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Well, this is an interesting snippet in RollCall:
...At the same time, the FBI and the Department of the Interior are investigating a series of earmarks pushed through Congress over the past several years by Stevens for an Alaska nonprofit tied to Trevor McCabe, a former Stevens aide and a business partner of his son, Ben, sources familiar with the investigation said.
According to the sources, the investigation is focused on how millions in federal funds earmarked for the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, were used and how more than $500,000 made it to McCabe.
Marcia Blaszak, Alaska Regional Director for the National Park Service, declined to comment Monday on the specifics of the multi-agency inquiry, citing the fact that it is an "ongoing federal investigation." However, Blaszak did say staff from her office have been cooperating with investigators from DOI's Office of Inspector General. "A number of our employees have been contacted" by DOI's IG, Blaszak said....
As Howie notes, all three of Alaska's elected representatives to Congress are currently dealing with investigations of alleged improprieties at the moment. And all three are Republicans. The Hill reports that Stevens' home was raided by both the FBI and the IRS -- which really raises my law enforcement antennae that serious money and transactional questions have been raised. The IRS involvement is very bad news indeed. From the NYTimes:
The businessman, Bill J. Allen, the founder of an oil fields service company that has won tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts with the senator’s help, has pleaded guilty to bribing state legislators....
A spokesman for the Anchorage office of the F.B.I., David Heller, would not discuss details of what was being sought in the raid and referred calls to the Justice Department’s public integrity division in Washington. The division handles major corruption cases involving public officials.
Mr. Stevens is one of more than a dozen current and former members of Congress who are known to be under scrutiny by the F.B.I. ...
Can you say guilty plea with a deal for cooperation on the part of Mr. Allen? I know I can.
Home raids have become something of a trend for Beltway insiders of the Republican persuasion of late:
The Anchorage FBI office did not return a request for comment late yesterday. Two House Republicans, Rick Renzi (Ariz.) and John Doolittle (Calif.), have experienced home raids by federal authorities this year, but a raid on Stevens’ residence marks a significant intrusion of congressional corruption scandals into the more clubby Senate.
Stevens’ financial disclosure form for last year, which he requested that the ethics committee review before submission, is still under wraps after the senator requested a second deadline extension, as The Hill reported earlier this month.
The spectacle of corruption and failure continues. The Grand Obstruction Party, coming to a corruption investigation near you. Is Sen. Stevens headed down the toobz? Stay tuned...
(In the meantime, let's revisit this oldie but goodie. Because everyone needs a good belly laugh once in a while. Photo above via Dave Gorman.)
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zed
ooohhh. two days in a row. now to read …..
am I still alone up here?
Is Ed*ard Teller at the Lake? BigMitch?
Ted Stevens on a bridge to nowhere… North of no south.
No TexB you’re not alone.
TexB @ 3
No.
So how many repub members of congress have been investigated? indicte? Convicted? in the past 6 years?
Bush’s high noon letter:
Dear Homeland terrorists:
I hereby pardon Gonzo and Ted Stevens. Yes, I spy on you all. Bite me.
Shop - or go to one of our new Halliburton detention centers.
Signed,
King GWB43.com
This is from a DKos diary entitled “Is that Legal?
Seems someone tipped off Stevens before the search.
LS @ 8
You got the scoop!
Can someone make sense of what this might be about?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news.....517-6.html
Can you say guilty plea with a deal for cooperation on the part of Mr. Allen? I know I can.
MUWAHAHAHA! The amount of corruption sticking to the Repube Party is breathtaking to those who pay attention.
I’m worried this isn’t being communicated to the general electorate however. The Conglomerate Media is doing their real job very well so far. As usual, it’ll be up to us to root out the evildoers.
Sometimes it is amusingly difficult to live in Alaska. A local radio station had a person in Girdwood who said they all wore sunglasses and the paintjob on Ted’s house would get any other remodeler fired.
It’s times like this that makes it hard for me to write/call/fax these folks. (Actually Lisa M is the only one who replies and they are standard pap.)
Good morning. My favorite Stevens non-denial denial is that he paid every invoice he received.
Bill Moyer’s Journal from last week about earmarks with Taxpayers for Commonsense spoke about the Bridge to Nowhere…
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/jour.....ript2.html
T-minus-11-minutes
a slightly belated happy day to all the birthday firedogs ….
EPU’d from the last thread:
1. Happy Birthdays to egregious & Scarecrow! Woot!
2. Robert Farley had the best takedown of yesterday’s self-serving op-ed by O’Hanlan & Pollack. Go check it out at TAPPED
Work for peace, every day.
TexB @ 7
it’s getting to the point that all repub spokespeople might as well pack up their podiums and go home…..if everything that’s the subject of an “ongoing investigation” is off limits, ain’t nuthin left to say no mo.
Man we’re all just fulla OT questions, aren’t we?!
Well, with apologies, here comes another just EPU’d downstairs:
Adie @ 174
pretty please? anyone?
TexB @ 7
Not enough!
Does Stevens have a primary opponent yet? Does anyone know the deadline for filing to run in the Alaska gooper primary?
Goopers could screw themselves with this one if they don’t act quickly.
Advance Notice - How is that a RAID!
Stevens said in a statement that his attorneys were advised of the impending search yesterday morning. He said he would not comment on details of the inquiry to avoid “any appearance that I have attempted to influence its outcome.”
so, what? the WH is going to rush its letter out to Specter at 11:59? or will they go all passive/aggressive and put it out at 12:03?
OldCoastie @ 24
Maybe it will be an announcement by Bush himself.
“…But for obscene gestures it’s hard to beat “the bridge to nowhere.” $223 million dollars earmarked for a bridge to a small local airport and fewer than 100 constituents living on island in Alaska. Taxpayers for Common Sense dug up the story and turned it over to the press. The earmark had been the work of Alaska’s representative Young (then head of the House Transportation Committee), and his colleague in the Senate, Ted Stevens (then chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.) They figured they had the political clout to push their earmark through.”
BILL MOYERS: The earmark for the bridge in Alaska was now the symbol of spending priorities grotesquely out of whack… but the message on the floor of the Senate was entirely different - don’t mess with the gentleman’s pork.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/jour.....ript2.html
Bottom line: we pay way too much in federal taxes.
p.s., sen. steevie. OH HAPPY DAY!
mebbe there be a lil’ justice in the midst of whirled peas after all.
I hope the toobz don’t hit Stevens on the way out. I almost hope Stevens holds on a little longer, so the Dems can trounce his corrupt ass in the elections. Alas, he’ll probably retire.
LS @ 8
Is it possible that they’ve spied on Nancy and she’s afraid of them?
tick-tock! Snarlin’ Arlen’s gonna be pissed!
RockPaperScizzors @ 26
I respectfully disagree. Bottom line: the Federal taxes we pay are not spent appropriately.
they keep saying Stevens is the longest running repub senator in history…..but wasn’t Strom Thurmond in office like, 150 years?
Speaking of evil Carolinians…..what ever happened to Jesse Helms? I will always cherish the memory of 1984, when I witnessed one of his re-election campaigns during my first year in law school. “Jim Hunt….a Mondale liberal.”
Some of my classmates VOTED for him. OMFG.
Mutant Poodle @ 14
I heard that bit on NPR this morning. He paid every invoice. The story said that Stevens allegedly had his Ski House remodeled with gubmint money.
I wish I could remodel my ski house.
Does ski house sound less ostentatious than a vacation home? I guess it does. Its different anyway. All these Republics remodelling their homes with the taxpayers’ money - they gotta mix it up a bit. Ski house it is.
Do note, dear friends, that when Stevens resigns “to spend more time with his family”, Alaska’s Republican governor, Sarah Palin, can’t appoint his successor. There HAS to be a special election.
This is because of a law passed in 2004 in the wake of Frank Murkowski’s appointing his darling daughter Lisa to succeed himself.
My computer clock says that it’s high noon in DC—anyone here gunfire- or a bombshell?
Helen at 31 — Exactly!
hackworth @ 33
Chalet…
Boston1775 @ 29
Could be, but I don’t think she is afraid of them.
We call our ski house —- Lego!
hackworth @ 33
The house is just the Capone gimmick, the tip of the iceberg of Stevens’ corruption. The Feds needed to search it, but not because of the remodeling.
mind the gap!
Phoenix Woman @ 34
Interesting. It’d sure be nice if Connecticut had such a law.
And hippo birdies to Scarecrow and egregious!
via dkos diary, Stevens may have been improperly tipped that the search was going to happen.
“paid every invoice he received” but not the ones that went elsewhere that he DIDN’T receive. Did he wonder why he never received invoices for roof, plumbing, electrical, windows, etc? Just the silly invoice for the doorknob that he paid promptly.
oddmommy @ 32
oddmoomy,
I believe Strom had some interim time out of office to break up his “service”
IIRC Jesse Helms is in Alzheimers territory
oh horrors! has the WH ignored Specter’s demand?
(the kabuki continues!)
If Senator Stevens goes down the Toobz, won’t he plug them up?
rwcole @ 35
nope…..ominous silence here in the nation’s capital.
punaise @ 41
clever!
Phoenix Woman @ 40
I dunno - crumpled $100 bills are surprisingly effective for wall insulation.
MSNBC this morning, when reporting on the corruption in Alaska, had to inject the 90K in Jefferson’s freezer and label all the scandal “bipartisan”. How fair and balanced they are!
Tick, Tick Tick,
Hell if the bombshell doesn’t arrive soon I’m gonna have ta head to the store for more COFFEE!
let’s be clear so we don’t get carried away with ourselves
the reason there haven’t been democrats in these scandals is the democrats haven’t been in power, they haven’t had the oportunity and they haven’t been seduced
power corrupts, abosolute power corrupts ever more
(I didn’t write that if you can believe it, it was someone named Lord Acton)
when the progressives are in controll the progressives will become corrupt and we have to be vigilant and hold their feet to the fire so it doesn’t happen
someone made a point a few days ago, I forget who it was;
the reason democrats aren’t implicated is the kay street project, they made sure democrats had no power and therefore the democrats had nothing to broker
that’s an excellant point
Actually, I would expect Angry Senator Ted to go down “a series of toobz,”
Pelosi ain’t afraid of no goopers—SHE’S WINNING!!!!
MSNBC seems to be expecting the “clarification”. I think W is going to say something.
my prediction on shorter bush;
“I wrote what spector told me might play”
perris @ 57
Bingo!!
…lost in the toobz… for 2 threads *sniffle*
when all calms down, i’d luv me a response to my #20. theez crooks have be tearin’ my hair out in great hunks. pleeze. would like to have some hope…
TexB @ 49
TPM:
let me rephrase that:
mined the gap!
Dan Schorr said on NPR last night that the NYT’s piece yesterday was a “gift” to Gonzo. I guess we get to see how accurate he was.
perris @ 57
More like “Thank you Senator for setting the stage for this latest bunch of horseshit.” Specter has been a GOP coverup artist for 40 years.
Bush:
I’m the Decider and the Commander Guy, and I’ve decided that Congress no longer exists…so move along now subjects.
Helen @ 31
Our economy is in a precarious place. When middle class people with good credit are losing their homes, when infrastructure over here is ignored to take care of the infrastructure we destroyed over there, when schools are cut to the bone, when the debt of this war is on our children’s credit cards and homeland security is a joke, our nation is in more jeopardy than being engaged in an illegal war.
We are in a precarious place.
Stevens has the longest tenure of any Republican currently in office.
-GSD
perris @ 53
Call me naive & stoopid in the bargain, but I refuse to buy wholesale the pug talking point that “everybody does it”
NO.THEY.DON’T!
Adie @ 59
Considering how many of the amendments are already gone, why do you imagine the rest of the constitution is still in effect?
40
Phoenix Woman says:
The house is just the Capone gimmick, the tip of the iceberg of Stevens’ corruption. The Feds needed to search it, but not because of the remodeling.
The Stevens ski house remodeling, its alleged improper funding and the raid was the NPR piece in total. There contained in the story no mention of any other alleged crimes or the fact that he was tipped off pre-raid.
One must use the tubes to get the real story.
Bush bombshell:
I’m the Dictator Guy.
BHatten @ 61
Mining for terroist. What else were they mining for? Who had access to the mining? Was the mining operation infiltrated by another country? Or countries?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072907Z.shtml
BHatten @ 61
Yep, a convenient leak of classified material for political purpose. Who da thunk it?
Remember the wingers calling for Keller’s (NYT) head in a noose for discussing the program.
LS @ 69
Dicktator? Me be confuzled.
Helen @ 31
I agree, but I believe federal taxation needs reformation. Imagine if any President had to ask each state for money to support earmarked pork, wars, no contract bids? I would rather pay more in state taxes and less in federal taxes. My state tax dollars would remain in state. As a blue city state, the majority of my federal tax dollars are spent in states with minimal city and state taxes. And when a disaster strikes, guess who pays, the blue states because we have the highest taxation.
Folks, telling someone’s attorney that a search may be forthcoming is generally done as a warning not to remove papers or other items that the searchers already know exist and are likely on the premises. In other words, it’s a shot across the destruction of evidence bow so that it doesn’t happen. It’s not uncommon in white collar cases where you have a cooperating defendant who has inside information in a particular conspiracy — at least not in my experience anyway.
Think about the large items of furniture, say, that Duke Cunningham purchased for his home with his ill-gotten gains…that sort of thing can’t just up and disappear without being noticed, eh?
Gang:
Let’s get one crooked thing straight:
It’s Arlen Specter. Spector, NOT.
Adie at 59 — Can I at least have time to grab a shower at some point in my day? I’ll take a peek at it as soon as I get my lunch…
OK OT sorry
Here from Edwards email today The Republican Party itself just emailed their entire national membership to lash out at John Edwards for daring to stand up and speak the truth about Bush’s failed strategy in Iraq.
My question is.. why not lock him up and throw away they key. Surely the recent proclamation from the king allows for his immediate detention, incarceration, incineration and internment?
OT to a previous thread, I spoke too soon, Rupert got it done. It’s the decline of western civilization as we know it:
TexB @ 67
to keep the NRA happy…..gotta keep that all-important Second Amendment, ya know.
TexB @ 67
i dunno. i’d just like to believe in somethin’, thas all…
okay wit you if i stir up a fuss once in awhile? is it wrong to care anymore? do we just roll over & play dead?
sorry… can’t join you in that gambit yet…
just checked, & still have a pulse.
what’s yer xcuse?
I have never watched George Galloways full testimony in front of the Senate.
It is so worth it.
The Iraqi sanctions “Infanticide maquerading as politics”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_.....556113.stm
That Bridge to Nowhere is starting to make a lot of sense now.
perris @ 53
I must be partisan now, because breaking the Republican stranglehold on our democracy set in motion by their majority requires a critical mass of people working in tandem.
But once a Democratic majority has overcome the Republican death grip, it will be time to work to grow a viable third party — or more — so that we will never again be held hostage by a scant majority. It is my personal goal to work for a third party as soon as possible, but it won’t happen until the Repugs are broken entirely and ready to begin over.
No one knows what tomorrow will look like,
let alone 2009; Pelosi’s apparently sanquine view, self-satisfied and condescending as it is, may well not be accurate.
So, we are all gambling that someone, anyone, will do the right thing, putting aside ‘partisan’ consideration and defend the constitution and our country.
Where is the real war? Is it ‘over there’ or is it here and NOW?
I’m checking the news websites for the noon letter. Nothing yet. All about Roberts leaving hospital. What’s with his marriage? Is his wife with him?
-ck- @ 47
Anybody seen the plunger?!
Is this the norm for a DOJ raid?
From The Hill:
In a statement released by his office Monday, Stevens said his attorneys were notified of the search Monday morning.
dakine01 @ 45
Wikipedia: Senate career
Apparently senators told Clusterfuck “so yer gonna really STICK to this cock and bull story about how Gonzo really told the truth cause we didn’t used ta call the program by the name we call it now?—well then we want it in WRITING you nincompoop!!”
Now if only HoJoe’s house would be raided by the FBI. Holy Joe is corrupt, he likes earmarks and hangs with the same folks (e.g. Mel Sembler) as the Republikans. Wouldn’t surprise me if he took a bribe or too.
Easy. It’s simply the decline of WSJ as we know it.
RockPaperScissors AT 73 - I’m right with ya. I’m in NYC and we’ve got all three governments taxing us plus an 8% sales tax.
Which would be just fine in my opinion if, say, the schools were teaching the kids.
“Decline” of the WSJ- not possible- at least not the editorial page.
It’s noon time, do you know where the letter is?
Will Stevens now be labeled a Democrat?
Anyone seen Gonzo’s letter? Or is it classified?
Now the WSJ is going to be taking on the the sinking mantle of Faux News.
Just another propaganda outfit.
I recommend anyone worth their salt who gets the WSJ will dump the subscription pronto.
The Paris Hiltonization of a one time media biggie.
Maybe the WSJ can run full page ads for Fox Network shows like Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire.
Everyone knew the WSJ editorial page was a bunch of righwing crapola, but now the whole news outfit is gonna be considered suspect.
Remember Rupert “I wanna influence the election” Murdick.
-GSD
Phoenix Woman @ 34
When time permits, please look at the Constitution’s Seventeenth Amendment; the law you mentioned appears to be consistent with the Seventeenth Amendment’s provisions.
Biodun @ 91
Ok, hyperbole aside. It’s the control of another major media source under an umbrella which has been shown to truck in specific sort of ideological propaganda. There will be those who say that the WSJ won’t change much. But I hold that it was, in the past, at least subject to the concerns of greedy capitalists rather than power hungry idealists. Not much difference, I’ll warrant, but some.
Time to invest in firearms! Seems to be the only amendment that hasn’t been altered by the Bush Administration.
The assault weapons ban was lifted in 2004 - Celebrate by buying AR-15s
When asked by reporters whether he saw any possible way he could avoid indictment and conviction on corruption charges, Senator Stevens reportedly answered - “NO!!”
truebluetexan @ 88
See Christy’s comment @ 74
Adie — The answer is that the Bush Administration cannot simply seize control under marshall law if the public refuses to allow them to do so, if the military refuses to execute unlawful orders, and so on. Sen. Leahy and others in Congress have already begun looking at the various edicts and emergency orders in place — and the more sunshine they get, the less likely they are to ever be executed.
Frankly, you can mark me down in the non-conspiracy-theorist category. BushCo may be power hungry, but they are inept and hamhanded at it, and they are running through supporters like water through a sieve.
Just too much for Americans to consider that this is what we are responsible for in Iraq
Iraq: One in seven joins human tide spilling into neighbouring countries
By Patrick Cockburn in Sulaymaniyah
http://www.informationclearing.....e18097.htm
Those neo-cons must be licking their “securing the realm” chops. I am more convinced than ever before that this is exactly want they wanted. Complete and utter chaos in Iraq!
Brief ThinkProgress post: CREW calls on Stevens to give up committee seat
Biodun @ 91
Naw, he promised to maintain the “editorial independence” of the WSJ. News integrity? Not so important
Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?
Only a Democrat.
To a true Repub, that would be insulting chump change.
Hey cancer cures @99
how about a new bumper sticker:
“Armed and Liberal”
we got anyone in PA willing to call Specter’s office and find out if he got his letter?
johnSwifty @ 98
Isn’t there some kind of monopoly law to keep Rupert Murdoch from turning more and more media into Fox News replicants. The WSJ was conservative editorially, but . . .
Biodun @ 91
The WSJ is a right-wing, warmongering propaganda sheet. Murdoch can only make it a tiny bit worse in that regard than what it is already. There is no liberal representation in the WSJ. Newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur. The previous owners were smart to sell it.
From CNBC:
I’m sure CNBC is thrilled at the deal…
Christy, I’m with you. If, and if is a biggie, Bush was planning some sort of coup d’etat, he’d have possibly pulled it off back in the post 9/11 aftermath.
If he were to try such an outrageous act now it would cause his government to collapse.
-GSD
Christy Hardin Smith @ 102
If Bush wanted to wake up the American population and destroy the GOP in one fell swoop, then declaring marshal law would be the perfect action to take. In other words, it any such attempt would be phenomenally inept and hamhanded. And I cannot imagine that the military, given that they have been supposedly fighting a war to end marshal law in Iraq, would go along with it.
mui @ 109
There used to be. But it dissapeared during the Reagan “free-market” Thatcher love-fest.
mui @ 109
Ironically, Reagan, the great communicator, did away with that regulation.
Mui,
The fine congressional antics of Newton Leroy Gingrich helped to push up the percentages of media ownership….thus personally benenfitting Murdick and Newton by extension.
Win, win!
-GSD
been out for a while.
Is Specter actually expected to make a statement here soon?
Or is something coming from the WH?
hackworth @ 110
Eggzactly. And with Murdoch at the helm, it has lost any pretense for credibility.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 104
but….but…..the Internet NEEDS him….he’s the only one who, like, KNOWS about it.
martial law
Make your plans now!
http://www.impeachbush.org/site/PageServer
Pelosi/2007
114 and 115:
Ah, great minds think alike in the same time stamp, if not the same time-zone: ET and CT..*g*
TeddySanFran @ 120
What?
Same here Christy, I agreed with this 100%
Obviously we won control of congress back in 2006, if they were going to do something severe, we wouldn’t have won, and I wouldn’t be posting this response right now.
Called specter’s office. specs office (sarah) said no letter as yet as far as she knew. Transferred to Judiciary. No communication and no idea what the “penalty” might be (12.31)
And so the dance continues
Kathleen @ 103
Yup, Kathleen, probably, but I also wonder if Bibi’s father’s disciples are hoist with their own petard because they did not conceive of the possibility the Preznit of the US and his DoD could so screw up the Occupation.
Bush bombshell:
Woodhall Hollow @ 113
300,000,000 Americans would never abide by martial law instigated by Bush. No way.
The Republicans are now saddled with Dave Diapers Vitter and Ted Toobz Stevens to further sink their party in 2008.
Way to go….
-GSD
Woodhall Hollow @ 123
spelling lesson
Have you met a PP today?
“George W. Bush has gathered around him upper crust C-students who know no history or geography, plus not-so-closeted white supremacists, aka Christians, and plus, most frighteningly, psychopathic personalities, or PP’s, the medical term for smart, personable people who have no consciences.”
Kurt Vonnegut, “A Man Without a Country”
On Ed Schultz: John Edwards wants to send 25,000 copies of the Constitution to Fredo Gonzales, the worst Attorney General ever.
============
Send a message to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The man who brought us Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and illegal spying on Americans is now facing a possible perjury investigation from Congress.
Tell Gonzales it is time to go!
We will send one copy of the Constitution to Gonzales’ office for every person who signs our petition. If we reach our goal of 25,000 signatures, we will add all the names to the biggest copy of the Constitution you have ever seen — and send that to his office too!
Christy at 76
YOUBETCHA I’ll wait! Thanks for the lifeline. I’m more patient than might appear. Just danged upset at what’s happening to our country. I don’t take kindly to feeling helpless(!)
All I needs is some hope. Just a little…
Right now I join the ranks of citizens who feel absolutely trapped and nearly hopeless in the face of these goons in the administration.
At least I do have one uplifting experience to look fwd to soon.
Later this week, I plan to make my annual pilgrimage to the county fair - of course to go smooze with the friendly goats and admire the entries of all sorts, but also to visit the political displays. It’s always a hoot to saunter up to the pug table and quietly start scooping up dubble copies of everything they display. They get so bubbly and excited every time I do it, so we invariably “have a nice chat.”
Then, often to their shock & sometimes horror, I walk straight away across the aisle and do the same at the Democratic Party table, generally handing them a full set of the pug literature which they’ve usually been dying to view, but too cautious to go grab in person. Then before strolling around the rest of the fair barns & such, I dump my whole collection of lit in a nice brightly patterned official Democratic Party carrying bag. Somehow, the pugs have never figured out what to do about rogue donkeys with gray hair and faux-friendly at-ti-tude… ;->
Marshall Plan.
Martial law.
-GSD
Thanks, Teddy — doing too many things at once today. Never pack, eat your lunch and type at the same time…it’s tyop central here today.
Nola Sue @ 86
Call roto-rooter, heh.
GSD @ 133
Marital happiness.
Letter being delayed a little bit and will then go to Specter. MSNBC
Ed Schult, good talk about impeaching Gonzo, esp. about the atty. firings, making the DOJ political. Listen up.
Helen @ 92
I’m envious, Chicago is 9% sales tax. The good ole days at 8% sigh…..
OT–
Another wasted junket for Condi–and also wasted “aid”:
GSD @ 133
Marshalling resources.
LS @ 137
Are they checking for parsing?
Woodhall Hollow @ 141
Marshall Tucker
hackworth @ 110
You’re describing the editorial page, NOT their news coverage. Their news coverage has always been pretty decent and they have some great investigative journalists. I expect that to change, we don’t want to uncover anymore Enron’s or anything that makes corporate America look bad.
Biodun @ 111
Oh hell yes! The corporatocracy will piss on your shoes and tell you its raining.
NPR, two weeks ago on their 5PM Friday Stock Market show, had two guys bantering about how Murdoch would rename the Dow. Newscorp Industrials or The Murdoch. They concurred that it would be The Murdoch.
1. too bad for WSJ. but…perhaps the only silk lining here, is that Investors Business Daily might see an uptick in populaity over the long haul. IBD is pretty damn conservative as well…but it does contain lots and lots of hard market numbers. It’s pretty good for folks looking for raw mkt data. Perhaps, over time, some of the WSJ mkt writers will be lured over to IBD? Time will tell.
2. Martial law: for many, many reasons I don’t worry about martial law. Aside from political issues, it’s also a “nuts and bolts” problem. Try to imagine just how massive a force structure would be needed to actually and successfully impose martial law across the USA.
3. For the same reason as #2 above, I don’t ever lose any sleep over Blackwater fellas somehow “taking over” our country.
4. Mr. Stevens: hmmm. I don’t think they do Texas Toast up there. Is he…now a Baked Alaska?
Ghostman
My Guess on Specter’s delay - Bush has stonewalled, Specter is calling friends asking him what he should do.
nomolos @ 136
Maritime laws…
Home Depot is dumping Loofah O’Dildo.
-GSD
nomolos @ 136
Must.Not.Say.Oxymoron.
oops
GSD @ 112
TheraP recommended this article and comments from TPM. Someone knowledgeable is making a strong case that this administration has already been caught.
Their communications have been laced with false information sent by CIA and similar units in Europe. CIA and EU have copies of this important information. If the White House has erased that information along with everything else they’ve purged, they’ve caught themselves.
And, the White House has no way of distinguishing which of the communications contain false information.
Breathtaking.
(make sure and read the comments by anonymous and TheraP.)
nomolos @ 136
Where? I want some of that one!
Christy @ 102
You is marshallin’ yore humour to fun with spellin’ I s’pect.
BTW folks, ‘noon’ is not George TIME.
Genius cannot be rushed except at Frat parties!
raven @ 143
“…And we’re Searchin’
For a Rainbow…”
Blackwater mercenaries wouldn’t make it to a first muster here in NH.
That I know.
-GSD
nomolos @ 125
thanks, nomolos
LS @ 126
Look how complaisant the G Am Public as been about the lies of 9/11, the lies about Iraq, the lies about social security, about getting charged income tax on a total below subsistence while te rich and especially corporations do not pay, and so on, and so on? Sadly I would not bet on it, and once declared, because he would claim strictly legal rectitude under the Patriot Act I absolutely would not bet that a sufficient quantity of the Brass in the DoD would not go along with it!
TexB @ 152
30 years and lovin every minute and every minute lovin
GSD @ 149
Damn baby, now THERE’S some good news!
Linky?
Christy 102, Woodhall Hollow 113
Thanks much for your comments.
Just spotted and bookmarked them.
Sorry for being such a pest. It’s not just for me. I’ve got a bunch-a people I know will need to hear such stuff, just to have the oomph to keep going. rover’s such a master at destroying hope, as we all know….
SnowJob up on C-Span 2.
says -$30 *million* in aid to Israel…
umm, no, Tony - move the decimal point.
I wonder how the WSJ journalists feel today, after staging a walk out to let their feelings be known, it is now obvious that it is futile to resist the Borg of Fox News.
GSD @ 155
Don’t like those bushies too much up heah.
rwcole @ 22
Just my opinion, no inside knowledge. Nobody would dare to run against Stevens in the primary. If s/he did, it is unlikely that the insurgent would carry a single precinct.
GSD @ 149
Linky?
For whom the falafel tolls.
Poor Morton Downey O’Rielly, his schtick is getting tired.
-GSD
Diane @ 162
Several have been looking elsewhere ever since the news of Murdock’s offer…
Josh Marshall has an LOL video up about YearlyKos. Makes me wish I had signed up!
>
“…And we’re Searchin’
For a Rainbow…”
in that Blue Ridge Mountain Sky
Adie @ 66
I agree. There will certainly be corrupt Democrats (heck, there have been corrupt Democrats even while they have been completely out of power), but we have not seen the level of corruption of modern Republicans for a century or more, if ever. This didn’t just happen because they got power, it is part of who they are.
Republicans are fundamentally corrupt as a party, and their corruption was institutional (the K Street Project being only the least concealed example.) Individual Democrats may be corrupt, but they will never be as wholesale corrupt as the GOP, because unlike the GOP, the party is not built on the twin ideas that government is evil (and therefore anything you take from it is a good thing) and that wealth equates to moral worth.
We need to hold their feet to the fire, but we need to do it to make them stick to the principles we elect them to follow, not because simply acquiring power will magically turn them into corrupt Republicans.
Or is it “a LOL video”?
Adie @ 160
Rover aka Bush’s brain is at least as dumb as his master. The only reason he ever got away with anything was because no one was watching. That was before blogs and the Dem-controlled congress. (clue: his ineptness is most obviously seen in the lousy job they made of the purge-gate. Not only was it corrupt, the whole thing was beyond stooopid.)
Ghostman @ 146
He has only to declare “No Election”………… to preserve his seat in the WH.
nomolos @ 163
Bought me a “Live Free or Die” t-shirt with the Old Man in the Mountain on it just 2 weeks ago in the Flume gift shop!
Schedule Update Death of T I L L M A N Tonight 8 pm ET C-Span-3
maunga @ 127
A Friend Peggy Gish who was in Iraq before the invasion and after (close to 4 years) http://beirut.indymedia.org/fr/2005/12/3497.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/mid.....835.stmwho has said that many Iraqi’s believe that this is exactly what the warmongers wanted, chaos, death and destruction. I now believe this.
Just too many indicators that point this way. Ignore Un Hans Blix and IAEA’s El Baradei and all of the experts who were ignored before the invasion many saying don’t do it. Then experts ignored and fired for saying if you do send in more troops send in enough to maintain peace (The Powell Doctrine/overwhelming force ).
Just too many signs that indicate what many of the Iraqi people and others have been saying. Chaos, death and destruction is what they wanted. Easier to stay longer and “Secure the Realm”
Me @ 167:
Murdoch…
Tithonia and everybody interested in YKOS:
Looks like we can be a part of it in a few ways. There’s a virtual world, ustream and CSPAN.
This link to YKOS ustream also has information about virtual participation and something about CSPAN.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 74
Then why did they have to call a locksmith to open the door? Think they could have had someone home for this….
raven @ 143
who heard it in a love song
Propaganda connect the dots update:
O’Hanlon is the brother-in-law of Politico editor-in-chief John F. Harris.
-GSD
Maunga at 173 — And who is going to enforce the “no election” edict, beyond Cheney and his new pacemaker? Honestly, how is that logistically going to work? That would take a helluva lot of cooperation from a whole lot of people who are going to flip him one big finger and then go vote.
Kathleen @ 176
“Never attribute to mendacity, what can be explained by stupidity.” R. M. Nixon.
GSD @ 96
I would certainly urge everyone to cancel their subscriptions to the WSJ and while you’re at it, look into all the other pies Rupert has his fingers in.
I canceled DirectTV right after he bought the satellite television service. Since cable wasn’t available we went without for a few years, but finally broke down and went with Dish Network. Faux News isn’t even in their basic package so I don’t have to set up parental controls to block it.
I also fax complaints in to our local Fox affiliate on a regular basis and complain about their airing of The 700 Club when my kids might be watching. I like to include Bible quotes like:
Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
Jeremiah 14:13-15
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Matthew 7:14-16
and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Matthew 24:10-12
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.
Matthew 24:23-25
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Luke 6:25-27
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:1-3
Just to play the game by their rules. Just because I’m a Christian pacifist doesn’t mean I can’t take the fight to them.
Kathleen @176,
It seems that the Bush Administration DID want Iraq to fall into destruction because the man in charge, Paul(?) Bremer fired everyone in the schools, military, police and safety, as well as hospital staff.
Then, he did nothing to protect infrastructure that is important to Iraqi life, like water and food services, electricity, or waste management.
Then, he did nothing to protect government buildings (except oil ministry) so that when the looters pillaged anything not bolted down, entire records of history and government processes were destroyed or stolen.
So, yes, it seems that Bush (or at the very least Bremer) wanted Iraq to crumble.
Let’s not forget who we are dealing with.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 102
But WHY did shrub issue the order saying he can exercise the powers of all 3 branches in a National Emergency as he defines it? I can’t think of a reason other than that he knows somethin’ we don’t.
Woodhall Hollow @ 172
The fact that he knew no one would be watching is the core of his genius. But, with FDL et al. on the job, he’s nekkid, eh?
Now THAT’s progress!
Snowjob on msnbc
SnowJob:
Arlen’s letter to be delivered within a couple of hours. Says Specter had a couple of questions yesterday after having bee “read into” the program.
It sounded like he said the letter is *not* coming out of the WH.
Also, Specter has said that “other senators were present” when he was briefed yesterday - didn’t say who. I’m gonna go out on a limb here, and guess that none of the “others” have a “D” after their name.
snowjob sez Snarlin’ Arlen’s letter is gonna be a little bit late.
lcs at 179 — You can notifiy someone of a pending investigation. You cannot order them to cooperate with you. And that lack of cooperation can be used in terms of a bump-up in sentencing once someone is convicted.
They had to call a locksmith because Ted Stevens is an uncooperative jackass. He’s not the first uncooperative jackass that either the FBI or the IRS have had to deal with, nor will he be the last — but if he broke the law, then he should be prosecuted for doing so. Your problem with that would be what, exactly?
Tony Snow says letter coming later today from the Justice Dept. Not the Whitehouse.
rocket scientist @ 21
Makes your head spin just the way Rove likes it!
always late to the party i am…. oh well - i must say we live in verrrrrry interesting times……repugs are imploding BIG TIME - so much for the “Moral Majority” who neither moral nor in the majority
Boston1775 @ 178
Thank you, Boston!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 182
I agree. I honestly think that Bush can’t wait to chuck this whole “hard work” thing and retire to oversee his “legacy” at the library in Dallas, while cutting brush on the weekends. There can’t be more than a handful of people in this country who would submit to rule the Cheney way.
“The Attorney General has testified truthfully.” Tony Snow
Helen @ 192
Will we see Ashcroft, Philbin or Addington subpoenaed?
Jonathan @ 186
Dude, I’m a conspiracy theorist to end all (I think Cheney personally handled the RC unit that flew the drones into the WTC); but I see Shrub’s little power play here as nothing more than a kid making the rules up as he goes along, “…and then, there’s no out of bounds by the road, it just keeps going and, also, If there’s an emergency, I get to have all three branches of government, and also…”
I think he’ll take what he thinks he can get away with.
What exactly is the FBI looking for in Ted Stevens’s house?
Helen @ 192
now that’s got to hurt specter
anyway, with the doj making some kind of statement it gives the presoident some king of avenue to deny the statement came from him
BigMitch @ 175
I’ll be watching, Mitch. And the hearing is tomorrow. What has happened to the Tillman family, and every soldier who experiences fear at the thoughts of this, is an outrage.
No guilt. No conscience. Our country is run by sociopaths.
Same title as I would have picked. Could not happen to a bigger bunch of negative energy in that body. Do I care if he goes down the Toobz….NO!
BigMitch @ 197
well that clinches it for me, Big Mitch.
My sincerest wish would be to keep the W Library out of TX, off of good Methodist soil. What an abomination. He did not even go to SMU; sick.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 182
It would certainly be a long shot, but I’ve been shocked by what they’ve gotten away with before.
Living in a VERY Republican area of a VERY red state, I often feel like Rowdy Roddy Piper in They Live!
lcs @ 179
Jr’s not the only stoopid, stubborn, STUBBORN, spoiled brat to have frequented the howls of power over the last several years. Ever see one-a teddiesteeve’s speeches? huh? huh?
Of course that door was locked.
And it’s just plain good theater to have to take the xtra step to send for a locksmith when you arrive, pre-announced, and are shocked, just shocked, to find the door locked in the face of jus-tice! gottaluvit!
Biodun @ 200
Evidence of bribes and kickbacks. It sounds like they are inspecting the expansion/renovation with a fine toothed comb, and will be comparing the improvements with invoices or lack thereof.
Katleen @ 176
But the Realm (Bibi’s father’s, that is,) is not secured, Iran’s position in the neigbourhood greatly strengthened, lots and lots of highly-trained urban-experienced soldiers delivered all ready to move on. The difference in size of the various countries renders it impossible for the nuclear-weapon owning one to use the weapons i). anywhere near itself, and ii) anywhere near the oil foe obvious economic reasons and not to ‘upset’ its funder, us.
The PPs, so well described above, knowing no history will not know the roman Empirte collapsed because Emperors as dumb and megalomanic as Bush/Cheney could not hear it was about The Money. Recklessly spending money they do not have will eventually mean no Bills Paid, and instant collapse, just like Rome but much more quickly.
They tell me opinions are like something or other we all have………
I keep pushing my notion of giving Iraq to Turkey to make a new ‘federation’, since they handled it well for hundreds of years. Turkey would get oil, and we would get three more or less equal land masses, Greater Turkey, Iran and Sa’udi!
144
AnnieW says
You’re describing the editorial page, NOT their news coverage. Their news coverage has always been pretty decent and they have some great investigative journalists. I expect that to change, we don’t want to uncover anymore Enron’s or anything that makes corporate America look bad
I was receiving the WSJ for free in my driveway until last two months. I get lots of free magazines at my office.
I read the front page of the WSJ a few times. I was astounded by the warmongering horse dookie. I trashed them so no one could be influenced by their evil. If there were anything of merit in the rest of the papers, I could not tell you. The front page was too horrible and insulting to one’s intelligence to get past. Anyone who put that crap on the front page has no credibility with me. Not just warmongering, but apologia for corporations who rip off the public.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 191
Slight quibble: Uncle Ted was told not to destroy any records at least one week ago. Could be considered an “order to cooperate.”
mui @ 90
Mr. Lieberman seems to be an ‘untouchable’ as far as anyone taking him on. Wonder why?
Crhis Matthews predicted that the AG would go down this week.
Is this what the letter will be about?
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003816.php
Helen @ 192
Tony Snow says letter coming later today from the Justice Dept. Not the Whitehouse.
Anybody think Leahy will notice how quickly the Justice Dept. can, and does, respond to questions from *Republicans*?
maunga @ 173
They floated the idea of “delaying” the 2004 election because of threats of terrorism, and it didn’t fly, even in a time when Bush’s approval was higher, media were more lapdogs, and blogs were less influential. The idea went nowhere then, and it has less chance now.
Biodun @ 200
The WMD’s that were not found in Iraq
BigMitch at 211 — Not so much. Being told not to destroy documents equals don’t break the law by tampering with evidence in our investigation. Not making it easy for investigators to get into your private residence which they plan on searching is not cooperating. Big difference.
Kathleen @ 198
What does Regis have to do with this?
Maybe gonzo’s gonna resign- that would be a bombshell I suppose- and would explain why the letter’s coming from justice.
Who knew Ted Steven’s scandal would spark fear in the repubs? Good news for all:
House Passes Ethics Bill
WASHINGTON - The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to require lawmakers to disclose more details of their bids to fund pet projects and their fundraising help from lobbyists…House members approved the new legislation 411 to 8,…The House voted a day after federal agents searched the Alaska home of Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who is involved in a probe of alleged bribery attempts by oil services executives.
The bill “mandates unprecedented disclosure of lobbying activities and turns the spotlight on the special interests who have grown too comfortable with their special access,” Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., said
http://www.chicagotribune.com/.....0084.story
Raw reporting the Rummy not to show at Tillman hearing. Developing.
Fresh thread for everyone…thought the servers could use a little break…
Biodun @ 200
What exactly is the FBI looking for in Ted Stevens’s house?
Legendary pot o’ gold at the end of the Toobz?
has anything happened with the al goldstein revelations on slutgate?
Woodhall Hollow @ 208
According to local radio reports they were examining the house structurally. So, your surmise seems right to me too.
You’re welcome, Tithonia :)
Bush ain’t gonna cancel the elections- we went through this noise LAST election. The tyrants don’t need Bush- they just need ta buy themselves a new president. To think that they’d actually want to KEEP Clusterfuck in power and would risk a revolution or coup to do it is silly.
Maunga @109 It’s not over yet. The PNAC/SECURE THE REALM warmongering team still have time to do a pre-emptive strike on Iran.
Woodhall Hollow @ 208
TPM has more detail, but that’s pretty much it.
yellowsnapdragon @ 221
gutless coward
In this case, the house IS the evidence.
Boston1775 @ 202
Justin Raimando on the Tillman scandal
Tillman a fan of Cholmsky..to meet with him on his return. That would have looked bad for the military.
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=11367
maunga 173
Based on a number of very astute comments that have been made here today, I just cannot believe you’re right.
Raven,
That was the vacation spot for the GSD family back in the 70’s.
The flume, Boise rock, the basin, Clark’s Bears,.
Great stuff.
No more old man though, sniff…
-GSD
Elliott @ 230
rumsfeldutive privilege?
Can everyone please move to the new thread to ease off on the server load just a bit? Thanks…
Big coverage on Ed Schultz about the Stevens’ search; conclusion they really have something on him.
The mental error here is to think that the political balance of the country has anything at all to do with Bush- it’s determined by the richest 100,000 americans and they’re as sick of him as the rest of us- they can’t wait to get a smarter, sleeker, smoother, crook in the white house.
Hi Raven, I never caught you to see how your trip was.
Kathleen @ 228
Too damn right and their beloved Nancy gave ‘em the chink in the door!
Adie @ 233
I just hope so………….. and will flap my gums and write to work at preventing the possibility, however remote.
TexB @ 129
Succinct.
Helen @ 192
Sheldon is gonna get upset with us if’n we dont quit confusing his name with the White House. /s
Looks like the Dems have Alaska.
lcs @ 23
Good ol’ consistent Republicans. They just can’t resist over-extending to break the law and lie about it.
newtonusr @ 37
Finesse? I thought Republicans didn’t do finesse. Well, if the Birkenstock fits…