Replies: 33 Comments

Comment #1: ljm said on 2/27/06 @ 10:59pm ET...

I keep asking myself who the 37% are who approve? Cheney is at 18% and still he has his job. Everybody in congress has to reapply for their job this year, so I hope this translates to a takeover for the Dems in congress this year.

Comment #2: Ohiodem1 said on 2/27/06 @ 11:20pm ET...

Let's see . . . Ricin scare, Rice University in Houston, home of the James Baker III Center for International Peace or some such. First test false positive, keeps it in the news for 3 days.

UAE Port fiasco, in news for 1-2 weeks, then buys 6 weeks before 45 day process will reflect a done deal.

1 month ago, false positive in Washington DC garage just as Congress convenes to debate unPatriot Act.

Osama bin Missing tapes on eve of hearings.

Admin stonewalls congressional investigation of Katrina.

Admin stonewalls investigation of intelligence failures (or should we say failures to use correct intelligence accurately).

Admin stonewalls special prosecutor call by Congress on domestic spying and data mining of citizens without warrants.

Maybe it is about time to vote on the unPatriot Act to make the tyranny of the Bush/Cheney admin permanent. This is our Enabling Act.

No wonder they are unpopular. The only ones who approve now are those who are willfully blind or those who stand to benefit by the radical right takeover of America. These people are complicit with the radicals.

It really is time for the Bush administration to go.

Comment #3: Happy said on 2/27/06 @ 11:57pm ET...

I am hopeful that this new activity in response to the current White House's ineptitude will in some way lead to real reform.

Fortunately we have seen what a degenerate and debased people many of our elected officials are (many notable exceptions do apply, congressman Conyers amongst the exceptions).

But now it is up to "we the people" to cause a ruckus and hell storm enough to effect real change. I know that it seems like the corporations have all the power, and that they are networked into the fabric of DC (and states') political power with an impenetrable weave. But it's not impenetrable. We, as a people, can wake up and take it to them, take a stand. We can do the right thing. I know that we can.

Thank you Mr. Congressman, for being a shining beacon of light, hope and truth during these trying times.

Comment #4: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 2:21am ET...

#13 OD1 Last thread

Thanks.

Everyone please read #12 last thread...

Comment #5: feline said on 2/28/06 @ 3:11am ET...

I was glad to hear those poll results reported on CBS. Didn't the Administration say they don't pay attention to poll numbers? I hope Congress and the People continue giving them messages they can no longer ignore.

I second the appeal on #4, please read #12 last thread, please contact Senators Tues. morning regarding Patriot Act. It's a very scary (and I think, UNCONSTITUTIONAL) piece of "legislation"!

Comment #6: Rusty said on 2/28/06 @ 4:01am ET...

Bush at 34 percent . . .

This requires providing some perspective:

That's 65 points lower than Alma's job approval rating here on ConyersBlog.

It's 38 points lower than President Clinton's job approval rating on the day he was impeached by the GOP House "so the rule of law would prevail."

That's 5 points lower than Nixon's job approval rating on the day he resigned in disgrace.

This UAE port scheme could be the ultimate smoking gun that finally destroys these criminals. More revelations like the Coast Guard's objections will sink the fact even through the thickest American skulls that Bush et al are corporate fascists motivated by greed and nothing else.

If the GOP keeps wavering and ends up supporting this deal, they'll lose so much support from voters even Diebold won't be able to save them this fall.

Americans may still see detention camps, but they'll be filled with 50,000 Beltway Republicans and K Street goons if this weekly GOP demolition derby keeps waking the dead in cemeteries all over America.

Comment #7: Nolip said on 2/28/06 @ 7:11am ET...

'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.' Lord Acton, 1887

'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Bad men are almost always very ammoral men.' BushCo's Approval Poll '06.

Comment #8: Nolip said on 2/28/06 @ 9:32am ET...

Bush and the Truthiness Taliban

"Responding to the Army's decision, Hallburton watchdog Rep. Henry Waxman said: "Halliburton gouged the taxpayer, government auditors caught the company red-handed, but the Pentagon ignored the auditors and paid Halliburton hundreds of millions of dollars and a huge bonus."

It's truthiness as government policy.

Right now, Stephen Colbert is smiling. The rest of us should be outraged."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/bush-and-the-truthiness-t_b_16460.html

Comment #9: unspun said on 2/28/06 @ 10:15am ET...

I'm sure the Prez & VP just don't understand why the "Amurican" people are being so hard on them. Maybe it's time for those faux Christians to go to Bible Study: Proverbs 16:18 -- "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (KJV)

Comment #10: sanitysojourner said on 2/28/06 @ 11:17am ET...

Yes, the polls are encouraging. However, it's hard to celebrate the low polls (reflecting back, by the way, the low esteem that this administration has for the people). While this administration has clearly failed the electorate, the dems have done nothing to help. A quote from Steve Clemons' at The Washington Note:

We have done little to accomplish these things as the constructive opposition. Until we do, my sense is that Bush will ignore public approval ratings....

For the complete post, go to this link and scroll down to Clemons' response to Susan.

The bottom line: without a strong opposition, this administration can keep rolling along.

Think where we would be if more of the dems stood tall, had a platform and made waves.

Comment #11: feline said on 2/28/06 @ 1:24pm ET...

Wife of Military Officer in Iraq to Testify Before House Appropriations Committee

Seven Arrested In Protest at White House

Both articles at afterdowningstreet.

I want to continue to bring attention to the fact that citizens are working hard to save our Democracy. We can do this!

Comment #12: Jay Lechnyr said on 2/28/06 @ 2:44pm ET...

Ohiodem1
The patriot act is not the instrument that keeps neocons in office. They have diebold and gerrymandering for that. They don't dare use it to cancel elections and dismiss congress; not as long as they have diebold.
Besides, we're going to need the patriot act if we are to clean up this admin's mess.

But then, look - diebold keeps getting into financial trouble. They're poorly managed and their stock is erratic. But I don't think they are cash poor. If not for that, I'd say they were ripe for a hostile takeover. Maybe there is some way we can force a change of ownership in that company. Maybe we can change things around so completely, that the repugs will be the one's crying for an investigation.

Well, I don't happen to know any multibillionaires, but maybe enough people could get together to buy stock in a stockholding company... I happen to know that a lot of the dems in this country would be more than happy to open their wallets a lot further if they were called to buy stock in a diebold takeover. I don't know about the legalities of what I'm suggesting so please advise. If we asked for the aid of all the democratic campaign solicitors both state and federal, would they legally be able to raise money to buy a business?

Liberals are known for turning 'nearly impossible' into 'merely impossible'. After all, we were the one's who put a man on the moon.

Comment #13: Nolip said on 2/28/06 @ 2:50pm ET...

A President elected on the say so of a terrorist...what's wrong with this picture?

Report: Bush says bin Laden helped in election

"WASHINGTON - President Bush said he believes his 2004 re-election victory over Sen. John Kerry was inadvertently aided by Osama bin Laden, who issued a taped diatribe against him the Friday before Americans went to the polls, The Examiner newspaper reported on Tuesday."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11604530/

Comment #14: feline said on 2/28/06 @ 3:30pm ET...

#13 Nolip,
After reading the article at the above link, makes me wonder if Osama will suddenly send a tape saying he hates the Republican members of Congress right before the elections this year.

Fortunately, I'm beginning to think it's possible not even Diebold and Osama can save the Republicans this time. Members of the military, including national guard are fed up, as mentioned here and on DailyKos. If the Administration is thinking the same thing, what election "strategy" are they going to create next?

Comment #15: Ron said on 2/28/06 @ 3:30pm ET...

Jay I couldn't let # 37, two threads ago stand without a reply!

Jay if you actually mean what you just wrote,you are a sick person !
Your answer to fascism is Fascism?
That makes a hell of a lot of sense.
How about justice?
Are you willing to torture those not willing to tell the truth and reveal what we already know,that ALL those involved with Bush ,belong in prison!
How can anything justify Fascism?What would make you anything different from them?

If we get the right person in office, we have all the time in the world,to bring those criminals to justice.If justice is real,those people will pay for their crimes. The world is not big enough to hide from ALL those that they have hurt! You couldn't pay pay me enough to be on their side,or become one of them just to bring them to justice.

Comment #16: Ohiodem1 said on 2/28/06 @ 3:46pm ET...

Jay, Ron, I joined the same discussion in #39 on the same thread.

I agree with Ron and stated my reasons why.

Jay, I know we all want to defeat the evil that is the Bush administration, but we cannot stoop to their level.

Comment #17: LeslieB said on 2/28/06 @ 3:49pm ET...

How deep do the connections between the Bush administration and the UAE go, beyond Treasury Secretary Snow and Bush's maritime guy David Sanborn? During Reagan and Bush Sr., the BCCI was based in the UAE and helped launder monies for Iran-Contra.

Comment #18: Ohiodem1 said on 2/28/06 @ 3:54pm ET...

Feline #5 - I agree that the patriot act is unconstitutional, but when did the constitution ever stop this administration and its enablers? (google enabling act)

Enabling Act vs Patriot Act comparison

Comment #19: Patriot said on 2/28/06 @ 3:54pm ET...

About Bush's comment that Osama helped him get elected, I was living in teacher housing with several Muslims when that tape was played on the news. I asked them who Osama wanted to win the election and if that's why the timing of the tape was. They said, everyone of them said, "Yes, Osama wants Bush to win so they can continue fighting. Osama supports Bush for president. Without Bush the fighting would end."

Comment #20: Nolip said on 2/28/06 @ 4:24pm ET...

Bush is so full of surprises, you can't keep the heat on any one story line because the whole frickin' kitchen is going up in smoke...

"Whatever happened to the NSA spying furor?
Ports tussle overshadows action in Congress on secret surveillance program"

"WASHINGTON - When the New York Times revealed late last year that the Bush administration was conducting a surveillance program to listen in on American citizens’ conversations with suspected al Qaida operatives, it sparked a furor.

Some Democrats said President Bush had willfully broken the 1978 law banning warrantless domestic surveillance by ordering eavesdropping on U.S. citizens."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11607917/from/RS.3/

Comment #21: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 4:58pm ET...

I'm really glad those involved with the Patriot Act renewal compromise kept quiet and slipped this one by without saying a word. Thanks for keeping people informed.

I found a grand total of one website last night out of millions that reported on the 22nd that a vote was going to occur on the 28th. Now the final vote could occur as early as tomorrow.

Feel like you had your say!!????

Bloomberg: Cloture passes 69-30

Today, Reid joined Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, in voting against shutting off debate on the proposed changes. It required 60 votes to end debate.

In a statement, Leahy accused the Senate Republican leadership of ``abusing its power to choke off debate on this important bill.''

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, succeeded in preventing further amendments to the plan.

Feingold on Counterpunch

Comment #22: koryannder said on 2/28/06 @ 5:00pm ET...

I disagree. Bu$h doesn't surprise any more. The electorate, (except for his hypnotized 'base') knows perfectly well that if it's a choice between what's good for the Country and what will fatten his - or one of his cronys' - wallet, but is unpatriotic, he comes down on the side of the money every time. We are in the saddest of situations - a Country with a pResident who does not give even one small damn about the people of the Country he allegedly leads. Funny thing is, whenever one of his toadies has had a sudden rush of patriotism to the brain, Bu$h immediately fired him. That sort of behavior is not conducive to his getting good advice. Wonder how much the UAE are paying him - or his daddy. But the electorate is finally waking up - with Bu$h's popularity approaching Congress's, and both in the lowest figures, you'd expect a massive change - but with the "Terror" act they are planning - and blaming on Iran, the following war on Iran, and the damnably crooked Diebold and ES&S machines, we are looking at a sure recrudescence of the Rethuglican Congress, unless the machines are used for their only decent purpose - boat anchors. It is high time for some patriotic Democrats to learn how to hack those machines, and turn in a few Republican precincts with ZERO Republican votes, as happened in Ohio to the Democrats in 2004; THEN we might see Rush Holt's Bill getting some consideration in a Rethuglican-controlled Congre$$. No - - - I'm not recommending that Democrats do anything illegal - after all, if it's not illegal when Republicans do it, how can it be illegal if Democrats do it? Sauce for the goose, etc. Think about it.

Comment #23: LeslieB said on 2/28/06 @ 5:03pm ET...

Regarding the Bush administration's $ties$ to Dubai and the UAE:

Daily Kos's Anacher Forester had a post up a few days ago connecting James Baker, of Baker Botts, to the Dubai deal too. Bush put James Baker in charge of handling Iraq's debt, and Baker Botts just opened an office in Dubai, which is a money laundering, arms and drug smuggling capital of the world. James Baker was also involved with BCCI and Iran-Contra in the 1990s. What a coincidence?

Comment #24: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 5:14pm ET...

I've called and written my Senators the last two days. I've written the media asking for coverage....but NO!!! The Nazi SS is one step away people! Starting as early as tomorrow!

Comment #25: Genghis Khan said on 2/28/06 @ 5:18pm ET...

Did I see something a day or two ago about those "lost" Cheney emails being "found" at the White House?

Does this mean Fitzgerald rolled a low-level IT staffer and now has the evidence in his hands?

Comment #26: Ohiodem1 said on 2/28/06 @ 5:34pm ET...

Patriot #19 - Bush rewards those who help him get elected and to advance other political objectives. Is Osama bin Missing because he is getting a Bush payoff?

I never in my life would have ever considered saying something like that about any president before this one. Letting Osama go is of course a treasonous act because it provides aid and comfort to our enemies, and has put over 200,000 of our service people in harm's way, with over 2275 deaths so far, including 10 in just the last few days. If the Bush admin has made linkage between Osama and Iraq/Saddam as justification for war, then giving Osama a pass is providing aid and comfort to our enemy, and keeping our troops in harm's way.

Nolip #20 - So much stuff is coming out because the Bush admin feels that they can get away with ANYTHING and cannot suffer any consequences. Damn the entire world, and particularly those in the USA who disagree.

Reed #21 - The passage of the patriot act renewal is the official document that signifies the Bush admin's and the Radical Republican Congress's complete and total capitulation in the War on Terror. Passage of this unconstitutional law means without any doubt that the war on terror is lost and Osama has won.

I am embarrassed that at least 11 Democrats failed to stand up for America, failed to stand up to the President George W. Bush, and created the condition where the Republican Majority will vote to trash the constitution for all time.

Korryander 22 - I agree with everything except the hacking for votes. We cannot stoop to their level, to do so means that the R's have won. We have to find our reserve of toughness, and stand up to this onslaught on our freedom.

LeslieB - Nothing the Bush admin does surprises me any more either. They do not think that even when they are caught, they will have to pay price for it.

This is why I advocate Impeachment for all in the Bush administration for the simple reason that the Constitution, in Article II prohibits the president or any future president from exercising a Pardon for any official who has been Impeached and Convicted. This is the only path that makes any sense. Impeachment can only happen with a Democratic victory in November.

It is time to jettison fear, and to elect Democrats and Independents who are not in the pockets of any politician or any special interest/PAC/Lobbyist. This is the only way.

Comment #27: feline said on 2/28/06 @ 5:44pm ET...

#18, thank you for the link. I was actually doing research on a similar topic over the weekend, studying comparisons between propoganda theory in Mein Kampf and current Administration. However, I am not familiar with the Enabling Act, I will be researching that.

It is tragic how remiss the media and congressional websites have been in informing the public on the unPatriot Act; even "alternative" media websites have been remiss in recent days. I contacted CBS to thank them for the story on the polls, but I also reminded them that they have a responsibility to cover current actions in Congress, including and especially the Patriot Act. I also emailed Kos to ask why there wasn't a more aggressive exposure of citizen action on the issue there. And, obviously my Senators, like most, didn't respond to my opinions.

So, what happens next? We keep speaking out, and hopefully don't suffer from the "you're with us or against us" Bush rhetoric. But, continue to speak we must. And, perhaps the Administration will derail itself, despite the lack of responsible actions on the part of majority of Congress. JC, and all, just keep shining light!

Comment #28: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 5:45pm ET...

Forbes: Iraq spiriling downward

The title says, "Civil War Looms."

1300 dead last week....It's arrived, who are they kidding. Stay the course. We are making progress. Yada yada yada.

Well they met their goal. Complete chaos. Civil war in Iraq has arrived. This fire will not be extinguished.

How soon until Saddam Hussein is standing side by side with Bushler? Could start tomorrow with the vote on the Patriot Act.

Comment #29: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 6:42pm ET...

#26 OD1: Try this! This may surprise you.

Discovery channel video never aired Conspiracy of Silence

After veiwing the film, ask yourself if you see any parallels related to events occuring today. Abramoff-Delay, silencing the media, going after the whistleblowers, promoting those involved, deflecting the blame, etc.

Are you enraged yet? The actors have not changed. Combine this film with the film, "The Hunting of a President" and a very crystal clear picture comes through.

Comment #30: Ohiodem1 said on 2/28/06 @ 6:44pm ET...

Reed #28 - In September, 2004, Bush downplayed the possibility that Civil War had a high probablity in Iraq as the CIA was "just guessing".

Well, the CIA "guessed" right. This is just one more example of George W. Bush ignoring GOOD intelligence, plowing ahead no matter the consequences, commiting our troops to more time in a deteriorating situation with no hope of a good outcome. The chaos ensures that the cry will be to keep our troops "fighting the terrorists over there so we won't have to fight them over here". How many times have we all heard that mantra? Who can believe it anymore?

The civil war predicted by the CIA is hitting just about the time they said it would hit. I have to believe the $8.8 Billion unaccounted for by the CPA must be finding its way into the coffers of insurgent groups, warlord militias, criminals and the like. The millions of pounds of explosives, RPG rounds, AK-47's, AK-47 ammunition, high explosive materials under IAEA seal were all left unsecured and available to be looted and used against our soldiers. Was that incompetence or collusion in creating the conditions in Iraq that would create a justification for keeping our troops in Iraq forever, or at least the next 50 years, or until the oil runs out and the nation has been bled dry. The Bush admin cannot plan for a hurricane that they had a week's advance notice of, they cannot plan for peace after a war, they cannot plan for securing a defeated nation, but they can plan to loot Social Security to the benefit of their Wall Street investors, they can plan to creat chaos, they can plan a propaganda campaign for war, either against Iraq, with Saddam being the devil (propaganda theory always requires that a devil or a person be demonized so that the population can be manipulated into hatred for a person, and the personification is the object for whom we must go to war for). How may times did the Bush admin say the word "Saddam"? How many times did they say Iraq? We could be rational about Iraq, a defeated third world country just trying to survive, but we found a way to make Saddam an object of hate, enough hate to go to war with him. This is war propaganda 101. I can provide some references later.

Look who the Bush admin is demonizing in Iran. They're next. According to the Bush admin planning for war, Syria will just be a skirmish. Iran is a united country, 5 times as large as Iraq, with a motivated army willing to fight. It will be no cakewalk. Watch the Bush rhetoric. Its coming.

Comment #31: Reed31463 said on 2/28/06 @ 8:16pm ET...

OD1,

Agreed, screw up just enough to keep troops there until the oil is gone and the old cold war Army equipment is destroyed and/or worn out.
In recent days alone, Bush has been confronted with a surge in violence in Iraq that could derail U.S. hopes of significant troop withdrawals this year,....

2008 will see the first of the new War Machine.
The number of brigades equipped with future combat systems technology was accelerated under the restructured plan. The first FCS unit will be fielded in fiscal 2008, with 32 brigades so equipped by fiscal 2014. Under the old plan, the first unit was set for 2012.

Meanwhile, our kids are being used to further an agenda against their wishes. It also appears that they are still being fed the lie that Iraq was complicit in 9-11.

Zogby Poll: Troops Want Out
Although Mr Bush has acknowledged that Iraq played no role in September 11, 85 per cent of the troops said the US mission was mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9/11 attacks”.

Comment #32: Reed31463 said on 3/1/06 @ 1:21am ET...

Ref: Broken link in comment # 21.

This one should work.

one website

Comment #33: Frosted Flake said on 3/1/06 @ 3:33am ET...

This is not a coincidence

There are certian things which you neccesarily plan to do, when you plan to do certian other things. When you plan to create a system of concentration camps, you neccesarily also plan to put people in them. This is what concentration camps are for.

Yes, this is very obvious, but I wouldn't want it to be overlooked.

34% ? Well, let me see. What would I talk about if I wanted to see less? Off hand, I think I would mention where we are going to wind up, if we don't change direction. I think I would bring up the ENDGAME.

I appreciate this forum.
Frosted Flake