In March 2004, the Bush Gang backed down from their demand that the DOJ rubber-stamp (reauthorize without question) the illegal, warrantless wiretapping program, but only after about 30 top DOJ officials threatened to resign in protest.

In the Fall of 2003, John Ashcroft recused himself from the Valerie Plame case, turning it over to one of his deputies, James Comey, who then appointed Patrick Fitzgerald. Ashcroft’s recusal, though, apparently occurred months after the initial request by the CIA to investigate the outing of one of their covert “protected” operatives.

Therefore, did CIA officials threaten to resign in protest if a full-scale investigation wasn’t immediately launched into who was responsible for committing this treasonous act? Was this what prompted Ashcroft to finally recuse himself and stop his stonewalling of any investigation happening?

I believe this is very likely what happened in the Fall of 2003.

Both of these incidences involving the White House, John Ashcroft and James Comey occurred just months apart. Both involved illegal activities of the Bush administration. Which makes me think that the only thing that got the attention of the people involved was the threat of mass resignations, first at the CIA and several months later at the DOJ, within one year of Bush trying to get reelected.

One day this site will be recognized as the twenty-first century equivalent of Common Sense.

“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

A toast to Jane, Christy, Marcy, T-Rex, and the Spirit of FDL!

Petrocelli,
Here in my part of the Bible Belt,
meditation is seen as Satanic by some churches.

Yep, and many Rabbis (if not all) say it is not kosher, but there are lots of Christians and Jews practising yoga/meditation and getting lots of benefits from doing so. IIRC, even Laura Bush has learnt Yoga/Meditation.

Cryptologic Tech 3rd Class William B. Allenbaugh, USN
Lt Cmdr. Philip M. Armstrong Jr., USN
Seaman Gary R. Blanchard, USN
Cryptologic Technician 2nd Class Allen M. Blue, NSA
Quartermaster 3rd Class Francis Brown, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Ronnie J. Campbell, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Jerry L. Converse, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Robert B. Eisenberg, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Jerry L. Goss, USN
Cryptologic Tech 1st Class Curtis L. Graves, USN
Cryptologic Tech Lawrence P. Hayden, USN
Cryptologic Tech 1st Class Warren Hersey, USN
Cryptologic Tech 3rd Class Alan Higgins, USN
Seaman Carl L. Hoar, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Richard W. Keene, USN
Cryptologic Tech James L. Lenau, USN
Chief Cryptologic Tech Raymond E. Linn, USN
Cryptologic Tech 1st Class James M. Lupton, USN
Cryptologic Tech 3rd Class Duane R. Marggraf, USN
Cryptologic Tech David W. Marlborough, USN
Cryptologic Tech 2nd Class Anthony P. Mendle, USN
Cryptologic Tech Carl C. Nygren, USN
Lt. James C. Pierce, USN
Sgt. Jack Raper, U.S.M.C.
Cpl. Edward Rehmayer II, U.S.M.C.
Interior Comms Electrician David N. Skolak, USN
Cryptologic Tech 1st Class John C. Smith Jr, USN
Chief Cryptologic Tech Melvin D. Smith, USN
Postal Clerk 2nd Class John C. Spicher, USN
Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Alexander N. Thompson, USN
Cryptologic Tech 3rd Class Thomas R. Thornton, USN
Cryptologic Tech 3rd Class Phillipe C. Tiedtke, USN
Lt. Stephen S. Toth, USN
Cryptologic Tech 1st Class Frederick J. Walton, USN

May they be honored as long as our nation remains independent.

Margot @ 293

Kirk,
This friend and I met on one of those quirky online communities, a debate group, which has several Republican “movement” conservatives, some Dominionists, a Libertarian or two,
some atheists, liberals, Christians, agnostics, and her, the lone Wiccan, who’s very pro-union liberal. She lives in Louisiana.

And she’s the most Christian-acting of them all. She’s the one who called me when I was sick in the hospital, etc. She is so refreshing and I just love the insights I get from her.

Oh Margot, I’m so glad for your experience.

This morning I was sitting with educated friends who were discussing Christians’ antipathy to science ( with excellent citations of “media Christians”)..

My grandmother’s and mother’s Christian churches and congregations offered their communities the same love and care your pagan friend offered you.

In the seventies I joined a large Protestant church as a (newly) adult member.

The church is less than five miles from Caltech and ten miles from JPL and the City of Hope.

Scientists all over the fucking place.

So many Christians I know are wonderful generous scientifically literate tolerant people.

And – in the late 70’s – MSM began to give more and more prominence and air time to a tiny unrepresentative group of haters…

and told us they were “Christian leaders”

Funny, when the megacorp CEO’s kill workers and kids -

MSM news tells us it’s the exception.

When a few ambitious sociopaths used Christ’s name to sell hate, fear, and poverty, MSM repeatedly welcomed them – for decades.

Qui bono?

_ _ _ _

No bonus points:

To their literal eternal shame – the “mainstream” Protestant denominations’ leaders were effectively silent during the Moral Majority’s Kultur War until it was too late, and Falwell begot the Christianists.

First they came…

_ _ _ _

Bonus despair point questions:

Who benefits most from twisting Jesus’ message of love and foregiveness?

What did Jesus do to the moneychangers in the Temple?

I’m often ‘thrown’ into debates with fundies of all faiths, about the merits of yoga. The conversation usually ends abruptly, when I start pointing out that their beliefs contradict their holy book. Even yoga has many fundies … where there’s money and power, the biggest crooks are fundies !!!