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The following things were happening:
-- A new and extensive study from Princeton University showing that black Americans with clean records are no more likely to be hired than are white ex-cons. (And forget about trying to get a job at all if you're a black ex-con. Let's not go into how the arrest threshold is lower for blacks than it is for whites.)
-- Wow, some frickin' NUKES went missing, y'know, looks like they just fell off the truck or something on their way to go bomb Iran. Larry Johnson calls bullshit on this: Simple Error My Ass!
-- Former ABC anchor Ted Koppel breaks the Big Media omerta and comes out swinging on Dan Rather's behalf (h/t McCamy Taylor): "Calling the ouster of Dan Rather from CBS News in 2006 a 'travesty,' newsman Ted Koppel said today that he hopes the $70 million suit filed by Mr. Rather against CBS and Viacom will bring Mr. Rather 'relief from his [emotional] pain.'"
-- Bush and the Republicans are dicking the Democrats in Congress around on the budget for Fiscal Year 2008, which starts next Monday, October 1. When I was a little girl, the nation's budgets were always done on time, but when the Republicans took over Congress in 1994, they started the practice of constantly fighting then-President Clinton and the Democrats over the budget, even shutting the government down TWICE in Clinton's first term. Nowadays, the Republicans under Bush's command are such pricks that they won't even agree with Democrats on such simple things as the continuing resolutions needed to keep the government going without an official budget.
-- Oh, and we've been telling our troops to set out "bait" as entrapment for Iraqis so we can justify shooting them, civilians or not. And then we wonder why the Iraqis hate our guts?
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Phoenix Woman!
BADA BING!
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain….
here’s another thing happening - the (D) Congress seems to be preparing to pass legislation retroactively legalizing the Preznits warrantless eavesdropping, legislation the (R) Congress would not pass.
my emphasis, sorry.
from http://www.salon.com/opinion/g.....index.html
Frank Morgan was a great actor, and it’s a shame that he’s mostly remembered for playing the Wizard of Oz.
Also, warning shots have turned into head shots in Myanmar
From the link to Ted Koppel:
When Mr. Bush was running for president, Mr. Koppel asked then Governor Bush what qualified him to be president. Mr. Bush cited his experience as governor of Texas, his experience running the Texas Rangers baseball team, as well as the fact that he was a loving husband and father.
Mr. Koppel replied that those qualifications would seem to be good qualifications if one were running for president of the Kiwanis Club, but not for president of the United States.
Ever since then it’s been the big freeze for Mr. Koppel from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
People who have been 100% correct keep getting punished…Bush knob polishers keep getting rewarded.
W.T.F?
i posted this in scarecrow’s thread, but it really belongs here:
something else the House did yesterday was pass lantos’ reprehensible bill H.R.1400, “Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007,” by 397 - 16. this bill was introduced in march and brought to a vote during ahmadinejad’s visit.
from the jerusalem post:
too many idiots in congress.
Hello, hello. Don’t get me started on those budget things. I also remember when the budget squabbles started.
If it weren’t for the stakes involved, I’d just laugh myself silly at the Republicans, who seem to be stuck IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YARD DRAMA. A buncha 5-8 year olds, I swear.
Here’s something that’s not happening:
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 7
Koppel really said that to the Shrub?
Via Raw Story- Sniper bait may be war crimes.
it pains me to report this, but a certain red haired Harpy at the NYT gets it right about the Ahmadinejad circus today
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09.....ref=slogin
give the devil her due. [grumble]
twolf1 @ 6
And Preznit Bu’ush, speakin’ for all Murkins, is outraged by this.
I haven’t had a chance to look at today’s earlier threads to see whether this Wahington Post (via MSNBC) story has been mentioned: Guard contracts in Iraq raising military worries
Well, maybe it all ‘evens’ out we set out ‘bait’ so we can shoot….well, anybody we want. Some time ago we were giving tons of something the Iraqis could really use by simply throwing it out of the back of pickup trucks.
Of course in BushWorld it’s always somebody else’s fault when we ‘misplace’ something. And this was no exception.
From what I understand, the Dan Rather CBS lawsuit should open up some cans if it ever gets to trial. I said if: Word also has it that CBS/Viacom will settle. Plus: Red Sumner is extremely distracted at the moment by family problems for a protracted lawsuit.
Helpless Dancer @ 12
one more to add to the list
Hi PW!
I am having a difficult time this am. Figuring out which elephant to pin the trunk on. Which of these three are the worst Secretaries of State? Which, using these criteria are the most loathsome? The biggest liar. The most incompetent. The most corrupt. The largest toady. The one in least possession of principles. Or the one with the most blood on their hands. Condi, Kissinger, or Colin?
House Panel Says Rice Is Hindering Its Work
Blackwater, Corruption in Iraq at Issue
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....47_pf.html
Helpless Dancer @ 13
You know, in most states in the US, I’ve heard, you can’t even use bait to hunt bears with (though I think in Alberta you are allowed to do it - I think they set out big garbage cans of stuff for them..). This is just disgusting..
The sniper bait story really kind of creeped me out. Sounds kinda like it should be a war crime.
Biodun @ 18
If Rather is truly concerned about the state of the fourth estate, he will take this to trial. Too many settlements are sealed and this really deserves a large public airing.
also from noquarterUSA, the above linked blog
good news, for once. Congressional (D)’s are seeming to realize how unseemly it is to slaver over the next war while pretending to oppose the current one.
Also, why not use the mighty, undefeatble filibuster to prevent passage of Bush’s war funding bill? Only 41 votes needed to sustain - are there 41 (D)’s in the Senate who are willing to really do something to end the war, or is it all kabuki?
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 7
While its good that Koppel is speaking up for Rather, Koppel has been a good and useful tool of the right wing propaganda corporatocracy for years.
Koppel has warmongered and fearmongered with the best of them (even within the last twelve months).
Oklahoma kiddo @ 19
Would somebody call the police!
How much more to we have to take from BushCo?
Such a great piece Phoenix Woman. And while Bush jumps on the bus for human rights in Burma (which is obviously) important to avoid the tragedy taking place in Iraq.
The world is well aware that 43 and his “cakewalk in Iraq” team created the atmosphere for a genocide to take place in Iraq. That the direct result of their actions are 1 million Iraqi people are dead, 3700 American soldiers, tens of thousands injured and millions of Iraqi refugees. Human rights? Please!
A few other things going on…
Call (202-224-3121) or write your Senators to ask them to oppose the Kyl-Lieberman amendment on Iran.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/25/11519/1540
Webb ( a man who served his country) challenges Kyl/Liebermann (men who have not served their country in the military) rips the Kyl/Liebermann amendment.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..lieb-iran/
Webb calls the Kyl/Liebermann amendment “tantamount to a declaration of war”
The Kyl/Lieberman amendment
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/Kyl-Lieberman Amendment.pdf
—————————————
Generals opposing Iraq war break with military tradition
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/20
070923-9999-1n23generals.html
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 7
I don’t understand why the press doesn’t start pushing back. They need to realize that access is a two-way street; that politicians need them as much as they need politicians. Sometimes I think the press needs a union to do some collective bargaining with some of the worst offenders at journalist blackmail! Because right now if a politician wants to shun a particular reporter, they just go across the street to the next guy, and therein lies the problem.
OT…
(snip)
(snip)
link
hackworth @ 24
Here is Ted Koppels “neutral and objective” piece on Frontline “Iran…The Most Dangerous Nation” neutral title huh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.....us_Nation?
In this documentary Koppel actually says that diplomacy and negotiations can not work with Iran.
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 7
Right. He had a 2% stake in the TX Rangers, paid for principally with a sweetheart insider loan. They then trotted him out at the ball park to sign autographs as “The Owner.”
He didn’t run anything.
Helpless Dancer @ 22
Agreed. Rather’s real motive for the lawsuit is not money (which he doen’t really need: He has tons of it from his CBS severance and salary), but precisely the airing out of the real issues behind the story they tried to hang him for. Rather is a tenacious dedicated journalist of the old school. And as a Texan, he’s been the thorn on the side of the Bush family for decades.
Wonder if Lady Liberty will ever rear her beautiful head again? I gotta go back to work.
BobbyG @ 30
He did get a sweetheart deal for the team stadium I do believe which should have been some indication of his willingness to do questionable deals.
Very informative stuff by Larry Johnson. A shame there so few real bulldogs in the MSM. Another take on the missing nike story: Could that story be a friendly leak by the Administration to send a message to Iran and others?
BobbyG @ 31
He still doesn’t. Cheney has his arm so far up Bush’s ass, its running his vocal cords.
BobbyG @ 30
and yet he was re-elected and still gets Congress to roll over, even though the Democrats control Congress.
And the Democrats control Congress because WE THE PEOPLE wanted the steering wheel back.
Rep Waxman says Condi Rice has interfered in the investigation into Blackwater
http://www.latimes.com/news/na.....ines-world
My father is retired Air Force (22 yrs) and had flown on some of those bombers when we were stationed in Nebraska (I’m not sure if I was born yet or not at the time), because he got extra pay for it. He went along as a tech, not a pilot and we have pics of him on the planes. His opinion is that the nukes were ordered to be put on the plane(s) and it was high up the chain that made the order.
Powerful Post, PW! I appreciate the imagery, too :~)
OK Kiddo, Kissinger, hands down. I don’t think anyone can touch him for sheer malevolence. The whole “Some things are too important to be left to the voters” deal really creeped me out!
Helpless Dancer @ 36
brain bleach!
but very accurate, I’m sure *sigh*
Re: Ted Koppel:
Don’t forget that Henry Kissinger is Koppel’s mentor (by Koppel’s own admission). That should tell you something.
Will Mr. Fidell take this baiting issue any further? What are next steps to ending this heinous activity? Hearts and minds, has always been a lie.
Biodun @ 41
Henry’s always right there.
christine @ 38
Ordering nukes to be flown around while prancing around in his flight suit sounds like something the Prezit would do.
on little media this afternoon (c-span3):
2 pm - Senate Appropriations
To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2008 for the President’s supplemental request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
from the list.
Ann in AZ @ 27
They have unions, but they became toothless long ago. At least that’s my impression.
On the worst Secretaries of State (Kissinger, Colin or Condi?):
Kissinger: hands down but close. He has more blood on his hands than the other two. If you factor in My Lai for Colin and Iraq for Condi, then close. However, Colin was not Secretary of State when My Lai happened, and Condi shares Iraq with many others.
jim oconnor @ 34
Could also be that the nukes were destined to be given to “another” country.
OT..
Mooney Times
Oklahoma kiddo @ 32
Oh yes she will OKK. And she stares at my hometown of Brooklyn New York.
And I can still say that to this day I always agree with OKKiddo. Peace
Biodun @ 47
History will say Condi, hands down.
kdh22 @ 3
You got it!
bluejeansntshirt @ 51
I think the Lady must be very depressed these days.
OK: Some of us may agree to disagree. Walter Shapiro makes a case today:
Badwater @ 51
Colin Powell..He could have stopped the Iraq war..He has direct responsibility for the death and maiming of millions.
Steve-AR @ 49
How about Conyers complete the business of the hearings he’s got going on now? Where’s Harriet?
Forgot the Ladys’ Link.
Steve-AR @ 49
That reminds me — Pach passed this on via e-mail:
Actually, the “mucking with the budget” started in 1978, the first year I worked for the government. That October, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW) went almost a month without funds because an Ohio Congressman, Chalmers P. Wylie, did not want the DHEW to fund abortions.
I worked for 2 pay periods without a paycheck and developed a unhealthy hatred for Mr. Wylie (whom I voted against at every opportunity thereafter).
Now, that time only a handful of agencies were affected, but it increased year by year until the massive shutdown of 1995.
I have worked for the government for 29 years, and for every one of those fiscal years, HHS’s appropriation bill has not been passed and therefore has been without funds (or under a continuing resolution) at 12:01am October 1st.
The reason the shutdowns happen is that it’s illegal for Federal employees to work without compensation…so no money = furloughed employees.
nomolos @ 33
So who do Ranger fans blame in the Sammy Sosa trade? Shrub tried to take credit for that.
Biodun @ 42
Indeed. But that makes it all the more interesting that he seems to approve of Rather’s lawsuit. I really want to see what happens here; I’ll be very disappointed if they settle.
Badwater @ 51
Based on…?
those, uh, planes, with the, uh, erroneous, uh, cargo…did they happen to fly over any bldgs. with #7 anywhere in the address?
if there’s any, uh, accidents, in the, uh, near future, i bet you that, uh, guy with the beard who has no ‘homosexuals’ in his country, will, uh, surely be ‘responsible,’ eh?
Steve-AR @ 55
He really couldn’t have stopped it all on his own. If he had resigned or refused to carry water for BushCo at the UN, BushCo would still have invaded Iraq. I think we all know that. But we may disagree.
Steve-AR @ 56
I would say it is a hard call to make. We’ll have to wait and see if Powell and Condi have watch where they travel lest they be snapped up for war crimes.
Phoenix Woman @ 58
apparently the confederacy has not been disbanded.
Phoenix Woman @ 52
Darth Cheney
Brisingamen @ 60
The interesting part is that in the mid-90’s the government failed to notify the Fed unions of the furlough in a timely manner and so were required to pay bargaining unit employees - so they ended up paying all the employees.
colin powell could have screwed them up big time though.
Brisingamen @ 59
HHS is one of those agencies that Republicans (and many DINOs) don’t like because (drum roll, please…) it’s perceived as serving mostly urban black people. That’s why it’s been constantly under attack and starved for the better part of the last three decades. (Contrast that with the USDA, whose clientele is mostly white rural people and/or corporate agribusiness. USDA’s budgets typically are waved through without a fuss; this year, with the Farm Bill coming up for renewal, is an exception.)
BTW, Phoenix Woman:
It should Ahmadinejad in the title…
Biodun @ 62
Besides shoe shopping, Condi has accomplished nothing. She had no prestige when she took her position and has even less now.
We will never know, but at the time, he was the only one with the credibility to call bullshit to Bush and the neo-cons. He had his moment in history and he was found lacking..too bad for Colin and the Country.
Elliott @ 43
Many believe that Ted Koppels focus and spin on the Iran Crisis via Nightline helped bring Carter down. I remember being surprised by the spin and guest list on Nightline during that period of time.
Badwater @ 72
I think we’re talking of worst in terms of damage done rather than (in)competence. Compared with the other two, she is incompetent, I’ll grant you that.
of course saying colin could have stopped them is like saying condi could have or cheney could have stopped ‘them.’
‘them’ are ‘them.’
ah, Nightline during the Carter episode:
You’d have thought the Iranian ’students’ had captured the entire western United States the way they covered that situation.
Steve-AR @ 73
Perhaps Powell can still recover, but I think he will unfortunately be remembered as a Bush toady.
OT - biden amendment and kyl/lieberman amendment are coming up to the senate floor now. both amendments have been modified (i don’t know how… doubt it will be on thomas yes, but will check).
there will be a debate and then a vote. passing will require a 60 vote majority by unanimous consent.
MayDaze @ 68
Every time there’s been a shutdown, I’ve been paid. Most of them have been less than 24 hours. 1995 was the exception — I was three days away from going in and applying for unemployement. Made for a very worrisome holiday season…
Mods:
Could you please correx Ahmadinejad in the title? Thanks.
the legless orphans of iraq of course forgive colin powell because his ‘heart’ was in the right place: seeking truth at all costs.
*cough* [ must be a mobile lab around her causing me to cough ]
Powell couldn’t have stopped the war single handedly, IMO. What he could have done by resigning, however, is start an actual discussion of the merits of war that even our supine MSM would find difficult to ignore. And that could have made a big difference.
Biodun @ 75
It’s hard for me to believe since I cast my first vote for McGovern, but I think we’d be much better off now with Nixon/Kissinger than Bush/Rice.
Badwater @ 79
Yep - the stink that will never wash off.
“Desperate to get him to turn, the Southern District Feds scheduled their second California sitdown with Ali in the fall of 1997.
By then, Patrick Fitzgerald was directing I-49 – the bin Laden Squad – in the FBI’s New York Office. He actually flew across the country to meet Mohammed face to face.
Keep in mind that Fitzgerald had convicted “the blind Sheikh” of seditious conspiracy in the “Day of Terror” case before Judge Mukasey.
But in a Sacramento restaurant, in the presence of FBI agents, Mohamed professed that he “loved” bin Laden and didn’t need a fatwa to attack the US (his adopted country). Further, he admitted to having a network of sleepers who he could make operational at any moment.
For a naturalized citizen and Army vet who had sworn oaths to protect and defend America, Ali’s threat to attack the United States was sedition on its face. But the handcuffs never came out.
Fitzgerald left the meeting shaken and told FBI agent Cloonan, “Ali Mohamed is the most dangerous man I have ever met. We cannot let this man out on the street.”
And yet Fitzgerald and the Feds left him on the street for another ten months, even though they’d linked him directly to the Kenyan Embassy bombing cell. Only after the bombs went off in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam, killing hundreds, was Mohamed finally arrested.
We can only wonder if that carnage might have been prevented if the President’s nominee for Attorney General had pushed for Ali Mohamed’s testimony in 1995. Clearly Mohamed would have been outed, terminating his ability to slip in and out of Africa unheeded.”
http://rawstory.com//news/2007....._0925.html
Whew!! A must read!
Yep. Gates sure is an improvment over Rumsfeld. Wonder what improvments the new AG will bring?
AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will ask Congress Wednesday to approve nearly $190 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008, increasing initial projections by more than a third.
What? No posts about Burma today? /s
Brisingamen @ 81
Yeah, I was a union rep at the time and had to field a lot of questions about whether we would get paid. Many people thought they would just be out the money, took a lot of convincing.
selise @ 79
uh oh…once again we shall see where the (D) saviours stand on illegal, immoral wars on middle eastern countries that do not threaten the USA…
Badwater @ 84