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Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Myth of The "Good" Republican

It seems like a pertinent question these days: Are there any "good" Republicans left? People who put the interests of their country over the interests of their party? People like the Republicans who voted to impeach Richard Nixon, for example? People who I would not lovingly refer to as either "Republics" or "Fascists?"

In my opinion, if such a creature exists in 2007, he or she has met the following criteria:

1) Fired by the Bush Administration;
2) Changed parties to either Independent or Democratic; and/or
3) Made public statements condemning the Deciderer as the Worst. President. Ever.

There are a few people I can think of that meet these criteria - James Comey, formerly of the Justice Department, who has testified in Congress to the misdeeds of Alberto Gonzales, comes to mind - but for the most part, my answer to this question is no.

In my fantasy world, anyone who is currently both a Republican and a supporter of George W. Bush would be banned from political participation. Perhaps we could offer them some sort of rehab; something to awaken their empathy, like having their spouse waterboarded, or rendering them to Syria for months of torture, or sending them to Iraq or Afghanistan to suffer loss of life or limb...but until they show they are actual thinking and feeling members of the human race, no politics for them!

Unfortunately for moi, no one has elected me Queen of the Universe yet. So for now, we must deal with the fact that many Americans still believe that there are Good Republicans out there, one of whom is the bloody but unbowed Colin Powell.

On the campaign trail, Senator Hillary Clinton knew her audience when she said this:

"I have said I won't even wait until I'm inaugurated, but as soon as I'm elected I'm going to be asking distinguished Americans of both parties -- people like Colin Powell, for example -- and others who can represent our country well, including someone I know very well," Clinton told the predominantly black audience after receiving the endorsement of dozens of South Carolina ministers.

Contacted by ABC News' Teddy Davis, Gen. Colin Powell was tight-lipped Tuesday when asked if he is open to Clinton's invitation.

"I have not seen what she has said. I don't know the context of it," Powell told ABC News. "I have admiration for Mrs. Clinton but I have no comment."
As usual, Senator Clinton is looking ahead to the general election. She knows that, despite the fact that Republics have almost completely destroyed America by being loyal only to their party, Americans still want to believe that our existing two parties can get along and accomplish great things together. Hence, the great success of Barack Obama's campaign, based on the "Can't we all just get along?" concept.

As Brian Griffin said on the show Family Guy, "Undecided voters are the stupidest people on the planet." I would change that to "the most uninformed." But alas, our Fourth Estate no longer informs the people. We have "news" networks and talk radio personalities that exist for the sole purpose of promoting right-wing propaganda. Even our most trusted newspapers and magazines print blatantly erroneous information that benefits Republics. Is it any wonder, then, that the myth of the Good Republican refuses to die?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Predicted Nervous Breakdown Occurring on Schedule.

May I just say that attempting to sell one's place and buy someone else's place at the same time is not conducive to one's mental or emotional health? Especially, hypothetically speaking of course, when the attorneys and brokers one is dealing with are incompetent and/or dishonest?

Timing is everything in real estate, and ours just got screwed up beyond belief. Now, both our sale and our purchase are in jeopardy and our moving date is postponed or canceled.

I know that in the grand scheme of things, it's probably somehow for the best, but in the meantime, I've laid in a good supply of dark chocolate...

Monday, November 26, 2007

Well, That Was Fast.

Wonder why Trent Lott is resigning? Could it be that he needs to Spend More Time with His Family (TM)?

Heavens, no! It's because he wants to make sure he can take advantage of that sweet, sweet Wingnut Welfare.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, intends to resign by the end of the year and join the private sector, sources tell CNN.

Lott is expected to make the announcement Monday in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

A senior Republican source close to Lott said one reason for the decision is the new lobbying restrictions on former lawmakers.

A law kicks in on January 1 that forbids lawmakers from lobbying for two years after leaving office. Those who leave by the end of 2007 are covered by the previous law, which demands a wait of only one year.

Lott, the Republican whip, was elected last year to a fourth term in the Senate. His term lasts until 2012.
The Fascists are not even trying to hide what they're all about any more. If you can't benefit from Conservative Cronyism, why bother to be in the government?

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Hunger in the Land of Plenty

In 2006, 35.5 million people went hungry in America. Within that group of people, 11.1 million have what our euphemism-laden society calls "low food security," which means that they literally do not know where their next meal is coming from. Appallingly, many of these suffering Americans are employed, but their jobs pay too little to support them and their families.

It always makes me angry when I hear people in the progressive-liberal community bemoaning the stupidity and passivity of Americans. I wonder how active and informed we would be if we were always worried about their next meal; if we didn't have access to the Internet; or if we didn't have leisure time because we were so "uniquely American" that we had to work three jobs?

According to Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, without the basics of food, clothing and housing, none of us would be able to focus on anything but subsistence. As we all prepare for the institutionalized gorging that is Thanksgiving, perhaps we should spare a moment to think about the more than 10 percent of our country who won't have enough to eat at all.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Dude, Where's My Impeachment?

It's been two weeks since, in a dramatic and bizarre session of the House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich's resolution to impeach Dick Cheney was passed and proceeded to the Judiciary Committee.

But I don't have to mention this. I mean, what with the huge media frenzy and all, you must be sick of hearing about it!

Oh, wait. Sorry. I was thinking of when a Democrat is impeached for lying about a blow job. My bad!

It is absolutely amazing to me, although unfortunately not surprising, that the traditional media is still this blatant about protecting the Bush Administration from the consequences of its actions.

Could there be a more impeachable vice president than Dick Cheney, after all? The guy's approval rating is 9%. He shot his friend in the face while drunk. He held secret energy meetings wherein he planned the invasion of Iraq for its oil, then planned to divide that oil among his buddies. He was in charge of the antiterrorism task force before 9/11 and didn't hold ONE MEETING. He leaked the name of a covert CIA operative to the media for political purposes, endangering both her and her colleagues. And let's not forget that the Vice President is a one-man Constitutional wrecking ball!

Yet the silence of my TeeVee is deafening. Not even Keith Olbermann, the most outspoken and eloquent broadcaster on the crimes of the Bush Administration, is permitted to speak of impeachment. I'm sure he is biting his tongue nightly, especially when having to do an entire segment on the vitally important vicissitudes of..."American Idol."

A majority of Americans support the impeachment of Cheney and, to a lesser degree, George Bush. But then, it's been a very long time since the traditional news media reflected the views of ordinary Americans; they're too busy trying to please their corporate masters. What they don't understand is, if no one watches, no one buys...

Monday, November 19, 2007

Giuliani Scares Me - And I'm Not the Only One

My "I Told You So" alert is at RED, baby!

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican Rudy Giuliani vows to be tough on terror, chooses advisers who want to bomb Iran and doesn't think pretending to drown prisoners is torture.

Add to those views a reputation for being combative, and Giuliani often evokes the word "scary" from opponents who find the tough-guy image that served him so well after the September 11 attacks now a cause for concern as he seeks the U.S. presidency.

Type the word "scary" and names of Republican candidates for president into a leading database of articles. The name of the former New York mayor will get the most hits.

"He is a scary guy," said Jerome Hauer, who ran the city's Office of Emergency Management for Giuliani. "He was probably one of the more divisive mayors the city has ever seen.

"People in this country should be very frightened of Rudy because he is not going to bring the country together," Hauer added. "Who knows who he'd pick wars with?"

Even the evangelicals understand that Giuliani is terrifying; that's why he's behind Huckabee in Iowa and New Hampshire.

I can't wait to see this Fascist humiliated. He is a truly vicious and unprincipled man, and would be even worse than Bush when it comes to cronyism and warmongering.

I really think the wingnuts are going to pick Huckabee. Jeebus make it so!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Moving

So, we're moving on December 1st and we still don't have a contract with the sellers of the place we're buying.

Posting may be light while I have a nervous breakdown....

Friday, November 16, 2007

Selfish

I was rather wordy yesterday, so here's a short one: To take back our liberal brand and make it positive again, why don't we just start pounding the meme that conservatives are selfish?

Not only is that assertion true to the nth degree, but doesn't every American know that being selfish is wrong?

Just a thought.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Why Chris Dodd is Getting My Primary Vote

I just received this letter from Senator Dodd's campaign [excerpted for brevity]:

As they say ... Breaking News from the Senate.

Forgive me if some of this is in the weeds, I'll try and make the parliamentary process as painless as possible.

1. Within the last hour, the Senate Judiciary Committee just reported out a FISA bill that DOES NOT include retroactive immunity for the telecom companies that helped the Bush Administration spy on Americans.
2. This means the Judiciary bill moves to the full Senate WITHOUT the dangerous language included.
3. Retroactive immunity will, however, surely be introduced as an amendment to the FISA bill.
4. If needed Senator Dodd will filibuster any amendment seeking to add retroactive immunity to the underlying bill. By filibustering, he will force the opposition to find 60 votes to pass the provision.

It will be a lot more difficult for those who would enable the erosion of our Constitution to find the 60 votes necessary to stop immunity on its own than it would be for us to find the 40 needed to sustain a filibuster of the bill as a whole if it included immunity.

Today is a great victory for all of us -- and another example of Chris Dodd's leadership.

If it wasn't for our efforts, together, retroactive immunity would be well on its way to sailing through the Senate ... largely unnoticed.
There is nothing more important to me than restoring the Constitution. Chris Dodd is the one who will do it.

Should you be so inclined....

Calling Things Aright

Inspired by both Southern Beale's comment on my previous post and Dirk Gently's post yesterday, I'd like to say a few words about framing.

The Republics are fantabulous at framing. One reason is that they are authoritarians, and are thus much more given to groupthink than we rebellious liberal-progressives are. Another is that they still have the biggest microphone in the country. They own most of talk radio, several influential newspapers and this country's Pravda, Fox "News" Channel. But we cannot discount the fact that our elected representatives do not seem to have a clue, in this day and age, as to how to sell their ideas...with which 70%-90% of Americans are in total agreement. Mon dieu!

Being a girl who has some marketing background, I'd love to give our team a little advice. Here goes:

1) Do not play the other team's game. In this case, do not give their words power by leaving them unchallenged.

Case in point: We should not call our economic system the "free market," since the last thing these criminals want is free and fair competition (which might keep them from getting billion-dollar no-bid contracts.) We shouldn't call it privatization, since the word "private" has positive connotations to many Americans. We should call it by its true name: Cronyism. Doesn't that just encapsulate the true nature of the Bushies, especially since yesterday's discovery that the Inspector General who refused to investigate Blackwater has a brother on Blackwater's Advisory Board?

2) Figure out how to phrase your ideas so they make sense to our infantilized populace.

Let's face it. We Murkins have been treated like children so often that we have become children. When Bush told us to go shopping after 9/11, what did we do? Did we scream "What the fuck are you talking about? What kind of soulless monster are you?" No - most of us said, "What a wise and wonderful man he is!" and went about our business.

Democrats keep thinking that intelligence, good ideas and being Not Republican will get them elected. Because of the extraordinary horribleness of today's Fascist party, that worked in 2006 and it will work in 2008. But what about when the new Democratic President and Congress get blamed for four years straight for the mess that Bush and his Cronies and Lackeys have left us? Seriously, Democrats, once you're in power, are you really not expecting the press to cream you day after day, night after night, just for having D's after your names? Where the hell have you been for the past 30 years?

What sells is emotion. What sells is simplicity. Give a little (taxes); get a lot (free education and health care for everyone). Stop the wars. Save the children. Save the earth. Support the troops. Stop Cronyism. Protect our economy. Protect our food. People power. Trickle-up economics. Jeebus fuck, is it that hard?!

If the Democrats don't learn this lesson, and soon, they will risk the rebirth of the Fascists in 2012. And this time, they won't go away without taking us all the way down the road to the Fourth Reich.

Government of Terror

I really think that the main area of disagreement between libertario-conservo-Fascists and normal Americans is this: What is the job of the government?

Personally, I think it is to invest our money to the betterment of society. So how's that working out for us after seven endless years of BushCheney? Is society better when 49 million people don't have health insurance? Is society better when our bridges and roads and levees are crumbling? Is society better when our money buys less and less? Is society better when housing and education are not affordable? Is society better when our jobs are outsourced to India and China? Is society better when our leaders steal elections and refuse to obey our laws and Constitution? Is society better when our brave, patriotic young people are killed, maimed and mentally destroyed in endless wars over limited resources?

A sane person would say no. A sane person would say that Bush and his cronies are destroying everything good and right about America. But clearly, libertario-conservo-Fascists are not sane. They have been driven mad by terror, the very feeling Bush and his fellow fearmongers promise they will protect us against with their strong daddy-ness.

Take a look at this ad by Republic candidate Tom Tancredo, and tell me, with a straight face, that these people have any intention of doing anything but scaring the shit out of their voters.

This is why I don't want to come to the table and reach out and sing Kumbaya with these people. Sorry, Senator Obama. We do not reach out to people who want to destroy us. We run over and over them with a truck until they are dead, politically speaking.

Had we done this with Nixon (and his minions, Cheney and Rumsfeld), America would be a much better country today.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Deals

When we progressives in Real-World-Land hear about something awful happening in DC-Land, like Judge Michael Mukasey's nomination and confirmation as Attorney General, we are perfectly within our rights to let our representatives know our feelings about that something. I did, and I don't regret it.

However, sometimes - all right, probably more than sometimes - we don't know the whole story behind why our representatives are doing those things they do. I do think that our government should be much more transparent and that these deals should be out in the open, but realistically, I don't when or if that's going to happen - it certainly won't while Bush and his thugs are in power. Given this story that broke yesterday, I think I may have an idea why my Senator, Chuck Schumer, recommended Judge Mukasey in the first place, and continued to support him in the face of mounting party and public disapproval.

The Justice Department has reopened a long-dormant inquiry into the government's warrantless wiretapping program, a major policy shift only days into the tenure of Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

The investigation by the department's Office of Professional Responsibility was shut down last year, after the investigators were denied security clearances. Gonzales told Congress that President Bush, not he, denied the clearances.

"We recently received the necessary security clearances and are now able to proceed with our investigation," H. Marshall Jarrett, counsel for the OPR, wrote to Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y. A copy of the letter, dated Tuesday, was obtained by The Associated Press.

Hinchey and other Democrats have long sought an investigation into the spying program to see if it complies with the law. Efforts to investigate the program have been rebuffed by the Bush administration.

"I am happily surprised," Hinchey said. "It now seems because we have a new attorney general the situation has changed. Maybe this attorney general understands that his obligation is not to be the private counsel to the president but the chief law enforcement officer for the entire country."

The Democratically-controlled Senate and House have long been stymied by AG Gonzales' refusal to enforce their subpoenas and ensure compliance with their requests for documents vital to continuing investigations.

Without the backing of the supposedly apolitical Justice Department, the Senate and House have been all bark and no bite. In my opinion, since Gonzales' forced resignation, the Democrats have been waiting to proceed on how best to deal with the Bush Administration's lawless behavior until they could get an AG in office who would actually, you know, enforce the law.

Perhaps - just perhaps - AG Mukasey will do just that.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Absolutely. Fucking. Pathetic.

Oh. My. Guh. The media in this country is the biggest disgrace I've ever seen.

How in the bloody fuck is Rudy Giuliani still even in the race for President? Not only is he worse than George W. Bush temperamentally, intellectually and experientially, but he is clearly the most scandal-ridden front runner in modern (TeeVee) history. Can we just discuss how he married his second cousin? Or how he announced his divorce from Donna Hanover at a press conference? Or how he put the emergency center for New York IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER and refused to fix the interdepartmental communications that were a problem in the previous bombing, thus being responsible for much of the death and destruction of 9/11? Or how many of his associates and BFF's are criminals?

You know what? That's not important. Let's obsess about how a couple of Hillary's aides suggested a couple of questions that related to the topics being discussed at the forum. Ooooh! Her campaign asked people if they would ask about global warming! THE HORROR!!!

But the media blackout on real Republican versus fake Democratic scandals doesn't stop there. One would think it would be difficult to mention the issue of planted questions without remembering the entire FAKE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH FAKE JOURNALISTS that FEMA staged! Or all the propaganda planted IN THE MAJOR MEDIA by the Bush Administration to support their No Child Left Behind initiative! Or the fact that Bush didn't even let anyone other than registered, fealty-swearing Fascists into his campaign speeches! Or that he planted a male hooker in the White House Press Corps to send him softball questions! We all know the blizzard of outrage and scandal all of this media manipulation by President Bush caused!

[cricket cricket cricket]

Absolutely. Fucking. Pathetic.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Verrrrrry Interesting.

Ordinarily I'm not a fan of Condoleezza Rice. In fact, I have been known to call her a "gap-toothed oil-drinking bitch." But I've heard very often that she is one of the voices advocating against bombing Iran, and it seems that yesterday, she made her views public.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday she does not believe a Senate resolution authorizes President Bush to take military action against Iran.

"There is nothing in this particular resolution that would suggest that from our point of view. And, clearly, the president has also made very clear that he's on a diplomatic path where Iran comes into focus," Rice said.

The Senate in late September voted 76-22 in favor of a resolution urging the State Department to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

While the resolution, by Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., attracted overwhelming bipartisan support, a small group of Democrats said they feared labeling the state-sponsored organization a terrorist group could be interpreted as a congressional authorization of military force in Iran.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was the only Senate Democrat running for president to support the measure. Her rivals have argued that Bush could use it to justify war with Iran. Clinton insists her vote would not support military strikes and instead was a vote for stepped-up diplomacy.

On Sunday, Rice echoed that view. She said Bush was focused on diplomatic options - not waging war.
Now, I'm not saying that I believe Condi Rice, or any of these lying Fascists. Jeebus forbid! There could be many nefarious motives behind this statement. Who knows - maybe the Bushies are trying to spike Senator Clinton's campaign by drawing parallels between what Hillary is saying and what Rice is saying about Iran.

What is interesting, however, is that Rice has definitively come out and said that the Kyl-Lieberman resolution does not authorize war against Iran. It will be difficult, in these days of ever-increasing opposition to the occupation of Iraq, to take such a statement back.

On Veterans' Day

This weekend, as I was watching the TeeVee, I was struck by how many happy shiny people are SO EXCITED about Veterans' Day. Why? Sales, baby! Nothing like Veterans' Day to bring out the bargains, right, Consumer - er, Citizen?

I wonder if this guy is looking forward to shopping at Macy's today?



Support the troops. Bring them home.

Friday, November 9, 2007

The Point of Barack Obama's Campaign

I have not said anything about the Democratic candidates in a while. I'm already tired of discussing the implications of every single word they say, and most of the "stories" about them are ludicrous. (Hillary didn't tip well? Barack didn't salute the flag? Hillary put a professional hit on CATS? Edwards got a haircut? Dennis' wife has a tongue-stud and he sees UFO's? PUH-lease.)

But I cannot keep silent on the bullshit coming out of Obama's campaign any more. I didn't say anything about his come-to-Jesus tour of the South, where he insisted on including an anti-gay gospel singer because we "need to reach out" to the homophobic community. I didn't say anything about his holier-than-thou crap in the latest debate, where he all but accused Senator Clinton of being a liar when she tried to outline a complex immigration issue in 30 seconds. But with his latest line of attack about Mrs. Clinton, can anyone doubt what his real message is?

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama sparked a generational fight Wednesday by trashing White House rival Hillary Clinton for being too old to unite America, saying she and others her age have fought the same tired fights for too long.

"I think there's no doubt that we represent the kind of change that Sen. Clinton can't deliver on, and part of it is generational," Obama, 46, said on Fox News. "Sen. Clinton and others, they've been fighting some of the same fights since the '60s, and it makes it very difficult for them to bring the country together to get things done."

Experts and opponents pounced, saying Obama's remarks could offend the most reliable voters, people older than 50 - especially in early-voting Iowa. "You are counting precisely on an older group of Democrats in Iowa," said Iowa State University's Steffen Schmidt. "You can't tell them they're backward-looking. Somebody should be fired in his campaign."


"Experts," get a clue. Obama is not saying that Hillary is too old. He's saying that she's part of the eeeeeeeeeevil 60's! And guess where he's saying this? On Fox News.

The right wing in this country is notoriously, loudly, proudly anti-gay. So who is Obama courting when he refuses to fire a proudly homophobic singer from his tour?

The right wing in this country longs for that fictional 50's America, when the country was white, prosperous and Christian. To them, the 60's were the worst thing that ever happened, and they're still trying to reverse the good things that came out of that time period. (Perhaps the Senator has forgotten he's African American, but I'd like to see how far he would have gotten running for office without the Civil Rights Movement.) So who is Obama courting when he says that Hillary belongs to that generation?

Let me also ask, how many Democrats watch Fox News? Who is Obama courting when he goes on Fox to spread his message of unity with the right wing?

It's so clear to me, as it has been from the beginning, that Obama is far more right-wing than any of the other Democratic contenders. That is the point of his campaign: I can unite America because I'm a conservative Democrat - never mind the color of my skin. I'm certainly not a scary 60's liberal like Senator Clinton! It's the Harold Ford strategy, and it's a disappointing (and losing) one.

Any Democrat but Obama, please.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Giuliani and Robertson: Pehfect Tahgether?

Wow, one opportunistic, amoral thug who makes his money and reputation off of someone else's achievements is supporting his twin in the secular world, Rudy NineEleven!

I suppose that Robertson's support may drag a few Christofascists over to the Giuliani side. But I've been saying for years that New York's Nosferatu will not make it through the primaries. Why? Thanks to years of recruitment, the right-wing evangelicals are the ones that determine the Fascist candidate. And they are not too pleased with teh Rudy, since he actually feels a woman should have the right to choose what happens to her own body.

Still, supposing the race doesn't turn out to be Huckabee vs. Edwards, as I think it will be when the dust clears. Suppose the media is right for the first time in a long time, and suppose the two candidates are Hillary and Rudy. I've got the perfect ad for Hillary. Check it out!

No charge, Hillary!

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

My Letter to the Judiciary Committee

It seems that the Judiciary Committee is just too busy to consider the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.

Perhaps they need to hear another point of view.

To the Chairman and Members of the Judiciary Committee,

If you are really interested in stopping the bombing of Iran, you will consider this impeachment resolution without delay. There is nothing more important than stopping the lawless warmongering of this out-of-control Executive.

Thank you.
If you are so inclined, click here to write your own letter or call the Committee. Do whatever you can - just let them know that there is no more important business than removing Dick Cheney from office.

Well...except removing George W. Bush from office. But, business before pleasure.

Carry Me Back to Blue Virginny! (And Kentucky!)

Woo-Freaking-Hoo!!!

Democrats wrested control of the Senate from the Republicans in yesterday's legislative elections, picking up the four seats they needed to give them a majority of at least 21 to 19 and end a decade of GOP dominance in the chamber.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) claimed victory in a celebration at Tysons Corner. The Republicans retained control of the House, but the Democrats also gained seats there. The party's surge will help the governor advance much of his agenda during his last two years in office, including investing more in education, health and the environment.

"It's an exciting time," Kaine said in interview. "It enables me to get even more done."

It appears that even incumbents in Southern states aren't safe any more.

Politically wounded and unable to find a compelling message to voters, Gov. Ernie Fletcher failed to win a second four-year term as Kentuckians overwhelmingly swept Democrat Steve Beshear into office Tuesday.

Beshear, a lieutenant governor and attorney general in the 1980s, completed an unlikely political comeback by winning the governor’s office — a position he sought unsuccessfully 20 years ago.

He defeated Fletcher by about 17 percentage points, according to unofficial returns.
The Fascists, thanks to their oh-so-brilliant strategy of playing only to their extreme rightwing base, are finally starting to achieve the permanent minority status they so richly deserve.

It's a good day.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

It's a Big Day in Congress.

The Mukasey confirmation vote in the Senate and the Kucinich Impeachment Resolution of Dick Cheney in the House are both supposed to be put forward today.

Let me be clear about my feelings on Mukasey. I have no doubt that, as Senators Schumer and Feinstein are saying, George W. Bush could recess appoint someone "worse" than Mukasey if the Judge is not confirmed. Indeed, the mind boggles at some of the horrendous Bush cronies that could be foisted upon the American people. Ted Olson, for example. [shudder]

But politically speaking, the American people know that if Bush can't get a nominee past Congress, he has lost. Even though Bush forced John Bolton in as Ambassador to the U.N., Bolton had no credibility because we all knew that even the Fascists did not want him to represent our government. It follows that if the Democrats oppose Bush completely on his nominees for AG, they will have won the war, even if they lose the battle.

Standing up to Bush is a political winner. Period. A President with Nixonian approval ratings should not be seen to have the least bit of support for any of his initiatives from the opposition party. Such support gives the mistaken impression that our representatives agree with Bush and are no different from him. Unfortunate indeed, since the Democrats' very slim majority - and the Fascists' united support of their Dear Leader - often leaves them with only bad or worse choices, such as fighting the semi-rational Mukasey or getting an even more corrupt and enabling AG appointed during recess.

I'm not saying that some of the Democrats aren't Fascist lite - I believe that the ones that vote consistently with Bush, such as, for example, Al Wynn from Maryland - actually are. But don't the majority of Democrats know by now that if they give Bush anything he wants, whatever good intentions they may have, they will be perceived as enablers?

Better to fight the good fight and lose, than to be seen as a Vichy Democrat by your supporters. The Fascists have known this forever. In this one instance, we would be well-advised to learn from our enemies.

UPDATE! Dennis Kucinich's resolution to impeach Dick Cheney has gone to John Conyers and the Judiciary Committee. Stay tuned to the Internets - no coverage will appear on your teevee (unless you watch Keith Olbermann of course...)

Monday, November 5, 2007

Mukasey Opposition Action Day!

A very short post today (I figure I'm due):

Although the media is claiming that Judge ("Waterboarding/Unitary Executive Good") Mukasey is all but confirmed, the vote has not taken place yet. It will take place this Tuesday, so until then, our Democratic Senators can be persuaded to change their minds.

Here is a link to a form where you can email and/or call your Senators to let them know that Mr. Mukasey is completely unacceptable as an Attorney General. At first, he appeared to be a vast improvement over Gonzalez, but on the second day of his hearings, he revealed that there was a true Bush Lackey hiding under that semi-independent exterior.

The Justice Department has been the source, and the sustenance, of all the Bush Administration's anti-Constitutional, illegal actions since he took office. If we are to get any justice at all during the last days of this horror called the Bush Administration, we need a more independent Attorney General. Let your Senators know how you feel about Mukasey. At least we can try to make our voices heard.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Senators to Bush: Don't Do It

30 Senators (all Democrats and one Independent, of course) make it clear that the Lieberman-Kyl Amendment did not give Bush authority to make war on Iran.

Thirty US senators wrote to President George W. Bush Thursday, warning he had no authority to launch military action against Iran, and expressing concern about the administration's "provocative" rhetoric.

The senators, 29 Democrats and one independent, urged the resolution of disputes with the Islamic Republic through diplomacy.

"We wish to emphasize that no congressional authority exists for unilateral military action against Iran," the letter signed by senators including presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Joseph Biden said.

The letter warned that a resolution passed by the Senate in September, calling for the designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, should not be used as a pretext for war.

It hit out at "provocative statements and actions" by the administration on Iran, after Bush last month warned Tehran must be barred from nuclear weapons to avoid the prospect of "World War III."

"These comments are counterproductive and undermine efforts to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy," the letter, coordinated by Virginia Senator Jim Webb, said.
My feelings on this are mixed. I'm very happy that these Senators are now on record opposing Bush and his insane warmongering. But why did they give Bush the slightest encouragement in the first place? And what will they do if he bombs Iran anyway?

I was a big Hillary Clinton supporter until she voted for that amendment. Unfortunately, this letter doesn't make me feel that much better about her judgment. She's doing the right thing, but is it too late?

I am afraid that the Top Three Democrats - Clinton, Obama and Edwards - have all bought into the neo-con frames on foreign policy matters. Truthfully, all the Democrats are pretty good on domestic issues - certainly worlds better than Bush - so I'm not worried about that. What I'm worried about is that the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive war for resources will continue after the new President is sworn in.

The horror!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

He's Come Undone

Well, well, well. It looks like for George Bush, Halloween was a day to take off his mask.

Our little Napoleon is very, very upset that the Democrats in Congress have not granted his blank check request for the war. He's terribly vexed that they keep showing, again and again, how heartless and uncaring he is by passing that pesky SCHIP legislation despite his vetos. But the final straw was when they showed that they expect the top law enforcement official in the United States, the Attorney General, to actually enforce the law. Now THAT is going too far, Congress! Who do you think you are - a co-equal branch or something?

So the Deciderer finally showed himself to America. And boy, was it ugly.

The White House plans to try implementing as much new policy as it can by administrative order while stepping up its confrontational rhetoric with Congress after concluding that President Bush cannot do much business with the Democratic leadership, administration officials said.

[snip]

White House aides say the only way Bush seems to be able to influence the process is by vetoing legislation or by issuing administrative orders, as he has in recent weeks on veterans' health care, air-traffic congestion, protecting endangered fish and immigration. They say they expect Bush to issue more of such orders in the next several months, even as he speaks out on the need to limit spending and resist any tax increases.

That's a Halloween horror story for you. How long before he follows Hitler's example and dissolves Congress altogether?

HR 333, Dennis Kucinich's impeachment measure, is coming up for a vote before Congress leaves for Thanksgiving. I will be pressing my House Rep to support it, and I hope we will all do so. Bush and Cheney must be impeached IMMEDIATELY, before our country completes its horrifying slide into fascism.