Let us start at the somewhat local level with state politics.
First, we have this non-partisan report from the CA state auditor on :
Schwarzenegger's mismanagement of state homeland security funds.
Which says:
that the state had spent only 42 percent of the nearly $1 billion in federal funds it has received. It highlights a number of examples of where the Schwarzenegger Administration has bungled the distribution of funds and is leaving California vulnerable to be unprepared in case of an emergency.
Secondly we have the flap over the leaked tape of Ah-nolds racist comments. One of the interesting parts to this mess is that the Ah-nold folks didn't seem to have their site secured:
He said the scenarios described by the campaigns suggest the governor's office might have relied on what is known in the information technology world as "security by obscurity,'' in which an obscure URL -- rather than airtight computer locks -- is used to protect information.He says the governor's staff should be asking "Why is all this stuff on a Web site that's not really secure in the first place?''
"A big lesson (from this) ... is that one of the first things not to do is to store information in a way that's easily accessible -- especially if you don't want it to get out,'' he said.
So, if Ah-nold can't seem to keep his own campagin website secure, and he is being blasted by the state auditor on the handling of our states security, does he deserve to continue to be our state's governor? The short answer, of course, is no.
National news on the flip......
Bush, in his speech to the nation on Monday, is being called to task for making (yet again) 9/11 a political tool for the GOP:
Sept. 12, 2006 - The White House promised a non-political speech. Bush’s aides said the president’s address to the nation would exploit no partisan differences, and issue no calls to Congress. In technical terms, they were right. To all intents and purposes, they were wrong.
LA Times article on the speech:
But Bush wasted little time in his 17-minute address before reverting to the oft-repeated lines of his election-year speeches defending the invasion of Iraq.
And:
A network news executive, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of relations with the White House, said Tuesday that the speech would prompt greater scrutiny of future White House requests for air time.
Speaking of the war, we found out yesterday that our military has lied about the murder rate in Baghdad (surprise! NOT). Seems that the military, in order to "prove" that recent operations in Baghdad had been successful at stabilizing that city, did not:
count people killed by bombs, mortars, rockets or other mass attacks including suicide bombings when it reported a dramatic drop in the number of murders in the Baghdad area last month, the U.S. command said Monday.The decision to include only victims of drive-by shootings and those killed by torture and execution, usually at the hands of death squads, allowed U.S. officials to argue that a security crackdown that began in the capital Aug. 7 had more than halved the city's murder rate.
And speaking of Iraq, the GOP seems to be completely at odds with the reality of what is going on there, stories from yesterday and today further point to a situation that is falling apart:
From MSNBC:
For decades, marriages between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq were as ordinary as the daily call to prayer. But the sectarian warfare gripping the country has created a powerful barrier to Sunni-Shiite romances.
And then there is this story today:
It was a quintessential Baghdad moment, the sort that happens to hundreds of people here every week. And each moment opens a window onto the forces that plague Iraq.Whether one is driving on a quiet street or stuck in a traffic jam, chaos can erupt in nanoseconds. One day it may be a suicide bomber; another day, a roadside explosive. It could even be a mortar shell, a missile -- or an army of policemen with guns blazing.
And of course the violence continues unabated in Iraq:
Iraqi police say they have found in the space of one day 60 bodies of people bound, tortured and shot in the capital, Baghdad.
We can all be assured that our military will find a way to now exclude the number of people shot from their "murder rate" numbers.
Oh, and if you thought Afghanistan was doing well, think again:
As fierce clashes continue in Afghanistan, the first battleground in the U.S.-led war on terror after the Sept. 11 attacks, calls by NATO commanders for additional troops were not answered.Reporting that only Latvia responded to the request by announcing it would send 20 troops, the British press commented the U.S.’s closest NATO allies, including Turkey, had abandoned Washington on a key battle field. In its front-page story about the issue, The Times of London noted many countries, which had supported the U.S. in its war on terror, simply ignored its urgent call for an additional 2,500 troops to fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Our fight is to make sure that Democrats take back the congress this year, and the GOP knows that their grip on power may well come to an end this November. Given the reality of the situation in Iraq, the GOP cannot run on its record, and they aren't, they are running on a platform of fear.
Our nation deserves better then the "be afraid" campaign from the GOP, and come November the GOP is going to be the one group that has something to fear: the truth.
So what was happening from June 12-18? Plenty.
-Of course we had the election. Mostly a primary, there wasn't much to spin, except perhaps the narrow victory of the Repubican candidate down in San Diego over Democrat Francine Busby. While we can all feel bummed about it it's also true that this was a Republican district, and one into which we forced them to pour millions of dollars so that their guy could garner less than 50% of the vote. Source: Ny Times. What else do we learn...that when a pathetic number of voters turn out it is not good for Democrats!!!!!! And that Democrats should save the mud-slinging for Republicans not each other. Sheesh. Really annoying election. And here's my own personal advice for Democrats already planning who will take various chairmanships in the House: Cart? Meet horse. Stay behind it. Eggs? Meet basket...get inside it! Sheesh. Really annoying again.
-Three Gitmo prisoners committed suicide. A U.S. diplomat calls it a good "P.R. move", which prompts deserved outrage...and calls for its shutdown. I'm not holding my breath, how about you?
-In honor of Father's Day and to celebrate the repeated failure of Congress to pass a constitutional amendment writing the curtailment of the human rights of homosexuals into the Constitution, I bring you this heart-warming story of someone the Santa Clara County Democratc Party knows well. Clark Williams is a regular at SCC DP county committee meetings as a representative of the local LGBT Club. He is also a dad. And according to those who should know, a "top" community dad.
-I know we're Democarats, so we're not supposed to make sweeping generalizations or paint all members of a group with the same brush. But can I just step outside that for a moment and say this: Republicans are mean. Whether it's George Bush needling a guy who's got an eye condition or talk radio jerk (and CNN HNN anchor) Glenn Beck joking that global warming is no big deal in this delightful fashion:
This is what would happen to Shanghai. Does anybody really care? I mean, come on. Shanghai is under water. Oh, no! Who's gonna make those little umbrellas for those tropical drinks?
-Speaking of mean, how about demolishing public housing in New Orleans and replacing it with housing for a "wider range of incomes"? That sounds pretty mean to me. Some folks are pretty upset about it and planning a protest in N.O. for July 4th.
-What a surprise: the world's view of America is only worsening. Courtesy Pew. And in case you think that's no big deal, it also means people are down on the idea of things we kinda need their support on...like fighting global terrorism.
Kind of a depressing week, although aren't they all with these corrupt and incompetent (lethal combination, huh?) bozos running things?
Taking a look back at June 5th-11th, a week that kicked off like this:
-With a Bush radio address that basically positioned gay marriage as a threat to marriage, and therefore to society. Wanna know what a threat is? A threat is when your health coverage is so poor that any accident or unanticipated illness could set you back several month's salary! A threat is when we spend so much time trying to deny that gobal warming exists, and if it exists that humans have a hand in it, and if humans have a hand in it that we should do something about it, that we basically do irrevocable harm to our environment. A threat is when people can't make phone calls or bank transactions without assuming that their government is tracking and caching the information. A threat is when we act so arrogantly and unilaterally abroad that we lose the support of our allies and stoke the flamesof anit-Americanism in the people who weren't too fond of us to begin with. That's a threat. Oh, the NY Times also derides the president's cynical radio address here.
-Did you follow the odd case before the Supreme Court of Richard Ceballos? He was a district attorney who questioned an affadavit that the office was relying on to prosecute a case. He wrote memos and was vocal within the office about his doubts. He was ultimately transferred and refused a promotion. One other key piece of info: he ended up testifying for the defense. The Supreme Court ruled that our first amendment rights apply to us as citizens, not as employees. If he had gone public he'd be a whistleblower, by staying within the confines of workplace communications he was a troublemaker. Of course the testifying for the defense is probably exactly what put his superiors over the edge, and it was probably the one part of what he did that was protected. It's a really strange case with ramifications for public and government employees. The WaPo puzzles it out and decides the Supreme Court did good here.
-The estate tax: the tax the Republicans love to hate (along with every other tax, too, I suppose.) I love this WaPo editorial slamming the attempt because it brings up a couple of arguments that are off the usual beaten path. Usually the arguments are that it impacts a tiny number of families and businesses, that those that are affected can well afford it and often some discussion of why it really is fair to tax the money, because most of it is appreciation that was never taxed. The number shows that very few businesses or farms ever have to sell off anything to pay their share, especially because payments can be stretched out over 14 years. The WaPo asks an entirely different question:
Suppose that the estate tax does force the sale of some farms and businesses; is that necessarily a bad thing? Well, it would mean that the heirs don't have the inclination or ability to manage the farm or the small business and turn a profit -- otherwise they would earn enough to pay the tax over the 14-year period. From the standpoint of job creation, it's a mistake to leave a farm or small business in the hands of heirs who don't know how to turn a profit on it; better that those assets be sold to purchasers who will maximize their value. Far from promoting a vibrant small-business and farm sector, the abolition of the estate tax would increase the number of businesses and farms that are managed by non-vibrant sons and daughters.
Meanwhile, abolitionists also claim that the tax doesn't raise much anyway, so why not kill it? Well, it's expected to raise $776 billion in the decade starting in 2012; if abolitionists view this as chump change, how can they pretend it's ravaging a sector of the economy?
And now, two sites I recommend that are all about helping you track what's going on in Congress:
- ReadtheBill.org is an organization trying to get Congress to be more transparent. They want to make Congress post all legislation online for 72 hours before it is considered on the floor of Congress. (After seeing how Congresspeople themselves don't really read all the bills they vote on, it'd be nice for the citizenry to have a shot at it, huh?) This is their raionale:
The 72 Online rule is needed because Congress has degenerated into chaos. The House of Representatives still has a rule on the books requiring proposed legislation be available to members for three days. But the House waives this rule routinely and rubber stamps huge bills in the middle of the night, clueless of their content or cost. Senate rules are fuzzier but the result is the same. This chaos in Congress costs every American. Provisions and giveaways slipped through Congress are one reason that the U.S. has a national debt of $8 trillion. These sneaky provisions also invite plain-old corruption.
-Finally, please also check out Congresspedia. This is an amazing effort to get citiznes active and tracking Congress. Here's their blurb:
Welcome to Congresspedia, the "citizen's encyclopedia on Congress" that anyone—including you—can edit. Congresspedia is a not-for-profit, collaborative project of the Center for Media and Democracy and the Sunlight Foundation and is overseen by an editor to help ensure fairness and accuracy. Congresspedia is part of SourceWatch, a wiki-based website documenting the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda.
Another week that was. Stay tuned for more catch-up.
Or, should I say: the week that was back from May 29th to June 4th.
I'm still trying to catch back up to real-time, so another weekly recap is now yours.
1. A turn-about on Iran
You know Dubya hates the appearance of changing his mind, but in fact he has flip-flopped quite often in his career. So it probably irks him to acknowledge that he's going to have to engage in talks with Iran. According to the WaPo Condi Rice was instrumental in driving this turn-around. Typically, the biggest conservative blogs are relatively quiet on this "backing down." They certainly know how to not publicly question and criticize their icons, don't they?
2. If you didn't vote for Bush, you don't get funding
How else to explain the big decrease in anti-terrorism funding for true-blue terrorist targets New York and Washington DC? Sure I'm glad L.A. got some more money, but some of the other cities listed? Come on. Jon Stewart had a brilliant riff on this on The Daily Show.
3. I often ask here: exactly how "pro-business" do we need to be. So, as a public service to remind everyone that big business and the big wigs who run big business are benefitting in a disproportinate manner, hereis a little look at how execs are being comepnsated outrageously, even when they fail. It's really kind of a gross story. one company excluded all Hurricane-related costs from its performance figures to enable them to up their profit from an internal point of view and give their execs big huge bonuses. See, I am just not seeing why execs get to base compensation off of figures that shareholders don't. Anyone?
4. Yes, in times like these it's very important to focus on those issues which are really critical to the security and prosperity of our nation. Issues like gay marriage, of course. Read Bob Cesca from the Huffington Post on this one. He makes some of the same points Jon Stewart did when debating the issue with Bill Bennett, paragon of decency. Either you believe homosexuality is a part of the human condition, or you think it's a sexual fetish. If you believe it's part of the human condition and the natural world (as the existence of homosexuality in other species would suggest) then you have to concede that both religious and state tenets have evolved over time to accept evolving awareness of the human condition. Not that religious tenets should be used as a guiding post for civil rights legislation, I suppose. Interesting excerpt:
Today is one of those awful days in American history when political theater has made a go at trampling civil rights -- a day when the rights of taxpaying American citizens are thrown into the gaping maw of zealots whose hypocritical moral compasses are granted temporary lip service and nothing else.And we're all paying for it. I want a tax refund for my cut of the president's salary, his staff's salary, and the salaries of every congressman and senator who wasted an entire day on this contemptible maneuver. Who's with me?
So, at least now I'm in the current month, and I'll keep trying to get caught up and catch you up with interesting goings-on at the national level.
Having fallen not-quite-hopelessly-but-nonetheless-disturbingly behind on the national politics beef, forgive me while I do a few weekly recaps to catch back up.
Consider me your local version of Lewis Black on the Daily Show, who just wants to make sure the following stories don't fall through the cracks.
1. Enron
So, the Enron boys were convicted. Great news. Not sure if it has larger ramifications, though. I'm more afraid that Enron will become symbolic of corruption punished, and people will think they can move on...problem solved. I also think this was a simpler case than many similar cases. I mean the defense "I didn't know" is pretty simple, and prety easily discounted. People don't have ot understand much of what was actually going on to decide whether or not they believe people at that level should have understood it. Interesting local side note: a letter to the editor last week in the Merc accused the Merc of downplaying its Enron conviction coverage, thus disproving the notion that the Merc is liberally-biased. Anyone else notice that?
2. No mistakes, thousands of mistakes, a few mistakes?
Remember when Dubya couldn't think of anything he regretted? Remember when Condi referenced the thousands of mistakes (and then took it right back)? now we have a new concession: sure mistakes were made, but for a good cause. Hey, I, for one, am glad to see Bush acknowledging that his "talk tough" language was damaging and insenstive to our own troops. I'm glad to see him acknowledging the stain of Abu Graib. I'm glad to see Tony Blair admitting they made taactical decisions base don poor understanding of the political situation. Does it change anything? No. And are they willing to consider that they may have created more instability and insecurity than they prevented? Doesn't sound like it. But I gotta love the British press. The cover of the Economis showed a picture of their press conference and entitled it "Axis of Feeble." OUCH!
3. Some stats on the immigration debate that I didn't know
I've witten earlier about immigration and confessed I'm no expert, even though I myself am a first-generation American. And one of my questions was whether proximity should give Mexicans priority when there may be economic refugees from other countries who can't even attempt to sneak over the border. Well, here are some interesting stats from a NY Times article that give some perspective to the argument:
"People ask: Why don't they come legally? Why don't they wait in line?" said Jeffrey S. Passel, a demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, a research organization in Washington. "For most Mexicans, there is no line to get in."The United States offers 5,000 permanent visas worldwide each year for unskilled laborers. Last year, two of them went to Mexicans. In the same year, about 500,000 unskilled Mexican workers crossed the border illegally, researchers estimate, and most of them found jobs.
"We have a neighboring country with a population of 105 million that is our third-largest trading partner, and it has the same visa allocation as Botswana or Nepal," said Douglas S. Massey, a sociology professor at Princeton.
4. Demonizing Pelosi
Ooh, she's such a scary liberal. According to the NY Times Republicans can't wait to save their prospects in November by demonizing the Democrats' impending Speaker of the House, our own Nancy Pelosi. Favorite irony: the Repugs plan to use it against her that she's wealthy. Yes, that must chap their hides quite a bit.
Well, wouldn't you?
You head home unable to:
1. Get anything done on the immigration bill
or
2. On the budget
Two big issues. Two big problems left hanging. Enjoy your vacation, Congress!
OK, she may be a little more even-handed than I would be, but that's Erin Kotecki Vest's job as a BlogHer.
Case in point: her round-up of what was hot over the weekend.
It is officially non-partisan to mock Cheney for shooting his hunting partner.
I will, however, get partisan, and ask why everyone, including the so-called liberal media, is acting like hey, it's no big deal. Exactly how many of you out there have accidentally shot someone?
But I digress. Check out Erin's news round-ups. They're a regular feature over there, and they're always a quick easy and pretty well-balnaced way to catch up.
There's just too much good stuff going on, so I gotta send you to more than one place today:
Former Republican Congressman JC Watts says the sight of Republican corruption in Congress should be no surprise to anyone. (Of course, he also says it's not a disease of a particular party, but rather of the general culture in Washington.) Key excerpt: "There is no such thing as business ethics. Personal ethics - or lack of the same - set the tone for the entire process." True that.
But let's move on and talk about the economy. Who's doing well, and who's doing, well, not so well?
The oil companies are doing very very well. They are making more money than God. And certainly more money than any American company has ever made in a single year before.
And the wealthy are hangin' in there OK too, grabbing a bigger share of corporate profits than ever before as well. What does that mean exactly? It means this: "the top 1 percent of households owned 57.5 percent of corporate wealth, up from 53.4 percent the year before".
What you may not hear so much about, though, is how the average person is doing, and as Jeffrey Strain points out at his excellent blog on personal finance, us that it was a rare person indeed who actually ended the year 2005 with either more in savings or less in debt. Let's phrase it another way, as the Chron did: 2005 may be the first year since the Depression that Americans spent more than they took in. FYI: That's not good.
BTW: Watts isn't the only Republican who's willing to actually challenge Republicans. Senator Hagel dares to suggest that perhaps Bush owes us more than a "it's legal because I know it's legal" explanation for his spying activities. And Republicans are also daring to suggest that Dubya oughta just release records of White house visits by criminal lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Well, they're probably suggesting that because they think it will clear Dubya. I'm sure the White House is resisting for a reason you silly Wepublican wabbits.
That's it for today. Life's rich pageant of corruption and incompetence stops for no one!
There is a lot of stuff going on today, so it's time for a quick recap:
-The General who some "credit" with being the guy who brought torturous practices to Abu Ghraib from Guantanamo has taken the military's version of the Fifth and declined to continue testifying on the matter.
-The deficit has climbed again, rather than helping the President keep his "promise" to cut it in half. In an odd coincidence the expected amount of outlays predicted to cover Hurricane Katrina rebuilding is only slightly less than the amount of the tax cuts that the Bush Administration continues to insist must go through. Hm. I wish I could run my budget in a deficit. It would be so much easier.
-Of course, Dubya is trying to be the inspiring optimistic President, despite his various problems. hence his year-end message that it had been a great year for Americans. To keep up that Bush-in-a-Bubble oblivion you have to do things like make sure he visits New Orleans, but none of the places that were hardest hit and are still suffering.
-The NY Times puts it pretty damn succinctly: Alito is likely to help overturn Roe v. Wade, as this week's confirmation hearings only reinforced, so Senators Chafee, Snowe and Collins, pro-choice Republicans all, are going to have some 'splainin' to do if they vote to confirm Alito.
-Speaking of Senators: Minority Leader Harry Reid has written a strongly worded Op-Ed about congressional corruption. He doesn't just tear down those who are fighting corruption charges, but offers steps we need to take to bring a culture of conscience back to Washington. So much for people who say Democrats only complain and don't offer solutions. Take your fingers out of your ears and listen for a change. Unless you're proud of all the corruption revelations, of course.
So, a lot going on...a lot to keep an eye on. Enjoy...or not :(
Lately it seems like Washington DC is in more chaos than usual.
We used to know where we stood. Dubya, flanked by his cadre of advisers had an iron grip on the Republican majorities in Congress, and Democrats seem unified in their effort to not make waves.
Now, the Republicans seem in disarray, but to be frank I'm not sure the Democrats seem any more together...with two factions struggling over whether to play centrist or play rabble-rousing, anti-establishment liberal.
What is gratifying to me, as a plain old citizen, not just a Democrat, is how finally (finally!!) the Bush Administration is being held to some standard, being asked to take some responsibility, being pushed to answer questions. And this in all areas, even Dubya's precious "national security" which has long been the one issue where he managed to retain some stature even as his poll numbers dropped precipitously.
Some examples:
-The Senate is planning to pass a measure to make the White House give over more information about secret CIA prisons. Source: NY Times.
-In a somewhat shocking development even the much more partisan House of Representatives is siding with the Senate and against Bush on the anti-torture bill. Source: NY Times
-And perhaps most apocalyptic of all for the Bush Administration, 4 Republican Senators are joining the Democrats in vows to block passage of the current version of the Patriot Act extension...even to the lengths of filibustering, if need be. Source: NY Times
Meanwhile:
-We've got the Supreme Court taking a look at the Texas Redistricting issue.
-We've still got uncertainty around the Alito nomination.
-We've got new testimony going on in the Plame outing case.
-We've got DeLay and Frist still on the hook.
-We've got Dubya feeling like he (finally, again!) has to publicly acknowledge that we went to war based on faulty intelligence and that there have been large numbers of Iraqi civilian deaths. (Although this piece from TMV notes that this was a looong way from "taking responsibility" the way the so-called-liberal media is giving Dubya credit for.)
I mean, am I the only one who feels like a lotta s^%t is going down at the same time, and all of it seems bad?
I can't stick to just one post for the day, there are three you should check out:
1. Continuing our coverage of the "War on Christmas" you must read this hilarious transcript of Sam Seder's appearance on CNN today. Courtesy: Atrios
Key exchange between Seder and Warrior for Christmas, Bob Knight:
"KNIGHT: OK. You know, when the Nazis moved into Austria in 1936...
SEDER: Oh, that's offensive, Bob, to raise Nazis.
KNIGHT: They immediately removed from the schools. You can read about it in...
PHILLIPS: Hold on, Sam. Let Bob make his point. Let Bob make his point. Go ahead, Bob.
KNIGHT: You can't even let me speak. Can you? You're so...Maria Trapp wrote the story of the Trapp singers that's in "The Sound of Music," and she said she sent her kids to school after the Nazis took over. And they came home and said mama, we can't say the word Christmas anymore. It's now winter holiday. I think that ought to disturb people...
SEDER: Kyra, that's offensive.
KNIGHT: ...that we're moving toward that kind of attitude in this country.
SEDER: The Puritans also outlawed Christmas. The founding fathers of this country would fine you in Massachusetts if you celebrated Christmas in the beginning. So don't talk about Nazis, Bob. I think that's really inappropriate.
Why do you have to bring hate to this Christmas and holiday season? That's so sad, Bob."
2. Not so fast on the glowing economic reports. Angry Bear does a great job of saying: Hey, OK, the economy might not suck right now, but it's hardly impressive, and the gains seem to be bypassing the middle class altogether. He's got the charts and graphs to prove it, people!
3. The Moderate Voice bemoans the decline of civil discourse over politics. I mean we've now gotten to the point where Fox news anchor Chris Wallace is calling his own dad, 60 Minutes' Mike Wallace, near senile because they disagree politically. Simply sad. That's all.
Busy blogging day. Don't miss the above three stories.
So I not only went on vacation, I came home sick. How often does that happen? I think pretty often. Planes are germ-filled places, I've decided. Not to mention I was around a kid or two, and kid are well-known petri-dishes!
Anyway, lots of interesting stuff went down while I was down for the count, so let's catch up, shall we?
Republican corruption
They're going after Big Bird. Yes, apparently that nasty right-wing guy that Bush put in charge of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has turned out to be...wait for it...a nasty right-wing guy. Quel surprise. Source: NY Times
Now, Congress did try to redeem itself by cutting the millions of dollars that they had planned to spend on those "bridges to nowhere" in Alaska. Only the money isn't actually being saved by the federal government. They're still giving it to the state of Alaska to spend as they like, including on those bridges if they choose.
Huh? Just kinda passing the buck, isn't it?
Some Republicans are catching a clue
Some Republicans seem to be jumping off the radical right-wing ship, though, as the Reverse Robin Hood bill that was planning to cut funding from the neediest among us to be able to continue the tax cuts for the wealthy failed with Republican help. I wouldn't get too excited yet, though, as some liberals seem to be doing. It's not like any of them have had the guts to join an effort to roll back those tax cuts, so we still have a big old problem.
All eyes on Illinois
Illinois' Governor has signed a bill intended to jet all Illinois children covered by health insurance, offering a state plan even for those uninsured kids who come from middle or working class families.
Of course if the plan actually works without bankrupting the state it will certainly be a setback for those who claim national health care will never work and that we don't want the darn guv'mint running things. (Of course, if you ask my mom she says that Medicare is so much more organized than her HMO she can't imagine why people say that to begin with.)
There's only one thing I don't like: "To prevent people from dropping their insurance to switch to the state insurance, children will initially be required to be uninsured since Jan. 1, 2006, or in later years one full year without insurance."
I don't like it because what if a family is insured but paying every last spare cent to be insured. They're just stuck with the crappy over-priced plan they have? Seems like a bummer.
"Smoking Gun on Alito?
Everyone is talking about the 1985 memo where SCOTUS nominee Alito "denounced racial quotas and said the Constitution did not protect the right to abortion."
Oh, he was just looking for a job (actually a promotion), he says, implying that one is bound to lie and exaggerate when job-hunting. Or something. Actually what he seems to be saying is 'I know better now.' Not so much that he knows better than to oppose such things. But he knows better than to say so out loud.
Frankly I found this paragraph even more disturbing:
"Judge Alito also mentioned membership in the Federalist Society, the conservative legal group, and in another group, Concerned Alumni of Princeton, founded in 1972 to oppose coeducation. On Tuesday, liberal groups dispatched researchers to look into the alumni organization and Judge Alito's role in it."
It just speaks to a guy steeped in a cocoon of privilege and isolationism.
I'm sure there's a ton more big, important stuff I missed in the last week. What do you think? What's the most important story that happened in the last 7 days?
I'm off to the center of American politics, Washington DC. I wish I could say I was off to strong-arm the Republican Congress into behaving like rational people, not power-mad Puritans, but tis not the case.
I'm going to a wedding.
Now, the groom works in the State Dept., and the bride works for a Senator, so there should be some very interesting conversations.
In the meantime...here's a question for you?
How do you think the Democrats can keep the momentum going from these special election results?
What should the Democrats do to ensure a win in 2006 and a win in 2008?
What do you think the 2005 Special Election results (here and around the country) say about the direction of US politics?
Discuss.
Recently discovered Dan Froomkin's White House daily briefing blog from the Wahington Post.
And November 4th's talks at length about the direct chain of evidence linking the abuse of prisoners right back to Dick Cheney.
It really makes you wonder what's going on. Matthew Cooper indicates under oath that Karl Rove gave him Plame's name, and Rove remains unindicted. Cheney's chief-of-staff has been indicted, and evidence links Cheney to torture, and yet Cheney remains strangely silent, as though he were above all of this earthly chatter.
No, I guess what he and Dubya excel at is acting like they are above having to answer to anyone or on anything. I honestly think their time is running out, and that people are going to finally have had enough of their imperious attitude.
(Speaking of imperious attitudes - I have no doubt that's why Ah-nold's propositions are all failing in the polls...people see this as an attempt to not only avoid working within government, but to set up more power for himself...King Ah-nold.)
Being out-of-pocket and not blogging for 5 days was certainly a wierd experience! And maybe that's a little wierd that it was so wierd!
So, here are some stories that it seems like I missed blogging about:
RoveGate
With Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation winding down towards its expiration date the speculation has begun on what charges will be brought against whom. I'd have to say I agree with AmericaBlog that the fact that Fitzgerald has just launched a new web site does seem to indicate he expects to be around for a while, disseminating information. Of course given Dubya's power of pardon, as ably explained by The Talent Show, we may never be able to get to the bottom of everything.
Lastly, on this story I would like to point you to Jay Rosen and his fine blog Pressthink. If you want to delve into the Judith Miller/NY Times part of this story, Jay's blog is the place to do it.
Republican government incompetence
Have your heart broken anew as you read FEMA official Marty Bahamonde's uncontested testimony. It only makes the point more strongly that Michael Brown should be charged with perjury for his pack o' lies testminoy before Congress on the lead up to and aftermath of Katrina.
And if that doesn't scare you enough, take a look at what Colin Powell's former chief-of-staff, Lawrence Wilkerson, has to say about how our government is run. He fears for our country if something catastrophic happens.
And bear in mind these are people who have spent their lives working in Republican governments.
Republican corruption
Keep your eyes and mouse on Majikthise as she covers the Tom Delay indictments, "perp walk" and ongoing story in fine style, and with some excellent pics of DeLay having to show up and go to the courhouse to post bail.) Of course DeLay gives us a big grin for his mug shot, courtesy of the Moderate Voice, but I hope TMV is right and it's time to say bye-bye DeLay.
That should give you some links to catch up with along with me.
Enjoy.
Well, actually...there are some that think the Democrats are enjoying all of this mess above. But to be honest, it all makes me a bit to sick to my stomach to really enjoy it. Especially knowing how completely screwed we are if anything bad happens on these incompetent guys' watch.
I'm leaving in a couple of hours for a 2-day offsite meeting, so I will leave you with a piece of news and a thought:
News: Dianne Feinstein comes out as a "no" on Roberts. Am I the only one who feels like she was going to do the easy thing and say "yes" but outcry from her constituents may have swayed her?
Thought: This has got to be a headline that the Bush Administration doesn't want to see: Bush's Words on Iraq Echo LBJ in 1967.
Ouch.
It's not just a sentence here or there, it's the overall messaging: "stay the course", "your child did not die in vain", "we have to stay the course and have more children die in vain to prove your child did not die in vain."
OK, maybe he didn't exactly say that last one word for word. But that's the way it sounds to me.
So, there you go. Enjoy the rest of your week.
The first is philosophical:
Back when the case went before the Supreme Court over whether the Paula Jones civil case could continue against Clinton, they ruled that the case wouldn't be to distracting for our head of state and that the suit could go forward. We all know how that turned out.
Now the Justice Department is arguing that the charges against the current Pope should be dropped because he is the "head of state" of the Holy See.
I'm just saying it's kind of ironic that we show more deference to foreign heads of state than our own. And the Pope is Pope for life, so will never have to face these criminal charges if dropped now, whereas Clinton could have dealt with the civil charges post-presidency.
The second question is more practical: Harry Reid, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry have now all announced they will vote against John Roberts for Chief Justice, meanwhile our own Dianne Feinstein is still undecided.
Have you written your email to Feinstein telling her how you feel yet?
Either way, you should do it!
Finally saw a clip of Dubya's "I take responsibility" speech (on the Daily Show natch.) So, aren't there any other people out there who noticed his appalling demeanor and body language? He was looking away; his eyes anywhere but looking directly forward. His lips were pursed. He seemed pissed that he to even get up and say such a thing. I was shocked. Why did anyone take this speech seriously at all. It was clearly given under what is a form of duress for Dubya: being forced to come even close to feeling sorry about something.
He followed up that speech with his "big one" Thursday night from New Orleans. Main message? "blah blah blah rebuild blah blah blah God (read: natural disaster, no government problems, no way!) blah blah blah wind and water."
But he delivered the most important message: no new taxes. I kid you not.
Sure, he tried to couch it as thinking about you and me and the rest of the middle class: "Working people have already been subject, in effect, to a tax increase through higher gasoline costs, and we don't need to be taking more money out of their pocket."
But who does he think he's kidding? No one has ever talked incessantly about anything except getting rid of the tax cuts for the top 1-2%. That's it. Not those folksy "working people" of which you speak, Dubya. (Yes, yes, some rich people work too of course...but let's not get all up in arms defending the rights of those in the top 1% at the expense of the less fortunate, especially those in the Gulf Coast, m'kay?)
So never fear Bush cronies and colleagues...in the depths of the worst disaster this country has seen, one which unbelievably and tragically has done more to damage Dubya's presidency than the Administration's incredibly incompetent Keystone Kops routine in Iraq...Dubya is still keeping you and your wallets top of mind.
Moving on...
Here's a thought for our fine Democratic Senators on the Judiciary Committee. Perhaps you can follow the lead of New York's Republican Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and have the chutzpah to oppose John Roberts confirmation? Now we all know Bloomberg might as well be a Democrat in some ways. And we all know where Ah-nold's storied "moderation" really led when push came to shove. But what do you say guys (and Dianne)?
Sticking up for your base and for your own supposed core beliefs can pay off. Why don't we take a heartening example from the state of gay marriage in the state of Massachusetts today? A nice, brief editorial in today's NY Times points out that in the time since gay marriage was legalized there people have discovered that it was not the end of the world or even marriage as we know it. And politicians have not suffered a backlash at the polls either.
Say what you will about Americans: we like to feel like we know where someone stands and that they stick up for it. Sometimes we are misled, for example by Dubya's by staunch solidity which really just masks incompetence and rigidity. Sometimes we are misled, for example by Ah-nold's stated moderate positions that masked the fact that he's just as much a Dubya Republican as some of us feared.
But given the choice...we will support the person who is clear about and stands up for his or her beliefs every single time.
Chew on that Democratic Senators on the Judiciary Committee. Hey, I hope the Republicans chew on it too.
Some excellent thoughtful detailed analysis of what happened down South.
From the NY Time: Must-read 6-page timeline of how federal, state and city officials struggled to communicate and work together during the crisis, and where it just broke down. Certainly this one article doesn't provide all the answers, but it does give you an overwhelming sense that we need FEMA to be given back the leader position in times of such crisis, not the follower position it has been relegated to in changes since 9/11.
Arianna Huffington explains why now is exactly the time for figuring out what went wrong...and assigning accountability. Which is something I have already written about and agree with completely.
Lastly, in case you weren't feeling sad and sorry enough, David Weinberger alerts us to this little fact: Guess who's already landed $30M in contracts to rebuild military bases in Mississippi and Louisiana? If you guessed Halliburton, you guessed correctly.
Feh.
UPDATED: Brad De Long links to a couple of additional damning and damn important analyses.
This week it will be hard to think of anything but the bookend national disasters of the Dubya presidency: 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
And it is right that we look back and we look forward.
But at some point, whether next week, the week after, the week after, I don't know exactly when, we will have to remember our duty to our country and also pay attention to what else is going on.
We will have to remember our troops dying in Iraq without a reasonable military objective and without the support they need.
We will have to remember that Karl Rove should have been fired by now, if Dubya hadn't changed the criteria for such a firing after Rove' role became clearer.
We will have to remember that Dubya has the opportunity to shape the Supreme Court for our lifetimes.
We will have to remember that Dubya and his cronies continue heir efforts to make the rich a little richer, and continue to want to eliminate the estate tax.
We will have to remember that Dubya has just had his right to indefinitely detain American citizens without charges or legal counsel upheld.
We will have to remember that our supposedly moderate Governor is caving to the right wing without a second thought as both his expensive unnecessary special election and his potential re-election effort loom in the near future.
We will have to remember that and much much more. The Repubs and Dubya and Ah-nold are hoping we won't remember any time soon.
Here are some things I've bookmarked this week that I believe are important reading:
#1 Pick: The Times-Picayune with a blistering editorial.
#2 Pick: One woman's response to Katrina is to get off her butt and commit to regular action. She provides a list of concrete suggestions about the kinds of issues we must make sure our representatives in government never forget and never falter on.
Angry Bear on the essential philosophical difference between liberals and conservatives...and how it drives policies. Which side do you fall on?
Thomas Friedman: Osama and Katrina
Paul Krugman: Point Those Fingers
NY Times: Where the Governator Now? [Well, I think we've established he's either a hypocrite or liar, right? And an increasingly unpopular one, poor guy.]
Daniel Gross: explaining quite succinctly the unemployment vs. employment confusion my recent commenter was so confused by.
George Lakoff on the dangers in Strict (read: narrow) constructionism, and how Katrina should be a grim reminder of that.
The Economist's View on what used to be the California Dream: a 4-year college education for all qualified students.
Read. Absorb. Pass on. Activate...just like the Wonder Twins!
There's just too much good stuff. Or at least stuff you should be aware of:
Like how politics is once again wreaking havoc with good medicine.
Like how the Iraqi Constitutional process is going. recent WaPo column on how to deal with Iraq. I mean, at least someone is willing to think about it, right? Certainly isn't coming from the Bush Administration.
I've saved up a few good links for you:
1. I call it "pretzel logic"; Maureen Dowd calls it "twisted logic", tomato, tomahto. Check out her take on Dubya's logic.
2. Angry Bear presents the Cato Institutes "facts" about Social Security and then refutes them. Well done.
3. I'm on the California Democratic Party Executive Board, but had to miss my very first meeting because it conflicted with BlogHer. But if you want to know what the Party actually does...and what we stand for, take a look at the Resolutions that were issued at that meeting.
They run the gamut, but affirm what we stand for quite specifically. In case you're into comparisons, here's the URL for the California Republican Party's platform. Enjoy...not!
4. I attended the Women's Equality Day breakfast this morning, celebrating the 85th Anniversary of women being granted the right to vote. For those who think all the work is over, it's instructive to remember that the goals may have evolved, but the battle is not over. While women can now vote, get credit cards in their own names and own property (in most states anyway) we have to keep working until equality of opportunity is achieved. If you want just one example of where serious changes are needed, check out this NY Times article on how women are treated at our military academies.
OK. Hope this provides you some meaty reading :)
Lot of good links today.
Is it really following the Christian ethos to call for an assassination of a foreign leader? Apparently Pat Robertson thinks so.
And it does raise a very good question: if an Islamic leader called for the assassination of Dubya, what would we do about it? Religious extremism=bad, no matter what the religion.
I'm still loving Cindy Sheehan on the Huffington Post. Favorite excerpt:
"I have received dozens of emails with this heading: Go Home and Take Care of Your Kids. I think of all the name calling and unnecessary and untrue trashing of my character, this one offends me the most. What do the people who send me this message mean?
First of all, it offends me because it is so blatantly sexist. Would anyone think of emailing George Bush when he is out and about (now he is going on a vacation away from his vacation to make speeches in Idaho and Utah defending his killing policies), telling him to go and take care of his kids? Does anyone write to ANY man and tell him to go home and take care of his kids."
Oh, and here's a peek at some of the gallivanting about Dubya has decided to do while on vacation, even though he couldn't walk down his own driveway to talk to Ms. Sheehan.
Isn't it odd, though, how Dubya is sunddenly mentioning our war dead: "He said Americans owe it to the war dead to finish the task they gave their lives for."
That's some pretzel logic indeed. If you can't explain why we're at war, or what the military objectives are, or your plan to end the war...then let's keep sending more people to die for what those other people died for...to finish a task that we can't define or measure, apparently.
But it's not working. Dubya's approval ratings are at historic lows. No, he's not running for re-election, but the Repubs must be just a teensy bit worried, don't you think?
But on a couple of other notes:
Looks like one Valley executive has the cojones to stand up and tell it like it is about the ridiculous attempt to equate evolutionary science with faith in creationism.
Paul Krugman nails it per usual, warning us against sugarcoating or "prettifying" our history.
Quite a lot to take in, I know, but I have one more to close with:
Lastly, Senator Frank Lautenberg has written a powerful letter to the editor of the WSJ, saying why he, as someone who would benefit from it, rejects eliminating the estate tax.
The full text of his letter is in the extended entry:
Death and Taxes Are Certain. Are Death Taxes?
August 22, 2005; Page A11
Sen. Bill Frist ought to be studying the big picture before devoting so much energy to fighting for America's wealthiest families ("No More Hiding," op-ed, Aug. 11). The fact is that the only people who pay any significant amount of estate tax are already leaving millions of dollars to their children.
I'm one of the lucky ones Sen. Frist is talking about. With two of my friends, I founded a company, ADP, and with hard work, we grew it into one of the most successful companies in America. I made out very well. Because I was successful, I was able to give my kids and grandkids every advantage in life, and they have done very well. When I pass on, I'll be able to leave them $1.5 million without having to pay a dime in taxes.
Don't you feel sorry for me? Sen. Frist does. He feels so sorry for me that he thinks we should raise taxes on the middle class, or stop providing healthcare for poor children, so my kids who have had every advantage in life can inherit $10 million or $100 million tax free instead of just $1.5 million. I don't need Sen. Frist's sympathy, and neither do my kids and grandkids.
The choices on the estate tax are stark. We could eliminate the tax for one wealthy heir, or we could provide health insurance for 281 uninsured children. We could eliminate the tax for one wealthy heir, or send 91 kids to college who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity. We could eliminate the tax for one wealthy heir, or give 469 middle-class families a $1,000 tax cut. By eliminating the estate tax, we would leave our children and grandchildren with nothing but a mountain of debt.
When it comes time to take a stand, I will be proud to cast my vote on the side of working families. It is shocking to see how proud Sen. Frist is to be on the side of people who have millions at the expense of those who truly need help.
Frank R. Lautenberg
U.S. Senator, N.J.
Newark, N.J.
If you're looking for how to find all the right minded (meaning left-leaning, of course) blogs in one place, look no further than LeftyBlogs.com.
Don't worry...I have added their masthead into the side bar, so you'll always be able to find them quickly and easily.
I can't pick just one story, so here's a few:
1. First conservative group denounces Roberts for his work on helping overturn anti-gay legislation.
This doesn't make Roberts my hero. It doesn't mitigate his anti-woman stance to know he's anti-homophobia.
2. MediaMatters.org takes the baton on the new energy bill from the Daily Show.
Amazing how hugely profitable companies still get billions, yes, billions in subsidies from the government to help them do the R&D that will ensure they get even more profitable. Dubya and his administration in bed with the oil companies getting this windfall? Now why would you think that?
3. You gotta keep your eyes on this one...Rick Santorum is dangerous because he's got that aw, shucks nature and is definitely articulate. But he is scary as can be. And here's the video to prove it. Did you know birth control is harmful to our society? Well apparently it is. Hat tip to The Talent Show who has some awesome commentary on this.
There you have it: busy day in wingnut territory.
In this case, the monthly meeting of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party County Committee:
1. Pregnant prisoners don't get any pre-natal care and are shackled while in the hospital to give birth. Culture of life indeed...make the case for the shackles to me if you like, but exactly why are we ensuring a less healthy baby by withholding pre-natal care?
2. The National Labor Relations Board (now run by Republicans appointed by Bush) has OK'ed letting companies establish anti-fraternization rules when employees are off-duty. Apparently we're legislating friendships now.
3. That a salient question is: if pharmacists are allowed to refuse to fill birth control or morning-after pill prescriptions, should we also allow them to make sure that people picking up Viagra prescriptions need it to make love to their lawfully wedded wives? (Hat tip to Jennifer Myronuk for the good joke.)
4. That someone at the fSilicon Valley LGBT Club is a very good writer and came up with the Statement on Marriage Equality found in the extended entry...
Silicon Valley LGBT Club Statement on Marriage Equality:
Marriage Equality
July 25, 2005
Any two committed and loving people who intend to spend their lives together have the right to get married. As LGBT people, we believe it to be one of our many constitutional rights under our state and federal laws. Equality is for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Our commitment to marriage equality, despite current political obstacles, remains strong. We must fight for equality as we work to reassure all Americans that our constitutional rights must prevail. We Democrats ask you to come together with us in this current stage of the ongoing battle for civil rights for all Americans. Please join us in supporting and speaking out for the right of LGBT people to get married.
We support state legislation to pass marriage equality laws. We intend to fight any 2006 initiative that discriminates against LGBT people and strips us of our equal rights under the law.
The Silicon Valley LGBT Democratic Club congratulates the people and governments of Spain, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for implementing marriage equality laws. These governments are helping us teach all Americans that there is no negative consequence to providing marriage certificates to committed LGBT couples who are in love.
This Statement was unanimously approved
Well done.
Some miscellaneous links I've been meaning to share all week:
1. David Sirota with the smack down on...Democrats! Yes, he is ready, willing and able to tell us why we need to better define what we stand for. I hasten to say I think it's quite obvious what most Democrats stand for, but Sirota's point is that votes in the Senate are what most people in the country can see that Democrats are doing, and that the level of compromise going on there now is making all Democrats look rudderless. Well, here, let him explain it.
2. If you've wondered why the rich get richer perhaps it's because more and more of them manage to elude paying any federal income tax at all. How is that possible? This brief NY Times article explains.
3. Yes, E.J. Dionne Jr. can sometimes be a bit of a dithering knee-jerk, but in his recent column, The New McCarthyism, he is dead-on. And it is scary. If anything I think they're better at it today then McCarthy was back then. It's a must-read.
4. Finally, have you also wondered why profits are going up at Silicon Valley companies, meaning they must be doing better, and yet the job market is stagnant? Again, wonder no more. Here's another NY Times article that explains it. Now actually I'm sure you can guess. They're working existing employees harder, off-shoring jobs and generally caring only about their executives and shareholders, certainly not their employees. For a further analysis, check out ShortWoman.
Yes, there is tons of stuff going on in the blogosphere about O'Connor too. I'm still in dejected mode and the shrill rhetoric isn't helping me.
But noodle on this: is it a coincidence that her announcement came after Bush's Iraq speech this week was declared a complete and total dud? And that it came just as it was becoming clear that Karl Rove was going to be implicated in the Valerie Plame case...out in the open?
Are we being distracted from potentially criminal and impeachable offenses in the White House by the O'Connor brouhaha?
I think we are.
Seriously I cannot even keep up with the craaaaaazy crap going on.
So, this is another post rounding-up the wacky goings-on out in right-wing land:
1. A Republican has seriously introduced an amendment to a budget bill to prohibit spending any money to enforce the Supreme Court's ruling that courthouses can't display the 10 Commandments. It's the newest way to attack court rulings you don't like. Don't bother attacking the judges anymore...just refuse to enforce the laws you don't like. Stunning. Source: NY Times
2. The stonewalling on Gitmo continues, but rest assured the prisoners are getting a full plate of food with two kinds of fruit, two kinds I tell you! As long as we feed them two kinds of fruit I guess we don't need to care about rule of law or fair treatment, or even about how our soldiers get treated as a result. As the NY Times points out, there's nothing like losing the moral high ground.
3. Speaking of moral high ground, at least 6 Republican Senators have never seen it, as they refuse to sign onto a resolution apologizing that Congress delayed taking action on anti-lynching legislation. Those Senators include Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Thad Cochran (R-MI), Trent Lott (R-MI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX). Call the resolution merely symbolic, but once it was there, how could these Senators not sign on to it, and what does it say about the states from which they come? More here.
Happy weekend huh?
OMG.
Today I am reading some stories I truly cannot believe. I can't pick just one. If I believed in Armageddon these stories would be signs that we are truly heading there:
1. First we have Jeb Bush asking a prosecutor to investigate how long it took Michael Schivao to call 911...15 years ago when his wife collapsed.
I mean is this the most insane version of having to get the last word you've ever heard? The autopsy comes back showing that there was no way Mrs. Schiavo could have ever recovered (or reacted to visual stimuli as Dr-in-the-Senate Bill Frist claimed he could tell via video exam.) And the autopsy also shows no signs of abuse. So now we are going to go back and investigate Schiavo's actions of 15 years ago.
My point is: this case has been in and out of courts for almost that entire time. Schiavo has testified numerous times about the events of that day. Do you not think that if there was some suspicion (not sure of what exactly) that he would have been investigated already? What a frickin' waste of taxpayer money this continues to be.
2. The Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill banning the advertising, prescribing or dispensing of the morning-after pill on college campuses. The State Senate still needs to vote on it, and the Democratic Governor said he will veto it. Now, do I agree that perhaps it was unwise of a college's Health Center to advertise in school newspapers the idea that students should get a prescription for the pill before Spring Break? Um, Yeah. Someone should have nipped that idea in the bud.
However, it's hard to state exactly how many ways this bill is wrong:
-The Health Center is funded by student fees, not taxpayer dollars.
-This bill would make students second-class citizens...unable to get what other adult women can get.
-This bill once again thinks that government should get between a medical decision that should be between the patient and doctor.
-This bill once again confuses the morning after pill with something that induces abortion, as opposed to preventing pregnancy to begin with.
-BTW: abortions are still legal, so this bill is saying, hey...you can't prevent the pregnancy, but you still can end it. Is that really the desired outcome?
Lastly:
3. An international situation that is truly appalling.
Nicholas Kristof continues his mission to give voice to those who need it from the Sudan to East Asia to now Pakistan.
Hat tip to Ezra Klein who rightly urges us all to "Make Some Noise."
Mukhtaran Bibi, from rural Pakistan, was sentenced to public gang-rape to atone for a crime her brother committed, due to some ancient local code. Rather than commit ritual suicide after the rape, as was expected, she picked herself up, found a more progressive Islamic minister to support her and fought back, taking the rapists to court and succeeding in having them jailed.
She didn't stop there. She went on to become a vocal activist in Pakistan, perhaps too vocal. She is now imprisoned, and her rapists have been freed.
Read the whole story at Ezra's site, and contact the emails listed there.
Another source to follow Mukhtaran's situation:
Yeah, so it's a WTF Day here at the blog. WTF kind of country, no world, are we living in?
Every now and then the fascinating links pile up, and I just have to do a link-happy post.
Heard the words "Downing Street Memo" and wondered what all the fuss was about? Well, AmericaBlog points us to a great article that lays it all out, and does us the favor of highlighting a salient point from said article.
Here is a blog completely devoted to the Downing Street Memo
What's interesting to me is that the public seems completely beaten down by the Bush Administration's constant flouting of the truth and the rule of law.
At this point I'm betting the majority of Americans would actually tell you that they buy that Bush & Co. weren't completely honest when making the case for war. Not being completely honest = lying, by the way.
But no one seems move to outrage they might have felt had Bush gotten the blow job Clinton did. The again, we've got Laura Bush joking about Dubya masturbating a horse, and people praise her for her wit and charm...so perhaps our standards have completely degraded...under the holier-than-thou Bush Administration!
Then again, when the mainstream media that used to go doggedly after every potential scandal now considers the biggest story Howard Dean's straight, honest talk, rather than Dubya, McClellan, Rove and Cheney's twisted, duplicitous talk...what can we expect from the public? They're taking their cues from an apathetic and debased media.
And I point you to Frank Rich's take on what has changed from the Nixon White House to Dubya's (cle: in some ways, it's much, much worse.) It's an important read, and I warn you...a very depressing one. Maybe you should save it for Monday. Rainy Days and Monays and Frank Rich's unwavering writing always get me down.
Meanwhile Oliver Willis points out only the most obvious BS in what Dick Cheney lowered himself to say about out Party Chairman. So, Dick, He's "never won anything that you know of"?
I guess the great state of Vermont is something of which you are appallingly unaware? You know, the state Dean won governorship of five times? Then again, Vermont is a blue state, so I wouldn't be at all surprised that you consider them beneath your needing to know about. "One nation", my blue-state butt.
So there you go. Some weighty and important reading you shouldn't miss from this week.
First the good news: Washington Governor Gregoire is still Governor.
Now the bad news...and you know that in a Dubya Administration every step forward must be accompanied by two steps back, right:
Backward step #1: Supreme Court overrules states' rights to outlaw the use of medicinal marijuana.
All I can say is read Dan Gillmor's sharply-worded smack-down of this decision.
Backward Step #2: College Aid declines
You're not making more money, in fact less. Your kid's college tuition hasn't risen too severely. But suddenly you're paying thousands more for it. What gives? Oh, just a change in eligibility for financial aid thanks to the Dubya Administration.
And it ain't just affecting middle-class folks...lower-income parents, able to withstand the changes even less, are being hit too.
Oh, yeah, baby, this is the land of opportunity...better hope your opportunity knocked pre-2000 though.
Lots going on:
1. Good for Howard Dean...I, for one, am glad to see someone stick by what he says, even if he gets push-back.
2. The Filibuster "Compromise" Source: Cnn
So, where's the compromise exactly? Aren't we just right back at the status quo? Only now the Democrats are going to have to jump through more hoops and make more justifications every time they want to use their given right to filibuster? Who defines "extraordinary" after all? And why are the right-wingers moaning about this as a loss...other than so they can claim to be victims even as they hold more power than their party ever has before? I admit total disbelief at the spinning this "compromise" is getting.
3. Lastly, families are once again feeling the squeeze as wages lag inflation. And other good news like that from the New York Times
Way too much going on to pick one...so here's a number of must-read items:
1. Why am I not surprised that the Air Force Chaplain who revealed Air Force Academy proselytizing has been dismissed. Source: NY Times
2. Why am I not surprised that the Administration is lagging on creating a recommended panel to make sure the post-9/11 policies aren't trampling on our civil liberties? Source: Talk Left and New York Times.
3. Hmmm, could it be that Bush wants to eliminate Social Security, so the government will be able to meet the pension obligations that are being unmet by the big corporations he loves so much? Especially ironic given the big raspberry recently given to individual consumers when it comes to bankruptcy.
4. The new "My Pet Goat" has surfaced, as we discover that no one told Dubya while the White House and Capitol were being evacuated last week...they didn't feel it was necessary to disturb his mountain bike ride. I kid you not. Source: Oliver Willis
5. And just so you don't forget: Pat Buchanan may occasionally make sense, but he is mostly a nut. Source: The Talent Show
6. Must-read post on Republican Relativism (or we can just call it Hypocrisy if you prefer) on the Bolton nomination. Source: Citizen's Rent
7. And finally, as per usual, Frank Rich is a must-read, this time taking on the strange phenomenon of the virulently anti-gay Republican closeted gay.
I am going to reserve all the snarky comments that many in BlogLand are making. I haven't spent too much time yet on Huffington's new project , The Huffington post, but I think it will be in turns entertaining, informative, and annoying.
Sounds like blogs to me.
Arianna has been blogging and expressing her respect for blogging for a long time, so she doesn't deserve any Johnny-come-lately cracks. Those on the left are probably annoyed that it isn't just a left-wing or progressive mouthpiece, but she's building credibility for her site as a respected source of information, and it's hard to do that if you wear your agenda on your sleeve. Like I always say: I'm no journalist and don't claim to be...I'm purely partisan. She's going for something different.
Anyway, there are already numerous interesting posts and articles on the site, although frankly there are so many options it's a bit overwhelming.
You go Arianna.
Awwwww. And I'm all broken up about it.
Let's leave you this evening with a bunch of links that should make any good Democrat smile. Not because we like to gloat, and only care about winning for winning's sake, but because these are signs of people realizing they've been sold a bill of goods, and these are signs that the Republicans are realizing they don't have the tight grip on power they thought they have. Good things.
1. Despite Dubya's attempt to bolster DeLay's image by taking him along for the ride on his Social Security Elimination Tour, Republican leadership has had to give up the appalling ethics rules changes they pushed through to protect DeLay. I think Dubya is going to be sorry he exposed himself to DeLay's skunky stink...it's hell to get that stink off of you.
2. And Ah-nold is like a mirror image of Dubya as one by one his initiatives fade, his approval ratings drop and his promises break. As the LA Times puts it: he's weaker than he looks.
3. BUT...just in case this post is making you feel cocky, check out my new blog discovery for today, The Mahablog. Her most recent post should remind you why the fight's worth fighting...from the filibuster, to Bolton, to other ethical (or rather unethical) issues you just won't believe.
4. And here's a bonus human interest link: a woman I've known since I was 8 years old has published an account of how little the school system has to offer her gifted child, especially since the No Child Left behind act went into effect. As I said on my Personal Blog: "Let's not wonder why we're falling behind, let's just be glad that the wealthy won't have to pay taxes. Hell, most of them will be dead by the time the U.S. becomes the third world nation when it comes to innovation and invention."
Enjoy.
I'm off to the Democratic State Convention in about 15 minutes, so I wanted to leave you with some good reading:
>Thomas Friedman on lame Bush appointees and policies.
Paul Krugman on our medical money pit of a health care system.
Rational reading.
Now, I'm off to L.A. to hear Howard Dean speak, among others.
Will give you the full report when I return.
Have a good weekend.
Just a little catching up today. here's what I've been getting around to reading:
1. Did you know Jerry Brown, Mayor of Oakland, has started a blog? Not too much there yet, but he's taking the case directly to the people on one of his controversial initiatives. This is why some very public figures have started blogs: to out-media the media; to get their own story out there. More power to you Jerry. I hope other politicians follow his lead.
2. Paul Krugman always has good things to say. This week he's talking about how choosing Dean is not a drive to the left, but simply a drive to taking a stand. And along those same line, Oliver Willis speaks my language about fighting fire with fire and jumping fully into the ugly fray that the right wing of the Republican Party has forced the political arena to become. No appeasement. No mock-bipartisanship. Just knowing what you believe in, standing up for it and refusing to apologize for still believing in fairness, community, liberty and other true American values.
3. Frank Rich also often delivers sharp commentary on political shenanigans. This week he's delivering his take on the "Jeff Gannon" circus and pointing out how this is hardly the first time the Bush White house has bought the media. But if you're wondering why the "Jeff Gannon" story matters at all, and why, especially his private life matters...given how we objected to Clinton's becoming the catalyst for impeachment proceedings...then you need to read both Digby and anything by the guy who broke the story, AmericaBlog
4. If you weren't already a little frightened by the Bush budget, get a load of this WaPo article that exposes how most of the real cost is built into the years after Bush leaves office. That's so nice of Bush to leave a mess for his successor. He must be pretty convinced a Democrat is going to win in 2008, no?
That's what I've been catching up on this weekend. Each and every link above is not only a good read, but an important read.
Well, much as it pains me, if we're going to recap Bush II's first 100 days, we have to look at foreign policy.
Get a run-down of just the most obvious global problems Bush has created or exacerbated in the last 100 days:
So, we have to acknowledge that more info has come to light to show how the Administration didn't take warnings about Al Qaeda seriously enough.
And we have to remember that we're still in this War that we went to for a bunch of reasons that didn't pan out, so the reason they've settled on now, 2 years later, is democracy. Reading the AntiWar Blog in general will make you question the wisdom and ethics of that decision.
That is, if you're not bothered enough that the US now stands for torture.
Oh, and if it doesn't bother you that the daily death toll in Iraq seems to be holding steady at really high, but no longer makes it to the 'Top Stories' on Google News
Oh, and while we were otherwise engaged in Iraq...the country that didn't have ties to Al Qaeda, WMDs or anything to do with 9/11, North Korea and Iran improve their nuclear capabilities.
Meanwhile, it's just a little depressing that most of the world thinks we're the most threatening country out there, instead of the most admirable.
And we're not doing jack about the Sudan.
Hell, Bush couldn't even handle the nation's reaction to the Tsunami competently. He had to call in his dad and Bill Clinton to make the US government come out looking halfway decent.
Sigh. These have been depressing posts.
And I know I'm just scratching the surface.
What huge global blunders am I missing?
How do I hate your domestic policies and practices? Let me count the ways!
Get a 100-day recap in the extended entry:
Our economy
The most pathetic and lengthy "recovery" from a recession ever..and really hard to claim recovery at all. There's plenty to hate here.
First there's the new budget...which features the hugest deficits ever, without even counting the costs of the War in Iraq and Afghanistan, the cost of making Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy permanent (which he wants to do) OR the transition costs of Bush's proposed Social Security Phase-Out Program.
As you can imagine there are cuts, and they disproportionately affect the least powerful influences on the Republican party: the poor, the children, the average worker and the environment. [Source: ThinkProgress]
Let ShortWoman.com spell it out for you. And let the NY Times point out how the Bush budget numbers are worst than "fuzzy" they're downright misleading. And David Sirota isn't too happy about it either.
But remember, Bush is the guy who thinks it's just "fantastic" that a single mother with 2 daughters and a mentally-challenged son has to work three jobs to make ends meet. [Source: WaPo] He's such a man of the people!
Social Security
Oh, it just gets better and better. read this prediction from the Congressional Budget Office that reduction in government SS benefits would completely outweigh the projected rates of return on private accounts.
Oh, and Bush is laying the groundwork to allow the government to default on the US Bonds that SS funds have been invested in, as a way of claiming there is no SS "trust fund". you gotta read it to believe it over at Talking Points Memo You can also read this post from The Talent Show, which explains even more of it.
Women's Reproductive Rights
You know they're under siege right? And Bush is sure he's making progress. It's a slow and steady chipping away, but it's happening.
But, why should that be a surprise when rights for just about everyone are being curtailed? As Roseann Rosannadanna would say: if it's not one thing (like the Federal Marriage Amendment) it's another (like the PATRIOT ACT II.)
But remember, Bush is the guy who only surrounds himself with people who agree with him at his public appearances, even as President (much less when he was a candidate.) [Source: AP]
He's interested in democracy mostly as a theoretical exercise here at home, and a justification for war abroad.
I could go on.
I could talk about the environment. Or ethics. Or paying off the media. Or, well, you tell me...what critical domestic policy outrages have I left off the list of Bush's first 100 days after re-election?
I'm not usually just a link blogger, but if, like me, you can't bear to watch the SOTU Address, nor the hours of hot air punditry that will follow, then here are some great links from around blogland this week. they're all in the extended entry:
The Talent Show on Bush's plan to make people take "ownership" for their own health care. warning: this utter crap may make you physically ill...and that'll cost you!
Ezra Klein highlighting an awesome quote from Evan Bayh on Social Security.
The NY Times on Corporate Welfare.
George Soros examining the new Bush Doctrine.
David Corn exposing BUsh on his every-day lies. (note how his right wing comment trolls will excuse anything!
And remember how I regretfully told Frank Rich that some people will find ways to rationalize the worst stuff in the world? Centrist blogger, Centerfield, proves my point with his twisted logic on torture and cabinet nominees.
Finally, an interesting piece on how America needs to regain its "moral ascendancy" in the world. Just another way of saying, we're not supposed to sink to the level of people we call barbarians, OK?
There. I think I've given you enough material that you can avoid all windbaggery and obnoxiousness for the rest of the evening.
By tomorrow, the Michael Jackson trial should be back at the top of the news again, right?
Hmmmm....maybe I have to give you a LOT more material!
A couple of different things to think about this weekend.
No-no #1: Paying a "journalist" to support an Administration policy
I get to beat up on both the media AND the Administration on this one. It's a hot story. There are a lot of people talking about it. Check it out in the extended entry.
No-no, well make that Uh-Oh, #2: More on the military getting screwed
Not much to add here. Just listen to what the guy who runs our Army reserves has to say. he sounds pissed, but in a frustrated, end-of-his-rope kind of way.
No-no #3: Even Rehnquist wants them to shut up about...
"Activist judges." You know Rehnquist isn't exactly a flaming liberal icon. But he has some strong words against the habit of certain "conservative Republicans" complaining about "activist judges." Like, you know, it might get in the way of them doing their job impartially? Good for Rehnquist.
No-nos #4-.....: According to Krugman there are a LOT of No-nos
Krugman nicely explains why truth is worse than fiction. Hence, the reason he was my brain crush of 2004.
More on No-no #1. Paying a journalist to support a policy
Leaving aside beating up on the Bush Administration for a moment, it's really pretty funny to hear the mainstream media complaining about bloggers and their lack of journalistic training and ethics, and then see this story. It's one thing to be a politico and visible in the media, like Paul Begala, James Carville or Mary Matalin...all of them disclose their associations, and neither of them claim to be objective. This was quite a different story. Sure, the guy is paying the price, but will the Administration?
Evidence suggests not, and anyone who pretends to be surprised by this Administration tactic hasn't been paying attention, as Oliver Willis helpfully points out. Anyone remember those "news segments" on the new medicare program? And just yesterday the Gov't. Accountability Office decided the Administration broke laws, using federal money to distribute "propaganda."
But, you know, don't just get my opinion on it, check out the reactions of two veteran journalists who are also bloggers:
The Moderate Voice's Joe Gandelman
BuzzMachine's Jeff Jarvis
Here are a variety of links to get you up to speed on what the reign of Bush II looks like after its first 30 days:
1. Call me crazy, I think torture is never patriotic
But somehow our military leaders knew all about the problems and did nothing until their hand was forced.
Well, at least Molly Ivins and AmericaBlog agree with me.
2. And on the home front? I'm so sick of bad economic news, aren't you?
Job numbers, retail forecasts, the dollar. Everything is in a slump.
3. Well, it won't cheer me up to talk about Iraq either
First of all, can someone explain to me why we talk on the one hand about letting them dictate when we attack Fallujah, and we talk about them making decisions and defending themselves, and about "giving" them sovereignty, because we're not occupiers, oh no, but then we won't listen when they want to delay the precious January elections? I'm just guessing it has something to do with the new troops we're having to send. and how bad that should look politically.
4. And being 20 years away from retirement age, I'm especially depressed thinking about Social Security.
Especially if listen to the doomsday'ers, you know, like Bush's own economic advisers.
5. And did you hear the one about the Abstinence Program that's full of lies?
Yeah. Bush wants more money for these programs. But seriously, it's like the government is the slightly older kid down the block relaying the facts of life as overheard through a bdroom door. Because we just haven't seen enough problems from misconceptions about sex.
6. So, do any stories give us hope?
Well, they are actually investigating the November vote. They've indicted a Bush campaign guy for trying to suppress it. And it does seem likely they'll recount it. And every time they do, Bush's lead diminishes. Although I highly doubt he'll let that get in the way of his mandate.
And at least the ridiculous major network rejection of a church ad because it touts tolerance and inclusiveness is finally getting mainstream media play.
Yeah, the hope is kind of anemic.
Someone, quick, tell me how I should be positive again.
No, I have a better idea...let me just be bitter and cranky until the end of the year. I'll see if I can rediscover my sunny California disposition after the New Year, okay?