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#1: The Republicans aren’t filibustering: it’s the Democrats.
#2: Arlen Specter didn’t vote against the Webb Amendment because he doesn’t support downtime for troops, it was because he objects to SPECIFIC AMOUNTS of downtime for troops. Oh, so that’s DIFFERENT. I get it now.
#3: Most Pennsylvanians support Arlen Specter’s filibuster. You know, the one that the Democrats are supposedly doing.
#4: No one knows how much time Arlen Specter actually spent in combat. I do actually: that amount of time is ZERO.
(Brendan also posts at BrendanCallling)
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Zed.
uno?
Darn you, Bustednuckles
I guess Arlen hasn’t been getting my messages… ;-)
Heh, heh.
I was due.
Wow. That is crazy…I’m not sure what is worse, that they lie like they do, or that they expect it to work. Yikes!
Umm,, regarding point #2 above?
What does Snarlin’ Arlen suggest, random downtimes, maybe a freakin’ lottery?
Here soldier, here’s a scratch off ticket, you might have won a weekend pass!
Odds of winning are one in five.
What a tool.
OT. and EPU’d.
Another Bush Executive Order signed yesterday.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..717-3.html
janda @ 6
I wish a talk radio host would call A’s office, and broadcast the remarks.
Arlen would find a way to get around providing any downtime for the military, if George and Dick told him to. He doesn’t seem to think anything much without their say-so.
Brendan!
Thanks for sharing, however unpleasant the experience may have been.
Also OT and EPU’d…
What do you think of the new Edwards’ campaign spot?
Black is white, up is down, we are winning in Iraq. Welcome to the unreal world.
jacqrat @ 12
PS: Arlen is a big ol’ goober.
I saw that executive order.
If GWB wants to move into my neighborhood, where we’ve had a drive-by shooting a month, he is welcome to. His order is blatantly unconstitutional: anyone who says bad shit about Iraq gets their property seized? Dude, I’m gonna exercise my free speech rights and tell you to take that executive order and shove it up your executive dickhole.
By the way, this isn’t the first time Arlen Specter’s staff lied to me: the first time was when they said no one in Arlen’s office had anything to do with the Attorney replacement language in the PATRIOT Act. When I found out I’d been lied to and called back, the same guy accused me of “attacking his integrity”.
Well, duh.
Tillman!
New meme “Allies building strength”
key word: allies
Gnome de Plume @ 13
The New Republic kid just said that Hillary is not hiding from being a woman. Huh?
do-si-do @ 11
Oh, it’s my pleasure! Arlen Specter annoys me to no end, and I feel it’s MY job to give back what i receive. I call them every single day. Every day.
My favorite time is to call when I’m filling my tank and ask when we get the cheap gas the war was supposed to produce.
I love how the press is covering the filibuster. When it was about Judicial nominees, the Dems were obstructionist. Now that it’s about Iraq war funding, the Democrats lost the filibuster… (and the Republicans were ______?)
Lame Dame Judy Miller looked like the Cheshire cat the whole time wearing a shit-eating grin that didn’t dissappear even when she talked about terrorist attacks in America.
Ms. Palfrey should get in touch with Judy, she has quite the client list to tap in to.
-GSD
jacqrat @ 14
Snarlin’ Arlen hasn’t been covering himself in glory for quite some time now.
Republicans support Bush’s failed policies.
Republicans support Bush’s failed policies.
Republicans support Bush’s failed policies.
Shampoo, rinse, repeat.
brendancalling @ 19
707!! Good for you!!!
Will this Spectercle ever end?
Brendan – please forgive this brief digression (courtesy of ThinkProgress): Several top Bush officials ‘would like to leave.’
do-si-do @ 17
What allies are we talking about – the old WWII good guy allies? The ones we would like to believe we still are?
Hey I know this gets brought up every time Specter does (usually by me) but this S.O.B. was on the damn Warren Commission and came up with the “magic bullet” theory. NOTHING he says has any validity. He is a professional gatekeeper.
Gnome de Plume @ 27
Don’t forget Poland!
Boston1775 @ 18
He must have glimpsed the cleavage she sported on the Senate floor this morning.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 26
that’s funny, cus I’d like them to leave too. preferably to another frikkin’ planet. Like mercury or venus where the surface temperature melts lead.
La Digby posting at Salon.com War Room!:
Poor Jim Nicholson, he’s aged so much. Can someone get him the John Boehner crying towel please?
-GSD
zen nurse – I left you a comment on Judy Miller’s facial transformation in epu downstairs.
Eureka Springs @ 25
Eureka! You spring forth with a pun before punaise! :)
Gnome de Plume @ 27
You know, friends to help us fight
enemies. :)
Brendan, what’s the story on the pic?
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 35
CPA, check previous thread @ 163
brendancalling @ 19
We love ya Brendan, keep digging your heals.
OT On T, I’m not really sure.
I probably need to write thsi up as a seperate blog entry (maybe this weekend, work is kind of crazy.) But I’d like other’s thoughts on this in the meantime.
I am beginning to think we have it all wrong. The Iraq war isn’t a failure. Oh sure, it’s a failure if the goal was to bring peace and democracy to Iraq, to reduce the risk of terrorism, and to stabilize the mid-east. If we assume that BushCo was so dominated by megalomaniacs and delusional idiots, that would be a very plausible explanation for how we got to where we are today.
But what if the goals were:
1) Increase terrorism
2) Cause chaos in Iraq and the mid-east.
3) Ensure that any possible drive to democracy in the mid-east would fail.
In this case it’s been a bangup success!
Just thinking about this lately. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Arlen Specter has never been in combat yet he has spent the last 44 years in the vicinity of a ‘magic bullet’violating the laws of physics he imaged, imagined and documented for purposes of obfuscation.
Lou Costello @ 16
Tillman
realworld @ 40.
BINGO. This is the real mission accomplished.
hayduke @ 28
don’t forget letting Ira Einhorn slip the bonds of justice for lo those many years.
Nice use of tactics Brendan next time tape the conversation in case Senator Spector decides to lie. Assuming that is legal in your state.
But this is great Senator Spector’s staff caught lying repeatedly to his voters. I wonder if Spector will call the multiple lies a mistake and blame it on his staff. Attack you and claim that you are lying, hmm if taping is illegal maybe multiple callers of impecable credientials asking the same questions would work. Or will Spector apoligizes and admit that under orders from him his staff lied to voters.
I know its a lot to hope for but surely the Senator must realize that blaming his staff for multiple lies/mistakes just makes him look like a coward as well as a Liar.
brendancalling @ 31
Yes, but apparently not on Mercury’s dark side. (I may need to research Mercury’s nocturnal surface temperature.)
Elliott @ 37
Which one?
The one here at FDL was placed by Jane (I lost my username and password, and she kindly posted my experience).
If you hit up brendancalling link, there’s an expanded piece on the conversation, with a different photograph, in which I replaced Specter’s mouth with an anus.
Realworld- that is what the Endtime folks want. It ushers in the second coming, so yes there are those who are very happy with what is happening in the ME. It is part of the reason the fundies support Bush.
jacqrat @ 12
This makes me sad actually. I’ve been supporting JE for a while now but this looks like a long shot try to get back in in NH. Personally I think it is a long shot to help him. I hope he does but I’m left hoping Gore get’s in the race. Yes I will vote for, work for, donate to whoever the Dems nominate but I really hope it is neither Hillery or Barak.
Brendan’s funny
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 26
Thanks for prev answer Stephen, it was as I suspected.
I think if these folks don’t have the hubris of Bush/Cheney, they must all feel like abused spouses.
brendancalling @ 47
I’m afraid to look
Gnome de Plume @ 48.
Another BINGO. These folks think they are becoming a part of the Book Of Revelations… and it makes them ecstatic
Gnome de Plume @ 48
And apparently God told him to go to war in Iraq…
boxer @ 38
Thank you very much for your reply. Oops – some months ago, we were discussing Youngstown Steel (another case from the Truman era) on various threads, which explains why that case came to mind.
Elliott @ 52
realworld @ 40
Yes, the point of the war is so that Bush can enjoy war time powers while Cheney grabs the oil. Period.
Stephen Parrish, CPA, Thanks for looking into the Presidential orders..
I will just sit back and relax now since Clinton did it too. *g*
see you pups later, I’m heading home on the bicycle.
Hopefully Arlen Specter’s staff won’t run me down.
brendancalling @ 56
Not as scary as the Coulter Lamprey mouth?
realworld @ 54
Bush is an actor, and he is acting on behalf of the Neocons and Kissinger. He is not religious as is easily demonstrated by his ability to order the deaths of people without conscience. If anything, he is atheist. The fundies are just his tools to implement their agenda of world dominance by force. I really believe it is that simple.
brendancalling @ 15
What do ya say, how about we commit to sending Arlen into retirement in ‘10. I figure with 3 years planning, we can do it.
brendancalling @ 59
Thanks for saving some gas and be careful using your cellphone next to the pump!
ciao
brendancalling @ 56
I’m glad I read the rest of it.
newspaperbrat @ 34
I was wondering what was up with that. I saw the tagline and said to myself, “Is that really her?” She like the rest of the media in DC have no shame. I think Judy’s hero is Greta. Maybe she can get a show on Faux too.
Explosion in midtown NYC – 4 alarm fire (MSNBC)They think it is a manhole explosion.
Stephen Parrish, CPA
I think the dark side of Mercury is cold enough to, um, freeze even Cheney’s organs, solid brass though they are.
ARGH!!!!! I AM GOING TO HAVE A STROKE!!!
TUCKER is interviewing Robert Novak….blech Lying about Valerie Plame being outed by
Aldrich Ames. LIARS!
hayduke @ 8
That’s a rather frightening read.
Bush declares himself able to seize the assets of any American citizen or resident without notice; to be enforced by the DOD and/or Treasury Dept. on his order?
Is it me, or does that reak of marshal law?
lolo @ 68
Isn’t this kind of like having Squeaky Fromme interview Charles Manson?
Elliott –
Thanks for the Ira Einhorn reminder. I remember those days well, the folks I knew who hung out at La Terasse were mighty terrified once they knew what a sociopath he was.
I had the supreme displeasure of meeting Arlen Specter once upon a time, and I can tell you that the man has a slimy sweaty handshake. Ewww. If you ever meet him in person, pretend that you have a hand injury or something.
Elliott @ 37
I actually put that up, it is a MoveOn photo from yesterday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moveon/845458892/
You know, I want to like Chris Matthews, maybe I do, I dunno. I just can’t take his show.
BTW, I think we can learn from the last Stupid
Warsoccupations that the people who are going to show up at the demonstrations are the ones most affected, the ones with the most to lose…i.e. dirty draft card burning hippies for vietnam (hell no we won’t go) and bereaved family members and vets for iraq (bring them home).Just a thought.
lolo @ 68
I admire your intestinal fortitude that you can bear to watch Tucker.
Eureka Springs @ 58
These executive orders are scary, but it’s important to know where we stand. I recommend reading the following:
Korematsu v. United States, 323 U.S. 214 (1944)
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579 (1952)
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 126 S. Ct. 2749 (2006)
I’m pretty sure Wilki has good summaries. And yeah, Korematsu will scare the hell out of you, but it’s viewed as a pariah.
Jane Hamsher @ 72
Oh. Thanks !
Gunga Djinn @ 69
interesting. it may not be a big reach to say that shrub is now empowered to seize the asset of liberal activists and even Dem members of Congress who he deems to be giving comfort and support to our amorphous enemies in Iraq… ‘course he’d never ever do that.. :P
So let me get this straight. The republic party bitches and whines because they have to stay up all night, but can’t support recommendations about how much rest time is needed before redeployment to a war zone? I wish the whole GOP could be shipped to eyerak.
Jane (nyc) @ 74
tuckery MUST have blackmail pics of Dan Abrams. either that or there’s a law requiring every cable news to reserve a spot for a right wing id10t
Mrs. K8 @ 71
that’s good advice! I’ll remember that.
Re: executive orders
Is there any organization that’s maintaining a list (in lay language) of Dubya’s EOs?
There’s so much going on that I would think most average citizens have no idea about the number/import of these…much less the signing statements.
Regarding that EO, I was just thinking back to yesterday, when Kay Bailey Hutchinson quoted somebody. In the quote it said something to the effect that any person who was against the policies of the president during a time of war, right or wrong, did not deserve to live…something like that..it was an old historical quote. I’d like to get the actual quote, but I don’t know where I’d find it. It was pretty blunt in any case.
Dobbs is accusing the Dems of looking foolish while Schneider calls them desperate.
That’s the meme that is going into the average American’s home tonight, most don’t watch Tucker or Tweety.
Arlen The Weasel would have served but he received a medical deferment – - an irrational fear of being tracked down by the Magic Bullet.
Posted this earlier today, but thought everyone should be reminded:
Tucker Carlson says 1 in 3 women in New Orleans are prostitutes:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/e…..amp;coll=1
We shouldn’t let this go. Let’s send him to hang out with Imus.
Jane (nyc) @ 74
He gets worse everyday. I wish David Shuster
would take over his spot. I noticed they took away his 1:00 spot and is only on at 3:00.
OT and EPU’d:
This catch by Stephen Parrish is chilling:
Please note this excerpt from the directive:
(22) Revocation. Presidential Decision Directive 67 of October 21, 1998 (”Enduring Constitutional Government and Continuity of Government Operations”), including all Annexes thereto, is hereby revoked.
Dated 1998, that is a Clinton era directive assuring the continuity of Government (as titled).
What took it’s place?
LS @ 82.
I heard her say that and thought of it when I read this latest EO too. I don’t know where she got that quote (Kissinger?. haha).
P J Evans @ 67
Mercury apparently rotates so slowly, it gets VERY cold on it’s dark side.
Lou Dobbs blasting the Dems for their ‘grandstanding’. Says the American people deserve a debate on issues. I knew this would be misreported. TPM has a few examples of really misleading headlines.
BREAKING NEWS! EXPLOSION IN NYC!! (here we go again)
OT but from the NYTimes ya just can’t trust those Al-Qaeda in Iraq types.
As the titular head of the Islamic State in Iraq, an organization publicly backed by Al Qaeda, Mr. Baghdadi issued a steady stream of incendiary pronouncements. Despite claims by Iraqi officials that he had been killed in May, Mr. Baghdadi appeared to have persevered unscathed.
On Wednesday, a senior American military spokesman provided a new explanation for Mr. Baghdadi’s ability to escape attack: he never existed.
boxer @ 85
see if this link works:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/e…..amp;coll=1
LS @ 82
I was trying to find cspan radio last night and instead blurghhh! i got some wingnut going on about how anyone who disagrees with the president during wartime is an insult to the generals, the commanders, the department of defense, the secretary of defense, the men and women who serve our country…a veritable inventory of everyone insulted if you disagree with a president during wartime…
What if that president is a con man?
Directive 51 – US, 2007:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..09-12.html
Directive 51 – Germany, 1943:
http://www.feldgrau.com/dir51.html
Ummmm.
It is a huge steam explosion at 39th and Lex. They have delayed the ABC Evening News here for live coverage.
This is from TPM. It is a paragraph in a letter from Sen. Leahy to Gonzales.
This Committee recently became aware of a memorandum dated July 10, 2007, and signed by Steven G. Bradbury as “Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General” for the Office of Legal Counsel. It contends that Harriet Miers, who is a former White House Counsel, is “immune from compelled congressional testimony.” Pursuant to what legal authority did Mr. Bradbury issue this memorandum, and how is Mr. Bradbury’s issuance of this memorandum consistent with the Vacancies Act? At the end of the last Congress, Mr. Bradbury’s nomination to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel was returned to the President.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003720.php
Gunga Djinn @ 69
Before anyone jumps to conclusions about the aforementioned executive order (which I have not had a chance to read all the way through), please let me ask a question or two: how do you define martial law? Look at the Constitution: that term appears nowhere in it. How would martial law be enforced? As you look at what is happening in Iraq, how might it be possible to muster the manpower needed here to enforce military rule in a country with a population of approximately three hundred million people?
hayduke @ 88
I think it might have been a Revolutionary War or Civil War quote, but I’m not sure. I thought it was pretty startling for her to say though.
boxer @ 85
the question is, just how does he know that?
Just heard about the explosion from our son who works in a building near it. His building was evacuated. He said there was a lot of black smoke.
speaking of tucker carlson, i read an earlier comment where he said 1/3 women in new orleans is a prostitute!!!!!!!!!
where’ the outrage? where’s the letters?
i googled firedoglake.com, tucker carlson, prostitutes, nola……..got quite a few hits…….seems to me this is worse than imus did……..much worse…….
james @ 83
I don’t know what American people they aretalking to…but the 70% or so are going to be really pizzed off that they continue to report in this way. Jeez!
ironranger @ 101
That wouldn’t be steam…I saw the aerial clip and it was white. Let’s hope it is steam. It is at 41st and 3rd Ave.
I’m hoping that Arlin the the senator Flynt is about to out! Thanks, Brenden.
If I was Tucker, I don’t think I would take a vacation to the French Quarter anytime soon.
Looks like Hamid Karzai is really a chimp off the old block.
-GSD
dmac @ 102
see my post at 92 for the udated link.
boxer at 85–
thanks boxer!!!!!!!! just saw your post…….am catching up on commments and heard the tucker comments and couldn’t believe noone was commenting about the prostitutes quote!!!!!!!! i couldn’t find the original quote!!!!!!!!!
thanks!!!!!!!!!!
Me @ 95,
Coinkydink or what???
I just scared the S##t out of myself!!
LS: Hmm, that’s what he said. They must have evacuated quickly because he left his wallet with his subway pass in his office. If he can’t get back in, he’ll have to walk home. I’ll update if he calls again with anymore info.
janda @ 97
oh, yeah, baby, bring it on!
invalid memos about non-existent immunity written by a functionary whose powers have expired!
OT sorta
Generation Chickenhawk: the Unauthorized College Republican Convention Tour
Max Blumenthal
don’t miss this vid
Katie Couric on CBS News implied that the Republican obstructionism was a partial victory for Bush. It was framed as a defeat for the Dems and not Republican obstructionism. God I hate the MSM!!!!
Jane (nyc) @ 96
How do you do a news story on steam or manhole covers or whatever? Neverthless, CNN will do the next 24 hours on it.
fdl reader @ 112
This sounds like someone went to the Frat House Files of Recyclable B Term Papers
The only person on MSNBC that has kept my head from exploding tonight is Jonathan Alter. He doesn’t get upset with Tucker’s ignorance; he calmly corrects him.
Elliott @ 113
It’s a piece of work, alright.
I have great hope that Specter is on Larry Flynt’s list. Might explain that Rove is blackmailing him to do some of the crap he did.
Please, Please let it be so.
boxer-your link now says-oops! the link is no longer there, search below……….
dmac @ 120
use the updated link @ 93, I just checked it.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 99
Ask Cheney.
Twain @ 115
This is actually a very large explosion and they are worried about the structural integrity of the street and some nearby buildings. It appears not to have abated at all….and there are injuries.
This is rush hour and the location is extremely close to Grand Central. I don’t get too excited about all of the “faux terra” alerts…or the coverage.
However, this could be a great example of the decaying utility infrastructure that plagues our country.
bluetoe 114 says-”Katie Couric on CBS News implied that the Republican obstructionism was a partial victory for Bush. It was framed as a defeat for the Dems and not Republican obstructionism. God I hate the MSM!!!!”
i have always despised katie baby, and am glad i finally get to say that out loud…………
boxer @ 121
were you able to get to it?
Lou Costello @ 122
An armed population at that.
Some people find the “outing” of Republican hypocrisy through sexual scandal as unseemly and beneath the dignity of policy wonks. I say this is a war and any way you can inflict injury on the enemy is fair game. If America wasn’t so puritanical in the first place and if the philosophical descendents of the Puritans weren’t trying to shove their idea of morality down the throats of the rest of the nation then it would be problematic.
Jane (nyc) @ 96
Where in NYC has this happened.
41st and 3rd
It is on Lexington Avenue somewhere between 39-41 Streets….adjacent to (east of) Grand Central Station.
Elliott @ 100
He misspoke. He meant 1 in 3 MSNBC hosts.
dod says we can only last until march ‘08…..that’s a fact, that they have stated, that’s why some repubs are sayin’ yeah, we can withdraw….but what if we’re not?…..well, you guessed it, everyone but college students………..i would like for congress to have in place by then a rule that NOONE is exempt from the draft, meaning that college doesn’t get you out of it………
the draft is coming, we only can last until march, and EVERYONE ought to be eligible……….
that is my new cause…….well, it has always been my cause, but i am pushing it further……..if the draft comes, it outta be for EVERYONE.
janda @ 119
Nothing changes from one generation of Republican to the next. They are all chickenhawks that love war as long as someone else fights it.
Jane (nyc) @ 131
Any ideas, Jane?
Huffington Post reporting that the explosion is at Grand Central Station.
Dang, 120 plus comments in a thread about Arlen Specter and No ‘Scottish Haggis’ reference, I’m a little disappointed with ya’ll!!! :P
Watching the current video on the explosion on msnbc. Our son said they (in his office) thought it was thunder at first.
Boston1775 @ 135
It is a massive steam pipe explosion (not terrorism) but it has shut down the busiest subway line in the city and put a giant crater in the street. They will have to shut down the system gradually lest a sudden change in pressure cause a chain of explosions on other parts of the line.
lolo @ 128
Just another indication that America’s infrastructure is crumbling and on the point of collapse. Republicans don’t believe in the common good and consequentely haven’t funded the need for maintainance and upgrades to the infrastructure. When travelling in Europe I marvel at their roads, mass transit etc.., but then the Europeans believe in the commonweal. In America, it’s let the market decide.
allan_in_upstate @ 132
that sounds like a more reasonable statistic
CTuttle @ 137
Well now whaddya want? We got magic bullet refs. We got explosions. We got Tuckery making sh*t up. We got the military claiming Al-Qaeda making sh*t up.
We can’t get to everything
Jane (nyc) @ 138
Thanks for the information.
looks like i’m late to the party… just reading the executive order now (thanks all for drawing it to my attention).
got some questions…
first one
have i been reading the wrong news? what peace? what stability? if they don’t exsist, how can someone threaten them?
…
oh, and p.s. not only is specter a jerk – so is his staff!
boxer-
YES!!!!!!! was able to get the article, sorry it took so long, i’m on dial up and it takes a while to go back and forth and read everything…….
thanks!
it has bugged me all day, after reading the first post you made……..
truly, i really don’t understand why this isn’t worse than what imus said…..imus was being an ass, tucker is pointed in his conversation, and meant harm, is much more of an insiduous thing……evil man, and ought to be called on it and made to report on his behaviour.
dakine01 @ 142
I hear ya! But, NYC is not the center of the universe, contrary to popular belief!!! ;-)
Bustednuckles @ 7
What you have to remember about Arlen is that he is the quintessential GOP slimebucket. Since the Repugs have moved so far to the looney right, he at times seems like a centrist.
He isn’t. It was his former aide who put the language into the “Patriot” act that repealed habeas corpus, for example. If you want to know what the politician is really like, just watch his ads. My gag reflex would never let me vote for him; but do not trust this man.
dakine01 @ 142
for our armchair sleuth Trex:
Elliott @ 113
Elliott: This is a great video. Best part was the photographer’s license plate:
DRAFT COLLEGE REPUBLICANS
dakine01 @ 79
Speaking of Novakula, Larry Kudlow called Novakula the greatest journalist of his generation today on CNBC.
CTuttle @ 146
Would love to see the Tucker story get the kind of attention it deserves. And agree about NYC…it’s not even the center of my universe.*g*
CTuttle @ 146
I know. Except for the corporate owned media who believe so.
For me, my home state bore close resemblance to the center of the world. There and the islands actually. Really managed to avoid letting the cr*p bother me when I was out there.
Has anyone ever heard a sewer cap explode in NYC? Now that is scary.
CTuttle @ 137
Where is CHS when we need her? ;-)
ccmask @ 149
the ending’s very effective with that!
dmac @ 102
Lets see. My mom, my sister and my sister in law all live in NOLA. I wonder which on is a whore. Jeebus. I hope it isn’t my mother.
allan_in_upstate @ 132
It goes to 2 in 3 if you include CNBC.
The MSM has always portrayed Arlen Specter as a man of reason and bipartinsanship. He’s sold the persona well. His thin veneer of respectability barely hides the rot beneath. He is nothing more than an ideological foot soldier of the Republican Party. He has no ethics or morals. The sooner he is relegated to the trash can of history the better. I hope their is a viable Democratic candidate in Penn. to take on this Republican slimeball.
I read a thought-provoking article today in the NYT. The article was called Limited Capacity is Seen in Flu Defenses. It basically talked about what the government has done to prepare for a pandemic.
I’m reading along and all of a sudden I run across the following sentence:
“And the government has little ability to ensure that during an outbreak, when many workers would stay home, LIMITED INTERNET CAPACITY would go to essential work and not to children playing video games, officials said”.
It freaked me out because I started thinking about a scenario where we have another “terrorist” attack, real or fake, and Bush uses his “Martial law” Executive order. After watching Bush & Cheney in action I don’t think it is too far fetched to believe that if Bush declares Marshall law that he might also have the government prevent citizens from accessing the internet under the guise of leaving the “limited internet capacity” open for essential government workers.
If this scenario were to happen all of the valuable networks that we have set up on the Internet will collapse. None of us will be able to communicate or keep up with what is going on in the country through web sites like Firedoglake.
I’m not usually a conspiracy theory type person but with Bush & Cheney in office I don’t think anything is off the table.
If this were to happen does anyone have any good ideas on how to get around it? I don’t know about you but I’d rather prepare for this scenario and run the risk of looking really dumb than to have it happen and not have any kind of plan.
There were some other things in this article that were also kind of creepy when Bush is factored into the equation. Here is another one.
A nationwide surveillance system to track the progress of an outbreak as it moves around the world and across the country still needs considerable work, officials said.
“Just to be brutally honest, we have a lot of trouble determining when we have an outbreak of disease in a community here in the U.S.,” Dr. Venkayya said. “We need to have uniform biosurveillance capability to prepare not only for a pandemic, but any outbreak of infectious disease.”
Here is a link to the entire article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07…..18flu.html
marymccurnin @ 156
If you ask me, I think Tucker thinks all women are whores…
Speaking of Novakula, Larry Kudlow called Novakula the greatest journalist of his generation today on CNBC.
Exhibit Number One, your Honor, in the case which proves conclusively that Larry Kudlow is nothing but a hack.
And with that, I rest my case.
;-)
Seriously, thanks for reporting back what this hack said — if I had seen it myself I would have done serious damage to my teevee.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 150
Trying to figure out how clueless Kudlow would have the slightest idea what a journalist looks like.
He’s an idiot he actually stated on the air that folks get laid off from work so they can go on vacation and collect the unemployment.
Bluetoe @ 127
I am so hoping this has Orrin Hatch’s name on it.
ccmask @ 153
it happened on csi:miami the other night except it wasn’t ’steam.’
hangs head.
admits shame.
thinks of sunglasses.
Jane (nyc) @ 151
LOL!!! What Tucker story are you referring to, I can’t stand him so I’m not aware of it!
ccmask @ 153
Witness….
yellowdogD @ 90
Lou Dobbs is a moron. Always has, always will be.
bluetoe at 140 says-”Just another indication that America’s infrastructure is crumbling and on the point of collapse. Republicans don’t believe in the common good and consequentely haven’t funded the need for maintainance and upgrades to the infrastructure. When travelling in Europe I marvel at their roads, mass transit etc.., but then the Europeans believe in the commonweal. In America, it’s let the market decide.”
i used to work for the phone company, had many jobs there, but one of them was as a splicer, which was working on cables in manholes…..and yes, i’m a girl………we knew the entire infrastructure of the city………and it is bad in most cities……….really bad…….it’s a wonder that it still is holding up……but it’s hard to get funding for things noone sees or are aware of……..it’s taken for granted, most people don’t know what’s under their streets, and how long it’s been there, and how it badly needs replaced………
is a huge concern for cities……and a huge danger……..
randiego @ 87
This took its place: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..09-12.html
Elliott @ 100
He got his hands on Vitter’s black book??
OK, I’ll leave now.
ccmask @ 153
My husband works in the North End of Boston; he happened to be right beside an exploding manhole.
It wasn’t this dramatic, but it was huge. The restaurants flooded. It was a mess.
Bluetoe @ 158
doesn’t orrin hatch take the prize though in the ‘concealed rot’ category? there’s just something so………..waxy……..there
dmac @ 133
I completely agree, and I have a 19-year old son.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 154
Wasn’t it Marcy who first coined it, or did she adopt it from Christy?
TiredFed @ 163
that would be special
dmac @ 168
The public at large isn’t aware of the problem but rest assured that urban planners, architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, structural engineers know the precarious condition of America’s infrastructure.
Lou Costello @ 167
Lou: That was awesome. There was no sound though. If there was sound, I imagine you would have heard everyone beeping to get the hell out of the way! lol
For anyone interested in the Tucker thing, but hasn’t had time to read all the comments, go to my post @ 93, and click on the bottom link.
marymccurnin @ 156
Are you suffering an injury because of the comment Tucker made? Are you feeling ill and having trouble sleeping? I understand there is an area of the law covering personal injury…
TiredFed @ 173
too bad nobody listened to Charlie Rangel early on.
OK, these are indeed strange times.
At the following link, you will see how Rep. Don Young (GOP thug from Alaska) threatens a Dem Rep with biting him like an Alaskan mink…!!!!! Also speaks of “killing” his opponent.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003723.php
Strange times indeed.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 166
bigoted, racist moron
The NewsHour had a piece on the last night’s filibuster. They let mostly Republicans talk and frame the issue. Don’t think I heard the word obstruction anywhere. The NewsHour coverage is getting so pathetic. Maybe they’re using cable news as a model.
Now they have Biden on talking about Iraq. Why not have someone not running for President talk about it, say like Durbin?
CTuttle @ 174
I think Marcy owns the haggis special.
mary at 156 says-”Lets see. My mom, my sister and my sister in law all live in NOLA. I wonder which on is a whore. Jeebus. I hope it isn’t my mother.”
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!i know noone there, but i was highly offended by it!!!!!
geeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!
it’s way worse than what imus said in my book!!!!!!!!!!!!
like they haven’t gone through enough, like they haven’t been tagged as ‘losers’ enough, like they haven’t been beaten about for tryin’ to rebuild from NOTHIN’………and now, being called prostitutes!
fine southern women, being the strength of coming back from being wiped out, being called prostitutes!!!!!!!
i am outraged, and i am in ohio………
Hugh @ 183
Wait until you see Roger Simon from Politico discuss Edwards.
Loo Hoo. @ 179
Exactly, I say that 33% of the women in New Orleans should sue Tucker for defamation.
ccmask @ 177
whoa
Bluetoe @ 176
This has happened a number of times in SF. Very old pipes and stuff and probably made unstable by numerous small (and large) eathquakes.
Bluetoe @ 176
we are listening to pings from our towns main water supply pipe. the pings are from the stays in the pipe that give way. no one, so far, is talking about actually REPLACING the pipe, though. (sorry for yelling Redd).
Mrs. K8 @ 161
Like someone else we know, LK powdered his nose once too often in his youth.
Actually,
is probably literally true.
Mrs. K8 @ 181
It is more than strange, it is weird!!!
dmac @ 185
F*cker is a F*cker…!!!
Twain @ 182
bigoted, racist, xen*phobic moron (there are shades of bigotry involved here).
Hugh @ 183
Why do you think the Repubicans wanted to control the CPB board. PBS’s news coverage, with a few exceptions, is solidly pro-Republican, pro status quo, pro-elitist, pro-conventional wisdom inside the beltway punditocracy. I stopped contributing about 3 years ago.
Bluetoe @ 158
We’ll have to wait til ‘10, sadly. Specter even has the unions in PA bamboozled. They endorsed him in ‘04 instead of his challenger. It was disgusting.
Elliott @ 180
gosh, I’m torn between hoping my son reads this (and gets mad at Congress) and hoping he doesn’t (so he doesnt get mad at ME!). [This was about reinstating the draft to spread the pain to all of America.]
Lou Costello @ 167
OMG!
allan_in_upstate @ 191
It wasn’t in Kudlow’s youth. Kudlow was doing his best GWB impersonation. I believe Kudlow got fired from his somewhat high profile gig on Wall Street for his problems with the nose candy. Of course he ended up in DC during the Ray-gun years.
LS @ 160
Remember how upset he was when he was accused of rape? Maybe he ought to think a while about false accusations.
P.S. Have your mom call Tucker and ask if he’s talking about her.
biden on lehrer newshour………laying out what we have to do, and what iraqis have to do……..slapped down the iran threat…….said his son is going over there, due to ship out as a captain next year, and doesn’t want him going…..doesn’t want his grandchildren over there either….and the iraqis?…..this president does not give them much hope…….
TiredFed @ 173
My 19 year old is not going. For sure.
Twain @ 182
Yeah, I know. What’s weird is that Dobbs wife puts up with him, unless Dobbs like diapers like Senator Vitter.
In Boston, there were multiple explosions. What Jane of NYC says is interesting, they are letting the pressure release to prevent more explosions. From what the North End experienced, multiple damaging explosions, that makes sense.
Liberal Heart @ 199
Everyone needs to call and write. There is a real possibility of getting him off the air.
Pool party, birthday night and sleep over for the baby (one of my cousins) of the family, Desiree, she’s six today. Good God I’m achy from hanging all those Japanese lanterns. Plus, I do the bbq. And Lahoma is laughing at me. She says: don’t worry kiddo, everything will be fine. And I say… better left un-said. Lord I love that woman.
Oh, my, Don young is going way off the deep end! The sad thing is that the educational programs he’s so inarticulately defending are reasonable, both in Hawaii and in Alaska. In Alaska the funds step up to issues BIA should be handling. I’m not so sure about how it works in Hawaii.
Bluetoe @ 194
Probably forced McNeil out the door, thank god, Moyers and Brancachio(sic) is still on the air!!! I like Fareed at times, too!!!
BAGHDAD, Jul. 18, 2007
(AP) The Iraqi government said Turkish artillery and warplanes bombarded areas of northern Iraq on Wednesday and called on Turkey to stop military operations and resolve the conflict diplomatically.
The claim occurred amid rising tension and Turkish threats to strike bases of the Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK, which has been launching attacks against targets in Turkey from sanctuaries in Iraq.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press that the morning bombardment struck areas of the northern province of Dahuk, some 260 miles northwest of Baghdad.
snip
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories…..r=_3071008
Original link from Fark.com
TiredFed @ 196
I agree, in principle. however – no way in hell my 18 year old son is going to serve in this current
waroccupation.boxer @ 187
Class action. Not just MSNBC either. Wipe out Tucker’s fortune. Is the ACLU on this?
I have a question. How many union members on this blog? How many professionals? How many students? How many homemakers? Hom many unemployed? How many seniors? Just curious.
Directive 51, 1943:
“E) The commanders in chief of the services, the Reichsfuehrer-SS, the Chief of the Army General Staff, the Commander in Chief West, the Chief of Army Equipment and Commander of the Replacement Army, the Inspector General of Panzer Troops, as well as the Commander of German Troops in Denmark will report to me by 15 November all measures taken or planned.
I expect that all agencies will make a supreme effort toward utilizing every moment of the remaining time in preparing for the decisive battle in the West.
All authorities will guard against wasting time and energy in useless jurisdictional squabbles, and will direct all their efforts toward strengthening our defensive and offensive power.
signed: Adolf Hitler “
Bluetoe @ 211
I am in a union.
Directive 51, 2007:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..09-12.html
Ed*ard Teller @ 206
ET, do you have a link to his remarks? What is BIA?
punaise @ 210
nor mine. Try it and, as Rayne says, I’ll rip the lungs out of ya.
boxer @ 204
Is there a clip available?
boxer @ 204
Yes! I like the idea of outraged phone calls — tie up their phone lines!
Seems to me I may have just discovered a long lost female cousin in New Orleans on whose behalf I should rant and rave.
[Although really, the insult is to EVERY
See you guys later
*poof*
“Strange times”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyJInrbFkHE
Does anybody have a link to video of Tucker Carlson’s outrageous remarks? I do think we can get him fired for this. By Friday evening, if we mobilize.
TiredFed @ 197
well, I hope he stays safe.
New thread.
http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..5/#respond
CTuttle @ 216
Here, with video!
Laura McGann, who has been kept busy by Don lately, is getting snarky:
Here’s some video of Young’s soon-to-be-classic speech…..
Bureau of Indian Affairs, which handles a lot of good and even more awful educational programs for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Bustednuckles @ 208
Damn, if the US can’t rein in a long time Nato member, our influence appears to be nonexistent within the international arena!!! WTF???
lehrer report–kindof a transcript=====
new marine weapon, the osprey. v-22……lands like a helicopter but flies like a plane…….vertical lift system, cost-20 billion dollars……….cheney fought it…..authorities say-not armored, bullets can harm it…….marines says ok, and back it……..but papers say still has system problems……..hydrolics and flight systems……..and hot climates……..62% efficiency……..but on schedule to deploy…….
everybody likes a new toy……….just like a new iphone……..
suseptible to vortex wing state in helicopter mode……..avoid by not descending too quickly, but puts pilots in defense mode in danger………
cannot autorotate——-ejection seat, to heli pilots…….dual engine failure, you’re fucked……
first ones are being deployed in september…………..
punaise @ 210
yeah, I’d like to be clear, I’m for a draft to end the war. Not to actual send anyone’s beloved off to the killing sands.
we have to cut off the war spending and end it.
ccmask @ 202
exactly. neither is mine. imagine the impact if everyone’s 19-yr old was at risk.
Ed*ard Teller @ 222
Here’s some contact info to start:
Landrieu – Voice: (202)224-5824
Fax:(202) 224-9735
Email Senator Landrieu
Vitter: Phone: (202) 224-4623
Fax: (202) 228-5061
MSNBC: viewerservices@msnbc.com viewerservices@msnbc.com
Governor Blanco: 866-366-1121
225-342-0991
225-342-7015
Oklahoma kiddo @ 206
OKK, you are a lucky man, to have the love of a woman and return it fully. god bless and keep.
Bluetoe @ 212
might take quite a while to compile that. I’m a Fed (senior but not Exec level).
Sorry about my truncated comment at 219 – my keyboard died in mid-sentence!
Called Mr. K8 at work to ask for suggestions, and he said “try a reboot.” Sure enough, worked like a charm. I hate these mysterious cyber events, though. What the hell made my keyboard die?
Anyway, my point was that Tucker’s insult was to EVERY woman, so we shouldn’t need a relative in New Orleans to issue a phone complaint to MSNBC. It just makes the complaint sound more personal and heartfelt.
boxer @ 205
dmac –
Thank you, very much for the detailed report on the Lehrer segment.
I remember hearing bad things about the Osprey many, many moons ago when I was living in Delaware County PA down the road from the Boeing plant in Tinicum.
Seems like we all knew the Osprey was really a turkey, almost from the beginning. It’s shocking to the conscience how these defense contracts work (or DON’T work).
Bluetoe @ 212
One professional here. What do you think is a senior’s minimum age: 50, 55, 60, or 65?
Bluetoe @ 211
CTA/NEA
This goes with the comment I posted at 159 concerning LIMITED INTERNET CAPACITY. This is part of the transcript from a press conference today. Very interesting.
Q There’s a couple things going on in the financial services sector about addressing if there’s a pandemic — a work-at-home strategy. And we’re working with NCS and doing some modeling there. I think the model is, we know it’s going to happen, there’s not going to be enough bandwidth to work at home because everybody is going to be working at home, and kids are going to be at home downloading stuff and there’s not going to be enough bandwidth there. We’re also doing some studies — actually, a whole exercise in the fall — I believe a few hundred, maybe even a few thousand institutions participate, financial institutions, and doing a series of injects over a three-week period. I think Treasury is helping fund that.
But your thoughts in general about maybe a national policy, if this does hit, can there be ways to actually restrict bandwidth or usage of that bandwidth to critical infrastructures, so there isn’t gaming and other things going on and using all the bandwidth out there?
DR. RUNGE: That’s a great comment. Thank you very much for bringing this up. As groups like yours begin to engage — and we affectionately call that the last-mile task force, because the concern is that the last mile of telecom is really the most vulnerable piece of this. Unbeknownst to me as a physician, but working with NTIA and the Department of Commerce and your group and others — Secretary Chertoff has actually asked the question to us recently, what additional authorities should we have in place in the event of a pandemic that we may not have now. Our general counsel is looking at this issue, particularly the issue that you raised about the large proportion of our vital bandwidth is consumed by playing video games over the Internet. If the technology exists, there may be some development of compatible authorities in order to deal with that.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..17-13.html
Stephen Parrish CPA @ 98
I said Bush’s EO reaks of martial law, not that martial law has been ordered. And it appears he is giving authority to Treasury & Dept. of Defense. Placing DoD in an enforcement role against U.S. persons on U.S. territory reaks of martial law IMO. I’m sure that we have enough troops here to carry out spot seizures should they be ordered. But that’s beside the point…it sounds martial-law-like, and it’s disturbing on that basis alone.
Martial Law (excuse my earlier spelling error), from Wiki:
Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice.
Usually martial law reduces some of the personal rights ordinarily granted to the citizen, limits the length of the trial processes, and prescribes more severe penalties than ordinary law. In many states martial law prescribes the death penalty for certain crimes, even if ordinary law does not contain that crime or punishment in its system.
Originally martial law was imposed during wars or occupations to let the government control population more effectively in spite of heightened unrest. Nowadays it is most commonly used by authoritarian governments to enforce their rule, for example after coup d’état (Thailand 2006), when threatened by popular protests (PRC 1989), or to crack down on the opposition (Poland 1981). Martial law can also be declared in cases of major natural disasters, however most countries use a different legal construct like “state of emergency”.
In many countries martial law imposes particular rules, one of which is curfew. Often, under this system, the administration of justice is left to a military tribunal, called a court-martial. The suspension of the writ of habeas corpus is likely to occur.
thanks boxer-i sent a letter…….scathing, but precise………..
jacqrat @ 12
I think it is superb! John and Elizabeth Edwards are brilliant, authentic and give new meaning to the word patriots.
ReElect President Gore & VP Edwards in 2008!
Accept no substitutes. :>)
dakine01 @ 126
Honest to gosh, if 300 Million heavily armed civilians don’t draw a single weapon (let alone fire a shot) when under attack by terrorists, do you think they will if four U.S. Marines with M-16’s knock on their door and say “Come with us”?
I don’t
Specter is a douchebag. But I still give him credit for voting against Bork.
Are we voting? I’m a professional. 40’s.
Yup anopther TRAITOR exposed boy these RACIST NAZIS COMMITTEE (RNC) FASCIST NEOCONs really get around. All talk no action GUTLESS,SPINELESS, COWARDS and TRAITORS every republican in the SENATE.
TiredFed @ 229
You say that, but there’s nothing you can do. NOTHING. My nephew just signed up with the marines. He wanted to do so when he turned 18 and my parents (his grandparents) were able to get him to hold off until this year. He didn’t get accepted to the engineering program he applied to (his math is great, his reading is abysmal) so he signed on. They couldn’t stop him. They tried. He’s considered an adult and there was nothing that they could do.
real world @40, from the getgo, when i first saw george ‘pet goat’ bush have his eight minute wargasm. and, most recently, when bush stated that the terrorists who attacked us on 9-11 are the same terrorists who are killing innocent people in iraq.
peas!
mrs. k8 @71, a bit of deju vu. in the late sixties, i met former oregon senator bob packwood and experienced the same sweaty slimy sensation when we shook hands although his hand was quite dry. reptilian, yah.
my former partner, who socialised with the packwood family from childhood through college, experienced the same thing and thereafter refused to touch, or be touched by, packwood.
thanks for the weird flashback.
peas!
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 98
They enlist the police departments & municipal/civil servants.