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WashTimes Op-Ed: "The Senate must reject Mr. Fox."
The Moon-owned Washington Times, which no one in his/er correct mind would ever call a left-wing or even a centrist newspaper, published this op-ed piece by Wade Sanders this morning.
Key point: you don't have to be a bleeding heart liberal to know that Sam Fox should not, repeat *not*, be confirmed by the Senate to a plum job as ambassador to Belgium -- no matter what his good buddy Heckuva-Job-Bushie thinks.
Please feel free to contact your favorite senators and remind them that dishonest fat-cat greedheads like Sam Fox should never be rewarded by being handed cushy gigs that they are not even remotely qualified for -- especially this particular dishonest fat-cat greedhead.
(FYI's: Sanders is former deputy assistant secretary of the Navy. Former secretary of the Navy Jim Webb has stated that he will under no circumstances vote to confirm Sam Fox. Fox's nomination is currently on hold but is still pending a confirmation vote at some point.)
As the skipper of a Swift Boat during the Vietnam War, I recently watched with interest as Sam Fox, a Missouri multimillionaire, small-talked his way through a confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the United States ambassador to Belgium. ... I have no personal interest in Belgium, but one feature on Mr. Fox's long list of support for all things Republican caught my attention: "Foxy," as President Bush affectionately calls him, had donated $50,000 to the distasteful smear machine known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth during the 2004 election.
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but one of the lessons drilled into me by the military and preserved through the memory of friends who were lucky enough to come home from Vietnam alive, is that truth matters above all else. And as a military man, it doesn't matter much who is being attacked -- John McCain, Max Cleland, John Kerry, or Jack Murtha -- I just don't believe that assaults on the military records of veterans belong in our politics. Nor do I believe that those who finance smears of decorated Vietnam veterans deserve to represent America on the world stage.
[snip]
So I read with great interest the hoopla over Mr. Fox's confirmation hearing. Given the long history of campaign contributions that Mr. Fox has spread around, it's no surprise that he had strong support from the Bush administration. Sure, "Foxy" lacks any background whatsoever in Belgium -- he can neither speak the language nor provide any hint of knowledge about the country, its culture, its people or its government. His background includes buying companies and making money -- not diplomacy.
[snip]
Make no mistake: I remember. Mr. Fox had helped bankroll one of the nastiest, dirtiest negative campaign ads of the entire 2004 presidential campaign, if not in presidential history. But it was more than that. It was personal to me. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth sullied the reputation of one of the Navy's bravest, most dedicated fighting forces. Again and again I see the word "Swiftboating" used as a pejorative -- not the valiant, honorable term it was nearly 40 years ago when young men gave their lives on the Mekong Delta.
[snip]
Those of us who are real swift boaters know something about judgment and responsibility for our decisions. We live with the consequences of war every day. All decisions have consequences -- and so should Mr. Fox's decision in 2004. The Senate must reject Mr. Fox. We need to hold our public officials to the highest standards of integrity, judgment and honesty, and we need to honor the values that the Navy taught young men decades ago.
FBI "Lost Track" of use of Patriot Act
http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/03/09/606197.html&cvqh=itn_patriotact
Should we be paranoid they may look at our stuff or because they are another lumbering, bungling branch of bureaucracy?
Priests to purify site after Bush visit
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.
"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday.
(snip)
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=456&sid=1083092
Are you troubled yet? If not, you will be soon enough:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3151093
Are you troubled yet? If not, you will be soon enough:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3151093
I remember these meetings and how riled up we were over them back then. It just got so much worse...and worse...and the lies just piled up, until now, when we are sitting on such a huge pile of dung that we are stinkin' up the whole planet.
On the thread header: good for Wade. Getting the truth into the warmonger's media is essential. America is waking up OH so slowly, but articles like this one do make a difference.
Sometimes other people say what we want to say better than we can say it ourselves:
"The Iraq Study Group said it, John Kerry said it, Chuck Hagel said it, John Murtha said it .... now the leader of the 'new Iraq surge strategy', General Petraeus has said it, 'There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq.' Yet our leaders continue to send our young people to die."
http://tnparadise.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-are-we-fightin-for-iraq-surge.html
It may have sounded harsh, or frank, when I told my fundie aunt to be careful who she voted for from now on as she was helping take her brother-in-law preacher who had had a stroke and his wife to Fargo to the VA hospital. I didn't say it in a harsh tone, however.
The latest is they have no bed for him in Fargo so he has to stay closer to home, then they may just send him home to get his rehab from home. Sound familiar? Gee, I just saw something about this kind of thing on Bob Woodruff's special about vets in rural areas not getting quality rehab.
Sigh. The preacher's wife still contends that they get "very good care" from the VA.
I hope he does get good rehab once he's home, but we will see...
Truth Shall Prevail
Oh man - that brings back memories of being IN the Fargo VA cafeteria etc. - my dad used to go there for some of his problems, though he was in a nursing home in Jamestown. Funny how certain memories are brought to the foreground and things can seem closer to home.
Lots of negotiating going on in the House. Some of the "Blue Dogs" do not want ANY dates for exit. In the bill there is some language that says Bush has to come back to Congress before invading Iran and some of the blue dogs do not even want THAT. They do not want "the President's hands tied."
They lost a few members of the Out of Iraq Caucus today. There is a lot of pressure on these folks.
There is some money for Katrina victims in the supplemental as well.
Posted by: karen at March 8, 2007 08:23 PM
@@@@@
Who are the Blue Dog Democrats? - names, and contacts. I think we have to put pressure on these folks.
Karen
When Congressman McDermott spoke to some of us recently about his travels in the middle east, he gave us a reference for such maps & discussion of them. Anyone who was aware that some factions never wanted us to leave Iraq without a ground war in 1991 might have guessed that there were plots to go back in.
What bothers me now is that even plans to increase biodiesel rather than rely on fossil fuels have all the hallmarks of continuing cronyism. Bush met with Silva in Brazil yesterday about making ethanol from sugar cane. The articles about protests talk about how the cane workers will be exploited by the owners. Then the new articles about who has now joined the international ranks of billionaires include one such cane plantation owner.
It would be optimal if new technologies were in the hands of those who will use them and if they owned them but it looks like the same cronies will try to latch onto the means of production at the expense of the common worker.
Bush stood almost alone in rejecting the Kyoto treaty yet now calls himself a steward of the environment. He champions ethanol but his ulterior motives are 1) controlling the ethanol market along with Brazil's upper crust, 2) leveraging against Hugo Chaven and his oil reserves, 3)cornering the corn market. It's not about the environment and in fact will hurt the rain forests.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/americas/features/article_1275189.php/Ethanol_Washingtons_biological_weapon_against_Chavez
2/3 of the world's billionaires are worth more than they were a year ago.
& now Newt Gingrich blabs to Focus on the Family about how even though he divorced and he had affairs while trying to get Clinton impeached, he didn't commit perjury. Focus on the Family loves a sinner. They may even take Haggard back into the fold. & Giuliani is blasted for his personal life & the firefighters' union doesn't like him, yet he is hailed as the frontrunner for the Republicans in today's analyses.
Yet in Free Republic's straw poll, Gingrich beat Giuliani hands-down and McCain and Romney were almost nonexistent. Gingrich wasn't & isn't running, but he was the favorite by a long shot. He may be confessing before he can be "outed" and as a step to announcing his candidacy. If he ever won, he would be even worse than Bush because he's smarter.
Noam Chomsky guests at the Guardian's blog today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2030015,00.html
Ok, back to work
Excerpt - isn't this special?
In the west, any wild statement by President Ahmadinejad is circulated in headlines, dubiously translated. But Ahmadinejad has no control over foreign policy, which is in the hands of his superior, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The US media tend to ignore Khamenei's statements, especially if they are conciliatory. It's widely reported when Ahmadinejad says Israel shouldn't exist - but there is silence when Khamenei says that Iran supports the Arab League position on Israel-Palestine, calling for normalisation of relations with Israel if it accepts the international consensus of a two-state settlement.
The US invasion of Iraq virtually instructed Iran to develop a nuclear deterrent. The message was that the US attacks at will, as long as the target is defenceless. Now Iran is ringed by US forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and the Persian Gulf, and close by are nuclear-armed Pakistan and Israel, the regional superpower, thanks to US support.
In 2003, Iran offered negotiations on all outstanding issues, including nuclear policies and Israel-Palestine relations. Washington's response was to censure the Swiss diplomat who brought the offer
Ralpheh,
If you're going to ask for info about Blue Dog Democrats, then this is probably as good a place as any to start doing your own research for your own answers on the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Democrats
Please read and comment:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/9/15957/13061
Brazil protests
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6433977.stm
The Kos story is about Tina Richards and her rise as a media star today, based on the confrontation she had with Cong. Dave Obey a few days ago.
It is a painful story, though. Good people want to end this war, and good people do not agree on how to do that in the best way.
Please comment over there, as the discussion is unfolding about this difficult subject.
Oh--and come to Washington. I know I sound like a broken record (for those of us who remember broken records), but it's TIME.
Internal memos tell government biologists what they can and cannot talk about re climate and environment
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,470865,00.html
Posted by: karen at March 9, 2007 04:02 PM
Painful is right. The level of frustration must be overwhelming. There is no joy in this.
I heard Tina did well on Hardball tonight. Did anyone see it?
First the FBI "lost track" of how they used the Patriot Act.
Now the government has "lost" information pertaining to high-value terrorist suspects.
http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2007/03/09/606519.html&cvqh=itn_padilla
I know they've cashed my income tax check but who knows where it will end up - probably financing some junket.
Not too long ago I attended an event hosted by Congressman Jim McDermott, highlighting his visit to the middle east, where he asked various representatives there what they thought should be done about the quagmire we're in.
Now I see thi, which is current.
Yesterday, members of the Iraqi parliament representing all of those parties—Fadhila, Allawi’s bloc and the Sunni parties—held an unprecedented teleconference with a dozen members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, an event organized by Representative Jim McDermott (D.-Wash.). Fadhila’s Nadim al-Jaberi took part in the teleconference, and he minced no words. “Putting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is a very important step in giving Iraqis confidence that the occupation will end,” he said. Jaberi also added that by quitting the UIA, Fadhila has permanently splintered the Shiite bloc. “We have opened a very wide door in redrawing the Iraqi political map,” he said, hinting that Muqtada al-Sadr’s party might walk through that door and join the new bloc.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/03/09/iraq_pulled_out_or_pushed_out.php
This is very close to what he predicted when we saw him. I was just sent this by a friend from Vets for Peace here, who was at the same event I was.
FBI admits to abuse of Patriot Act
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=FT&Date=20070309&ID=6596705
Posted by: DiAnne at March 9, 2007 07:12 PM
Yes, that teleconference was discussed at Busboys last night. We heard that Cong. Wayne Gilchrest (a Rep. from MD and a decent guy, although he has sided with the Bush Admin. too often) was truly moved and concerned -- it really affected him.
Gael Murphy pointed out that Code Pink had wanted to bring the Iraqi Parliamentarians over here to talk directly with Members, but they were all denied visas.
Clearly, Members of Congress are feeling this war emotionally now. We are too--and we ought to be communicating and sharing our concerns with each other openly. They need us too.
Oh--and come to Washington. I know I sound like a broken record (for those of us who remember broken records), but it's TIME.
Posted by: karen at March 9, 2007 04:02 PM
You are not the only one sounding like a broken record. I'm guilty too and so are at least a few others among us.
It's tough for me in SoCal to get out there to DC, but if I have another good excuse to get away from work, I will definitely pitch in again.
Posted by: not my president at March 9, 2007 03:47 PM
To my gaping amazement, early-morning in-state TV (CBS affiliate) broadcast the info about the S. American protests more than once, and at the top of the half hour this morning.... I almost passed out from shock.
Posted by: not my president at March 9, 2007 11:08 AM
They may have to purify the shrine more than once, given the extent of the evil emanating from Georgie and his minions....
http://www.americanprogress.org/cartoons/2007/03/030907_bush.html
Support the Props
http://www.msnbc.com/comics/daily.asp?sFile=nq070309
Non Sequitur [The Preconclusive Bulsheep]
Karen
Here is a link to my story about the original middle east plan proposed by those McDermott met during his "listening tour" - I think it has some overlap with what he presented to Congress but now he's including people directly from the Iraqi government. This plan and video that I talk about was shown to any Congressman that was interested, after he got back, and we saw it here.
http://silencedmajority.blogs.com/silenced_majority_portal/2007/01/listening_to_vo.html#comments
VICTORY: NEVADA DEMS CANCEL FOX TV DEAL -
Dear activists, colleagues and friends,
We have a terrific victory to enjoy today. The Fox News sponsored Democratic presidential debate in Nevada has been cancelled. Activists all over the country came together -- from the netroots to grassroots to MoveOn to bloggers to the film we at Brave New Films created -- in a stunning and powerful rejection of the myth that Fox is a news station.
For those of you who have helped spread the word by spreading our Fox Atacks: Obama video far and wide. Thanks for amazing work. If you missed it, check it out here:
We want to continue the work of calling attention to the distortions, lies and propaganda that is Fox News. Please help support our continuing efforts:
1. Donate to Fox Attacks.
2. Watch Fox News and identify local advertisers.
3. Subscribe to the News Hounds weekly newsletter. They watch Fox so you don't have to!
Enjoy this important step in making very clear we will not accept propaganda as news any more.
Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New Films team
------
You're receiving this because you've hosted a screening, purchased a film, or otherwise signed up to receive it. You can unsubscribe here: http://bravenewfilms.org/unsubscribe.php - Brave New Films is located at 10510 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 - info@bravenewfilms.org
Ralpheh
Congratulations to all who made this possible - & thanks for the links!
What?!!
"Zell Miller: abortion has shrunk our military, hurt social security, caused illegal immigration"
Zell Miller, the former Democratic Senator from Georgia who backed President George W. Bush in 2004 and spoke at the Republican National Convention, recently told an anti-abortion gathering that the "killing" of unborn babies was the cause of many of America's woes, including its military, social security, and immigration problems.
"How could this great land of plenty produce too few people in the last 30 years?" Miller asked. "Here is the brutal truth that no one dares to mention: We’re too few because too many of our babies have been killed."
Miller claimed that 45 million babies have been 'killed' since the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade in 1973.
"If those 45 million children had lived, today they would be defending our country, they would be filling our jobs, they would be paying into Social Security," he asserted.
More at. . .
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Zell_Miller_Abortion_has_shrunk_our_0309.html
Yes I heard Arbusto on the way home - talking down to various leaders in South America (about "democracy" and "the people") and answering questions from reporters FOR President Lula ("Yes I'll answer that for you. We can't have fair trade.")
It occurred to me that someday he'll probably (ghost)write a book - didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He'll alternate between narcissistic delusions of grandeur and martyr.
Can anyone explain to me why the U.S. President is represented by a floating, damaged, Roman legionnaire's helmet?
-- Ron, Dublin, IRELAND
During the first years of Dubya's presidency, the former governor of Texas was represented in the strip by a cowboy hat (as in, "all hat and no cattle") floating over an asterisk (referencing his contested ascension). With the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003, the commander in chief donned a more appropriate piece of headgear -- a Roman helmet, whose horsehair crest has, like his imperial presidency, deteriorated over the course of the war.
http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/faqs/faq_ch.html
So I read Zell Miller's bio and found this seminal entry:
Less than a month after the Korean War ended, Miller wound up in a drunk tank in the North Georgia Mountains. Miller claimed later that this incident was the nadir of his life. Upon his release, Miller enlisted in the Marines.
Fiction...???
I just watched most of NUMB3RS... and the episode had to do with how to rig voting machines so it couldn't be detected.
Math geeks would probably get the statistical jargon, but the rest of it I got (fiction or not).
Those of you on the west coast should be able to see the whole thing if you're interested....
I don't know if re-runs are shown online on CBS or not, but it was an interesting show.
Posted by: not my president at March 9, 2007 10:15 PM
And if Zell Miller's mother had had a spontaneous abortion (aka miscarriage) when she was pregnant with him, the world would have one less idiot to contend with~!
Why would anyone want to keep the population growing if they knew the fate that awaited their offspring was to fight in an illegal, unjustified war that profited only the warmongers...?
Birth control (even without abortion) keeps population numbers low enough to feed and clothe offspring. Overpopulation means starvation - if one's offspring are not killed in someone's war for profit....
Seriously. Zell Miller needs to get a brain transplant.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070309/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq
Democrats link pet causes to troop plan
WASHINGTON - Democrats seeking votes for their Iraq-withdrawal plan have stuffed the bill it's in with billions of dollars for farms, flu preparedness, New Orleans levees, home heating and other causes.
{More on link... sigh....}
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070310/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/national_security_letters
Gonzales, Mueller admit FBI broke law
WASHINGTON - The nation's top two law enforcement officials acknowledged Friday the FBI broke the law to secretly pry out personal information about Americans. They apologized and vowed to prevent further illegal intrusions.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales left open the possibility of pursuing criminal charges against FBI agents or lawyers who improperly used the USA Patriot Act in pursuit of suspected terrorists and spies.
{{{An apology is too little too late. What about investigation into your role in this mess, eh Godzilla??? You and your bosses were the ones who approved and pursued all of these illegal activities!!! How about some impeachment charges somewhere along the line so the top criminals are not let off scot-free...?}}}
Turn Off the Life Support: America is Dead
By Doug Thompson
Turn off the life support. Disconnect the IVs. Bring in the priest for last rites. The US of A is brain dead with no chance for revival.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17265.htm
{{{Gives one pause to think.... Our once-vibrant country is gone, power given to Georgie and Dickie by the 109th Congress, in particular (MCA '06, especially), the balance of power is gone and the "leader" of this nation has sanctioned torture and prison camps and illegal wars (all war crimes) in our name, and MCA '06 gives the dictators free reign never to be tried for war crimes. What, pray tell, is left? So far, the 110th Congress is all talk, no action. They may be "trying" - but "trying" is no longer good enough. They are going to have to DO SOMETHING... or else we just simply will not have a country left by the '08 election cycle (we only have the shell of a country left now); Georgie and Dickie will likely declare a dictatorship and martial law at this rate, because they danged sure do not want to stop their illegal war where so many are dying for lies and oil. I do not see a way out of this mess until/unless Congress decides to restore the balance of power per the Constitution and impeach the bam dastards....}}}
Beyond Quagmire
By Tim Dickinson
The war in Iraq isn't over yet, but -- surge or no surge -- the United States has already lost. That's the grim consensus of a panel of experts assembled by Rolling Stone to assess the future of Iraq. "Even if we had a million men to go in, it's too late now," says retired four-star Gen. Tony McPeak, who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War. "Humpty Dumpty can't be put back together again."
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17270.htm
Excerpt:
McPeak: This is a dark chapter in our history. Whatever else happens, our country's international standing has been frittered away by people who don't have the foggiest understanding of how the hell the world works. America has been conducting an experiment for the past six years, trying to validate the proposition that it really doesn't make any difference who you elect president. Now we know the result of that experiment [laughs]. If a guy is stupid, it makes a big difference.
Yes, last night's episode of 'NUMB3RS' is available to watch online: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/numb3rs/
Remember "Leave It To Beaver" ? (click on my name)
Postal Service aims to save with independent (non-union) carriers
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/34467.html
Urban America has long been the exclusive enclave of letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
These workers -- who pledge not to be slowed by rain, hail, sleet or snow -- are instantly recognizable in their distinctive uniforms or vehicles with the steering wheel on the right side.
No longer.
Looking to cut costs nationwide, the Postal Service will now award contracts to nonpostal employees for deliveries in large new housing tracts, usually located on the fringes of cities.
These independent contractors don't get benefits. They drive their own cars. The only sign that they are associated with the Postal Service may be a badge at their waist or hanging from a lanyard around their neck.
... Postal officials say that in a competitive business environment, the move will save the agency money because the private contractors aren't paid benefits and use their own vehicles, among other savings.
Officials said postal patrons will see no change in service levels. But the union that represents the letter carriers says handing over urban delivery routes that have historically been handled by Postal Service employees will mean a drop in quality.
Posted by: not my president at March 10, 2007 12:04 PM
When the US postal service started paying money to a bike rider, I quit using snail mail unless forced to do so (to pay bills).
The US postal service can save a heckuva lot of money by not supporting a stupid bike rider (who had other sponsors paying him millions!), and by not advertising on TV. We all know what the US postal service is for. They don't NEED to advertise on TV or put their logo on the suit of a bike rider.
I don't care how many prizes he's won or how many kinds of cancer he has. The US postal service has NO business supporting a bike rider who just refuse to grow up and get a job like everyone else (since it's obvious he has no other talent than bike-riding), nor paying for ads on TV and then add insult to injury and turn around and raise the cost of postage, which means we support those same over-age children and ad agencies and TV stations the US postal service pays.
And we all know what happens when corporate "private contractors" start running government businesses....
NonnyO
It's Grover Norquist's wet dream
Posted by: Otter at March 10, 2007 05:27 AM
Pretty interesting show, eh? Pretty brave of CBS to air a show that shows precisely how an e-voting machine can be rigged to fix an election and not have it detected by anyone except a math whiz....
It always surprises me when ABC (noted most recently for reich-wingnuttia christian content in their infotainment snooze, if their teasers for the "news" shows is any indication) still runs shows like Boston Legal which tackles other "hot button issues of the day" and has legal arguments that point out the logical fallacies in such things as the Patriot Acts [sic] and torture policies, etc....
I was vastly amused when I ran across something on an openly infotainment show (can't remember the title of it; something I normally never watch, however) that indicated CBS evening snooze is last in evening snooze ratings, in spite of the hype about Couric. The 'constructive criticism' of the show, the reason 'viewers' gave for not watching it, was that it was running "soft news" stories, not hard-hitting news. The first show featured the newest baby of a celebrity couple followed by the bombshell that they were airing a new opinion segment and one of their first opinion-based guests was Rushie McLimpDick.... Geez. Whatever gave the rating agencies their first clue that Couric was going to fail?!? (When I watch evening news, I watch BBC on PBS which airs at the same time as national network evening snooze, and I still refuse to watch network snooze for their lack of news content, lack of FACTS....)
Posted by: not my president at March 10, 2007 12:47 PM
Norquist doesn't have much of a sex life if pandering to corporate America is the only thing that can give him wet dreams....
Posted by: not my president at March 10, 2007 11:57 AM
Gee, that's a nice dress you have on today, Mrs. Cleaver...
FBI Abuses May Lead to Patriot Act Limits
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031007Y.shtml
Angry lawmakers on Friday threatened to amend the USA Patriot Act and limit the FBI's powers in the wake of a disclosure that agents had improperly obtained confidential records of people in the United States. A scathing report issued Friday by the inspector general of the Justice Department found widespread problems in how the FBI has used a form of administrative subpoena - known as a national security letter - to gather phone, bank and credit information on thousands of citizens without court oversight.
Excerpt:
The inspector general's report resulted from a concession made to Democrats and other critics of the Patriot Act during the debate over renewing the law last year.
The Bush administration had fought new restrictions on the use of national security letters but acceded to the inspector general conducting periodic reviews for the public.
~~~~~
{{{"May" lead to limits??? And now we know the answer to our queries about why the administration caved when they gave in so easily last year - they knew about these abuses all along! Er..., well, I remember asking why they 'voluntarily' gave in so easily last fall, so I surmise these abuses were known about by the criminals in charge all along.... If they had been following the law as originally written, as all good boys and girls do who are not connected to the administration, no one would have asked any questions. I just wish Congress Critters would stop "threatening" to DO SOMETHING to stop Georgie and Dickie and their ilk, and JUST DO IT!!! All talk and no action just gets us mired down in endless blather and bluster and bluff (not to mention people killed and tortured for lies and oil in an illegal war and in illegal prison camps), and Georgie and Dickie and their evil minions continue breaking even the relaxed laws passed by previous congresses because now the MCA '06 gives them dictatorial powers....}}}
Probe Into Firing of US Attorneys Reaches White House
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031007Z.shtml
A congressional investigation into the firings of eight US attorneys reached into the White House on Friday, with Democrats saying that they'll call in President Bush's former counsel Harriet Miers and other unidentified White House officials for interviews with the House Judiciary Committee. Lawmakers have been asking whether the federal prosecutors' offices have become tainted by partisan politics. Until Friday, the official inquiry had ended with the Justice Department.
{{{Of course those offices are 'tainted by partisan politics!' They get their jobs by presidential appointment, fer pete's sake (and by this particular "pResident" to top it all off)! They only lost their jobs because they haven't kow-towed to the administration fast enough; they're still living under the delusion that we have a republic as given to us by the Founding Fathers, not a dictatorship under MCA '06 or other nasty legislation going back to shortly after Georgie was sworn into office. I just hope the people being 'invited' for 'interviews' will be grilled before committees UNDER OATH.... The Dems are not on a mission to chat up a date, after all, so all people "interviewed" need to be treated as "hostile witnesses under oath...."}}}
The Blue Dog "Democrats" -
give them a call!!!
Joe Baca (California)
John Barrow (Georgia)
Melissa Bean (Illinois)
Marion Berry (Arkansas)
Sanford Bishop (Georgia)
Dan Boren (Oklahoma)
Leonard Boswell (Iowa)
Allen Boyd (Florida), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
Dennis Cardoza (California)
Ben Chandler (Kentucky)
Jim Cooper (Tennessee)
Jim Costa (California)
Bud Cramer (Alabama)
Lincoln Davis (Tennessee)
Jane Harman (California)
Stephanie Herseth (South Dakota), Blue Dog Whip
Tim Holden (Pennsylvania)
Steve Israel (New York)
Jim Marshall (Georgia)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Mike McIntyre (North Carolina)
Charlie Melancon (Louisiana)
Mike Michaud (Maine)
Dennis Moore (Kansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
Collin Peterson (Minnesota)
Earl Pomeroy (North Dakota)
Mike Ross (Arkansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
John Salazar (Colorado)
Loretta Sanchez (California)
Adam Schiff (California)
David Scott (Georgia)
John Tanner (Tennessee)
Gene Taylor (Mississippi)
Mike Thompson (California)[2] Elected In 2006:
Mike Arcuri (New York)
Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
Brad Ellsworth (Indiana)
Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
Baron Hill (Indiana)
Tim Mahoney (Florida)
Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania)
Heath Shuler (North Carolina)
Charlie Wilson (Ohio)
Disgruntled postal worker (on privatization of post):
It all has to do with Bush appointing 7 of the 11 on the Postal board of governors. They want to privatize the whole thing so they can let out bid contracts with their cronies reaping the big profits and them paying the workers min wage with no benefits. Its sick and its going to destroy the postal service just like they have destroyed about every other aspect of US life.
Red stater (on Zell Miller comments re "dead babies"):
This is more scary than "The Shining!"
He reminds me of that guy in Cool Hand Luke who tell's Paul Newman: "What wehave here, is a failure to communicate, boy!"
How did this illiterate miller monkey become the Senator of Georgia? He isthe village idiot.Zell Miller is ready for the rubber room!He needs to be excommunicated and deported. We can do this an exchangeprogram for Cat Stevens, yes?
Blue Dog, Rep. Moore opposes escalation:
QUOTE
It is absolutely imperative that the U.S. move toward a new policy in Iraq, building an international consensus for stability in the country and the region. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to develop a policy that ensures the safety of our troops and our overall military strength, while calling on the Iraqis to stand up and face the internal political crisis in their country.
More Information: Moore Opposes Troop Escalation
And here's the missing link for that:
http://www.moore.house.gov/nr.asp?nr_id=470
Why are there so few comments about the thread head? One of the things that especially concerned me about Mr. Foxs nomination was Claire McCaskill's public support of his nomination. Yesterday I received an e-mail from her office and replied expressing my displeasure with her about this matter. I have not heard back (it is the weekend, and I don't expect to ever hear a thing).