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A blast from the past…have you had enough John Doolittle? Vote Charlie Brown…
– I’ll be doing the Sam Seder Show on Sunday with Atrios and Matt Yglesias. The world may never be the same…
– Rep. John Doolittle is fighting his federal subpoena in the Abramoff investigation, according to the AP, via WaPo. What the AP fails to say in its brief snippet is that while legitimate Congressional legislative activity is protected, using that legislative activity for personal enrichment in a bribery or other alleged criminal scheme is NOT protected. Because it’s not only a crime, it’s a grievous breach of public trust. Which is exactly what the grand jury investigating corruption associated with Jack Abramoff and the GOP/KStreet money machine are looking into in connection to Doolittle and a whole lot of others — in Doolittle’s case, requesting 11 years worth of records from the Congressman and five of his staffers. Wonder why the AP failed to mention the criminal conduct exception, don’t you? Can you say taking defense attorney stenography? I knew you could. Jeebus, did they learn nothing from the Libby case? Because we did — and it is that you shouldn’t trust legal spin when it’s dutifully repeated by the media.
As McClatchy notes, the records requested go back to 1996, which is about the time that Doolittle met Jack Abramoff. Sounds to me like Jack has been busy spilling a whole lotta beans. As DumpDoolittle notes, even the folks at RedState want Doolittle out. Obviously, we’d prefer someone in office in that district that isn’t a RedState fave — which is why we support Blue American candidate Charlie Brown. You can contribute to Charlie Brown’s campaign on our Blue America page.
– Speaking of Blue America, the WSJ has a little vignette on Daniel Biss’ Act Blue donations. Daniel is also one of our Blue America candidates, and it is great to see him get some press — he’s a great guy.
– Good heavens. Even David Broder thinks the Bush veto threat on SCHIP is idiotic.
– My Name Is Earl pulled a Scooter Libby joke. (H/T to Atrios.)
– John Dean had a dire statement on the current state of the rule of law in a HuffPo interview:
He quickly added, “I do feel strongly that the Republicans have so abused the law and embedded so many people within the system, within the executive branch, that’s it’s going to take a couple of terms of Democratic presidents before you have people there who are representing the American people.”
Sort of lays out the marathon slog ahead in stark language, doesn’t it?
– Just so it is clear, I am with Matt and Glenn: no retroactive immunity. No way.
– Almost time for new Bruce. And he had a preview of the new album with the E Street Band this morning on the Today show. Boo yah!
What is catching your eye in the news and on the blogs today? And, while I’m at it, Friday afternoon seems like a great time to step out of the “reading but not commenting” mode and introduce yourself. So, for all the readers out there, how about saying hello? We’d love to meet you.
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yo
Wow, among the first!
Hello Christy!
Yo raven! We’re fast on the draw there…
Singles and a Friday afternoon !
Re: What’s catching the eye in news today:
EPU’d from last thread:
Biodun @ 169
Woohoo!! is right. Always a good day for a Bruce mention. He was on fire this morning. Not the best of performances, but gotta love him talking about habeus Corpus and stuff. ;-)
cuban kabosh on bushco
fifth article down.
Reuters
Satellite images are confirming the worst in Burma, including forced relocations and burnt villages.
Unreal.
That tune in the vid above. Gawd I still love that thing. *g*
Well, there’s always Bruce Cheney’s super-duper, topsecret/SCI meeting with the Armageddon crowd…using our tax dollars? Hmmm…how come “those” citizens get to hear what’s going on, but the rest of the citizens of the Homeland, including the once-free press, are denied:
http://rawstory.com//news/2007….._0928.html
Love the video!!!
Other news – the Naples FL Planning Board once again voted to return Don Young’s illegal earmark for a crooked developer/contributor, in a close vote about an hour or so ago.
Laura McGann at TPMMuck is keeping up with Young’s sleaze. Dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it!
Last night the Senate voted to set up a commission to investigate corruption and waste in military contracting, a la Truman Commission.
TPMmuckraker has the details.
That’s the good news. Here’s the bad.
Two steps forward, one step back. At least it’s progress.
LS @ 11
It’s so childish, isn’t it? I used to be in a gang like that when I was seven.
Dear Mr. President:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm5AO4S04r4
Have I had enough? I had enough after the 2000 (s)election when the presidency was stolen from Al Gore. Ah well, I try to stay hopeful. But it’s hard, very hard.
I don’t comment often because I really have nothing more to add than my outrage. I will comment occasionally when I think I have something new to offer. In the meantime I will keep reading and stay updated on the real news.
Good news on the electoral grab in California:
BREAKING NEWS: Electoral initiative backers give up
What’s caught my eye lately?
Greg Palast is none too happy with Dan Rather, but mainly for not having the guts to stick to his guns then, when Bush was popular, rather than now, when he isn’t so much.
He also claims to have scooped Rather on Bush’s AWOL behavior, anyway.
Bob in HI
My favourite news for today is this reposted from earlier, but I’m quite excited about it. More here.
peanutbutter @ 18
Barring successful voter fraud, we will win by a landslide. JMHO
Biodun @ 4
Yeah, he’s getting entirely too fast! Downright greedy, in fact. Is this your second or third today, Raven?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..66305.html
Cheney in 1992 was a relative peacenik in terms of Iraq.
Wolfowitz was actually the Grand Mad Dog who helped Cheney to “see the light.” They worked together for Poppy Bush. Wolfie therefore had 10 years to bring him to the state of a fellow frothing mad dog neocon. Cheney was the monster that Dr. Paul Frankenstein Wolfowitz created.
hi,
I’m pretty busy today, so I haven’t been able to comment a lot, but usually I don’t let a little thing like not having anything to really add to the conversation stop me from putting in my 2¢. (will that cent character actually show up?)
TheOtherWA @ 14
Jim Webb – former military, former Secretary of the Navy, knows civilian and military bureaucracy inside and out.
Claire McCaskill – former prosecutor from the land of Truman, knows corruption investigations inside and out.
I like that pair — and McCaskill’s mine!
(Of course, I got Kit Bond as well when I moved from CA to MO . . .)
And from the file marked “DUH!”; “Right Wingers organizing to attack Hillary.”
AnnieW @ 9
So I’m sure that the Bush administration is planning it’s “liberation invasion” to bring democracy to Burma as we speak…right, right?
We’ll be greeted with candy and flowers.
Oh, wait, Burma has no oil.
Never mind.
peanutbutter @ 18
This has been breaking news since TRex’s late night post last night.
Peterr
Yeah, Nancy Farmer (that is her name, right?) didn’t get the support she needed from the Dems in ‘04 to beat the snot outta Bond like she should have. All the more reason to luuurrve Howard Dean for his efforts since then to build up ground support for good candidates.
That’s the good news. Here’s the bad.
The commission will deliver a report after the 2008 election — on January 15, 2009 — containing “specific recommendations” for improvements to the contracting process.
and here I thought that incompetence was a Republithing. You hand the D’s a gun, and they shoot it straight up into the air – bullet won’t land in time for the next election. Brilliant!!
has Waxman got anything going on this?
This just in: Larry Craig is a divider, not a uniter. The Minneapolis Airport Commission is putting in new stall dividers that extend to within 2 to 3 inches of the floor.
Ann in AZ @ 28
Carpetbagger
posted on it earlier.
old gold @ 31
You’re kidding, right?
old gold @ 31
See, Republicans create jobs.
-GSD
old gold @ 31
Thanks. I needed a good laugh. =]
PeteCO @ 33
Nope, I read that too. Glad to see they have so much extra money in MN to do that. It’s not as if their bridges are falling down or anything. Oh wait…
old gold @ 31
Two to three inches? How will one spare and share a square?
I am not kidding. Check it out at TPM.
…now THAT’S a power trio! :)
one of the greatest things about the Seder show is his generosity in taking AIM messages, nominally for the “Sammycam” online viewers. it’s the best three hours in radio, easy. too bad most of the AAR affiliates are running paid advertisements instead, though.
Apparently Burma is on someone elses watch, not Dear Leader George W.’s.
-GSD
jayt @ 30
More bad news on this one, buried at TPM. Thanks to John Warner, the commission does NOT have subpoena powers. Instead,
ifwhen the commission gets stonewalled, they have to bring it back to Congress and ask Congress to issue subpoenas.I don’t know which Senate Committee would have jurisdiction here, but Carl Levin (Armed Services) and Patrick Leahy (Judiciary) might want to have a big pile of blank subpoenas ready to go. That commission’s going to need them.
TheOtherWA @ 36
Hope they finish it before all the Goopers come to town for the convention…
retirin’ in five @ 37
The courtesy reacharound.
-GSD
Rush “Taken out of context”. Like O’Reilly, I guess.
old gold @ 38
Here is the link:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/n…..irport.php
Christy, thank you for your kind tolerance of the Burma news swamping the threads today.
I’m following the growing mutiny in the Burmese forces – began yesterday in Manadalay (largest proportion of monks in the nation) and has now spread to the capital – with Burmese military units firing on one another.
I’d rather see a non-violent solution.
But if the Burmese troops insist on firing – I’d rather they kill one another than the civilians.
And with every shot fired, the Burmese military destroys itself.
A good lesson for our Homeland Security state – and the Rethugs’ wanna-be junta.
Try a coup in
“the Homeland”America, and our own soldiers will destroy “the most powerful nation in the world’s” military from within.The Burmese conscripts just overthrew their junta.
Americans soldiers will do it, too – if it ever comes to that.
And – if the sworn officers in the Pentagon ever dare to so dishonor their oaths and the military – good riddance to the whole institution.
kirk murphy @ 182
Couple the John Dean statement above with the likes of Thomas, Alito, Roberts and Scalia. and we are in deep doo-doo. For a very long time.
Burma/Myanmar is just another tragedy happening. What a shame that the moral authority and leadership of this great country have been squandered by a drunken frat-boy and his puppet-master, Darth Cheney in his pursuit of wealth and power for himself and his friends.
I have to wonder whether as we look at the 2008 elections if the DLC-funded candidates (HRC) and others who are angling for big-dollar donations will treat countries like Myanmar any better, or try and make the lives of their people any better.
All the money we have wasted and will waste in Iraq could make the lives of our people and many others better… but everytime we try and spend money on improving the lives of Americans someone in the republican party resurrects Lee Atwater’s famous Welfare Queen and all of a sudden kids have no health insurance, bridges collapse and we get more intrusive government with less civil liberties.
mc @ 27
Actuallly they do, but I think it’s all under contract. Unocal used to do business there, and there was a big stink about that some years back.
It kills me that there haven’t been any Abramoff indictments. What proof do you need to know that the DOJ has been sitting on this? The lack of indictments is proof in itself.
Does anyone know when Gonzo is due up for testimony? Or anything related to that investigation? Or is the new AG, or even the sitting one, going to hand over any of the papers that were subpeonaed?
Peterr
Wow, how did I miss that? Skimming, apparently. Hand the Dems a gun and they unload it. WTF?
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 45
Unreal. I apologise for doubting.
What’s up doggies? Listening to Bruce from this morning, he sounds great! My brother is going to his show tonight, told him to get me a shirt. A beautiful fall day here in Indiana, and I refuse to let Bush or any of those fucking gutless Democrats put me in a bad mood. Martinis are on me!
dov12348 @ 23
I’m not related in any way, shape or form. Woof!
AP – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday rejected a Senate proposal calling for the decentralization of Iraq’s government and giving more control to the country’s ethnically divided regions, calling it a “catastrophe.”
9/11 made the plunger take the call from the purse
Giuliani also addressed a cell phone call he took from his wife, Judith, last week during his speech to the National Rifle Association, an important appearance because Giuliani clashed with the group when he argued for tougher gun control as mayor of New York.
“And quite honestly, since Sept. 11, most of the time when we get on a plane, we talk to each other and just reaffirm the fact that we love each other,” he said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..onal-life/
important to note the plunger was still married to Donna Hanover on 9/11/2001
plus in an interview with Pat Roberson broadcasting he talks about his favorite bible verse. I guess Robertson and Russert get the same faxes from the goopers.
Twisted Martini @ 53
Great, what part of Indiana do I need to get to for my martini?
;-)
Law of Unintended Consequences Bites White House in Ass:
TPM’s headline is “White House Faults Rush Limbaugh Over “Phony Soldiers” Comment”
They thought they were so smart getting the Senate to jump on MoveOn, and now they are stuck having to denounce their main bulging-artery name-calling slime-smearing radio cheerleader.
kirk murphy @ 46
This is good news if true; I’m not familiar with the source, though. It’s a .co.uk URL.
JayT, incoming…
LS @ 21
woohoo – doing da Snoopy Dance on the central coast!
Ann in AZ @ 28
Ah well ;-) *I* was excited ;-)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 47
Couple the John Dean statement above with the likes of Thomas, Alito, Roberts and Scalia. and we are in deep doo-doo. For a very long time.
Hey Scalia is 71 – hard to tell with that whole Dorian Gray thing goin’ on though.
Indianapolis. Fishers, to be specific…
TheOtherWA @ 51
Wow, how did I miss that? Skimming, apparently. Hand the Dems a gun and they unload it. WTF?
No, I’m guessing it was the price McCaskill had to pay to get this thing through. As a practical matter, it will slow things down — but once this gets rolling, I can’t see it stopping the process.
I’m reminded of those scenes in cop shows, where the police knock at the crook’s door and ask to be able to look around. The crook starts by asking “Do you have a warrant?” “Not yet,” replies the cop, “but I could go get one while my partner stays here with you. It’s up to you: we can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
If Congress makes it clear from Day One that they will back up the commission’s requests, then I think the investigation will move along pretty well. If there is even a whiff of “well, I don’t know if we’ll issue that subpoena,” then everyone will stonewall and the commission might as well have the congressional committee do the investigation.
It’s up to Levin and Leahy . . .
George at 50 — Actually, Abramoff has plead guilty. Ney has plead guilty. Ney aides have plead guilty. And I could keep going…it’s not all happening as swiftly as I would like, but there have been successful prosecutions on the Abramoff front. And it looks like a number of subpoenas have gone out recently relating to DeLay as well.
jayt @ 63
Hey Scalia is 71 – hard to tell with that whole Dorian Gray thing goin’ on though.
*spew*
Down with military juntas.
Up with the monks and the students and the people of Burma.
The Burmese junta may be meeting their Ceausescu moment.
-GSD
Re: Myanmar:
Linear timeline narrative of events from August 15 to now.
If the Republicans get back in, in ‘08, we may be wishing for the good old days of Cheney, Gonzales, Rove, Rumsfeld, Petraeus, Condi, Bush, Gates and the rest.
Mad Dogs @ 54
Oops! Sorry.
After this, instead of “mad dog,” I’ll combine classics where Wolfie turns Cheney from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 66
My sense is that there are lots of other shoes waiting to fall — enough other shoes to make Imelda Marcos jealous.
Twisted Martini @ 60
JayT, incoming…
gotcha.
Speaking of Dorian Gray. Take a gander at Rudy.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 70
No sh!t.
That’s true…but the link is from cbox (carried here also)
Hi Christy,
Quick question, per previous thread:
I understood the law to read that if something is illegal, it can’t be classified. Is that too simplistic? Wouldn’t that mean that anything discovered to be illegal would lose it’s classified status? I’ve been mulling about this for a long time and never see any comment on it.
TIA
Audrey
Live oordinates for Myanmar (map, time-zone, country code, and so on)
Allow myself to introduce…myself.
I’m a sometime commenter here, as work keeps me pretty busy, but I definitely check the site every day during the week (the weekends, however, are another matter).
I’m from Indianapolis as well, and I’m 25. Went to Purdue, which one of my professors described as a “hotbed of rest.”
Oklahoma kiddo @ 74
Clearly Rudy just stabbed his picture ;-)
Hey, Christy. Greetings from WA-3 (Bush Dog Baird’s district). I went to Capital H.S. last Friday to see him get hammered; a couple of faculty from The Evergreen State College were there to confront him, also many former supporters of his previous campaigns. One older gentlemen, who had worked with “Scoop” Jackson (neocon Washingtonian; ran for pres in ‘76, I think), was particularly effective in squelching Baird’s twisted logic (this exchange was reported in the Olympian article which appeared the following Saturday). One Vietnam veteran broke out in heart-wrenching sobs as he left the theater, cursing the Iraq war vociferously. Quite moving.
This was a tough week for progressives here, with Baird voting for the MoveOn BS bill, and Patty Murray, our senior senator, voting for Kyl-Lieberman. I called her and Cantwell the morning of the vote, and Murray’s staffer made it sound as if she was leaning against it, but I guess she figured the language changes made it acceptable to her. Cantwell voting against it was the one glimmer of sunshine.
Have a cool weekend everybody. I’m going to play some music with friends and try to forget about this maddening crap for a bit.
katherine Graham Cracker @ 56
That’s just sooo Family Values of him. I wonder if Judith was calling him while he was spending all those hours working at Ground Zero with the Fire Fighters and other rescue workers he was toiling alongside? Oh, wait, he was at Yankee Stadium.
I’ll bet $9.11 that Rudy! gets torpedoed by Mitt! or Fred! or both real soon. GOoP dirty trick season is coming, and it’s gonna start early this year methinks.
kirk murphy @ 76
cbox appeared to be down earlier. That’s interesting, and encouraging.
I have been lurking and reading for some time, but sending money to candidates and causes all along. I would like to point out that the new paradigm is that although people like Webb or Sestak are representing their districts, they were/are supported by netroots donations from all over the country (world?). So when I see Webb voting for the Anti-Move on legislation, I feel personally betrayed, even though he’s not my senator.
This is definitely a new ball game, and it will be interesting to see how its played out.
TheOtherWA @ 51
Wow, how did I miss that? Skimming, apparently. Hand the Dems a gun and they unload it. WTF?
It irks me no end that John Warner has this reputation as a elder statesman on defense issues. He is a hack and enabler in the worse way of the abuses and excesses of the Bush Administration, their corruption, and their breaking of this country’s military.
He was one of the Senators behind the “compromise” that resulted in the horrendous Military Commissions Act. It was he who sponsored a “compromise” Iraq Resolution in competition with both Biden’s and the Levin-Hagel one and then bailed on and voted against cloture on his own resolution. He expresses concern about the “surge” but then only asks for a whiny token withdrawal of a brigade by Christmas to sell out once again.
This most recent stab in the back of any oversight and brake on the Bush Administration is just so typical. He isn’t running again next year and all I can say is Good Riddance! It can’t happen soon enough.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 66
What happened to this?
my correx 78:
Live coordinates for Myanmar (time-zone, map, telephone country code, and so on)
Thunderbird @ 79:
Hello and welcome!
Welcome Zorge, Thundedrbird, and GregDiablo!
Zorge @ 84
Very interesting point, and yes indeed…
George at 86 — Not sure on that — but I know Waxman’s committee was looking into it at one point. Juggling about 80 bazillion issues at once these days, and that one isn’t one I know off the top of my head. Anyone been following that particular aspect closely? I know it ties into the DeLay bits and pieces, among many others…
Having Alice Fisher heading the public corruption unit at the DOJ doesn’t make me comfortable, not by a long shot, but there have been pleas, convictions and also an ongoing wide-ranging grand jury inquiry. Here’s hoping for more.
A martini for the new guys…
TheOtherWA @ 51
I always knew that there was a reason Liz Taylor dumped his sorry ass… what a Loser.
dov12348 @ 71
No apology necessary. *g*
It’s common to mistake Weasels for Mad Dogs in dim light when you first come upon ‘em.
I’m responding to the request for lurkers to introduce themselves.
I came to FDL via Glenn Greenwald before he moved to Salon. Was introduced to Glenn from a contrarian market commentary newsletter – go figure.
I’ve been politically active since I was 15. Organized a couple of smoke-ins for marijuana legalization in the 70s. Spent 80s doing environmental activism locally – my community had extensive PCB pollution, and the powers that be wanted to allow the source of the pollution to build an unproven incinerator to clean it up – ignoring that 600K cu yard of contaminated soil would end up as 700K cu yard of toxic ash… I became very disillusioned with the democratic party at that time which led to me getting independent candidates to run in city elections, and to run for state legislature as an independent in the 90s.
The 90s saw a resurgence of drug reform activism, no more smoke ins, but we put up billboards calling for relegalization of marijuana and began some research into effects of marijuana conviction on low level offenders.
Currently I’m active on drug law reform and anti war efforts. I have a son that is a Sergeant in the Marine Corps. He was activated from the Individual Ready Reserve this summer after completing his sophomore year at University. I’m personally opposed to the war in Iraq (and I suspect he has misgivings about it from conversations I’ve had with him). At the same time I do understand how his IRR activation is right and proper given the unchanging fact of our occupation of Iraq – the men he is relieving deserve the relief, and his leadership can make a difference in bringing other enlisted men home hale and hearty.
I bit more personal info – I live in California and maintain close ties with southern Indiana where I’ve done most of my political activism. My residence for the purpose of voting shuffles between these locations, depending primarily on what initiatives are up for vote in CA. I write to Congress from both states and feel that my situation warrants representation in both locales. I’ve been very dis-satisfied with the Blue Dog democrat (Baron Hill IN-9) in southern Indiana and am looking to find primary opposition for him. He was defeated in 2004 by a republican rubber stamp for Bush, but since his return this year he has done nothing to show he wants to represent those that helped him return to Congress (I personally made 70 GoTV calls for him despite having misgivings that he would get the message and listen to his constituents). He is failing miserably and really is not any better than the republican he replaced and likely would be running against in 2008 if he wins in a contested primary.
Twisted Martini @ 92
Thank you! Hits the spot!
Hugh @ 85
Warner is caught between his loyalty to a GOP president and his absolutely certain knowledge that this particular president has created a complete mess of just about everything he’s touched. Sadly, Warner’s giving the former more deference than the latter — and we’re all paying the price for that.
From Burma File News Desk:
Military coup in Rangoon.
Good news on Frederick of Hollywood.
Twisted Martini @ 92
Or an introductory toke for those so inclined.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 91
I thought I read about a woman, maybe Fisher, who was totally inexperienced and was given the job of investigating the Abramoff connected congressmen and given little money to do it.
Twisted Martini @ 92
It’s five o’clock somewhere . . .
Welcome, everyone!
Oh, yes. Hi. I’ve been commenting here for a little while now — forgot to introduce myself. I’m really Dave — Dov was a nickname I had when I was a kid. Nice to be here — a great blog.
peanutbutter @ 62
So was I when I heard it. So were a lot of people on the late night thread. Sorry you didn’t hear about it sooner. Here’s the link from TPM
Just to repeat from the last thread, the new SCOTUS term begins this October. It intends to revisit Boumediene and I believe the al Odah cases which initially it had denied certiorari on. Offering legal representation to the 14 high value detainees is likely a move by the government to pre-empt or at least complicate the issues in this review.
PeteCO @ 75
HUH???? Mr. “I didn’t know I was married to my second cousin once removed for 14 years when I asked for an annulment from my friend the pedophile priest? Giuliani? Huh? He’s number one among Conservatives and people who go to church once a week? Oh, please. We need to get some heavy duty information out there…and FAST. Just a time line on all of his affairs, marriages and attempts to dump wife number 2 out of the house should do it, I should think..though a sidebar on his housemates during the Donna H. business might be appropriate.
Yeah? Me too. Doesn’t matter though, there WILL be retroactive immunity. Count on it. Who are they going to listen to? The voters? The base? Or corporations? You KNOW the answer to this because it is the same answer every single time. The corporations want retroactive immunity and, by the gods, they are going to get it.
retirin’ in five @ 100
That’s one iteration of a twisted martini!
(H/T PeteCo for the Freddy thingie at #99)
“The early word, which may be all spin, is that Romney will come in at $10-12 million, plus he’ll loan himself another $5 million (pushing his total personal contribution to $14 million).”
‘Loaning himself money.’ That kills me.
You know, I really hate this sort of thing:
$14 mil of his own money??? WTF!!!
Public campaign financing. NO donations. NO SELF DONATIONS!
Bah!!
Toby Wollin @ 106
We could start with this,
OKK — great minds, eh? ;-)
wmd @ 95
Yeah yeah yeah…nice to meet you and all that blah blah. The REAL question you need to answer is, are YOU the ‘wmd’ that Bush and Cheney ‘believed’ existed in Iraq before the illegal invasion?
“That’s one iteration of a twisted martini!”
How do you get the olives to burn properly.
Without public financing of elections, nothing much will change.
retirin’ in five @ 114
twisted, as in zig-zag?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 115
Yes. And it has to be with ONLY public financing. No “loaning oneself money.” What, he’s going to pay himself back afterwards with extra cash raised? Nu-UH.
Twisted, as in twist me up a martini dude!
peanutbutter @ 112
Could be. See #115.
retirin’ in five @ 114
Practice, practice, practice.
From Burma file newsdesk:
Hi Everyone!
Have been a long time lurker and just have to out myself today. Went to a Democratic meet- up in Monrovia, California yesterday to hear Howie Klein speak–he was great. Have to say that I am a geo-politcal blog freak and have never been so worried about where we are on foreign policy matters. Love the reasoned conversation and activist community this is and hope I have something to add.
just saw this at Raw Story:
Biodun @ 121
I think this cartoon says a lot:
Jeff Danziger Today
“twisted, as in zig-zag?” Oh, duh. In my defense — stopped rollin’ long while ago. Pipe = economy.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 91
Actually Alice Fisher is head of the Criminal Division at the DOJ and yes, she is pretty awful.
*elcome PC!
*elcome Dave/Dov!
*elcome *md!
OT to Punaise.
Your comment yesterday — the joke about architects. LOL. Anything you can share on that without pissing off any AIA types who might be here.
More about Myanmar:
PC says @ 122
Yeah yeah yeah…nice to meet you welcome aboard blah blah. The REAL question you need to answer is are YOU the ‘PC’ from those commercials? You know, where you come in and tell us that you are a ‘PC’ and the other guy tells us he’s a ‘Mac’?
I LIKE that mope. Is that you?
Rudy is good friends with the family-hating Gays, in fact.
Hugh at 126 — Yep, but she’s also been running the Abramoff look-see per a Gonzales order, even though public corruption is investigating it. And, as a DeLay pal, I’m not exactly comfy with her hands on that wheel for obvious reasons…
Welcome to all the new-ish commenting folks! :)
Hugh @ 105
Oh, bloody al Odah.
“Desmond has a barrow in the market place
Molly is a singer in the band”
PeteCO @ 111
Now, on a scale from “aw, that’s just harmless fun” to “OMGIH, he’s the AntiChrist” – I’m not sure that cross-dressing earns the “OMGIH”, even with ultraconservatives. However, Conservative Moms are a very big deal, IMHO, and if you get out all of the info about how he trashed his first wife with Donna Hanover while he was in DC…and his multiple affairs with subordinates…and his building his little love nest at the emergency center which he insisted on building at WTC because it would be within walking distance (and which he shared with Kerik) and then how he trashed his second wife – and the mother of his kids – with Judy-Judy-Judy…and was doing all of this before, during and after 9/11…I think THAT group of Conservatives is definitely going to not be interested in him.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/28/12541/8202
Scary Pelosi Stepford Wife-like interview
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/28/122924/941
Congress Quietly Approves Stop-Gap $9 Billion to Kill More Troops for George Until There’s Lots More Permanent Money to Kill Lots More Troops, Since George Promised Congress He’ll Continue to Like Them as Long as They Continue to Kill for Him.
Praedor Atrebates @ 130
Gee Praedor, with such “gracious” welcoming as you are showing today, it’s a wonder anyone is willing to de-lurk.
retirin’ in five @ 128
just that when I asked for a discount at the building supply store, the guy jokingly quoted me a higher price. all part of the usual banter between contractor-types and designer-types.
Coming in a bit late to this thread … so forgive me if this is mentioned earlier … but its Daniel Biss, not ‘Bish,’ and yes, he is a truly great guy. Heard him speak very eloquently not too long ago about the need to elect people who don’t have to be constantly lobbied by the Democratic leadership to do the right thing — even if 5 times out of 10 they’ll vote the right way (thus earning them the label of “moderate”). What we need are more Dems who will not only do the right thing without wasting the leadership’s time to get them in line, but who will also lead on these issues.
And boy, we’ve seen in time and time again in this Congress … and so I’ll put a plug in for Mark Pera as well, giving a strong primary challenge to Dan Lipinski, who is so “Bush Dog” he might as well be a Republican.
OT and Hi all,
Has anyone noticed that TiredFed has not been around for quite some time? I noticed that his blog has not been updated since early August. Does anyone have any information on TiredFed. I enjoyed his comments. Just curious.
Thunderbird @ 96
Save the olive for meeeee!!! Wahhhhhhhh
Hopes and prayers to the people of Burma.
Intros um?
I post rarely on FDL, though I’m always interested in what you’ve got up. If I’ve got something to say on an issue, I do so.
I’m usually on a few threads daily at media matters.
Otherwise 56 years young, naval aircrew, P-3B, at the end of Vietnam, B.S. Sculpture 79, Day job radiological control in a federal shipyard.I’ve been on motorcycles since 69, current ride 748 Ducati, Been waiting a month for rear axle bearings, arg. Art, bass guitar, and reading take up most of my alledged free time.
Keep up the good work all.
IrishJim @ 140
Could be he’s bogged down with work. As another Federal employee, I can tell you that it’s the end of the fiscal year, and all sorts of budgetary things have to be finished by midnight September 30. If he’s involved in any part of that, it could explain his absence…
Read the emails here.
IrishJim @ 140
I think…TiredFed said he/she was involved in some very involved litigation work and didn’t have time to post or something…just reaching back into the neurons for that one.
Mods:
Why is my 145 in moderation? Nothing there to clear filters…
Biodun at 146 — Sometimes things just get stuck. Please be patient and I’ll take a peek…
I see what’s happening.
Mods: Can you please delete my 140 and free up my 145? Thanks much!
IrishJim @ 141
Oh, for a moment there, I thought you were talking about “Tired Fred” and my response was “well, he finally declared his candidacy for President, you can’t expect him to hang around here anymore …”
Christy: Thanks. See my 149.
It’s released, Biodun. Refresh your whole screen and it should be there.
Toby Wollin @ 135
Well, there’s this, and this to be going along with.
George, these citations may be useful – Mary Beth Williams at Wampum has been all over Abramoff/Griles/Norton et al
((((((Christy!)))))
(((((Mods!)))))
Hi guys, anybody heard anything lately about the “internal investigation” that was supposed to happen with the B-52 carrying nuclear bombs from Minot AFB, ND to Barksdale AFB, LA in August? I’m just a middle aged mom sitting in the middle of wingnutdom outskirts of Kansas City, MO.. I read FDL, TPM and other progressive blogs daily. Keep up the good work! Love you guys :>)
Late to the party today.
The convention for the criminally insane happening in Utah caught my eye;
snip
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7001456
This is who drives our policy and we don’t even know who they are or when they meet!
Our Democracy is long dead, stabbed in the back with a shiv by power mad cretins like Cheney.
Completely off topic, but as we seem to be careering wildly today on this particlar post, anyone putting odds on Bloomberg jumping into the race? He could put a big dent in Hillary’s Porsche, especially if she is the obvious candidate and as it now looks, the rethug candidate will have all the viability of a wet noodle.
I don’t think it’s likely. I just don’t think it’s impossible. Bloomberg would look good to disaffected Republicans and Democrats, especially as he basically is a Democrat.
I hope Cheney brings his secret decoder ring.
Busted at 157 — If I were in Salt Lake, I’d be sitting on a park bench outside taking notes. But that’s just me…the comings and goings on that one would be a hoot.
kinmo @ 156
Anywhere near Smithville?
New Christy thread upstairs.
PeteCO @ 152
Yes, and Yes…I think the more info we get out about him, the better it is — but like anything else, it must be framed “delicately” (as said by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West), lest you ruin the spell…
ccmask @ 159
Click on my name and go read the post I did about it.
I even brought up the decoder ring myself!
PeteCO @ 161
No, on the south side, Belton. Although, I swam in Smithville lake once but we wont talk about that, it was gross.
Bustednuckles @ 164
There isn’t a click for your name on my side.
Hello.
Fresh thread for everyone…
kinmo @ 156
kinmo,
Not on the investigations but there’s this:
Madsen has a “reputation” for being over-the-top. But since you asked and I happened to have the link….
Aslo, did anyone see this?
Bush advising Dem candidates…
http://www.examiner.com/printa…..int-bottom
First time post, been lurking and laughing and crying and loving FDL for years! Keep up the great work!
Audrey @169: Bush…pft, ack, bluh. I can’t even say the name anymore without gagging.
punaise @ 123
Thanks!
However, his move apparently must be approved by Pelosi, and she is still keeping impeachment off the table. I mean, what is she? an agent of Bush & Cheney?
I hope it comes to a vote, and NOT a rush vote that comes to the floor without any real discussion or investigation. It is important what the articles of impeachment would be. The articles that he proffered in his initial resolution may not be the best or strongest.
Time to Prime the Pump again?
Bob in HI
First time here as well…
Been following you guys for some time…love it…
Keep up the good work…
We’re still tryin’ to find a candidate to unseat Sen. Pryor here (yes, he’s a Dem but is on record of voting with GOP about 73% of the time…he ain’t his daddy)…
joehootie @ 170
Welcome joehootie! Welcome rosso in little rock! Now that you’ve commented, there’s no going back to lurking.
dakine01 @ 137
Hey! I DID say I liked that mope, you know. That’s gracious right there!
If you happen back ccmask;
http://ornerybastard.blogspot
who is with Mr. Greenwald when he says
empahsis mine.
time to end the co-dependency on the (D) party, and wake up to the unpleasant reality that a real opposition party is needed.
This is what I’m reading ….
From that somewhat popular blogger TBogg …
Friday, September 28, 2007
This must be that “compassionate conservatism” I keep hearing about
Guatemalan Pedro Zapeta slips into the country and spends eleven years washing dishes in Florida, at $5.50 per hour, and manages to save up $59,000 to take home to his family… and the US Government confiscates it. And how do conservatives see it?
I’m glad you asked.
Jason Aslinger, a “private practice attorney in Greenville, Ohio” sneers at Zapeta, “who, by the way, doesn’t speak English” and ends with
But these issues don’t stand in the way of CNN.com’s weeping sympathy for the poor, uneducated, frugal dishwasher from Guatemala who made the “mistake” of getting caught.
Macranger, one of the dimmer pixels of the internets, is a little less sympathetic:
Thanks for the money bucko, have a nice flight!
While I have learned to expect a subtle, and not so subtle, undercurrent of racism in these people, as well as their complete lack of empathy for others, they will never cease to amaze me with their ability to act and speak like total dicks.
posted by tbogg at 8:04 AM
Howie spoke at our club last night, speaking of Blue America. He was great, talked for an hour about politics, netroots, politics – and no one wanted him to stop but we had to vacate the premises.
And there was a Lurker there last night but I can’t remember his name (there’s a reason my sobriquet is mommybrain, folks), and also demi and her family. If anyone else was there they didn’t let me know. Mr. Lurker, you know who you are, I’m talking to you, please speak up in the comments.
Mommybrain @ 179
Check earlier in this thread; I think the lurker came out today.
sporkovat @ 177
Hey! Welcome aboard the disenfranchised train! Come on in, the upholstery is great! The benefits: you will never be disappointed again because you know, beforehand, that they do NOT represent you or anyone like you (citizens that can VOTE, you know, individual human beings). They represent corporations and themselves. You are also no longer feel any obligation to throw good money after bad again and again and again. You get to keep it and spend in on the things you will need when they have succeeded in running the country into the shitter.
Truly, there is a liberation to totally severing any and all ties you have had to a political party. From a distance, you really CAN see that they are merely sides of the VERY same coin and that the results of any flip are always the same, except for the superficial pattern on display of the given face.
dakine01 @ 180
PC says @ 122
So, there you are. Way to de-Lurk, PC. Glad to meet you last night, I hope you can come to another meeting sometime. We plan to have Howie back after the new and improved February primary to talk about What It All Means.
Praedor Atrebates @ 113
Nope, I’ve never been in Iraq. wmd are my initials, been using them since batch computer processing days (I’d used bmd, but there was a biology stats package that used that too and it drew attention to my unauthorized use of the cdc 6600).
“Hey Scalia is 71 – hard to tell with that whole Dorian Gray thing goin’ on though.”
Is that Dorian Gray or Grecian Formula?
Mainly a lurker, occasional poster. I teach at a small Catholic college in Hillary and Chucky country.
Praedor Atrebates…
my realization that the (D)’s and the (R)’s are about as different as Burger King and McDonalds, selling the same rancid low grade meat mixed with sawdust, came in the 90’s ….
I remember a great quote from David Brower, an original founder of the Sierra Club, that
from his renunciation of voting for the least worst at
http://www.earthisland.org/eij…..urnalID=57
entitled “Why I won’t vote for Clinton”
and the axiom of the least worst brings us once again to the same juncture, and it falls to us to relieve another generation of (D) loyalists of their illusions about that failed, comprimised, complicit excuse for an opposition party.
Geo-political is a scary view, from here. There are days when I don’t read blogs or papers or even watch teh Olbermann, I just keep my mind occupied with other stuff. Americans have such a provincial mind-set about the world. We (and I don’t mean us)prefer to believe in American exceptionalism.But if you pay attention, then you are nervous.
In the comments at Digby’s is a nice linke someone kindly posted. I encourage all of you to go there. Counterpunch has a story up about Cynthia McKinney quitting the Democrat party because of their repeated failures to oppose Bush. Please join us and be a quitter:
http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff09272007.html
Send a message. Send a LOUD message. Phonecalls don’t work. Faxes don’t work. Emails don’t work. They STILL vote for war with Iran, do NOTHING to return Habeas, do NOTHING to stop illegal spying (but they sure expand it well!), and do NOTHING to stop Iraq Debacle.
Biodun @ 129
What is stopping the UN from stepping in to stop the carnage?
Mommybrain @ 187
You said a mouthful there, Mommy.
kirk murphy @ 127
Thanks!
Hello, I’m responding to your invite to comment. Here is what is news today. I called Feinstein about Von Spakovsy and the attempt by the WH to appoint him commisioner to the FEC after reading Dahlia Lithwick’s article about him and already knowing he was one of the leading doj figures to push fraudulent voter fraud investigations that actually attempted to disenfranchise black voters. Feinstein is the chair of the Rules committee and I was informed by her office that she would recommend against confirming the appointment. Now lets hope the Senate goes along. Thanks for welcoming me by the way,
hello Granny J
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to say I’m a 38 year old male from Verona PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) who has a healthy dose of “righteous indignation” and discovered “FDL” after being a regular reader of Daily KOS. I like this site quite a bit and visit it several times a day. Perhaps some day, soon, I’ll have the courage (and time) to post something a bit more “meaty.”
Continue to fight the good fight everyone, it IS working!
YINZ (as the locals say) are making a difference…
Eomer
Sporkovat at #177. Maybe we could convince Gore to try again. As you yourself give edvidence of it,the group of people called, politically independent, is getting ever larger.