No way I’m it.

Speaking of Warforeverland, this at Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....94493.html

I was saying the exact same thing in Oct 2002.

The corporate media is America’s answer to Pravda and Izvestia. Those on the blogs know there isn’t a legitimate 4th Estate in the U.S.. The “average” American still believes in the myth of a free press. Corporate media has to be de-legitamitized. Corporate newsreaders, pundits, and bloviators need to be seen for the sycophants and courtesans that they are. The blogs are a start but IMO they don’t reach enough people in time for November ergo the corporate media will continue to “frame” the election and sway tens of millions of uninformed voters.

That question “isn’t the world better off without Saddam Hussein?” is best answered with “Too soon to tell. We have to wait and see what replaces him.”
Probably my own private little heresy.

It should be interesting to see how the media twists itself into knots trying to separate the Bush war / big stick approach from McCain’s. There’s not a hair of difference.

Bush also consulted, I mean brow beat and bribed, the allies to go along with his policies. Many have now said literally this very thing. Bush people offered a quid pro quo for their support. No one could call that consulting.

And I am absolutely certain that McVain would never accede to the concerns of the allies re using war and aggression as a foreign policy tool. He’s an egotist and not one to listen to others about “things” he thinks he knows something about… like foreign affairs.

How these idiots hold themselves out to be experts is dazzling and the media who build this narrative are complicit to the nines.

Moanin’ people. It has always been about the corporate media…it’s the shovel that the Republican shit flies from.

What is so pathetic about the media in this country is that being privately owned and for profit, they report the news and provide analysis and commentary in a manner which suits their business model which boils down to maximizing profits and advancing the general corporate agenda.

Even advertising will attract corporations who feel that the media corporation or channel is advancing their cause.

How clever of the corporatists to have an administration whose agenda aligns with that of the media giants which are effectively monopolies and cartels.

Their spew propaganda for profit and to make more profit. The election “cycle” is a perfect example of the media keeping the narrative profitable as opposed to using their channels to inform the public.

Our media is a disgrace.

We’ve lost any balance (except for balance sheets…and Olberman) with the media.
For this election, as well as all future election, I fear we will be on our own. As long as we have sites like FDL and an open Internet there will be hope, without it this experiment in government is over.

Just a cursory look at history since WWII should answer the question of what happens when a tyrant is overthrown. Look at Africa today.

To paraphrase Upton Sinclair, “you can’t expect someone to understand something when their paycheck depends on them not understanding.” Why would the “average” American think that someone who’s income typically exceeds 7 figures (celebrity newsreaders and pundits) will be reporting in an unbiased, objective fashion. They have a vested interest in the status quo.

I am horribly short on time this morning, so thank you for saying what I was going to say, better than I could have said it.

and that my friend is the whole ball game…..they put up the players,and the rules…we are merely the PEANUT GALLERY…its almost funny

eXcellent post Scarecrow, what a linkfest!
caws and more CAWS

do you agree or disagree:

” * a belief that capitalism is based on the exploitation of workers by the owners of capital
* a belief that people’s consciousness of the conditions of their lives reflects material conditions and relations
* an understanding of class in terms of differing relations of production, and as a particular position within such relations
* an understanding of material conditions and social relations as historically malleable
* a view of history according to which class struggle, the evolving conflict between classes with opposing interests, structures each historical period and drives historical change”

The media loves war and it makes for all sorts of good stories, heroes, patriotism, good vs evil blah blah blah. All simplistic and overly romantic notions about mass death and destruction of innocents caught in the egos of politicos.

scarecrow–sent your post from yesterday morning to friends, they have passed it around. one said that you pretty much covered it all. thanks.

you mention in your post above ”a breathtaking fruad”, ”Will the media let go of its fairy tale views ”

the tools/weapons that expose fraud and dispell fairy tales are facts.

not ranting, not raving, not opinion.

cold, hard facts.

there are more of us than there are of them, when you hear something inaccurate, send the fact. send the link. whatever hits you ear that makes you go, ’huh’? then makes you go, hmmmmmmm.

write the letter.

getting the same correction/illumination in their mail and on their voice mail over and over is hard to ignore, i think.

and i don’t mean a ’talking points’ list as the repulbicans use, but each time something is printed or said that is not accurate, send the fact. be specific.

i keep saying that people in the media have egos, as any human being does. but i think they want to be able to ’know something’ noone else does, they are competitive as hell, so, get them to compete for facts.

”i know something you don’t know” is what they do anyway, so, use it.

i don’t think the ’fraud’ will succeed.

sunlight obliterating my screen, having to hold up a paper to block it to write this. no curtains. be back later to do links.

Excellent idea, but we have lost the sense of accountability in this society.

It has been replaced by loyality and winning or bank balance, or fame.

Our values, as a nation are in the tank.

Lotta basic Marx there. If Trotsky were alive he’d probably write a nice polemic on those points.

But McCain is a straight-talking straight-shooter!

g’morning everyone, man, tons in the nuze 2day, first up, the most intrigueing but I haven’t had a chance to read it, check out this this lead then have a read;

The March 2003 Yoo Memo Emerges! (not an April Fool’s Joke): The Torture Memo to Top All Torture Memos

Marty Lederman

Subhead: The Big Kahuna: The Torture Memo that Makes the August 2002 Memo Look Like Objective and Thoughtful Legal Analysis

man, I can’t wait to read that, then there’s this from think progress, head over there and have a look at these two stories;

The former Senator describes a December 2000 meeting of Republican moderates with Vice President-elect Cheney. Chafee listened as Cheney swore off the moderate course he and Bush had just finished championing in their campaign.

Hearing Cheney say “the campaign was over and that our actions in office would not be dictated by what had to be said in the campaign,” Chafee writes, was “the most demoralizing moment of my seven-year tenure in the Senate.”

man oh man oh man, how much of a sociopath is this maniac?

then on top, talk about a lawless despot?

here he is again:

Administration bypasses laws to build border fence.
Federal officials announced today that the Bush administration “will use its authority” to bypass more than 30 laws and regulations to finish building 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border” by the end of 2008:

Invoking the two legal waivers, which Congress authorized, will cut through bureaucratic red tape and sidestep environmental laws that currently impede the Homeland Security Department from building 267 miles of fencing in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, according to officials familiar with the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly about it.

quite a day today, each of these deserves their own thread

Much like a wayward drunk that has fallen off the wagon…McNasty has fallen off the straight talk bus and is waist deep in the big media muddy.

Good morning firedoglakereaderpersons. Today’s post within a post:

Attacks on US forces are at highest levels in months. But the Army is strained to the breaking point and cannot sustain force levels, even after the “surge” troops are withdrawn. We have depleted our strategic reserve ability to respond to a real crisis elsewhere. Iraqi citizens have paid a huge price for our blunders and those of our puppet government. We’ve empowered the Iranians, giving them predominant influence over Iraq. And the upshot of last week’s “deciding point in the war” is that any further thought of US withdrawals is now characterized as out of the question. Quagmire.

NPR at the moment conducting “interviews” in Philly on Obama and how some “Democrats” are willing to vote for McCain. They interview “average” Democratic voters who are skeptical of Obama. Once again they establish a meme that plants the seed that it’s okay for Democrats to vote for McCain. The ultimate target is not necessarily Democrats but rather independents.

The media sycophants and courtesans can only be exposed by Democratic candidates who are unwilling to play the game and who throw it right back at the interviewers, pundits and newsreaders. The duplicity of the corporate media and it’s representatives has to be exposed publicly for all to see. Democratic candidates and opinion makers are the only ones positioned to carry out this public humiliation of the corporate media. Only then will they be de-legitimatized and the people will begin searching for honest representatives of the 4th Estate.

I’ve read on several occasions that the press, or at least the electronic media, receive ‘instructions’ from corporate headquarters on what stories to push and how to push them. I would like to see this documented more fully and advertised more aggressively.

Thanks for this, Scarecrow.

I have co workers who cannot stand bush and though they won’t admit to their bigotry, they will not vote for obama

doesn’t matter as far as I can see, bush won neither of the past two elections and I cannot see more people voting for a republican this cycle then last, if the votes are real, if the polls are clear for democrats, if the election is held, bush 2 cannot win

too many “ifs” though

ya know where i do it…..around the gas pump,vegetable and milk area of the local grocery store,anywhere peeps are LAMENTING prices over the last 7 years

Did any of us think Bush would win in 2000? Did anyone think he would be re-elected in 2004? How many today think that McCain can’t win in 2008. History has an uncanny ability to repeat itself for those unwilling to learn from it.

i forgot to add–

just heard an announcement that after two years, lake snowden has reopened for business, camping reservations filling up and beach will be open by may 31….

a developer tried to buy it to construct homes, it is an old water reservoir lake, in the deed it says that it would always be open to the public.

the developer?–gary wilhelm, former dnc chair, former head of clinton campaign ’92, obama campaigner-said he was backing obama because of his rural development plans-i hope obama’s are not the same as gary’s.

anyway, people here fought it, not with demonstrations, not with angry meetings, not with rhetoric about how ’wrong’ it was, but with facts.

public meetings with people from all of the different fields and factions, to answer questions, to provide facts.

people used the information. sent letters.

gary wilhelm and his partner lost the battle.

as they say ”the devil is in the details” they are.

two years later, lake snowden is open again, as a public lake.

all because people took the time to inform those involved, with the facts.

i know it works, it did here in rural nowhereville, fighting a national development firm, the good guys won.

every time they had a talking point-sent the facts out……example: would bring jobs to the area, so, outlined what jobs. specifically, short-term jobs or weren’t jobs anyone would want.

and the use of the lake and its grounds would be lost to the public. limited fishing hours. that was it.

the snowden group won, all done with face to face meetings and letters and phone calls.

and disclaimer–gary and his partner were gracious in meeting with people, but everything else about it was slimy as hell.

some of the feedback from the memo;

Yoo’s Utter Glib Certainty — What takes my breath away about the Yoo memos, now that we can finally read them, is their air of uttery certainty. One after another, complex questions of constitutional law are dispatched as if there’s no cause for any debate. The president has all the war making power.

I do the same thing when I pay for my gas. Always tell the attendant “Another good day for Cheney and Bush.”

blue, bush didn’t win either elections, that’s why you see all my ‘ifs’ in the post

Please keep in mind that there has, since the occupation of Iraq began, been a high percentage of National Guard and Reserve elements involved. The damage is not restricted to the regular Army. It could take several generations to rebuild the forces traditionally held in reserve for domestic defense and catstrophic response.

dmac, thanx for your post back a coupla days, appreciate it more then you know

off to work again

These people have an authoritarian totallitarian mind set. That allows for the justification of anything. There are traitors amongst us.

in other words, they are sociopaths

And now it’s near time for ’super-surge’…double our efforts and men/women/mental-unfit soldiers….just give us six months to assess the progress.

think fast right now;

In 2003, the Justice Department issued a legal memo “asserting that federal laws prohibiting assault, maiming and other crimes did not apply to military interrogators who questioned al-Qaeda captives because the president’s ultimate authority as commander in chief overrode such statutes.” Former Justice Department lawyer Marty Lederman says the memo “effectively gave the Pentagon the green light to disregard statutory limits on torture, cruelty and maltreatment.”

And now it’s near time for ’super-surge’…double our efforts and men/women/mental-unfit soldiers….just give us six months to assess the progress.

and since those assets do not exist, nor will there be a draft, that means blackwater, more blackwater thand you very much

And now it’s near time for ’super-surge’…double our efforts and men/women/mental-unfit soldiers….just give us six months one Friedman Unit to assess the progress.

Minor edit to reflect MSM…

ok, must earn, computer off

Why split hairs? Who has been ruling for the last 7+ years? I cannot see at this point in time where it does any good to repeat the mantra that Bush stole the election, as true as that may be.

Yes. that was one of the costs discussed by Stiglitz and Bilmes in The Three Trillion Dollar War, although those costs are not included in the $3 trillion estimate.

again, think progress;

estifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, Army vice chief of staff Gen. Richard A. Cody said the 30,000-plus troop increase in Iraq and Afghanistan is “inflicting ‘incredible stress’ on soldiers and families and

man, the news is non stop today, is it friday?

knowledge is innoculation, we must repeat, we must never relax, we must not forget for one second until there is a democrat in office, and then again when up for their second term

that’s why

I prefer the diagnosis of traitor.

I cannot quit this place, i think I have to quit work

They will never admit to being strained past the breaking point. This sort of whining is the raison d’etre for more funding and more time and more slack.

Right. McCain has called for more troops.

What i can’t understand is why so many Democrats are supporting a large expansion in the Army/Marines — we’d only need that if one assumes an indefinite Iraq occupation for 100,000 or so.

Also have to run along to make a living. Have a great one and keep fighting the good fight.

Good one!

Perris,

Doesn’t it amaze you that Chafee sits on this for 7 years. That their whole campaign was a big lie and nothing but a sales pitch to get moderates on board.

of course it’s amazing, it was cowardice, it was the hope that this much damage would not be done, the hope that they were right and good would come of it

cowards can reclaimn their integrity, rarely they do, somtimes though

see later all

Scarecrow
I was haunted last night after watching Frontline about what we have done to these young men and women.

I support the call for more troops…but only if those troops include members of the Bush family. That’s less likely to happen than buying a winning lottery ticket.

he will never surrender, never give up, never compromise

And yet he sold his soul to the Bush family.

Jim, you beat me to it. I watched that show with my daughter. We both cried. Her brother is headed to Afghanistan to do just what those guys were doing - protect convoys. She kept asking me, will it be like that for him?

That platoon, some of them back for the third or fourth time. That kid who didn’t have to go, but volunteered to go back because his buddies were going. That sergeant, Toby, worried about his guys, so exhausted, you could see it, but not able to sleep. All of them hating the mission: “we’re driving around, waiting to get blown up, the rules of engagement suck.”

It should be required viewing.

Good Morning Scarecrow and Firedogs -

McBluster and his base -

these authors were here last book salon - forensics pups, forensics - these guys have id’d the pathogen, it’s genesis and various mutations

we all tear our hair out over this as the individual outrages occur - BUT these guys have woven the dynamic together for us - enabling us to better attack and destroy it

read “The Three Foundations” in this excerpt and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about

again, it’s really nothing that we didn’t already know, but we’ve been responding to the trees, they write of the forest.

excerpt link

((perris)) it’s true.

OT forgive, but am I the only person having trouble with firefox today (Win XP)

leinie, Jim — is there a link to the Frontline show yet?

Scarecrow, yeah:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/badvoodoo/

Hopefully that works. Apparently, these guys are still sending video from over there, and the producers will be posting updated stuff at this site.

(((leinie and family)))

good morning cbl.

Scarecrow, I’m hijacking your thread, but the Sgt. from that Frontline, Toby Nunn? He’s got a blog at that site.

I find myself very curious to the reaction of the audience and whether or not our goal of bridging the cultural and informational distance between the general public and those of us serving will be crossed. Will the good people of America be able to put their politics aside and see some regular guys just trying to get through the daily challenges faced in this reality they know for a year or even more? Will this show be successful in putting to rest some of those misconceptions and draw a circle around us versus a line between us?

Looks like they have comments. In case someone wanted to give him some feedback.

And cbl2, thanks. He doesn’t go for months, I keep telling myself we’ll have a new administration and things will improve, but it is so scary. The worst last night was not being able to say anything to my daughter to make it better - less scary, less worrisome, etc. I just couldn’t do anything for her.

mornin’ hotness :)

it really is a must see — for everybody.

Thanks for the headsup and the link. It’s not off topic.

Morning thread is a good time to bring other timely important stuff to everyone’s attention.

Last night on Letterman, McMoreBush called himself a right of center conservative Republican. Let’s define him in his own words….

So Tweety and Barak are coming to my town today.

Whoopdedo!

Digby’s key word in that last quote–relentless.

So Tweety and Barak are coming to my town today.

Tweety’s leg must be all atingle.

I expect to see you on tv tonight, Deb.

I just watched the clip of Letterman and St. John exchanging “barbs.” (No, I wasn’t part of that.) Remember that I don’t watch teevee, so my exposure to voices and affect is very limited. I found McCain’s affect very spooky. Jittery and jumpy. Didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands. No sense of timing. Weird smile (though admittedly not as weird as Cheney’s). Kinda creepy overall. Not one iota “presidential,” whatever that means. Unsettling.

Here’s the linkie.

Thanks, Scarecrow.

There was one scene - nighttime, they were getting ready to go out, the Sgt. is making sure they have an extra tourniquent, and telling them to ALREADY BE WEARING IT ON THE LEG ON THE DOOR SIDE

Ugh, my 74 - that wasn’t supposed to post. Not sure why it did.

Anyway, he had them put the tourniquets on, not tightened down, because if they got hit, the faster they could get that tightened, the better their chances.

I can’t begin to describe the emotions that wrought in me.

Sorry, ran off to drop my peanut at school.

Another scene was when they hit an IED that had to have come from the police checkstation. Who can they trust? Their commander in chief, their commanders, or the Iraqis? What a clusterfuk!

won’t be happening. I get to pick up the mother at the airport at that time. Oh well. No swooning for me.

both the ants and stink bugs are out in numbers right about now. If his leg is tingling that would be the cause. How appropriate.

All this about the MSM and McCain should be taken as read for the foreseeable future. The MSM is of, by, and for the establishment, not the people. It is the establishment we’re up against; not just Deadeye Darth/Herr Czarina Bu$hler.

i caint under stand that if if the iraqis can call acease fire to two iraqi milatary armies who have gone afte each other why do they need us there?