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Progressive Caucus Increases its Numbers
[EDITOR'S NOTE: As Congressional leadership elections proceed, we will update the DCP Community on how proceedings will evolve and possible effects. In the meantime, this piece by Dick Bell gives us a flavor of what to expect from one of the beneficiaries of the 2006 midterms - The Congressional Progressive Caucus.]
Here's a different perspective on the impact of the elections on the new Congress. According to a press release from the Congressional Progressive Caucus:
PROGRESSIVES INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS AS LARGEST GROUP WITHIN THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), anticipate adding at least seven new CPC Members in the 110th Congress. This would increase the size of the CPC to at least 71 Members, making it by far the largest and most diverse sub-group among all Democrats in the new 110th Congress to take office in January and an increase of 14 new House Members in just the past 18 months.
“ Some inside-the-Beltway commentators, columnists, and conservatives want the American people to believe that last Tuesday’s election results have especially empowered moderate-to-conservative elements within the House Democratic Caucus in the 110th Congress, but that is an incomplete picture of the new political landscape on Capitol Hill,” Congresswoman Lee noted, pointing out that the newly-expanded Congressional Progressive Caucus will be decidedly larger than either the ‘Blue Dog’ or ‘New Democratic” Coalitions.”
“We also anticipate that at least half of the incoming chairs of the House standing committees will be Progressive Caucus Members,” Congresswoman Woolsey underscored, “and we are so pleased that our friend and leader –soon-to-be Speaker Nancy Pelosi – belonged to the CPC before assuming leadership duties for all House Democrats. We will support Speaker Pelosi in the adoption of strong ethics reforms, the restoration of open, free-wheeling debate on the House floor that gives voice to the hopes and needs of all Americans, and the offering of a wide range of floor amendments to major bills.”
CPC Members stand to benefit from the degree to which the election results vindicated their leading edge work to change President Bush’s policy in Iraq. In addition to the CPC Co-Chairs, it was CPC Members like Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA, and founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus) who first warned against authorizing President Bush to use military force in Iraq and they were the first to speak out in January, 2005 to end the occupation of Iraq and to bring our troops home. “This election made crystal clear that a growing majority of Americans across the political spectrum agree with us,” the CPC Co-Chairs pointed out. “The American people want an end to the Iraq fiasco and it will be progressives who will be dogged in making that happen.”
Drawing upon their Progressive Promise agenda first unveiled in June, 2005, CPC Members are also expected to advocate:
(1) for a different national security strategy that uses diplomacy and conflict mediation and beyond over-reliance upon using military force to protect U.S. national security and combat terrorism;
(2) for reducing poverty and promoting economic fairness beyond raising the minimum wage;
(3) for election reform beyond voter verifiable paper trails to ensuring the voting rights of all Americans and voluntary public financing; and
(4) for energy independence beyond repealing tax breaks for oil and gas companies to curb reliance upon imported oil from the Middle East and reduce global warming.
CPC has great objectives.
They have time now before Jan. 4 to write legislation to accomplish these things so that members can read the legislation they will be voting on....
I want them to hit the ground running, in other words. I do not expect it to happen, but that's what I'd like to see.
If they want to accomplish anything, they MUST repeal the Military Commissions Act of 2006, otherwise Herr Dictator will over-ride any legislation they vote on. As long as MCA '06 is in effect, our legislators have no real power; they can debate and vote on anything, but the power still resides with the 'unitary executive' and his dictatorial powers in the executive branch.
For some reason the election day shananagans involving robo calls and hangup calls harrasing Democratic voters seems to have been quickly forgotten.
Why: Because Dems won, so the media treats such behavior as irrelevant; the problem is that it isn't. If federal laws don't regulate telephone harassment then Congress needs to step in NOW(January 3, 2007) while it is still fresh in the minds of voters and craft federal legislation criminalizing such acts. In the '04 election phone jamming into the the New Hampshire Democratic Party on election day eventually led to criminal prosecution but it took almost 2 years to accomplish.
Re-Post from previous thread:
We have the potential for more balance of power.
Posted by: DiAnne at November 14, 2006 04:29 PM
Potential, yes.
Current Technical Reality, no.
Our fates are in the hands of the Dem majority just elected, and any true "moderate" Repubs, if our legislators come out of their kool-aide stupors and do what's right by the people who elected them.
There's always "signing statements" - of course - and Dumbya could veto a second bill, which *might* get that toilet paper legislation discussed in Lamestream Media for a change, and in depth, so the kool-aiders understand they could also be thrown in jail without any of the normal rights we had before MCA '06 (if pressure is put on Con legislators, they might be part of a 2/3 majority to over-ride a veto).
I'm thinking that MCA '06 will not be voted on any time soon, the dictator will keep on implimenting PNAC objectives, the war will go on being discussed but no one will pull the troops out of Iraq or Afghanistan (indeed, more guard troops are scheduled to go over there, thus, increasing the troop strength), no one will close Gitmo and other prisons we don't know about.
In short, I don't expect anything to change.
The potential for change is there, yes.
But reality must be dealt with. As long as MCA '06 is in effect, we have a dictatorship, and we do not have any of the rights and privileges granted to us by our Founding Fathers.
http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_318144123.html
Another neoCon MN state legislator in trouble with the law for spousal abuse.
Video (he ran on a platform of "religious and family values")
http://kstp.dayport.com/viewer/viewerpage.php?Art_ID=170205
Bwahahahahaha..... Snark.
A Little Levity:
http://www.msnbc.com/comics/daily.asp?sfile=ft061113&vts=111320060942
Fox Trot
http://www.msnbc.com/comics/daily.asp?sfile=nq061113&vts=111320060942
Non Sequitur
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.
Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."
The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.
Rove has denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Abramoff. But the lobbyist visited the White House at least seven times, according to Secret Service logs obtained by Judicial Watch.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/11/abramoff_report.html
Oh...take my word for it. You want to do this poll.
http://news.aol.com/dailypulse/111406/_a/bush-vs-bush/20061114110309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Re potential for balance of power - will be nice when the new House and Senate members are actually in place. Right now there is no majority yet Bush would love to push through wiretapping and keep Bolton in place. If it were next year, the Democrats would have so much more clout than they do now. & the timing is critical, now that North Korea and Iran both have at least rudimentary nuclear potentials.
Bush and the Republican-dominated Senate's changes following the Hamdan verdict need to be repealed and that can't happen til the new Democratic Senators are in place. Cheney is trying to throw the Valerie Plame leak case out entirely, so we need the Judicial system to rule fairly or we're totally out of whack still.
The candidate I worked for, Darcy Burner (D-WA), has finally had to concede to Sheriff Reichert for US Congress. Our Senator Patty Murray ("Mom in tennis shoes") will be 4th highest in the Senate, under Reid, Durbin and Schumer, as Secy of the Dem caucus, replacing Debbie Stabenow. She'll also be in the Appropriations committee and Senior on Veteran's Affairs. Cantwell will be focussing on Children's health and Energy.
On another note, the US Marines' Toys for Tots rejected 4000 Talking Jesus dolls, since they can not profess one religion over another. I was very glad to see this, given the overt proselytization attempted at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Meanwhile, Walmart and Macy's will blatantly use "Christmas" instead of "Holiday" but won't see my dollars.
Killer link, Suz.
And the 5-point trivia questions at the end are worth the price of admission right there, too.
http://tinyurl.com/yz27tf
just like neos in general they come cheap at twice the price,
Otter
Posted by: Otter at November 14, 2006 07:45 PM
I got 5/5 RIGHT...nah na nah na na
Interesting thread. Here in the IL-6, middle of the road Tammy Duckworth with the help of the DCC beat Progressive Democrat Christine Cegelis. As most people are aware, Duckworth lost in the general election to right wing extremist and hand picked Tom DeLay protege, Peter Roskam. A progressive had a much better chance of winning this election because the choice between Cegelis and Roskam was much clearer than Duckworth/Roskam. Don't misunderstand, Duckworth and Roskam did not agree on much of anything, but Cegelis and Roskam came from different ends of the universe. When the DCC decided that it was "safest" to go with a moderate Democrat, they lost this district. Cegelis had developed an enviable grass roots team after the 2004 election. The DCC in their wisdom, thought it would be a winning strategy to dessimate that grass roots organization.
Believe me there is a lot of bad blood out here after Duckworth's defeat. This district will remain Republican for the next twenty years, barring some unforeseen misstep by Roskam.
Correction: DCCC
Posted by: Suz at November 14, 2006 08:00 PM
Suz, you beat me! I only got 4/5. I missed the Harvard question. He must have cheated.
Meanwhile, Walmart and Macy's will blatantly use "Christmas" instead of "Holiday" but won't see my dollars.
Posted by: DiAnne at November 14, 2006 07:24 PM
They won't see my mean green neither, meanwhile I will blatantly display my special "holiday" finger scene for them in return.
William Rivers Pitt | The Carlyle White House
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111406R.shtml
"The weakening of George W. Bush, in short, has opened the door for an alumnus of the Iran/Contra scandal, Robert Gates, to gain control of the Pentagon - his nomination, as yet, has met with little Congressional resistance. This process was managed by James Baker, whose Carlyle Group made billions off the Iraq occupation and whose fealty to the American people has all too often taken a back seat to the needs and desires of the royal family of Saudi Arabia. These two, along with Hamilton, have been instrumental in crafting, by way of the Iraq Survey Group, what by all accounts will soon be America's foreign policy lynchpin in Iraq and the Middle East as a whole," according to William Rivers Pitt.
{{{"Must Read."}}}
Posted by: oncall at November 14, 2006 08:22 PM
Which proves Dems can make stupid errors of judgment, too.
Way early on I couldn't figure out why Cegelis wasn't given backing. Experience and track record and grass roots support vs. an unknown recent Iraq war vet with no experience.... the comparison wasn't even close.
Illinois lost in that mess, and the rest of us lost a good Dem. IMHO.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15590613/
The lame-duck war
Iraq is now the lame-duck war, but lame ducks have a way of hobbling around for a while. We know that George W. Bush will be quacking for two more years, sometimes in bipartisan tone, faux or real, and sometimes with instinctive calls to the base that failed him, Rove and Rumsfeld in 2006. The difference with Iraq, which is of course Bush’s twin lame duck, is that Americans and Iraqis are dying every day. How many more will die in the month and a little more before the Iraq Study Group reports its carefully negotiated and calibrated findings? These kids on the front lines deserve to be treated as something more than pawns in a face-saving exercise.
{See link for more.}
FOX NEWS INTERNAL MEMO: "Be On The Lookout For Any Statements From The Iraqi Insurgents...Thrilled At The Prospect Of A Dem Controlled Congress"...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/11/14/fox-news-internal-memo-_n_34128.html
Lots of welcome-home mail:
for Baker/Gates skeptics
William Rivers Pitt | The Carlyle White House
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111406R.shtml
"The weakening of George W. Bush, in short, has opened the door for an alumnus of the Iran/Contra scandal, Robert Gates, to gain control of the Pentagon - his nomination, as yet, has met with little Congressional resistance. This process was managed by James Baker, whose Carlyle Group made billions off the Iraq
occupation and whose fealty to the American people has all too often taken a back seat to the needs and desires of the royal family of Saudi Arabia. These two, along with Hamilton, have been instrumental in crafting, by way of the Iraq Survey Group, what by all accounts will soon be America's foreign policy lynchpin in Iraq and the Middle East as a whole," according to William Rivers Pitt.
for quagmire quetioners:
Richard Haass | "Iraq Is Not Winnable"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111406S.shtml
What happens next in the Middle East? Der Spiegel spoke to Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, to find out. A widely respected foreign policy expert, Haass warns that the Middle East could become dangerous for years to come
for impeachment prioritizers:
Edited on Tue Nov-14-06 06:44 PM by laststeamtrain
WASHINGTON: The Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged for the first time the existence of two classified documents, including one signed by President George W. Bush, that have guided the agency's interrogation and detention of terror suspects.
The CIA disclosed the existence of the documents in a letter Friday sent from the agency's associate general counsel, John McPherson, to lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union.
The contents of the documents were not revealed, but one document, as described by the ACLU, is "a directive signed by President Bush granting the CIA the authority to set up detention facilities outside the United States and outlining interrogation methods that may be used against detainees."
The second document, according to the group is a Justice Department legal analysis "specifying interrogation methods that the CIA may use against top Al Qaeda members."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/14/news/intel.php
For those blown away by the daddy/son thing:
http://www.wonkette.com/politics/newsweek
Was Bush really in a foetal position?
Posted by: NonnyO at November 14, 2006 08:59 PM
We'll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgement of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
The change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fold, that's all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they are flown in the next war
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
No, no!
I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
Though I know that the hypnotized never lie
Do ya?
There's nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Are now parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight
I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
Artist: The Who
Song: Won't Get Fooled Again Lyrics
I can't take it .. reading Arianna Huffington, David Sirota, Michael Moore & others. It makes me very tired. It seems like now that most of the people are against the war, politicians are knocking themselves out when running for Committee Chairs to demonstrate that they were against the war. It reminds me of when candidates were running for President and they couldn't figure out where to stand.
I think Mark Barrett is the first person to hypothesize a Clinton/Vilsack ticket.
If you'd just as see McCain roasted as a turkey, check out Olliver Willis:
http://www.oliverwillis.com/2006/11/john_mccain_who.html
hat tip to Shaun Dale at Upper Left
Bush is heading to Vietnam, Vietnam is joining the WTO, Bush wanted the Vietnam trade bill, even Nancy Pelosi wanted the Vietnam trade bill, and Republicans and Democrats defeated it. Some Republicans apparently were teed off at Bush because his coattails helpful last election, and Democrats were being protectionist about labor.
Bush's head must be spinning. He finally met with the CEOs of Ford, Chevy and Chrysler because Toyota is whipping their butts. They came to the White House. Here I had thought maybe he was actually going out to Detroit to talk to auto workers. If he'd back it, the auto makers would improve efficienty of our cars. He's blown them off 3x and apparently agreed to meet them after the Republicans got beat.
The things you learn on the radio.
Dan Rather. I'd love to tell you what is happening but I can't hear it! (oy)
http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=2&guideContext=65.73&pmmsid=1767842
The knives come out.
"The failure of the Vietnam bill was a deep disappointment and embarrassment for the White House, which had hoped that the president would hail its passage as a milestone in improvement in relations with a country where tens of thousands of Americans died more than 30 years ago.
The bill’s failure touched off a fusillade of partisan recriminations, with Republicans blaming Democrats for trying to sabotage the bill and Democrats saying that some Republicans, bitter after losing the election last week, were trying to embarrass Mr. Bush."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/15trade.html?_r=1&ei=5094&en=87fe6f8f64b83576&hp=&ex=1163566800&oref=slogin&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
This again goes back to what we were posting about yesterday.
Bipartisian consensus is a real nice phrase and denotes some real gushy feelings, but the truth is NOTHING is going to get done legislatively for the next two years.
While everyone is fighting and blaming each other for all the things georgie broke, georgie himself is still above the law.
And all that he broke, will remain shattered.
And this man is running for president??? J. Edgar Hoover would vote for him, if he could...
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_11_12_atrios_archive.html#116346831305650235
And all that he broke, will remain shattered.
Posted by: Christy at November 15, 2006 07:41 AM
And all who are dead will still have died in vain for the sake of lies and oil....
And while the Iraq conferencing goes on, more will die because it will take them two years to "discuss" things while implimenting PNAC objectives (and I'm mindful of the fact that they are all old men left over from Poppy's time, and the Iran-Contra days, of which Gates was a part; Gates is just another version of Rummy), and the war will not be over in two years while they talk and talk and talk endlessly... and more people die for lies and oil....
Meanwhile, we're still under a technical dictatorship as long as MCA '06 remains on the books, and that still puts Georgie in the position of dictator - he still has signing statements and veto power (an illusion, since he is the technical dictator, and he will still get his way come hell or high water - he'll throw his spoiled brat temper tantrums and have everyone quaking in their boots, as usual - like six years of that crap wasn't enough, we have to endure two more years of the same ol' same ol' - meanwhile more will die in Iraq for lies and oil).
It was wonderful to have the warm fuzzies temporarily knowing Dems won so many seats in the House and the Senate. But, it's still an illusion of power until/unless they DO SOMETHING to stop Georgie and his 'merrie gang of criminals.' [i.e. impeach both Georgie and Dickie.] That means the Dems have to stop compromising, stop kissing Georgie's butt for fear he'll call them 'unpatriotic-cut-and-runners.' Georgie will no more work with Dems in the next two years than he did in the last six years. Everything will still have to be done his way or no way....
And more people will die for lies and oil.
Posted by: oncall at November 14, 2006 10:33 PM
Well, it all depends on the propaganda machine in Lamestream Media as to who will get fooled again.... I think Lamestream Media will talk people into the illusion that it's not worth the time or the money to impeach genuine criminals, and the "leaders" of this country and their Criminal Cabal will leave office without being charged with war crimes and other high crimes and misdemeanors (IF they leave office, that is, since the executive branch now has dictatorial powers). That's why I so dearly hope the World Court takes over and charges them. I have NO confidence in Dems or neoCons will ever do more than keep on giving in to the spoiled brat. Every time they've given him even a millimeter, he's taken ten miles. Congress Critters will never learn, they'll just keep giving in to the schoolyard bully, keep trying to appease him so he doesn't throw temper tantrums and call them names....
Great lyrics, though.... :-)
Lou Dobbs has a good commentary today, IMHO.
Dobbs: I'm a populist and proud of it
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/14/Dobbs.Nov15/index.html
And finally, there's one thing I agree with People magazine on...
The magazine announced Wednesday that George Clooney is its 2006 Sexiest Man Alive.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/15/sexiest.man/index.html
Smart, liberal, funny, generous, & stunningly gorgeous...Just like Paul Newman, the other person I consider to be in the same category as Clooney.
Johny Depp
Oh yeah, add Johnny Depp to that list. Good catch. (Oh that I could catch one of them, just for good conversation, of course...)
Posted by: madame defarge at November 15, 2006 08:56 AM
Yeah, well, if they ever broke down the barriers and made it the sexiest primate alive, welllllll Missy, then you'd see....
Eh, who'm I kidding, Clooney is hard to mock.
Some guys have all the yuck.
Bipartisian consensus is a real nice phrase and denotes some real gushy feelings, but the truth is NOTHING is going to get done legislatively for the next two years.
Posted by: Christy at November 15, 2006 07:41 AM
It's the lame duck period. Once the Democrats are in, it'll still be slow but it'll be technically possible to block or stall some things. Oh you're right - that will still be slow.
Still, having the Legislative branch of government not controlled by the same party as the Executive and Judicial was the first step possible, and hardly anyone thought it could be done.
This country has always moved in cycles from left-center to center-right, determined by the center, but the conglomeration of the media has really hit democracy. Redistricting and then having so many different voting systems has made elections ambiguous. We need campaign finance reform. We have kind of a buy-your-way-in system, related to our lobby system. The underlying problem is the extremity of our dog-eat-dog economic system. Any safety nets are now viewed as entitlements for freeloaders who won't work. We have too many working poor, barely above subsistence. We have so many uninsured that it's an embarassment. My brother is in his 40s and can hardly pee and has a pain in his side of unknown origin, can't afford to go to the doctor to have it checked out! & how is the underfunded VA going to pay for all the wounded & mentally ill coming back from wars?
Smart, liberal, funny, generous, & stunningly gorgeous...
Posted by: madame defarge at November 15, 2006 08:56 AM
What Madame said.... Stunningly gorgeous, yes, that's the apt phrase!
Now this is a piece of infotainment news I actually enjoy hearing about! :-) Clooney is well-groomed, clean-shaven, hair combed - his tie could be neater on this pix, but it's irrelevant next to those eyes and that sensual mouth.... A woman could just drown in those warm eyes....
Best of all, every time I've ever heard him on some yak show, he has a lovely sense of humor, and when he's serious, his words all make sense....
[Swoon.., all systems a-flutter, knees weak...! ;-)]
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_on_re_eu/bush
Bush visits Putin on way to Asia
Excerpts:
The brief gathering — expected to last only about an hour — was billed by White House advisers as not much more than a greeting between friends while Bush accepted the Russian generosity of allowing Air Force One to refuel in Moscow halfway through the 19-hour flight to Singapore. But the rarity of a president flying east to Asia, rather than west, no doubt reflected that the Washington-Moscow relationship needs a little extra care lately.
~~~~
Putin and Bush are due to meet again Sunday in Hanoi.
{{{Er... and the purpose of this expensive junket was/is...??? Sounds like back-room blackmail going on to me....}}}
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_on_en_tv/tv_al_jazeera_english
Al-Jazeera service in English starts
Excerpt (more on link):
Al-Jazeera, which is bankrolled by Qatar's royal family, said its signal would reach 80 million households with cable and satellite TV, mainly in the Middle East and Europe. It hopes to steal viewers from CNN and the British Broadcasting Corp. by giving the world's 1 billion English speakers news from a non-Western perspective.
Al-Jazeera's feisty Arabic news channel is well known for angering leaders in the West and the Arab world, where it has been banned from operating in 18 countries at various times. Four Arab nations still bar its reporters.
The station has broken new ground covering once-taboo political, religious and social subjects, while airing interviews with opposition figures and Israeli officials who previously were absent from other Arab networks.
Bush administration officials have branded the network's airing of messages from Osama bin Laden as an incitement to terrorism and criticized its often graphic coverage of bloodshed in Iraq.
Al-Jazeera says the messages and images are newsworthy. It has promoted its broadcasts to U.S. officials as the ideal venue to address the Muslim world.
Still, the station is burdened with a reputation among Americans as anti-U.S. — an image Al-Jazeera insists is unfair. Its staffers argue that while the station has an Arab viewpoint, its coverage is balanced.
At least for now, most Americans will have no chance to see Al-Jazeera to judge for themselves. Al-Jazeera's list of U.S. carriers included none of the major U.S. cable TV providers: Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Charter Communications or Cablevision. Neither of the two major satellite TV providers in the U.S. — Dish Network and DirecTV — are carrying the network.
Some U.S. cable carriers are adopting a "show-me" policy, waiting to see what sort of reaction the station generates before agreeing to carry it, said Michael Holtzman, a spokesman for the network.
Al-Jazeera English will be available to American customers of GlobeCast, the subsidiary of a French company that offers satellite TV service.
The other companies Al-Jazeera English said it had agreements with are Fision, a digital service that will be available shortly in Houston; Jump TV, which describes itself as "the world's leading broadcaster of ethnic TV over the Internet; and VDC, a service that offers TV on the Internet to about 10,000 customers in the U.S.
The broadcast will also be streamed live on Al-Jazeera English's Internet site.
Across Europe and the Middle East, Al-Jazeera English will be widely available on major cable providers in Britain, Germany, Italy and even Israel.
The launch was originally scheduled for early 2006 but was repeatedly postponed due to technical problems and licensing issues. Al-Jazeera executives said they are negotiating with carriers in the U.S., Asia and elsewhere to broadcast its signal.
Al-Jazeera English hired more than 500 staffers, poaching journalists from American and British networks, including former CNN anchor Riz Khan, the BBC's David Frost and former ABC correspondent Dave Marash.
It will broadcast in high-definition TV, with its chief broadcast centers in Doha, London, Washington and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
On the Net:
http://english.aljazeera.net
Posted by: monkey at November 15, 2006 09:14 AM
Clooney's got nothin' on you. You're one of our best kept secrets. And we're not about to let the monkey out of the bag, so to speak.
Let me add to that previous statement: anyone who resembles -- and including -- John Cusack is most definitely on the list.
(BTW, I'll be dining with Mrs. Cusack at our annual peace organization dinner this weekend. She is such a cool woman. Sometimes, her daughter comes with her. Maybe we can convince her to bring her son one of these days...)
Posted by: madame defarge at November 15, 2006 09:48 AM
Ah, lovely... pls tell The Mrs. that I said she can come home any time she's ready, party at my place in February.
www.monkeykrewe.org
There, the monkey is now outta the bag... (was getting tired of being half in it)
Justice in Jeb's Florida.
November 15, 2006
Officials Clash Over Mentally Ill in Florida Jails
By ABBY GOODNOUGH
MIAMI, Nov. 14 — For years, circuit judges here have ordered state officials to obey Florida law and promptly transfer severely mentally ill inmates from jails to state hospitals. But with few hospital beds available, Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration began flouting those court orders in August.
Now, in a growing standoff between the government of Florida and its judges, the state is being threatened with steep daily fines if it does not comply. And at least one judge has raised the possibility that the secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families could go to jail for contempt of court.
“This type of arrogant activity cannot be tolerated in an orderly society,” Judge Crockett Farnell of Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court wrote in an Oct. 11 ruling.
State law requires that inmates found incompetent to stand trial be moved from county jails to psychiatric hospitals within 15 days of the state’s receiving the commitment orders. Florida has broken that law for years, provoking some public defenders to seek court orders forcing swift compliance.
With the state now rebuffing even those orders, a rising number of mentally ill inmates, now more than 300, have been left without treatment in crowded jails because the state’s 1,416 psychiatric beds are full.
Two mentally ill inmates in the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola died over the last year and a half after being subdued by guards, according to news reports. And in the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, a schizophrenic inmate gouged out his eye after waiting weeks for a hospital bed, his lawyer said.
Public defenders in Miami-Dade County describe psychotic clients who have hallucinated, mutilated themselves and attempted suicide while awaiting transfer to hospitals. The state says that shortages of beds and financing have made compliance impossible, and that court orders forcing the transfer of certain inmates are unfair to those who have waited longer.
- more -
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/us/15inmates.html
Dianne, exactly.
Even what we can do, as far as the mechanics go, is still going to be slow going.
And as Nonny says, " meanwhile more will die in Iraq for lies and oil"
And let us do remember who will be acting president if georgie and his little dick gets indicted.
That would be President Pelosi. A blessed grown up.
THEN we can have a serious conversation about fixing the 'broken things'.
Until then though, we are going to be forced to watch as more, and more, and more die.
I do not think impeachment is some magic bullet. But in this case it may just very well be. It will do many things immediately, not the least of which is showing the families of the dead that we will no longer abide the rule of this murderer and torture monger.
When the Founding Fathers wrote the Articles Of Impeachment, I have no doubt they did so with georgie in mind.
It was an amazing bit of prophecy on their part.
Is it irony that I should post about monkeyball, and the immediate next post would be about the mentally ill incarcirated in Florida?
Fun fun fun til his daddy takes the t-bills away.
CIA Admits to Memo From Bush on Interrogation Techniques
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111506Z.shtml
After years of denials, the CIA has formally acknowledged the existence of two classified documents governing aggressive interrogation and detention policies for terrorism suspects, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. But CIA lawyers say the documents - memos from President Bush and the Justice Department - are still so sensitive that no portion can be released to the public.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sent this story to my Rep's secretary in town by email, along with this comment:
My response to this story:
So... Release the documents so the citizens of this nation can decide for themselves how "sensitive" they are. If the Bush himself signed either one, it's WAY past time for impeachment proceedings to begin...!
It's also WAY past time to repeal the Military Commissions Act of 2006 to take away Georgie's dictatorial powers, and restore the dismantled Constitution, Bill of Rights, Geneva Conventions, and US law that that piece of toilet paper legislation shattered.
First, the day after everyone is sworn in, repeal MCA '06, then work on Pelosi's agenda (it should be written by now so everyone has a chance to read the bills before voting on them). If Congress hits the ground running on Jan. 4 instead of talking everything to death, all that should take less than a month, and by then any impeachment proceedings should start.
I know Pelosi "took impeachment off the table" but that was a grave error in judgment on her part. There are more people who want impeachment than not; it's why Dems won so many seats. Thousands of people have died for lies and oil in an unconstitutional, illegal war; isn't it time for justice to be done on behalf of the dead who died for lies and oil? None died as heroes 'fighting for our freedoms' - they died for lies and oil. Anyway, we don't have any freedoms left, thanks to MCA '06, the so-called Patriot Act and it's amendments, and the other laws that are infringing on our rights and privileges and privacy (all of which needs to be repealed). The 'war on fear' aka 'war on terror' is bogus. Time for some common sense, and way past time to set things right and go back to the Constitution and the balance of power.
And WAY past time for impeachment proceedings to begin....
Letting some idiotic Iraq conference committee made up of Poppy Bush's old buddies flap their gums for two years while they try to complete PNAC's objectives will only result in a prolonged unconstitutional and illegal war, and thousands more will die for lies and oil.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/11/15/notes111506.DTL&nl=fix
Gay Marriage Is Still Evil?
Because the funny thing is, despite all the frantic state bans, no one can really say why
- By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
NonnyO
Russia will probably end up in the WTO.
They'll also talk about Iran. Creepy.
I was going to post the TruthOut about the Bush memos. Glad you did. It was in the International Herald Tribune yesterday.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/14/news/intel.php
Posted by: DiAnne at November 14, 2006 10:26 PM
Glad to see it's getting more coverage. And Morford - thanks! I read Rude Pundit also.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6149348.stm
Bush tests standing on Asia visit
{{{Half a world away, this article says what the junket is about. The yahoo article blathered on about gifts exchanged and didn't make much sense. I think American "journalists" have forgotten how to write anything other than the Bu$hSpeak they've learned in the last six years.}}}
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/14/news/intel.php
Posted by: DiAnne at November 15, 2006 10:47 AM
These paragraphs stood out:
The contents of the documents were not revealed, but one document, as described by the ACLU, is "a directive signed by President Bush granting the CIA the authority to set up detention facilities outside the United States and outlining interrogation methods that may be used against detainees."
The second document, according to the group is a Justice Department legal analysis "specifying interrogation methods that the CIA may use against top Al Qaeda members."
ACLU lawyers said they would now press for public disclosure of the contents of the documents.
"We intend to press for release of both of these documents," said Jameel Jaffer, a lawyer for the group said in a statement.
"If President Bush and the Justice Department authorized the CIA to torture prisoners, the public has a right to know."
~~~~~
In the CIA letter, McPherson confirmed the documents but declined to divulge their contents, on the ground that divulging them would damage security and violate attorney-client privilege.
And it begs the question:
Who's the "client" in this 'attorney-client privilege?'
BTW,
Can yall keep your fingers crossed for us tonight?
The first of the two part story on Robert Charles Browne is airing tonight, and it was delayed for two weeks already.
I have a feeling something very large is about to break loose. I do not know why they rescedualed it but it actually bodes good for us, even if it seemed like an eternity to find out what they found out.
My Lord, it really is going to happen.
Either that or I will be watching a total smear job on my family. A two parter even.
Wow my teeth hurt already.
Posted by: Christy at November 15, 2006 11:01 AM
I smell a sequel.
Man I love you Monkey.
Thank you Sir for simply always being there.
I will never forget.
~~~no comment
Trent Lott wins back leadership slot
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_on_go_co/congress_leaders
November 15, 2006 11:15 AM
Speaking of sequels...
Posted by: aimzzz at November 15, 2006 11:17 AM
... I gotta put that one in the rerun catagory.
"The Pre-Cusser"
Meanwhile back at the raunch, families continue to be devestated forever...
Six U.S. troops killed in combat in Iraq
Around 70 kidnap victims reportedly freed, but unclear how many still held
Updated: 28 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Three U.S. soldiers and three U.S. Marines were killed during combat in Iraq, the military said Wednesday.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15726310/
From the Nov. 7, 2006 issue of the Santa Fe New Mexican:
---------------
Police seek help with cold case
State police want to talk to anyone in New Mexico and the Southwest region with a male relative or friend between 30 and 40 who went missing in the early 1990s and has not been found. Investigators want to take DNA samples from potential family members and try to match it with a skull found by a hunter near Tres Piedras in 1994, said Sgt. Tom Christian. Investigators believe the dead man might have been killed by a Colorado man who claims he killed up to 48 people, including two in New Mexico, Christian said.
The skull the hunter found had a gunshot wound and was believed to have been from an adult white male, probably of Hispanic descent, according to a state police news release. The man likely died in 1992 or 1993 and was probably born between 1950 and 1960, the release states.
Robert Charles Browne, 53, who is serving a life sentence in Colorado, claims he killed and robbed a man on a motorcycle east of Tierra Amarilla on U.S. 64 in the early 1990s, Christian said. Police found a motorcycle in the area at the time but no body, he said. The skull was found in the same general vicinity Browne said the killing occurred, the sergeant said.
Christian said he recently got a call from FBI agents alerting him to the 1994 skull find. Anyone with information is asked to call him at 841-9228.
--------------
the ever-narrowing gyre,
Otter
I still do not know how to cope with knowing that man did not have to die at the hands of that killer.
So many came after, they could have stopped it years before.
Even after all these years it just seems to hurt more.
The Red River Sheriffs Department has that mans blood on their own hands too.