swampland). Klein never did, or was able, to explain why Chomsky hates America.

Miss P. @ 93

Prairie Sunshine @ 70

Around the radar. Our local 6 pm news on the ABC affiliate led with a story on the Justice Dept’s campaign for school kids warning about internet predators.

[sidebar–parents, are your schoolkids being fed programmed news, too? By whom? Might be worth finding out.]

My 13 year old son has come home from school saying, “Mom? I’m a Republican.”

Me: (cough) Why (cough) Sweetie?
Him: Mr. X at school says that the Democrats want to institute the draft. And I don’t want to go to war.

has anyone latched on to the number of young adults drafted by judicial process?h/m are serving in ira?what happens to them when they leave mil serve?h/m go into priv armies?
ie, princ(fully trained and fit as they are)

Mauimom @ 12

Jane, I know that “pork” was put in the bill to get some Dems to vote for it. [A really bad and sleazy idea, in my opinion, particularly since it provided the Chimp with an opportunity to point this out.]

Any word on who the recipients of this “largess” are?

The leaders of both houses seem to be really on top of their game. Perhaps it is not as simple as it might first appear. I live near D.C. so maybe I am starting to catch the delusional disease that is so prevalent in the area. Nevertheless, here is an off the wall scenario. The “so called pork” are indeed worthwhile items that will subsequently be put in stand alone bills later. They were inserted at this time in order to get the Republicans to complain about them, and for the most part that was their major complaint. Pelosi knows she has enough to get the bill passed but not enough for a veto. Dummy will fall for it and veto funds for the troops. The Democratic rebound is to strip the “pork” and lay it on the Republicans to now give enough support to over ride a veto. Otherwise the pResident as well as the Republicans look foolish and clearly don’t care about the troops – just control. The urinary pResident now is pissing on the troops. I repeat, I may be getting delusional, but…

Re: Waters and the others

it’s good they stopped opposing liberals voting for it but they then have to make sure their actions are marketed to the media and not allow the GOP to spin it as a narrow vote

the pork thing is a myth -necessary appropriations the Republican congress failed to deal with and a lot of Katrina relief money and other areas disaster funds

Just to set the record straight on Mike McNulty, my congressman, he voted “no” with Kucinich, Waters, Woolsey, etc., NOT with the Blue Dogs or the Bushites.

Here’s the statement he put out today:

In the spring of 1970, during my first term as Town Supervisor of Green Island, I testified against the War in Vietnam at a Congressional Field Hearing in Schenectady, New York.

Several months after that testimony, my brother, HM3 William F. McNulty, a Navy Medic, was killed in Quang Nam Province.

I have thought — many times since then — that if President Nixon had listened to the voices of reason back then, my brother Bill might still be alive.

As a Member of Congress today, I believe that the Iraq War will eventually be recorded as one of the biggest blunders in the history of warfare.

In October of 2002, I made a huge mistake in voting to give this President the authority to take military action in Iraq. I will not compound that error by voting to authorize this war’s continuation.

On the contrary, I will do all that is within my power to end this war, to bring our troops home, and to spare other families the pain that the McNulty family has endured every day since August 9th, 1970.

Sounds like Mike wants the war to end yesterday, doesn’t it?

Dev Tobin @
105

Just to set the record straight on Mike McNulty, my congressman, he voted “no” with Kucinich, Waters, Woolsey, etc., NOT with the Blue Dogs or the Bushites.

Here’s the statement he put out today:

In the spring of 1970, during my first term as Town Supervisor of Green Island, I testified against the War in Vietnam at a Congressional Field Hearing in Schenectady, New York.

Several months after that testimony, my brother, HM3 William F. McNulty, a Navy Medic, was killed in Quang Nam Province.

I have thought — many times since then — that if President Nixon had listened to the voices of reason back then, my brother Bill might still be alive.

As a Member of Congress today, I believe that the Iraq War will eventually be recorded as one of the biggest blunders in the history of warfare.

In October of 2002, I made a huge mistake in voting to give this President the authority to take military action in Iraq. I will not compound that error by voting to authorize this war’s continuation.

On the contrary, I will do all that is within my power to end this war, to bring our troops home, and to spare other families the pain that the McNulty family has endured every day since August 9th, 1970.

Sounds like Mike wants the war to end yesterday, doesn’t it?

Can’t argue with it. FWIW, here’s Wayne Gilcrest’s (R-MD) rationale for voting in favor of it.

Gilchrest Statement on his vote Friday on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill

“My vote today on the emergency supplemental appropriations bill was based on two principals.

First, we cannot jeopardize funding for our troops in the field in the middle of a combat mission. This funding was critical to the safety and security of our troops and I would find it unconscionable to vote against this funding.

Second, setting a timeline for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq provides a strategic advantage to the U.S. in the Middle East where our troops are currently caught in the crossfire of a civil war between an Iranian-backed Shiite government and the Saudi/Syrian-supported insurgency that are using the U.S. presence there to promote terror and instability in Iraq.

The bill establishes a series of benchmarks— proposed in January by President Bush — that Iraqi leaders would have to meet for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq. However, after August 2008, the bill’s provisions still allow U.S. forces to remain in Iraq if their mission is limited to protecting U.S. diplomatic facilities, U.S. citizens, or other U.S. troops; if they are engaged in targeted operations limited to killing or capturing members of al Qaeda or other global terrorist organizations; or if they are engaged in training Iraqi security forces.

In the end, this was a very difficult decision and I am far from satisfied by all the provisions in this bill. But this vote sends a message to our troops that we will never jeopardize the funding that they need in the middle of a combat zone, and it sends an important message to the region that the United States will not be a permanent occupying force in Iraq. Most importantly, it sends a message to the Malliki Government and the Iraqi people that the onus is shifting to them.

I will continue to closely follow this bill as it moves on to the Senate and back to the House for final passage.”

There are few things that upset me more than traitors within our own ranks.

Thanks for your testimony about Elizabeth Edwards and your own life and mission’s commitment to FDL. Hooray for you. May the Lord continue to give you strength and grace to continue your calling.

You know, when do we just say to hell with unity and send our own guys in to drive these Corporatist democrats and pro-war people out of our party? we might of lost with Lieberman, but we drove him out of the party and I doubt he’ll last past 2012. At the very least do we call and tell them they’re dead wrong? Can we send money to the DCCC, DSCC or DNC and demand first that our money never makes it’s way to these people? When does our party become universally the party of strong values, careful planning in defense and economic responsibility? When can we proudly declare that we support the freedom of religion for instance but we DO NOT believe that you need a god to be on the side of justice and good? I know it’s an uphill battle, but we ARE making progress and we must win. We must not bow to lobbyist for profit and we must not stop until we have every seat and the president belongs to our party. No. More. Integrity should be our number one concern!

Dev Tobin @
105

Just to set the record straight on Mike McNulty, my congressman, he voted “no” with Kucinich, Waters, Woolsey, etc., NOT with the Blue Dogs or the Bushites.
…
Sounds like Mike wants the war to end yesterday, doesn’t it?

Thank you, Dev, I was suspecting the same thing, since McNulty co-sponsored a “leave Iran alone!!” bill like, over a year ago maybe?

His/our district has already had enough returning coffins. I have written several letters over the past few years to our junior senator (who’s now running for pres) asking why she couldn’t see things as clearly as one not-so-famous rep…

I am very proud of him and of Pelosi too!

Democrat’s continue to behavior rather oddly when it comes to Iraq. We can almost see the strings being pulled in the background. Yesterday, even “liberals” signed on to the Iraq funding bill–no one really knows what it accomplishes– while the approach from Murtha, a very conservative representative that by all accounts channels the thinking of the military could not get enough support from Democrats.
I don’t think it quite fair or accurate to claim in this post: “John Barrow and Jim Marshall, as well as other Blue Dogs who watered down the bill and insisted on taking language regarding Iran” out.
While it was always clear that supporting conservative Republicans that run as Democrats would cause the Party to behave erratically, can’t we agree that is not what happened here.
From the run up to the war, the war itself and now with civil war raging, our Democratic leaders have behaved erratically. What’s up?
Just when you think we might get some honesty, they all scurry to the AIPAC convention and sure enough, almost magically we get a watered-down, meaningless bill while conservative Murtha becomes a far-out liberal. It is surreal to watch.
Every Democratic presidential contender should be asked about the role of this lobby as it relates to a balanced foreign policy in this critical region. How much money do they accept from what is essentially a foreign lobby?
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html
From the article: “The bottom line is that AIPAC, a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on Congress…
“In 1997, Fortune magazine asked members of Congress and their staffs to list the most powerful lobbies in Washington. AIPAC was ranked second behind the American Association of Retired People, but ahead of the AFL-CIO and the National Rifle Association.”
Rather than the Bluedogs, isn’t it much more likely that at the recent AIPAC convention, Democrats were given the parameters of this legislation that extends the carnage, postpones the tough decisions, and wastes lives. This has been a Profile in Cowardice moment.
Can anyone else explain why Democrats are so far behind the American people on this issue? While you are at it, explain why Murtha, the military guy, is lock-step WITH the American people.
If it is not undue pressure from lobbyist with a vested interest, what is the explanation?