Larry Craig " You don't know me."
28 December, 2008
republicans can't resist themselves
Chip Saltsman, a Tennessee Republican who is seeking the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, sent a CD of holiday music to committee members earlier this month. That CD contained a Rush Limbaugh song titled "Barack the Magic Negro."
When the pompous GOP, six months before the next election, promises a big tent, everyone welcome, these songs and this CD will remind everyone what the true GOP core values are ... and it ain't pretty.
Intelligent people are appalled but there are always some who are politically undereducated will try to make this sow's ear into a silk purse ... with lipstick
When the pompous GOP, six months before the next election, promises a big tent, everyone welcome, these songs and this CD will remind everyone what the true GOP core values are ... and it ain't pretty.
Intelligent people are appalled but there are always some who are politically undereducated will try to make this sow's ear into a silk purse ... with lipstick
republicans controlled by right wingers
The Senate refused to cut off a filibuster against the bill to provide bridge loans to General Motors and Chrysler. All the signs are that the stimulus spending will also be opposed by congressional Republicans, whose shrunken ranks are increasingly dominated by right-wing Southerners who care not what their stance does to harm the party's national image
No Republican House members are left in New England, and they have become ever scarcer in New York and Pennsylvania and across the Midwest.
Even though Bush later used his authority to provide the auto bridge loans, the defeat of this legislation by Republicans in Congress will not be forgotten when GOP senators run for reelection in 2010 in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
All the signs are that the stimulus spending will also be opposed by congressional Republicans, whose shrunken ranks are increasingly dominated by right-wing Southerners who care not what their stance does to harm the party's national image.
It will also echo in industrial states such as Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, California, New York and New Jersey, when Republicans try to challenge for Senate and House seats.
Congressional Republicans will again sacrifice their political interest to satisfy their Southern half-baked ideology.
No Republican House members are left in New England, and they have become ever scarcer in New York and Pennsylvania and across the Midwest.
Even though Bush later used his authority to provide the auto bridge loans, the defeat of this legislation by Republicans in Congress will not be forgotten when GOP senators run for reelection in 2010 in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
All the signs are that the stimulus spending will also be opposed by congressional Republicans, whose shrunken ranks are increasingly dominated by right-wing Southerners who care not what their stance does to harm the party's national image.
It will also echo in industrial states such as Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, California, New York and New Jersey, when Republicans try to challenge for Senate and House seats.
Congressional Republicans will again sacrifice their political interest to satisfy their Southern half-baked ideology.
27 December, 2008
republican mentality
Chip Saltsman, a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent committee members this month a holiday music CD that included "Barack the Magic Negro," a parody song first aired in 2007 by talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
Another candidate to lead the GOP, South Carolina party chair Katon Dawson, drew headlines this fall by resigning his membership of 12 years in a whites-only country club, weeks before launching his run for the national job. These are the republicans that have taken over the republican party.
Another candidate to lead the GOP, South Carolina party chair Katon Dawson, drew headlines this fall by resigning his membership of 12 years in a whites-only country club, weeks before launching his run for the national job. These are the republicans that have taken over the republican party.
21 December, 2008
Obama
In addition to good specific policy decisions, Obama wants us to feel two years from now that while our government is not perfect and there are some things he does that get on our nerves; we feel like government is working for us, we feel like it is accountable, we feel like it's transparent, we feel that we are well informed about what government actions are being taken, we feel that he and his Administration admits when they make mistakes and they adapt to new circumstances and information on our behalf.
16 December, 2008
evidence needed for successful prosecution
Washington is full of people who call themselves ambassadorsand the like, and all they did was pay $200,000 or $300,000 to the Republican or Democratic Party. A prosecutor needs recorded proof or testimony that a a favor or money was solicited in exchange for and in advance of appointing a crony or anyone to a political job.
15 December, 2008
secret wiretapping of USA citizens
read the below excerpt of a shocking story of secret wiretapping of our citizens by our government:
Thomas M. Tamm was entrusted with some of the government's most important secrets. He had a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, a level above Top Secret. Government agents had probed Tamm's background, his friends and associates, and determined him trustworthy
In the spring of 2004, Tamm had just finished a yearlong stint at a Justice Department unit handling wiretaps of suspected terrorists and spies—a unit so sensitive that employees are required to put their hands through a biometric scanner to check their fingerprints upon entering.
While there, Tamm stumbled upon the existence of a highly classified National Security Agency program that seemed to be eavesdropping on U.S. citizens. The unit had special rules that appeared to be hiding the NSA activities from a panel of federal judges who are required to approve such surveillance.
When Tamm started asking questions, his supervisors told him to drop the subject. He says one volunteered that "the program" (as it was commonly called within the office) was "probably illegal."
Thomas M. Tamm was entrusted with some of the government's most important secrets. He had a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, a level above Top Secret. Government agents had probed Tamm's background, his friends and associates, and determined him trustworthy
In the spring of 2004, Tamm had just finished a yearlong stint at a Justice Department unit handling wiretaps of suspected terrorists and spies—a unit so sensitive that employees are required to put their hands through a biometric scanner to check their fingerprints upon entering.
While there, Tamm stumbled upon the existence of a highly classified National Security Agency program that seemed to be eavesdropping on U.S. citizens. The unit had special rules that appeared to be hiding the NSA activities from a panel of federal judges who are required to approve such surveillance.
When Tamm started asking questions, his supervisors told him to drop the subject. He says one volunteered that "the program" (as it was commonly called within the office) was "probably illegal."
American torture
read today:
Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj was released from detention at Guantanamo Bay Thursday after more than six years in custody and was being repatriated to Sudan, his lawyers said.
Reprieve, the legal action charity that represents 35 Guantanamo prisoners including al-Haj, said the Sudanese cameraman was seized by Pakistani forces on December 15, 2001, apparently at the behest of the U.S. authorities who suspected he had interviewed Osama bin Laden. The group said that "supposed intelligence" turned out to be false.
"This is wonderful news, and long overdue. The U.S. administration has never had any reason for holding Mr. Al-Haj, and has, instead, spent six years shamelessly attempting to turn him against his employers at Al-Jazeera," said Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve's Director who has represented al-Haj since 2005.
Khanfar added that al-Haj's wife and child were flying from Doha, Qatar to Khartoum immediately to see him.
Al-Haj had been on hunger strike for about 16 months and the military had been force-feeding him through a tube inserted into his nose, said attorney Zachary Katznelson, who met with al-Haj at Guantanamo on April 11.
Shortly after the meeting, Katznelson said the cameraman was "emaciated" because of his hunger strike. The lawyer also said al-Haj had recently been having problems with his liver and kidneys and had blood in his urine. "He looks really ill," Katznelson said at an interview at the base hours after their meeting.
Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj was released from detention at Guantanamo Bay Thursday after more than six years in custody and was being repatriated to Sudan, his lawyers said.
Reprieve, the legal action charity that represents 35 Guantanamo prisoners including al-Haj, said the Sudanese cameraman was seized by Pakistani forces on December 15, 2001, apparently at the behest of the U.S. authorities who suspected he had interviewed Osama bin Laden. The group said that "supposed intelligence" turned out to be false.
"This is wonderful news, and long overdue. The U.S. administration has never had any reason for holding Mr. Al-Haj, and has, instead, spent six years shamelessly attempting to turn him against his employers at Al-Jazeera," said Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve's Director who has represented al-Haj since 2005.
Khanfar added that al-Haj's wife and child were flying from Doha, Qatar to Khartoum immediately to see him.
Al-Haj had been on hunger strike for about 16 months and the military had been force-feeding him through a tube inserted into his nose, said attorney Zachary Katznelson, who met with al-Haj at Guantanamo on April 11.
Shortly after the meeting, Katznelson said the cameraman was "emaciated" because of his hunger strike. The lawyer also said al-Haj had recently been having problems with his liver and kidneys and had blood in his urine. "He looks really ill," Katznelson said at an interview at the base hours after their meeting.
10 December, 2008
Obama's cross to bear
In a Nov. 11 phone conversation with an aide, Blagojevich talked at length about "Candidate 1" and said he knew that Obama wanted her for the open seat but "they're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. (Expletive) them.
One day later, Jarrett, a Chicago businesswoman who is one of three co-chairmen of Obama's transition team and was a high-level adviser to his presidential campaign, made it known that she was not interested in the seat.
And, on Nov. 15, Obama announced that Jarrett would be a senior White House adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations.
Obama has maintained a cordial but distant relationship with Blagojevich during the governor's tenure. He supported his fellow Democrat for re-election in 2006, even though the governor backed someone else over Obama in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race in 2004.
One day later, Jarrett, a Chicago businesswoman who is one of three co-chairmen of Obama's transition team and was a high-level adviser to his presidential campaign, made it known that she was not interested in the seat.
And, on Nov. 15, Obama announced that Jarrett would be a senior White House adviser and assistant for intergovernmental relations.
Obama has maintained a cordial but distant relationship with Blagojevich during the governor's tenure. He supported his fellow Democrat for re-election in 2006, even though the governor backed someone else over Obama in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race in 2004.
07 December, 2008
Obama, another great judgment
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary, turning to a former Army chief of staff once vilified by the republican Bush administration for questioning its Iraq war strategy.
In 2003 when Shinseki testified to Congress that it might take several hundred thousand U.S. troops to control Iraq after the invasion. Republicans Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, belittled the estimate as "wildly off the mark" and the general was marginalized and later retired from the Army. He was right, those republicans were wrong.
Again, the republican Bush administration was wrong in underestimating the amount of funding needed to treat thousands of injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
General Shinseki has a record of courage and honesty, and is a bold choice to lead the VA into the future. "You must love those you lead before you can be an effective leader," he said. "You can certainly command without that sense of commitment, but you cannot lead without it. And without leadership, command is a hollow experience, a vacuum often filled with mistrust and arrogance."
In 2003 when Shinseki testified to Congress that it might take several hundred thousand U.S. troops to control Iraq after the invasion. Republicans Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, belittled the estimate as "wildly off the mark" and the general was marginalized and later retired from the Army. He was right, those republicans were wrong.
Again, the republican Bush administration was wrong in underestimating the amount of funding needed to treat thousands of injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
General Shinseki has a record of courage and honesty, and is a bold choice to lead the VA into the future. "You must love those you lead before you can be an effective leader," he said. "You can certainly command without that sense of commitment, but you cannot lead without it. And without leadership, command is a hollow experience, a vacuum often filled with mistrust and arrogance."
05 December, 2008
Republicans against helping homeowners
With the Bush Republican administration adamantly opposed, Congressional Democrats could take up the FDIC's plan when they return for a lame-duck session next week. Or the plan could set the stage for a new foreclosure prevention initiative once President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.
At Friday's hearing, lawmakers complained that the Bush administration is ignoring the will of Congress and slighting homeowners on the verge of foreclosure in its latest approach to spend $700 billion in economic rescue money.
At Friday's hearing, lawmakers complained that the Bush administration is ignoring the will of Congress and slighting homeowners on the verge of foreclosure in its latest approach to spend $700 billion in economic rescue money.
Republican economics
Employers slashed 533,000 jobs in November, the most in 34 years, catapulting the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent, dramatic proof the country is careening deeper into recession, and that doesn't include those who are off the unemployment rolls.
The carnage — including the worst financial crisis since the 1930s —is hitting a wide range of companies.
The U.S. tipped into recession last December 2007, a panel of experts declared earlier this week. Since the start of the recession, the economy has lost 1.9 million jobs.
The carnage — including the worst financial crisis since the 1930s —is hitting a wide range of companies.
The U.S. tipped into recession last December 2007, a panel of experts declared earlier this week. Since the start of the recession, the economy has lost 1.9 million jobs.
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