« What's Next? | Main | State of Dis-Union »
The Protest that Never Shows Up.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My husband just brought me an article by Danny Westneat, a Seattle Times columnist, wherein he writes about something that we are very familiar with, because it happens every Sunday a few blocks from our house. We have been involved from time to time, but have sometimes slacked off, though if we drive by we will honk sympathetically, like most of the other cars.
The reporter interviewed one of the protesters who has shown up every Sunday at Green Lake, Seattle, with a protest sign, with no exceptions. Once, before the invasion, so many people turned up that they ringed the lake, which is almost three miles around. Then it dwindled to 50, then 20, then finally a dozen or so. Then finally it was only the one man. This went on for a month.
Some thought the numbers would increase after the 2006 election, with numbed people newly energized. The polls have been showing that the Iraq war has become as unpopular as the war in Vietnam was. Nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose this war, and more than that in this city. The concensus is that the entry into and conduct of this war exceeds all previous foreign policy blunders and is unthinkably ill-conceived and tragic.
So where are the people? Why aren't they taking to the streets? Why aren't people talking about the war more? "I'm as puzzled as I've ever been," a vet tells the reporter. "Are people in a state of shock? I don't know. Sometimes i think we're spoiled in this country, that we don't understand suffering or sacrifice any more." This Vet's son was killed by a bomb in Baghdad in 2003.
Others tell the reporter the turning point is now. Organizers say that a peace march in Washington DC next week will be the largest since the war began. The lone protester fears that the press wouldn't report it if it's the biggest protest in the history of the world.
I wanted to start with a tribute to some of those who have dared to exercise their freedom of speech in my community. I am often moved to tears by them but I suspect it is also frustration that there aren't more of us and that we have not had more influence. Reading the article about the lone protester, and strolling through memory lane with photos of fellow citizens, I think that we should go out this afternoon and join those stalwarts at Green lake.
Perhaps in some sense, the voting in 2006 was a referendum on the war, especially since independents and more moderate and conservative Democrats voted their conscience. Maybe it is encouraging that a few Republicans in Congress are listening to people at home, or questioning at all. Let's try to grab on to that momentum by being relentless and not giving up.
(The article referenced is at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003534202_danny21.html) (Photos taken over the last four years by D Grieser)
That's me .. in 2003
Iran tests missiles, bars inspectors
DEFIANCE INCREASES AS NATION'S LEADERS WARN OF U.S. ATTACK
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16524220.htm
Iran conducted missile tests Monday as its leadership stepped up warnings of a possible military confrontation with the United States.
In another show of defiance, Tehran said Monday it had barred 38 U.N. nuclear inspectors from entering the country, apparently in retaliation for a U.N. Security Council resolution last month imposing limited sanctions on Iran.
~snip~
Iran's leaders have warned of the possibility of a U.S. attack since President Bush announced Jan. 9 the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region, a move U.S. officials have said is a show of strength directed at Iran...
Curious if others read about a story at least 'attributed' on CNN, to the Hillary campaign against Obama and where he attended grade school.
It was a really slimey and incorrect story, which they deny having anything to do with, but if the attribution is correct,it reflects negatively on their candor.
Prosecutor says Libby destroyed Cheney memo
Fitzgerald says VP told his former top aide about CIA agent's identity
NBC News and news services
Updated: 40 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald used his opening statement in the CIA leak trial Tuesday to allege that Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff lied and destroyed a note showing Cheney's early involvement.
Fitzgerald said Cheney told his chief of staff, “Scooter” Libby, in 2003 that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA and Libby spread that information to reporters. When that information got out, it triggered a federal investigation.
“But when the FBI and grand jury asked about what the defendant did,” Fitzgerald said, “he made up a story.”
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16770023/
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 12:24 PM
As I mentioned on the previous thread, Chris Matthews made a point of repeatedly asking Hillary spokesman Howard Wolfson yesterday if the campaign had opposition research capabilities at this time.
Matthew, opposition research is a necessary part of any campaign, but what is done with that research and what attacks are made by that campaign flow back directly to the candidate, that is why I blamed Bush directly for the Swift Boat attacks which he claimed to have nothing to do with. I just don't think that voters want another campaign like that. If the Hillary campaign was behind the Obama slime then I have lost all respect for them and is why I am still behind JK, Richardson, and Edwards.
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 01:35 PM
... and this is exactly why I didn't want Hillary to run, because, right off the bat, we are way off of the issues at hand and onto the diversionary bullshit... and it may not even be her doing, but she is an easy one to make look "bad" from so many angles.
Is this a great country or what? :-(
Posted by: monkey at January 23, 2007 01:58 PM
Wait til they dig up Whitewater again.
How's THIS for a protest that never shows up...
WASHINGTON - A 17 percent drop in overseas travelers to the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks has cost the country more than $15 billion in lost taxes and nearly 200,000 jobs, a study showed Tuesday.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States has tightened security measures and toughened its visa and entry requirements. As a result, the country was ranked as the world’s most unfriendly to visitors in a survey conducted last year of travelers from 16 nations.
“Our economic security is suffering from a drastic decline in overseas travelers and we are missing an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen America’s image around the globe,” said Stevan Porter, president of Intercontinental Hotels Group and chairman of the association’s Discover America Partnership. “We are in the midst of a travel crisis.”
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16771983/
from Fitgerald's opening statement, it sure sounds as if Cheney could be in some legal peril.
Gotta love CNN for "trying" to get it...
Is Bush already a lame duck?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/23/bush.lame.duck/index.html
Something about bears in the woods & the pope comes to mind...
By the way, for those interested in Fitzgerald and the Libby trial, fascinating play by play live blogging over at
www.firedoglake.com
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 12:24 PM
Olbermann had a piece debunking this last night.
Fox "Nothing", as he calls it, made this garbage up about the Obama story coming from the Clinton campaign.
The New York Post and the Washington Times both picked it up and spread it wide.
I doubt there is any truth to it, and I'd suggest we all think before we buy into the right wing smear.
This is the swiftboating of Clinton and the racist smear of Obama all in one shot. These jerks will stop at nothing.
Chris Matthews was WAY overboard on Hardball last night. His rage at Hillary for whatever reason is over the top. He needs to tone it down a little.
I'm undecided on Hillary, but at this point, I'm not ruling anyone out and I'm going to pay close attention to what everyone says.
Carol, my point is that I do not wish to be a part of any smear campaign, period. We also need to be watchdogs so that our candidates don't be a part of any swiftboat campaigns from our side, either. There are plenty of life and death issues in this country to deal with for us not to get into the gutter. Hopefully that will not be the lesson takin from '04 when the dcp started up. If it is not attributed to Hillary's campaign it is the type of campaign we should expect from the other side, along with Whitewater redeux. Many of us will be taking sides by this summer and as uncomfortable as that might be, we will need to discuss who is best fit to end our national nightmare.
Bubba,
You are correct, we will have chosen candidates each our own.
But we're not really going to allowed to promote them much here, so we need to do our best to not buy into the trash from the other side.
This statement you made at 1:35: If the Hillary campaign was behind the Obama slime then I have lost all respect for them and is why I am still behind JK, Richardson, and Edwards.
To me that implies that you believe the hype. Maybe that's not what you meant, but what I meant is we need to be careful about what we say - that we are not repeating their garbage.
No one has my vote yet, and JK hasn't actually announced yet, so that remains to be seen. But whoever the candidate will be, we need to be careful not to crucify them in support of our own favorite. We also need to not give the thugs any ammo.
Just my two cents.
Every campaign has researchers who do extensive investigative work on the opposition candidates and on themselves--so they can see what is out there to be used against them.
Richard had a fairly long career doing this type of research. One uncovers a good deal of stuff that can be used negatively or positively, depending upon how it is "spun". And every life--each of ours included--has experiences in it that could be used against or for.
What WE have to do, as citizen activists, is to unpack all of it--understand how manipulated we can be by the WAY a story is told, then understand the truth within that story.
At DCP we cannot endorse, but we CAN unpack and understand information. After all, a real democracy depends on knowing what is true.
And that said, I remind us all of how much crap was thrown at JK during the last round. We never did find out who started it (although suspicious natures sniffed in directions on both sides). But it behooves all of us to check out anything anyone says--not for origin or source, but for truth in context.
Carol while we can not campaign for candidates here, but hopefully it will be OK to discuss their policy positions and ethics. We as political activists should expect our Progressive candidates to reach out to bloggers. For instance, Ed Schultz has posted today on Raw Story that Hillary has refused to answer his request that she call into his show even though JK, Harry Reid,Edward Kennedy,Dick Durbin and countless others have been willing to answer his and his listener's questions. I believe that there was a bloggers convention in Las Vegas shortly after the '4 election. The same challenge should be submitted to candidates to answer questions from bloggers (although not at this site). This will be an important decision for us individually for the next twenty months, and we should expect to be dealt with seriously and directly and we should expect the highest ethics from our nominee. We can't control our opponents' lack of scruples and decency, but should demand absolute intergity from our side. Beyond the voter irregularities which hopefully we corrected in Ohio this past Nov, we should be vigilant for the kinds of dirty tricks prosecuted in New Hampshire. Carol, I agree with you not that we should not presume the accuracy of such stories, but we should also be vigilant that it doesn't come from our side either. Progressives were sent to Washington in Nov to clean up Washington and end dirty politics. There is a theory in law that says you can't enter a court of equity unless you come with clean hands. That's all I expect is clean hands and answers from our eventual nominee. Personally I worry and pray that our judgment will be wise and informed.
IRC tonight?
I get the general gist of the Libby affair, and I've felt that Libby was an easy target for the Bush Administration. Perhaps Libby is one of the sacrificial lambs of this administration.
Why is it given such importance? In disclosing the name of the CIA operative, there was no open criticism of government policy or practice. Or was there?
Or is it more about the freedom of journalists to protect sources? I think I'm missing the real guts of this situation.
Posted by: aimzzz at January 23, 2007 05:35 PM
I'll be there shortly, even though it's only 2:45 here and I'm still at work.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070123/pl_nm/usa_crime_libby_dc_3
Libby was "set up" to protect Rove: lawyer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The former vice presidential aide charged with perjury was "set up" by the White House to protect political strategist Karl Rove during a CIA leak investigation, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Lewis "Scooter" Libby was so worried that he would be blamed for blowing the cover of a CIA operative that he asked his boss, Vice President Dick Cheney, to intervene on his behalf, defense lawyer Theodore Wells told the jury at the beginning of Libby's perjury trial.
"He was concerned about being set up," Wells said. "He was concerned about being the scapegoat for this entire Valerie Wilson controversy."
Libby resigned as Cheney's chief of staff when he was charged with lying to investigators who sought to determine who leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. The leak occurred after Plame's husband, Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush administration of manipulating intelligence to build its case for invading Iraq.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said Libby told investigators he only passed along rumors about the operative, who was known by her maiden name, to reporters.
But Fitzgerald told the jury that Libby had actually sought out information from other government officials, and then shared that information with reporters as fact.
"The defendant lied to the FBI and stole the truth from the grand jury," Fitzgerald said in his opening statement.
~~~~~
But in his opening statement, Wells made clear he also intends to point a finger at the White House and the CIA.
Wells displayed a note written by Cheney that said he was "not going to protect one staffer (and) sacrifice the guy that was asked to stick his neck in the meat grinder because of the incompetence of others."
Wells said the staffer referred to is Rove, the man who is given credit for directing President George W. Bush's two successful presidential campaigns.
Libby "was an important staffer, but Karl Rove was the lifeblood of the Republican Party," Wells said.
{More on link.}
US Warns Iran to Back Down
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307A.shtml
A second US aircraft carrier strike group now steaming toward the Middle East is Washington's way of warning Iran to back down in its attempts to dominate the region, a top US diplomat said in Dubai Tuesday.
Second article on this same link has title: Scant Evidence Found of Iran-Iraq Arms Link. Excerpt from second article:
For all the aggressive rhetoric, however, the Bush administration has provided scant evidence to support these claims. Nor have reporters traveling with U.S. troops seen extensive signs of Iranian involvement. During a recent sweep through a stronghold of Sunni insurgents here, a single Iranian machine gun turned up among dozens of arms caches U.S. troops uncovered. British officials have similarly accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi affairs, but say they have not found Iranian-made weapons in areas they patrol.
The lack of publicly disclosed evidence has led to questions about whether the administration is overstating its case. Some suggest Bush and his aides are pointing to Iran to deflect blame for U.S. setbacks in Iraq. Others suggest they are laying the foundation for a military strike against Iran.
Posted by: Carol at January 23, 2007 04:00 PM
Carol, I've been thinking this since it all began. It's not worthy of response. Both Hillary and Obama show themselves to be far more dignified if they totally ignore it. It's a media beatup - and there'll be thousands more of those.
Dean Baker | The Social Security WMD Story
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307C.shtml
Dean Baker writes: "We all remember President Bush's false claims about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. These claims were the basis for getting the country into the Iraq War, a disaster with no obvious end in sight. The same sorts of claims are being made about Social Security, with the goal of inflicting a similar disaster on the country's workers and retirees."
{{{If you know anyone near or of retirement age, they need to read this article....}}}
Posted by: monkey at January 23, 2007 02:52 PM
I am not surprised at all.
Most people these days must pay USD $100 (no local equivalents accepted) just for the privilege of applying for a US visa.
US airports are among the least user-friendly anywhere - especially true of LAX and anything in New York City area.
There still are those who want to jack up the visa fee to $1,000 and make the airports even less friendly. After all, we are the greatest nation in the world, and no matter what we do, people will still want to come, right?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070123/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq
Security helicopter shot down in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Five civilians died in the Baghdad crash of a helicopter owned by the private security company Blackwater USA, according to a U.S. military official. The helicopter was shot down Tuesday over a predominantly Sunni neighborhood, a senior Iraqi defense official said. The crash came three days after a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter crashed northeast of Baghdad, killing all 12 soldiers aboard.
More on link.....
"Libby was "set up" to protect Rove: lawyer"
Pretty slick defense. Rove already cleared by Fitzgerald and Cheney will claim separation of powers,and Libby will claim lawyer client/privilige with Cheney. Answer: blame Rove and Cheney.
Can't touch that..
Isn't Blackwater one of the companies that hires ex-Green Berets (more or less as mercenaries)?
Robert Parry | Reverend Moon's Anti-Obama Agit-Prop
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307F.shtml
"As Reverend Sun Myung Moon's media operations have done for two decades, the Korean cult leader's Insight magazine has stepped up to inject an early dose of poison into Campaign 2008," writes Robert Parry. "In this case, Moon's weekly magazine was peddling a bogus story suggesting that Barack Obama is a clandestine Islamic agent and that Hillary Clinton's operatives were dishing the dirt. Though the anti-Obama agit-prop was quickly disproved, it revealed again how valuable Moon and his mysterious money have been to the Republicans and especially to the Bush family."
Democrats Frame State of Union Response
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307K.shtml
Democrats are drowning out President Bush's State of the Union speech with two themes: Sending more troops to Iraq is not a new strategy, and the president and his Republican allies are no longer solely in charge of national policy.
A bookend to Libby trial:
Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt dies
Seattle PI link: http://tinyurl.com/2jmwen
Posted by: aimzzz at January 23, 2007 05:51 PM
Yes. Or anyone else willing to get themselves killed for a five figure monthly salary, not just ex-military.
DynCorp (Halliburton subsidiary) also hires mercenaries. Three ex-police officers from MN who were employed as mercenaries in Iraq have been killed, and in-state news said DynCorp was the employer of two of those. Right now there's still a fourth MN mercenary (don't know which "private security firm" he was working for) missing in Iraq who they know was taken hostage. He was working there to save money to buy a house and due home a couple of weeks after he was taken hostage.
There are many firms in Iraq who hire mercenaries to protect convoys of equipment for oil corporations (when the US military doesn't do so). They also provide food and water and other services for the military personnel (I think it was one of the Halliburton companies who got in trouble for serving spoiled food?). "Private Contractors" of all kinds are raking in millions, even billions, of taxpayer monies. There was a PBS Frontline show about them - you could probably find something on their web site.
Jeff Cohen | Can Indy Media Stop the Corporate Media's Hillary Bandwagon?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307P.shtml
Jeff Cohen writes: "Prominent pundits seem ecstatic over Hillary Clinton's entry into the presidential race just days after Barack Obama's media-created candidacy became official. Media talking heads are having so much fun lately, they don't seem to notice that our political system is failing to address ever-worsening problems: social, environmental, fiscal and imperial."
Excerpt:
This race is certainly not over. Nor is it a two person-race.
My advice to mainstream journalists: If you love covering horse races, transfer to the sports pages. If you want to cover only celebrities, switch to the gossip pages. If you're obsessed with how candidates look or dress, try the fashion pages.
As for how these presidential aspirants would govern, I'm counting on independent media. The public needs to hear Kucinich's step-by-step plan to end the war in Iraq. And Edwards needs to be asked: after the first 50,000 troops are withdrawn, what's the next step?
As for Clinton and Obama, the vaguer their rhetoric, the more they seem to dazzle the establishment media (not unlike Chance the Gardner in "Being There"). It will be up to independent media to decipher their actual positions, and the political/financial interests of their funders and advisers.
{{{Cohen's right about the vague rhetoric, which is my big sticking point about Obama - feelgood vague rhetoric plus inexperience (not even through his first term in the Senate) plus very little anti-war rhetoric just does not scream good qualifications for the highest office in the land. Hillary's too middle-of-the-road and she's not a flaming anti-war person, nor is Obama, for that matter. But these are the two darlings of Lamestream Media and the two we'll hear about most often..., and IMHO, both are DINOs. The really huge problem is that people are going to be bored senseless when Nov. '08 gets here and may stay home out of apathy because Lamestream Media will have talked the subject to death and have already chosen the next president.... So far, nothing definitive can be said about any of the candidates based on anything they've actually said - which is nothing more than vague rhetoric that right-wingnuttia spinmeisters will talk to death endlessly, which just makes people yawn in boredom and change channels, if they watch at all, that is.}}}
And now, in keeping with the actual theme of this thread... :-) Video included on this link.
Active-Duty Military Petition Congress to End War
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012307B.shtml
Military members opposed to the US involvement in Iraq gathered on January 15 to demand the withdrawal of American troops and prepared to present their appeal to Congress. More than 20 active-duty service members and about 100 supporters appeared at an event for Appeal for Redress, which calls for Congress to end the war. More than 1,000 military members have added their names to the appeal's list.
This is the web site for the appeal for redress from the embedded link in the above article.
http://www.appealforredress.org/
Posted by: NonnyO at January 23, 2007 05:59 PM
The National Geographic Channel had coverage of the mercenaries too, just this past weekend. It was followed by a show with all the grisly execution scenes from the Saddam Hussein regime.
Posted by: aimzzz at January 23, 2007 05:51 PM
If I am not mistaken, Blackwater is run by Christian fundamentalists on Christian values.
Transcript:
The opening statement by Lieutenant General David H. Petraeus this morning before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination to be the commander of US forces in Iraq, as recorded by Federal News Service.
NYT link: http://tinyurl.com/ypb9bn
Posted by: Ally McRepuke at January 23, 2007 06:06 PM
I'm a Christian & I don't think they are based on Christian values...
aimzzz,
To clarify: what they call Christian values.
I'm just now looking at today's news-- didn't realize that it was Libbey's own lawyer saying he was the fall guy for Cheney/Rove-- thought it was prosecution :p
Big difference-- Libbey would have to have approved the statement, ¿qué non?
Nice touch for SOU Day...
I'm just now looking at today's news-- didn't realize that it was Libbey's own lawyer saying he was the fall guy for Cheney/Rove-- thought it was prosecution :p
Big difference-- Libbey would have to have approved the statement, ¿qué non?
Nice touch for SOU Day...
I'm just now looking at today's news-- didn't realize that it was Libbey's own lawyer saying he was the fall guy for Cheney/Rove-- thought it was prosecution :p
Big difference-- Libbey would have to have approved the statement, ¿qué non?
Nice touch for SOU Day...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_USA
Excerpt:
The documentary film Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers suggests that the company may have been partially responsible for the Abu Ghraib scandal.
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/securityconsulting/
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091005A.shtml
Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans
Saturday 10 September 2005
BTW, when I Googled Blackwater, this sponsored ad came up on Google:
Overseas Contractor Jobs
KBR, Dyncorp, CSA, ITT, L3, others
Iraq, Afghan, etc; find jobs faster
DangerZoneJobs.com
DynCorp and KBR (Kellogg, Brown and Root) are both Halliburton subsidiaries, and both subsidiaries hire mercenaries (aka 'private security officers').
http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0403-10.htm
Halliburton, Dick Cheney, and Wartime Spoils
April 3, 2003
Yikes-- quad post!!!!
Yikes-- quad post!!!!
Posted by: aimzzz at January 23, 2007 06:31 PM
It happens sometimes :)
sorry its not on topic but I am furious about Bush's so called plan to destroy health care.
He should be accused of breaking his pledge of no new taxes as it would amount to a huge tax increase to those middle class families fortunate enough to have good employer provided healthcare. Secondly it does absolutely nothing to help employers reduce their healthcare burden or control costs. Without controllings costs any amount of tax credits would be quickly dissolve. Its also a hidden bonus to those in higher tax brackets where tax credits actually mean something as millions either pay no income tax or at a 15% rate. And finally it does nothing for those over 50 who have already or planning to retire and afd not at Medicare age. When we look at it, it will likely be similar to his plan to privitize SS. Its a sham. a diversion from Iraq and probably written by his Pioneers. He knows healthcare will be an important issue to '08 voters but raising Middle Class taxes should be a non starter.
I'm attempting to get into the irc.
IRC's lookin' fine :)
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 06:39 PM
IMHO, the whole thing with health insurance and other types of insurance (car insurance, etc.) are legalized scams. It would be more profitable to individual families to start savings accounts (sans government oversight!!!) for their own health care. Paying into health insurance companies just provides more money for executives who do NOT deserve their million/billion dollar yearly bonuses, when that money could be better spent on paying the health care costs of the people who contribute to much to insurance companies (there's always that little clause about 'pre-existing' or exempt conditions or certain kinds of medications they won't pay for, etc.). Useless. Better to control one's own money to pay health care costs as they arise.
When it comes to SS, I suspect the Baby Boomers (I'm a first year Boomer) would take to the streets and/or flood inboxes or mailboxes of reps and senators if Congress goes near to touching those funds. DimWit can pass gas all he wants about wanting to 'privatize' SS, but that's the sure road to financial ruin for the SS fund if the government invests the funds in Wall Street (and why should Wall Street benefit from taxpayers' money?) As the above article to the story I posted about SS says, if nothing whatsoever is done, SS fund, as is, will still cover its financial obligations through 2046, and at least 80% after that.
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 06:39 PM
Also note that there is NOTHING in the proposal that encourages/forces the insurance companies to take in those with prior conditions.
As is, people like me are UNINSURABLE, and that is unacceptable. If I don't see a solution at the federal level or state level in the next ten years, I will be forced to move to another country.
In the meantime, I'll check the chatline again.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070123/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak_trial
Lawyers paint Libby as sacrificial lamb
{{{Cue the maudlin violins....}}}
Ally your state pool offers should take you although their premiums are high. I believe as long as you have not had a 63 day gap in coverage they can't exclude for pre existing conditions. While I now understand the plan will only tax those plans valued at $15,000 or higher and may actually save a few thousand dollars fo those of us already in good healthcare plans, I just don't see how offering $180/month savings will entice many lower income folks to then spend $500-$1000 month for family coverage. Another problem would likely be that those employers providing the $15,000 plus coverages would in all likelihood reduce those coverages, avoid the tax consequences, and generate minimal revenue doing nothing to reduce the 48 million without coverage. We have a serious healthcare crisis choking our corporate competiveness, this does nothing to help businesses or lower income folks with their healthcare crisis. Its just not a serious plan and should be scoffed at as not understanding what it is doing to this country.
again Nonny since Rove has already been insulated from prosecution and Libby will claim lawyer/client privilige regarding notes and conversations with Cheney this is the perfect foil. Its what we call the rabbit trail defense; hoping Fitzgerald and the jury will be sidetracked over Rove and Cheney who they know won't be prosecuted.
The problem with your theory of just saving for your own medical care and go without insurance, is that hospitals and medical providers charge 2 to 3 times more for the same medical procedure to the uninsurred. I am sure oncall can back me up about that.
In re: the thread header, IMHO the reason why there are not more protests is that they appear to have no effect.
There were unprecedented protests, worldwide, leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Millions of people clogged streets in every major country. And what happened? We invaded anyway.
Every protest since then, no matter how large or small, has been met with the same deafening silence by the media, the politicians of all stripes, and the "deciders".
While I applaud the effort and the intent of the protesting (and have participated in some myself), perhaps what we have is a failed strategy and we need to rethink. I hate to kill the optimism, but all the protesting in the world, even a complete nationwide shutdown (which we all know isn't going to happen voluntarily) is not going to stop this cabal from executing their plans. It's sort of like, say, a blitz defense. Eventually the offense manages to find a way around it, or through it.
Just my two cents.
I am now ready to liveblog the SOTU --
Movement Analysis 'R' Us
We are watching CNN and they just a\said no references will be made to NOLA or reconstruction of the Gulf Coast.
Yeah - cuz NOLA is the symbol of the end of the Bush Regime.
Posted by: karen at January 23, 2007 08:59 PM
They said that earlier today.
They also said Bush has the lowest credibility of any President.
They said he's going to the SOTU with the large majority of people who DO NOT TRUST HIM.
They have been reminding people of his 2000 campaign promises and why poeple trust him LESS than they trust Clinton.
It all started to fall apart after that.
brief grimacing and bracing himself
he appears to be relieved every tine he gets an idea out there
Posted by: V at January 23, 2007 08:43 PM
Yes, sadly many people feel that way. In 2003 with world-wide protests and the UN failure to endorse the Bush-haste, the invasion went ahead. Most people actually got swept along with the fear of what was promised to come. The hype continued long after 9/11 (that date is still mentioned at odd times to incite fear).
But now, with all the lies exposed, people showed in your last election, that they are willing to change buses, if the decision makers pay no attention to their protests.
My view on everything - from peace to Industrial Relations to recycling, conservation and climate change - everything - is that I will add my name, and person, whenever I believe something needs to be changed.
Case in point this week here in Oz: for the very first time in six years our PM (about to lose this year's federal election), has issued an ultimatum to GWB. "You have till mid February to charge Hicks." Or what? you ask. I don't think our PM has thought up the other end of the ultimatum. Even with the undying support and whip-cracking of the Satan-of-all-Refugees, Phillip Ruddock, he could no longer ignore the protests of the legal profession joining the rabble for David Hicks release from Guantanamo.
This would never have happened without the protesters.
Granted it did take protesting members of the upper echelons of society and not just the rabble as we usually are. But hey! It worked. So who cares. Just get people out there. It matters.
He is pressuring on the health care stuff. He gets more sure of himself and pushes his ideas out there.
worried expression and retreat as he talks about immigration. He is bracing himself again.
aha--the nuclear option appears.
MAJOR smirking on the statement aout the up-or-down vote on judges...
much more centered on fighting the terrorists--he is comfortable talking about that.
However, he goes back into shiftiness and smirking as he talks about the terrorists. The rhythm changes, with an underlying wash of weight-shifts, a rote discharge of verbiage, and occasional disconnected gestures that are impulsive and do not underscore what he is saying.
"Protect the American people"--he gets into the only congruent moment thus far as he rises and emphasizes his point with his finger gesture.
up or down on Iraq resolution and stem cell.Up or down, up or down,barf
wow--did anyone catch Condi's look just now?
and what does victory mean?
We are struck by the lack of weight in his gestures--they are quite limp.
"we must not fail in Iraq"--he is literally leaning on the podium to hold himself up.
"we must not fail in Iraq"
Posted by: karen at January 23, 2007 09:48 PM
Do we all have to write that on the blackboard like a zillion times, or what?
What's this WE shit, Homey?
He smirked! Right after he went into his "danger terrorist in Iraq" mode...the Republicans and Cheney stood up and HE SMIRKED. LIcked his lips and SMIRKED
Licked his lips right before he said "Add to the military"
his shiftiness is increasing, and the passive weight drops are increasing as well.
He's talking about using mercenarys now. The same type of mercenaries who have no accountability under the military code. The same ones who torture the Iraqis and steal from us and the Iraqis as well.
Uncaccountable mercenaries.
now he is just hitting his marks. just listing the key words. not much physical support for these ideas.
did he just call for reinstating the draft, where does he think he will find 92,000 more troops; nucaler
Nancy Pelosi is giving Cheney a workout! She is standing up...and he looks at her and has to stand up too.
Nancy...stop standing up. You'll give the heartless wonder a heart attack!
Cheney looks like he is about to fall asleep.
Nutomba is a great Houston Rocket, at least he said something worthwhile tonight.
of course Autrey didn't vote for you and is a better man than you
Wesley Autry steals the show and hugs the military guy. Love it.
In 5 minutes the real state of the union starts.
He is introducing one of our fine courageous heros from Iraq. But why isn't Geoffrey Mallard invited?
Geoffrey Mallard served there too. He has depleted uranium in his body from being shot in IRaq. But Geoffrey was arrested in the Pentagon for leaving material for his superiors to read.
Why wasn't Geoffrey Mallard invited?
My colleague is being interviewed now so I can write and read a little more. This was a difficult speech to watch because we did not see much that was new, but so much of the content and the style are nonetheless disturbing. And the applause seems misplaced.
As the horrors have unfolded over the past few years, this ritual just goes on and on, without any addressing of the truth.
We are not going to be able to listen to the response by Webb, so feel free to post about it.
(We are doing this interview for Polish National Television)
one of the first things Webb referred to was NOLA and wage disparity.
if he does the right thing we will join him, if not we will show him the way. Brilliant. It made my efforts in his behalf really rewarding tonight. Short, concise and persuasive, our Presidential candidates should have listened to this message.
Bubba:
That's our boy! Not a whole lot of fudge words in there. Jim Webb may not be too polished but I think he said it right. "We've heard this energy independence talk for the seventh time...."
Chuck in Houston
PS: Thanks for the good work! Go Commonwealth!
Rep. Slauter ROCKS!!!
"Bush's health plan is allowing businesses to get away from providing health insurance to their employees." (well..approximately what she said.)
D-California---missed the name---
"Most people are earning minimum wage and can not aforrd to pay for his health savings accounts. And this provides an opportunity for employers to refuse to provide insurance"
Nadler--"This speech wasn't different. Repeated things in the past. 6 times in a row talking about energy independence. Everything he says he does the opposite."
chuck I think that this may be only the second SOU that I have listened to and I recall telling my wife I heard his proposal about mileage standards being raised 2 mpg over 5 years, years ago and laughing how modest that was. Webb was right on the mark about this call for energy independence its nothing but rhetoric we have cynically heard over and over again.
From:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/bush-faces-war-sceptics/2007/01/24/1169594339493.html
"On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle,'' Mr Bush said.
"So let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.''
...... Is America going to keep on swallowing and giving standing ovations to this drivel, Madame Speaker?
I thought Madame Speaker was quite wise! I think her activity has eliminated the next two years from Cheney's .... well, he's so tired now, he's going to have to rest for 6 months before he goes and attacks the next country.
Bubba:
"predictable, and predicted..."
I liked that bit.
Chuck in Houston
Good to see they're explaining the ridiculous "health plan" of Bush's.
I went to the whitehouse.gov site to retrieve the printed version of DimWit's speech, 'cuz one sentence caught my attention, delivered almost as a throw-away line:
A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. It would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.
He wants to hire mercenaries! There is no way the majority of age-eligible people will enlist voluntarily, so now he wants to hire people who are mercenaries: like the people who are already in Blackwater, and Halliburton subsidiaries like DynCorp and KBR (Kellogg, Brown and Root)...! They're already getting a five-figure monthly salary... who is going to pay those five-figure monthly salaries, and how wiould the money be raised to pay them...?!?!?
The rest of the speech was typical Bu$h$h!teSpeak. He has no intention of getting out of Iraq. Period.
I did hear it - on radio. Pretty good propaganda writers and his reading continues to improve. Webb was powerful. NPR commentators felt he wrote his own speech, populist and personal. NPR also interviewed a couple of guys gather and well explained
Sure wish I could watch Polish television.
Woz
Not sure if you're up at this hour but the reason the Libby trial is important - not only was a CIA agent "outed" but it was revenge because her husband revealed that the evidence for going into Iraq was false. Hope that's the proper "nutshell" way to explain it. His wife was "outed" as revenge and it's illegal to expose her that way, but the way they did it was even more heinous than that.
My son (political science major) is home from work and didn't get to hear the SOTU but will be glued to the recaps.
actually it almost sounds like he would like to hire Mormon missionaries to convert the infidels. At least that is the way I read the word missions.
I did tape Jim Webb's speech. He was pretty soft on DimWit... until he got to the part about DimWit's war....
GO Webb!!! :-)
Thanks DiAnne - it's just past 3pm Wednesday here. So - did Libby do it or was he set up - was it done for him and to him?
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 11:02 PM
You're right, IMHO. DimWit makes it all sound almost "innocent"....
Karen and everyone - thanks for the commentary - felt like I was watching it myself.
Posted by: woz at January 23, 2007 11:04 PM
It's just after 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday in the US - they won't be going to court until tomorrow morning.
Woz
It looks to me so far like Cheney told Libby and then Libby committed perjury by saying in court that he heard from reporters, but apparently he knew by Monday rather than Thursday, as he said. In other words, he lied. I haven't been able to follow closely because of work and it gets too legally convoluted, but in another "nutshell" one would think that Cheney could be in some trouble. One article referred to the R word, which it turned out meant "resign." One wonders.
Also need to find out more about that case with Blair. Would be nice if the house of cards would fall down at the same time in several places.
woz ,the trial is all about grand jury perjury and perjury to a federal officer, similar to what Martha Stewart was convicted of, not whether or not he outed Ms. Plane.
I thought this was good.
Kerry Says Bush Address Ignores America’s Priorities
WASHINGTON, DC – Senator John Kerry tonight issued the following statement on President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address this evening:
“The President missed a golden opportunity tonight to admit that he made a mistake in Iraq and to share with the American people a plan for gradually removing our troops and allowing the Iraqis to solve the political crisis in Iraq. Instead, he glossed over the disastrous war and its multi-billion-dollar price tag and implied again that our presence in Iraq is somehow improving the situation in that chaotic and turbulent country. The Congress must stand up against Bush’s plan to escalate the war with a new surge of troops and I will be introducing legislation shortly to demand that the Administration set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The President’s address came up short in other areas as well – like his idea to tax worker health benefits and his failure to seriously address the challenge of global climate change. Our economy is headed in the wrong way; wages are barely keeping up with inflation and family income is on the way down,” Kerry said.
More specifically, the President missed the mark on several fronts:
ENERGY: Once again the President only paid lip service to a meaningful energy agenda that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. His record speaks for itself – we’re more dependent on foreign oil than ever before. Tonight the President failed to embrace bold policies to break our oil dependence. The President says the nation should reduce U.S. gas usage by 20 percent over the next 10 years, but a goal without a roadmap for getting there is useless. The President should have included more funding for hybrids and battery technology.
HEALTH CARE: Providing more people with meaningful, affordable health care is a laudable goal, but taxing worker health benefits to get there is a terrible idea. We need to increase the number of insured Americans, not play a shell game that risks coverage for those who have coverage today. As many as 35 million people could face higher taxes under the President’s plan while many millions more will face a choice of higher taxes or inadequate coverage in future. The President’s plan could actually increase the number of uninsured if employers decide to shift the entire premium cost to workers or offer only high-deductible plans.
IMMIGRATION: Once again the President called for immigration reform that includes a guest worker program. I support comprehensive immigration reform and I’m disappointed that President Bush walked away from the issue last congress in the heat of the midterm elections. I hope that he’ll work with the Democratic-led congress to make comprehensive reform a reality.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/sen-webbs-democratic-response-to-the-sotu-the-wars-costs-to-our-nation-have-been-staggering/
Sen. Webb’s Democratic Response to the SoTU: The war’s costs to our nation have been staggering
Printed transcript and nine+ minute video....
Also need to find out more about that case with Blair. Would be nice if the house of cards would fall down at the same time in several places.
Posted by: DiAnne at January 23, 2007 11:07 PM
Wishing's still allowed I think.
Posted by: Bubba at January 23, 2007 11:07 PM
ahh - of course. Thanks Bubba, I knew I was getting tangled up in the wrong issue somehow.
Bubba
You're right - it's about perjury - but as a lawyer, is that because that's all they can get him on? Why isn't outing a CIA agent punished, especially as revenge? & why did Rove get off so easy? What do you think could happen to Cheney?
Well, yes DiAnne. I think that's what's confused me. The issue is serious but the perjury allegations are so obviously corrupted that the original issue is once again relegated to the back bench. Perhaps that is the real purpose of it all - to confuse rather than clarify.
GREAT comments tonight! We had a good time with the Polish TV guys--very nice. Richard is fried after his traveling so we are off to sleep! Will check in manana...
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/libby-sacrificed-to-save-rove/
Libby Sacrificed to Save Rove?
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/will-cheney-resign/
Will Cheney Resign?
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/getcher-polls-here/
Get’cher Polls Here
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/colbert-defends-alberto-gonzalez/
Colbert Defends Alberto Gonzalez
Caveat: Splutter Factor for both Olbermann and Stewart...! Swallow your food or drink and put both down while watching these, especially Stewart...!
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/olbermann-rips-the-fox-nothing-channel/
Olbermann Rips the “FOX Nothing Channel”
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/23/2007-sotu-a-daily-show-preview/
2007 SoTU: A Daily Show Preview
NonnyO - thanks - maybe these sites will clear things a little.
Woz - Actually, the latter I posted because most will get a good laugh out of some of them.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070124/ap_on_go_pr_wh/state_of_union_democrats
Democrats slam Bush war policy
{{{More on link. What did the neoCons think would happen?!? The people of this country are fixated on ending Bush's war. What else did they think we'd want to hear about? Well, we heard. More of the same, which means more people will die for lies and oil. Enough, already! Domestic issues are all good and well, they're warm fuzzy issues (none of what DimWit proposes will benefit anyone but corporations and the very rich, as far as I can see), but we still want the illegal war stopped, we still want Gitmo closed... etc. I know, I know... sounding like a broken record... Congress Critters didn't listen until November, some still aren't listening, and DimWit apparently has ear plugs surgically attached, because he will never 'hear' what the people want... he only hears what he wants to hear....}}}
Same ole same ole...
Anti-surge efforts called enemy hope
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070123-110046-3819r.htm
The next U.S. commander for Iraq told Congress yesterday that pending Senate resolutions against a surge of more than 21,000 troops give the enemy hope by depicting America as divided on winning the war.
Otter,
Could you would you please email me (at the email addy you have for me that is not public)the log from the DCP chat room tonight starting from 9:00 p.m. Eastern time until 11:00 p.m. Eastern time?
LOL- Great Expectations
It was the last thing the White House needed at a time when President Bush is already on the defensive over Iraq: a circular firing squad in a federal courtroom in which the president’s men—and Vice President Dick Cheney’s—are all shooting at each other...
~snip~
Almost no legal experts had expected this plan of attack in the trial, the outcome of a drawn-out investigation into who leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative, to the media...
~snip~
Libby, it was widely thought by legal experts, was going to be the good soldier. He would play it safe at his trial in order to preserve his options; mainly, if convicted, to seek a presidential pardon before Bush leaves office...
'Scapegoat:' Scooter's Stunning Defense
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16778317/site/newsweek/
INSTANT VIEW 2 -Reactions to Bush's State of Union speech
Reuters: http://tinyurl.com/yv6w46
'Listen more' is world's message to US
A BBC international opinion poll suggests there is widespread disquiet about the United States' role in Iraq and its other foreign policy priorities. The BBC's Jonathan Marcus analyses the results.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6288933.stm
Confidence in Bush Leadership at All-Time Low, Poll Finds
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012300787.html
SOU Transcript
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301075.html
Cheney and Pelosi Do the Two-Party Two-Step
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012400024.html
Leave Politics To Us, Warner Tells General
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301306.html
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) asked Army Lt. Gen. David H . Petraeus during his confirmation hearing yesterday if Senate resolutions condemning White House Iraq policy "would give the enemy some comfort."
Petraeus agreed they would, saying, "That's correct, sir."
Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), until recently chairman of the Armed Services Committee and a co-sponsor of one of those resolutions, later explained to the general that he needed to be more careful about appearing to wade into a political debate and warned Petraeus to not let himself be trapped into portraying members of Congress as unpatriotic for disagreeing with President Bush:
We're not a division here today of patriots who support the troops and those who are making statements and working on resolutions that could be translated as aiding and abetting the enemy. We're trying to exercise the fundamental responsibilities of our democracy and how this nation has two co-equal branches of the government, each bearing its own responsibilities.
I hope that this colloquy has not entrapped you into some responses that you might later regret. I wonder if you would just give me the assurance that you'll go back and examine the transcript as to what you replied with respect to certain of these questions and review it, because we want you to succeed.
. . . I'm very proud of this committee and I don't want an impression, certainly among the armed forces, that we're not all steadfast behind them.
Contradictions seen in alternative energy plan
LA Times: http://tinyurl.com/2bbnzf
President Bush's proposals to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 20% in 10 years include more specific and ambitious new goals than in previous White House statements, but they also appear to rely on assumptions about energy markets, politics and technology that some experts say are debatable, and include some apparent contradictions...
Conservative core seeks a contender
LA Times: http://tinyurl.com/ytxe3y
For decades, the conservative movement has been the animating force of the Republican Party, providing the ideas and energy that catapulted candidates to the GOP presidential nomination and, often, the White House.
But as conservatives survey the 2008 field — and, particularly, the early Republican front-runners — many are despairing...
I drank too many diet Cokes during SOU :p
Governor's aides got big bonuses for political work
LA Times: http://tinyurl.com/yo342e
Four senior aides to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were paid nearly a quarter-million dollars in bonuses for political work they performed during the governor's race — money that came from insurers, oil companies, real estate developers and other private interests that contributed to the governor's campaign...
Posted by: aimzzz at January 24, 2007 01:50 AM
Does your Terrorist-in-Chief, the TIC, ever get to see this kind of stuff? Or is he protected from it, like the spoiled brat he appears to be. How often does any one of us get absolutely EVERYTHING so wrong, and still be allowed to perpetuate the consequences of our mistakes?
Maybe that's going to be his legacy - the US President who got every single issue completely wrong.
... and yet, you get a headline like this today from good ol' CNN.com...
"The Ticker: Poll: Bush speech received favorably"
... yet their own CNN QuackVote shows this...
What was your overall impression of the president's State of the Union address?
Positive 37% 12131 votes
Negative 63% 20785 votes
Total: 32916 votes
World Wart XLI