Replies: 48 Comments
Comment #1: The Forest said on 3/9/06 @ 12:40am ET...
Absolutely disgraceful, indeed.
To partially repost:
Here's my challenge to the Senate Democrats:
As Glenn Greenwald explains very clearly March 8th on his blog [glenngreenwald.blogspot.com or click above], the sham Republican-run subcommittee that will be proposed in legislation as a substitute for a FISA Court judge's review of signals intelligence eavesdropping is simply a blatant COVER-UP.
Therefore, EVERY "Democrat" in the Senate MUST filibuster this proposed legislation if and when it hits the floor. We learned last November, thanks to a CIA slip of the tongue, that CLASSIFIED intelligence operations in this country are funded to the tune of $44 BILLION dollars EVERY YEAR. And the Congress of the United States MUST stand up to DEMAND FULL oversight by the 35 Intelligence Committee members who are (alone) tasked with that challenge. A challenge that Republican Party tyranny is hindering in the Legislative Branch, by way of threats from the Executive Branch which is now operating with NO oversight of its intelligence operations of ANY kind.
The brilliantly principled Lewis Lapham of Harper's Magazine quietly said something at the impeachment forum he hosted the other night with Rep. Conyers, that has stayed with me. The more I think about his comment, the more effective it seems. I believe that it is, in fact, a weapon the Democrats must use to STAND UP for our Constitution, by way of filibusters such as this, in the face of media criticism, and Republican taunts. Lapham's comment, and I suggest a powerful retort by Democrats to labels and accusations of "partisan" action, is:
'The media [or 'You' or 'The Republican Party'] seem(s) to labor under the misapprehension that we have two branches of government whose names are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. I remind you that in fact we have three co-equal branches of government as established by our Constitution: an Executive Branch, a Judicial Branch, and a Legislative Branch. I am doing my sworn duty as a member of the Legislative Branch of our government to check and balance the Executive Branch. Any questions?'
Comment #2: Rusty said on 3/9/06 @ 4:56am ET...
Actually, as the Moscow Times notes, there is only one branch of government in the United States--the fascist branch. There are a couple of little twigs on that branch, the legislative twig and the judicial twig, but they're hardly worth mentioning.
We're lucky Ronald Reagan won the Cold War single-handedly without firing a shot, because now we can read a real newspaper like the Moscow Times and use ours to line litter boxes with.
Way to go, Gipper! I knew you were bound to accomplish something worthwhile sooner or later. You adopted Michael and everything sort of went to hell after that, but at least you gave us the Moscow Times.
Russians recognize fascism when they see it. Fascists killed 25,000,000 of them in World War II. Remember that war? It was in all the papers.
It all started when this guy named Adolf W. Hitler vowed to protect the German people from their enemies. That sounded like a good idea to the German people. Enemies were BAD. The German people were GOOD, except for those perverted Jews, homosexuals, liberals, intellectuals, loose women, and reporters, who couldn't be trusted.
Conveniently for Adolf W. Hitler, enemies just kept popping up all over the place. The only solution of course was to defend Germany in Austria. Before anyone could say Deutschland Uber Alles, Adolf was defending Germany in Czechoslovakia, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, North Africa, and Russia.
50,000,000 people died because Adolf W. Hitler vowed to stay the course and keep defending the German people from evildoers until he prevailed or Germany ran out of soldiers, whichever came first.
Sound familiar?
Today's front page of the Moscow Times has an interesting front page photo of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov explaining the consequences of fascism to Condi Rice.
Condi wins the coin toss and elects to receive
Comment #3: Reed31463 said on 3/9/06 @ 5:05am ET...
Bush has waged an unrelenting war on the fragile biosphere of the planet Earth, the only place in the universe we know of, where life exists, and is what we call home. The Forest, an extremely patient lifeform, has grown extremely weary of the loss of his niches and biodiversity, for which he has housed and has tried to protect from the these incessant attacks! In response, The Forest has stepped up his efforts to lead America back to sanity.
I echo The Forest's call to arms, and I would like to add, if I may, some direction to that call.
Without further ado, for those of you who cares about Liberty, Freedom, & Democracy, but you are asking yourself, "What can I do? I don't have a lot of money or the time to go around to different rallies, marches, demonstrations, write letters to newspapers or donate to congressmen for that matter. Well, I am glad you asked.
In so far as you are reading this post, I will have to assume you are well versed with the issues, or are trying to become familiar with the issues, and you find that this forum is an outstanding reference for the truth and alternative viewpoints.
That being said, ask yourself, "Are your US Senators and Representative representing your beliefs and values?" If you answered 'yes' to all three, consider yourself lucky. Call each of them once a month and tell them, "Hey, good job! Thanks!"
But if you answered 'no' to any of the three, have you told them so?
Why not?
If you don't like how they are representing you, and you haven't told them how you feel, you have no one to blame for what happens except yourself.
So the short answer to the question, "But what can I do?" is: 1) Keep reading Conyersblog so that The Forest, JC, Rusty, OD1, Bill_O_C, Alma, Frosted Flakey, Patriot, sanity, feline, Tahoe, Jay Lechnyr, Nolip, Truth-ia, Spice (koryannder), Airport (DTW06), Ron, Genghis's lawyers, Citizen J, LeslieBold oops, Slow Hand (clapton), Aretha (Fatlady), Uncle Earle, Counselor Troy, and member1056 (an escapee from Area 51) can give you the ammunition you need.
Oh and I forgot to mention Yahtzee. Never listen to that guy. He spews forth random words that make no sense. Take everything he says with a grain of salt, because whether he tells the truth or not, it's a crap shoot from post to post.
2) Now that you are loaded with the best ammunition, deliver it on target. Make that one call, or two, or three, depending on how UN represented you are, and tell them how you feel. 15 minutes tops to make phone calls to all three phone calls.
3) Now, here comes the tricky part. Do it again tomorrow and then again, the day after tomorrow. Pretty soon, the idea is going to sink in: We the People are taking over Democracy again!
So, if someone tells you, "...but what can I do?", answer their rhetorical question and tell them. "Make three phone calls a day." That's it. Just call and tell them how you feel. Besides, the phone has been glued to your ear while driving anyway, so take the 15 minutes from your day to Save Democracy.
And don't forget to be thankful for The Forest. as you pass him traveling down the road. He has taken all the abuse he can from the humans.
===========================================
PNACers, corporate sycophants, and media charlatans,
Stop with your delusions of grandeur.
All the money in the world is not going to stop this train, because the word is out and your little game was discovered a too early.
Your selfish perverted plans for power and world domination through control of the remaining precious Natural Resources have failed.
There is still enough democracy and TRUE American Patriotism left in this country, and while you weren't looking, it has also shifted and begun to sprout in other parts of the world.
You have turned the people of the world, and all those in other countries against you. There is NO PLACE left for you to hide!
Comment #4: MAX 1 said on 3/9/06 @ 5:18am ET...
What must the Republican Party, or more specifically, members of the Republican Party experience so as to wake up to the facts that abundantly show the criminality of this Administration? SERIOUSLY.
That is my honest question to anyone who works inside Congress as a member for either party. Our president and his Administration are treated with kid gloves and are consistently protected from harm, be it from the outside in or inside out.
Bush, the kid who coyly bats his innocent eyes at Congress, not with just crumbs on his face but with his hands in the cookie jar, is all but given the proverbial condescending pat on the head and is sent on his way with the slightest admonishment, "Now George, you know better."
My Grandmother would do that to me because she cared about my well being. But she never held me to anything higher. Why? She was one parent step removed. And if I was too full for dinner she could simply turn to my mom and rattle off the reasons as to why my mother needs to do a better job of watching what I eat.
America is suffering that same parent trap. With the exception being a role reversal thrown in on top of it all.
Congress acts like the aged grandparent to the childishly contemptible George. And it is the public that needs to behave as the superior to his insubordinate ways. It is not supposed to work this way. We are all supposed to be adults and behave with a modicum of responsibility to our positions.
Congress serves the people's needs. Congress gets elected by the people. And Congress can be replaced by the people. And for many, this time and tried test will prove itself in 8 months.
Why do Democrats roll over and play dead on these issues? Slight of attempting to save face? Afraid to act with an ounce of accountability? I'm at a loss to explain. There are ways.
Oh, that's right. Democrats abdicated those options long ago in a vein attempt to seem to act with a sense of solidarity to Democracy. Well now, since the people are the parent, I must call upon the words of my mother to her mother, "You let him eat out of the cookie jar and didn't do anything about it 'cept give me grief for your complacency. Well that's mud on your face, now isn't it? MOM"
Might we have to wait until the people do the unthinkable? Scold their supposedly wiser and most trusted elders?
What a shameful day it will be when the people rise up against their Congress's ineptitude and wage their articles of impeachment against their Government. Vermont is only one state in the Union that is well on this way.
All of this can be prevented.
Mr. Conyers,
You are a fine example of the responsibility necessary to make change and to force the required accountability to take place. There truly needs to be more like you.
Comment #5: Rusty said on 3/9/06 @ 6:05am ET...
Forest, Reed, and MAX 1,
Good posts! I'm fresh out of metaphors and analogies, so I'll just say keep up the good work, keep the faith, and pass the ammunition.
Well . . . that kind of drifted into a metaphor, but it was an accidental one.
MAX 1, ask and ye shall receive:
"At Conservative Forum on Bush, Everybody's a Critic
By Dana Milbank
Author of the new book "Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy," Bartlett called the administration "unconscionable,"
"irresponsible," "vindictive" and "inept."
(He left out "fascist", but 4 out of 5 isn't bad)
. . . speaker No. 2, conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan, author of the forthcoming "The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It; How to Get It Back," called Bush "reckless" and "a socialist," and accused him of betraying "almost every principle conservatism has ever stood for."
(I didn't know conservatives had principles, but Bush is recklessly betraying everyone, so Sully gets a 8 from the American judge and a free copy of the Constitution, autographed by JC.)
"This is a big-government agenda," Sullivan added. It is fueled by a new ideology, the ideology of Christian fundamentalism. The bearded pundit offered his own indictment of Bush: "complete contempt" for democratic processes, torture of detainees, ignoring habeas corpus and a "vast expansion of the federal government."
(Bush stole two presidential elections too, but who wants to dwell on all the gory details right before lunch?)
"Bush is not a responsible human being; he is a phenomenally reckless human being," Sullivan proclaimed. "There is a level of recklessness involved that is beyond any ideology."
"Gosh," Boaz interjected. "I wish we had a senior White House aide up here."
(They're usually barfing up their waffles by noon, Boaz. You might want to try scheduling a pre-breakfast forum and limit the attendance to deaf-mute Republicans
with Attention Deficit Disorder. Better yet, call your GOP buddies on the Hill and demand Impeachment.)
Republican Kool Aid junkies experiencing withdrawal symptoms
Comment #6: Nolip said on 3/9/06 @ 7:51am ET...
Congressman Conyers,
Someone as erudite and intelligent as yourself has to realize that the Rethuglican side of the aisle needs to receive complimentary strait jackets for all their hard work at destroying not only the Constitution but the very fabric of democractic society through their lame, albeit powerful, displays of cronyism, lawlessness and shameless treasury gutting to name a few. Please continue the fight and please hold up the mirror to this bunch of uglies who think they're the bell of the ball when they're really messengers from hell (ask the folks in Iraq...they'll tell you). You're not alone in the fight. It's just too bad some of us citizens couldn't get up in front of Congress and give the Rethuglicans a piece of our minds in order to wipe that self satisfied smirk off their faces. They are so out of touch with what's going on out here that the only way they can figure it out is because somebody took a poll.
Comment #7: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 8:21am ET...
JC - What do you expect from the Chicken Stonewalling Republican Congress?
I also agree with Max 1 above that many Democratic MC's have also failed to stand against the abuse of our constitution in any meaningful way, you and a few others excluded from that assessment.
I hear an echo of the Senator Daschle swiftboating as an "obstructionist" and then having unlimited Republcan money thrown at the troublemaking Democrat that makes he or she fear for their continued employment in Congress. In fact, I think that if more MC's did not look at their membership in the formerly greatest deliberative body on Earth as a job, but a duty, on both sides of the aisle, then the battleship Bush will be run aground.
It IS time to obstruct the rampant criminality, corruption and lying of the Bush Administration. There is no more time to keep our powder dry. We need to hammer away at the misgovernment and stealing.
Comment #8: Nolip said on 3/9/06 @ 9:10am ET...
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS LAUNCHED AGAINST DIEBOLD IN FLORIDA!
"Leon County Election Supervisor Alleges 'Breach of Contract' After Security Test Revealed Hackable Elections Possible on Diebold Optical-Scan Systems!
E-Voting Monolith and 'Competitors' All Refuse to do Business with County Unless the Elected Ion Sancho is 'Removed from Office'"
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002519.htm
Comment #9: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 9:21am ET...
#8 Nolip - The wheels of justice? turn very slowly in Florida.
Think about how long that it has been known that Rush Limbaugh (who admitted was a drug addict on radio), and think how long it has taken Florida to bring charges against Mr. Limbaugh. I am sure Mr. Limbaugh has hired the best Trial Lawyers that Money Can Buy to keep it in motions for nearly ever.
Did you ever notice that Republicans hate Trial Lawyers until they need one. I sense that 2007 will be a great year for Trial Lawyers protecting Republicans.
Comment #10: Truth_in_action said on 3/9/06 @ 10:25am ET...
Rawstory's feature "Ask Congress" is selecting questions for Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader.
Article and instructions to send email for response by Nancy Pelosi
I'm having a hard time framing a question without sounding like a rant, but I'll keep trying.
I've been so inspired by the viewing of the Harper's Impeachment Hearing and Congressman Conyers' words that
I'm contemplating some kind of action locally but not sure yet what to do. Either a sign on my car, passing out handbills, or a local meeting to discuss the "I" word.
Congressman Conyers, would you consider having some kind of "forms" section on your website?
Something snappy that would give people the feeling of power and action steps, like "If you don't like what is going on, call your congressman/senator daily" with the main numbers, as Reed31463 Post #3 and others here have suggested?
You could take the opportunity on the flyer to print out some information about your bill for an Impeachment Hearing.
You know, just a couple of varieties of fliers and sign boards - things that would be used as bumper stickers, car signs, signs for meetings, etc.
Better yet, want to print up some hats and T-shirts too? Please remember size XX and XXX, please.
You could use the funds collected for the hats and T-shirts towards helping to spread the word about the hearings - perhaps advertising in newspapers, again, with the contact information for people to call their congressman/woman to sign on to your bill.
Comment #11: Alma said on 3/9/06 @ 11:01am ET...
While I do think calling your representatives is the best idea for getting in contact with them, I like to contact all the representatives. I call and write my own Reps, but I just write the rest of them. Here is a couple of copies of my latest letter. The first copy is the original rough draft. The second is the rewrite by a very talented friend. If you would like to, feel free to use these letters as a base for your own or send them just the way they are.
Dear Senator/Congressman,
I keep going through your Oath of Office and I must be missing something. I can't find the part where it says to put your loyalty of party, fear of anything, lobbyist buddies or a power hungry, secretive executive branch ahead of the Constitution.
I must be missing something. Otherwise the so called Patriot Act would never have passed, the President wouldn't be spying on Americans illegally, lobbyist money wouldn't be getting bills passed that hurt the average American, and corruption in politics would be taken seriously.
Please help me find these parts that I have missed in your Oath of Office. I have posted a copy below for you to review. Hopefully you can give me the answers of where to find the above items I have missed.
Oath of Office
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
I am sending a copy of this letter to all Senators and Congressmen.
For those few that are still following their Oath of Office, please know that I know who you are and am only sending this letter to you, so that you know that there are people out here trying to get the others to do their jobs, so we can get this country back on the right track.
Dear Senator/Congressman,
My friends and I keep reading your Oath of Office, but we can't find the part where you solemnly swear to ignore the Constitution. Not only that, we can't find the part where you swear that you will bear true faith and allegiance to lobbyists, corrupt party leaders, and Bush's power hungry, secretive executive branch.
Either we're missing something, or your oath of office means nothing to you. If you took the same oath we've been reading, and honored it as you swore on a Bible you'd do, the so called Patriot Act would never have been renewed, the current occupant of the White House wouldn't be allowed to spy on Americans illegally, powerful lobbyists wouldn't be getting bills passed that hurt hard-working Americans, and eliminating corruption in politics would be taken seriously.
Please explain whether you took the same Oath of Office as the copy we have, which I've included here so you can clarify that for us:
Oath of Office
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
In addition to requesting an explanation from you, we are also requesting explanations from every other Senator and Congressman. We are going to find out which of you consider your Oath of Office, a solemn pledge, and which of you consider it a meaningless bunch of words.
Thank you.
Comment #12: Nolip said on 3/9/06 @ 11:13am ET...
Things you have to believe to be a Republican
today.....
Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of
homosexuals and Hillary Clinton
Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad
guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy
when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy
when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden"
diversion.
Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is
Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital
to a spirit of international harmony.
The United States should get out of the United
Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her
own body, but multi-national corporations can make
decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
The best way to improve military morale is to praise
the troops in speeches, while slashing veterans'
benefits and combat pay.
If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents
won't have sex.
A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our
long-time allies, then demand their cooperation and
money.
Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy,
but providing health care to all Americans is
socialism. HMOs and insurance companies have the
best interests of the public at heart.
Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk
science, but creationism should be taught in
schools.
A president lying about an extramarital affair is a
impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist
support for a war in which thousands die is solid
defense policy.
Government should limit itself to the powers named
in the Constitution, which include banning gay
marriages and censoring the Internet.
The public has a right to know about Hillary's
cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is
none of our business.
Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime,
unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's
an illness and you need our prayers for your
recovery.
You support states' rights, but Attorney General
John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter
initiatives they have the right to adopt.
What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital
national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is
irrelevant.
Comment #13: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 11:33am ET...
Nolip #12 - Beautiful juxtapositon of the hypocrisy of the Bush administration and the Chicken Stonewalling Congress.
Alma #12 - good letters.
Comment #14: LeslieB said on 3/9/06 @ 11:35am ET...
I think the impeachment movement is slowly starting to pick up steam. And, this morning on C-Span, a lot of republicans, about 50%, were calling in unhappy about Bush and the direction of the GOP. They were threatening to leave the republican party over a host of issues, including the NSA wiretapping and the corruption.
While there's plenty to be worried about as long as Bush is in office, I also feel somewhat optimistic that things may begin to change. Maybe I'm just naive or maybe it's just wishful thinking? But Bush and the GOP are their own worst enemies.
Sen. Snowe's NSA snow job! The GOP doesn't know what the words accountability and democracy mean. They're just not in their dictionary. And I think it's going to cost them at the polls in November.
Comment #15: Alma said on 3/9/06 @ 11:39am ET...
Something to lift our spirits
Comment #16: Nolip said on 3/9/06 @ 11:45am ET...
Ohiodem...just a note to give credit where credit is due...I don't know the author of #12...somebody sent it to me in an e-mail but yes, you're correct, it shouts out the hypocrisy of the Rethuglicans...
Comment #17: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 11:54am ET...
LeslieB #14 - I predicted a long time ago that centrist Republicans who felt that their party has moved away from them, would move to leave the Republican Party once they realized that the train of right wing craziness had left the station and they did not want to be on it.
Democrats should welcome these disaffected Republicans or if a Republican feels uncomfortable, they should be encouraged to become Independents, following the lead of Jim Jeffords.
The radical wing of the Republcian Party is formed by the Dixiecrats who left the Democratic Party in the 50's and 60's to form the Republican Southern Strategy, which was brilliantly written about by Howard Phillips prior to Richard Nixon's election in 1968. He identified this disgusting strategy as a means for the Republican Party to maintain a lock on the presidency for a long time. Phillips was and is a conservative political analyist, but he portrayed the Southern Strategy in an honest way. Lately, Mr. Phillips has developed a relationship with the Now program on PBS, and he has become a critic of the Bush adminstration.
The point is that when a party moves too far one way or the other, the members of that party who are distressed with the direction that party is headed, and they find that no relief can come from their own activism within the party, and they perceive the direction as radical, they have no alternative but to leave. That time has come for the Republicans, and if they make that change this primary season, the political pendulum has already begun to swing. Not to fear, it will be nearly imperceptable at first, and then it will go for 30 to 50 years, until the other party goes too far in the opposite direction.
That is my theory, and I am sticking to it.
Comment #18: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 11:57am ET...
I did not see Alma's #15 before I wrote my missive in #17. That article tends to support my theory.
Nolip #16 - Proper attribution is a virtue.
Comment #19: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 12:20pm ET...
Here is a story about the Dubai port deal, and Dubai's threat to retaliate against America if the deal is scuttled. Guess it shows their real feelings about America. Make money good, insult Dubai, bad.
Source: UPI
Dubai poised to retaliate over ports scrap
"Date: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:27:55 AM EST
WASHINGTON, March 9 (UPI) -- The leaders of Dubai are poised to inflict costly retaliation if the United States quashes a seaport management acquisition, The Hill reported Thursday.
There is widespread opposition the U.S. Congress to the $6.8 billion deal involving a management transfer from London-based P&O to Dubai Ports World despite President George Bush's insistence it poses no threat to national security.
A source close to the deal told the Capitol Hill newspaper members of Dubai's royal family are furious at the hostility in Washington, and retaliation from the emirate could come against deals with aircraft maker Boeing and by curtailing the docking of hundreds of U.S. commercial and Navy ships each year at its port in the United Arab Emirates.
The family-ruled sheikdom could buy as many as 50 wide-body aircraft from Boeing and Airbus during the next four years, the report said.
--
Copyright 2006 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
--"
I believe the Dubai ports issue was generated as a Red Herring, and the Bush admin KNEW that Congress would react in such a manner that the port deal would be prohibited, and the Republicans would be held up as standing up to the power of the president, and a sop to the real truth that they are a Chicken Stonewalling Congress. It is a ruse to generate good press in the MSM. This was a planned done deal all along.
Here are some headlines:
• Dubai poised to retaliate over ports scrap
• More have negative feelings about Islam
• Pentagon fuel shock leads to conservation
• UPI NewsTrack TopNews
• Aging population to hit state tax revenues
• U.S. Senate passes ethics measures
• Border troops divide Arizona politics
• Iran caps how much cheap gas can be bought
• Dow Gains As Oil Prices Recede
• Interview: Intel's media gamble
• Bank of England holds key interest rate at 4.5%
• Energy prices generally higher
Notice Irrational market responses:
Pentagon fuel shock leads to conservation.
Iran caps how much cheap gas can be bought
Dow Gains As Oil Prices Recede
Energy prices generally higher
This plays into the Bush Energy Policy, which is to keep energy prices high, and the price of West Texas Intermediate Crude above $60 per barrel which far exceeds the cost of production plus a normal profit, which anyone who has had Econ 101 will tell you is how the rational profit optimizer in a competetive market has to price his product or commodity.
The energy and precious metals markets set their prices based on the amount of fear being generated, and the Bush administration is in the business of generating fear.
It is time for Americans to renounce fear and the politicians who manufacture it.
Comment #20: nomad said on 3/9/06 @ 1:03pm ET...
Just heard over Air America Radio (Thom Hartmann) that he thinks Karl Rove was looking for an issue to use for the Republicans to fight the President on. Originally, it may have been the NSA spying issue, which is why the GOP was fussing about investigating. When the Dubai ports deal hit the fan and took off (it is the most talked-about story yet), he moved the issue to that. By having the Congressional Repugnicans move against the president on this, it is designed to improve their ratings in the polls, which shows them way behind. The president isn't up for re-election, so he can afford the beating.
Even if the Dubai deal doesn't go through, Bush has other ways to reward these friends of his. Meanwhile, with everyone distracted, the NSA issue can be dropped.
We've been had again.
Comment #21: LeslieB said on 3/9/06 @ 1:12pm ET...
Booman has started a campaign to ask Senator Reid to shut-down the Senate until there is a meaninful investigation into the NSA wiretapping. Because our democracy is at stake. You can email Senator Reid here.
Comment #22: Genghis Khan said on 3/9/06 @ 1:41pm ET...
So if the highway speed limit is raised to 85mph next week, does that nullify the speeding ticket I got last week?
Doesn't Ex Post Facto work both ways?
Again, I ask if Congress can legally abrogate their oversight duties as has been done with this "strengthening the FISA court" bullshit.
Comment #23: Frosted Flake said on 3/9/06 @ 3:19pm ET...
Thank you Alma #15
Here's more : A modest proposal
An immodest proposal
PNAC Fractures
Congressman. This topic is AMMUNITION. What you do with it is up to you. Sorry, I should have said it's up to Rahm Immanuel. Here is how it shakes out. The Law says what it does. The behaviour is what it is. That the two don't match is not at issue. What is at issue is, how to make them match. Law abiding folks ALWAYS change the behaviour to match the law. Criminals don't. By insisting the Law change to match thier behaviour, the Republicans are declaring themselves criminal. And saying they are too big to be spanked. While pointedly avoiding mention of the fact that Congress has never been delagated authority to pass retroactive Law, and is therefore not in a position to authorize previous instances of the behaviour in question. The move to do so, being without Constitutional basis, is not quite as VOID as it is imaginary. Congress does not posses this power, therefore the exercise of this power cannot last beyond the next election.
Assuming the integrity of the ballot box.
Is there anyone you know, Congressman, who is too thick to understand the differance between changing behaviour to match the Law, and pretending to change the Law to match the behaviour? Is there anyone you know who does not understand the differance between obeying the Law and breaking it? Is there any one at all who fails to comprehend this distinction, deserving of any sympathy whatever?
This is AMMUNITION. It's not a problem, it's a tool. A character illumination tool. Every Congresscritter who votes for this has painted himself with stripes, has admitted to being a criminal. And may be called one, not with impunity, but with authority, IN THE CONTEXT OF A CAMPAIGN.
If you could explain this to Harry Ried, that would be very helpful.
I appreciate this forum.
Frosted Flake
Comment #24: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 3:49pm ET...
Update on UAE Ports' deal:
Mondo Washington
"Congress Sinks Port Deal
Dubai firm swamped by public opinion
by James Ridgeway
March 9th, 2006 2:25 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—By declaring today that it will give up its interests in U.S. ports, the United Arab Emirates may spare President Bush the immediate embarrassment of a political defeat at the hands of his own party in Congress. But it won't take the spotlight off the U.A.E. royal family's ties to the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. . . . "
Let's hope this sticks!
Congress Sinks Port Deal
Comment #25: Nolip said on 3/9/06 @ 3:49pm ET...
Blowing the whistle on Chris Matthews...balanced journalism my Aunt Fannie...Matthews is out to promote numero uno himself and he's lined his pockets with the largesse of the Rethuglicans selling out at a time when this country needs honest journalists with some integrity (eg Ed Murrow).
Matthews has accepted hefty speaking fees from conservative groups
"A new report advanced to RAW STORY Thursday suggests that Chris Matthews, the star of the MSNBC's daily talk show Hardball, has accepted hefty speaking fees from an array of conservative trade associations.
Matthews has given speeches to at least ten major conservative trade associations since 2001. The report's author, Dave Johnson, who blogs at Seeing The Forest and is also a fellow at the progressive Commonweal Institute, could find no records indicating that Matthews has spoken before any Democratic-leaning organizations. The report is not a product of the Commonweal Institute.
"Why is Matthews speaking at so many events with Republican-associated trade organizations?" Johnson asks. "What is NBC policy on speaking engagements and why does NBC keep it hidden? Are these trade associations paying Matthews to purchase influence?" "
http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Report_posits_that_Chris_Matthews_star_0309.html
Comment #26: Frosted Flake said on 3/9/06 @ 3:56pm ET...
Another thing Harry needs explained to him is fear. He seems to think it's real. It isn't. It never has been. 9-11 did not make Americans afraid, it made us angry. Angry enough to be reckless, angry enough to want to smash the guys who did it, angry enough to smash anyone pointed at, angry enough to be useful.
It is disrespectful of American character and neglectful of history to assume that we are cowards. It is even more disrespectful to represent us in Congress on the assumption that we are cowards. I wonder, just exactly, who said we are cowards and why was he not thrown out of the room? The Republicans don't think we are cowards. On the contrary, they intend to use us, our children and thier children as WARRIORS in an endless, pointless war.
Clearly, the Republicans think we are stupid. I would like to see the Democrats stop proving the Republicans right by assuming we are cowards.
The truth is, at very worst, we are mislead. Not cowardly, not stupid, mislead.
I appreciate this forum.
Frosted Flake
Comment #27: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 4:22pm ET...
#26 - FF
Speaking of Harry. As an aside, if you haven't already, read JC's Abramoff link above, especially, page 247, 1st column, 1st paragraph.
Comment #28: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 4:26pm ET...
Lots of noise about the Ports deal. Dubai this, Dubai that. Schumer this, Congress that. Schumer declares victory, then we hear that Dubai will go in the background, mabye pull the strings from Dubai, maybe not pulling strings, maybe just a couple of Billion for being a Bush shill.
Who is the "private company" they are talking about? Will Schumer claim victory if it winds up being Haliburton, KBR or Whitewater? How about some other Republican Lackey company who spends $10k in campaign contributions, gets $10 B back in a corrupt from the start political deal?
Let's look over the enitire transaction before we declare victory. This has been too easy, the Republicans capitulated, provided Bush a face-saving out without having to spend his first veto on such a political loser, did not have to spend any political capital, gives Republicans running in November a "tough on terrorism" issue to hang their hat on in November.
No victory yet.
Comment #29: Truth_in_action said on 3/9/06 @ 4:27pm ET...
#14, #17 - A family member of mine, a staunch Republican, is disgusted with the way things are going and wants to change his party to Independent.
Just this past Sunday I spent an afternoon with a life-long Republican who recently changed his party to Democrat. I mean, went down and changed his party.
Then there's the Republican fellow I sat next to at the Democratic Headquarters who was helping us call Democrats to come to the voting polls on election day in 2004.
Changing one's party is quite a statement. It is an act of defiance.
Changes are taking place.
Comment #30: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 4:28pm ET...
An American patriot's response to President Bush.
Navy veteran against Bush - Strong words
Comment #31: Citizen J said on 3/9/06 @ 4:30pm ET...
OD1, thought you might find this interesting:
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/8/2250/63002
And I agree with you, something about the Dubai deal is REALLY fishy- has Rovian stink all OVER it.
Comment #32: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 4:51pm ET...
#28 - OhioDem
I agree. Sounds too good to be true! I posted it with my own suspicions, as well. Sometimes, some of these things "fade" only to be later "slipped" in the back door!
Comment #33: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 4:54pm ET...
More on Abramoff from Vanity Fair
JACK ABRAMOFF TALKS ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH JOHN MCCAIN, TOM DELAY, AND OTHERS
Comment #34: Ohiodem1 said on 3/9/06 @ 5:36pm ET...
Citizen J #31 - Thanks. Ken Blackwell is Karl Rove's evil Ohio twin. Radical Right ideaology, Radical Religious constituency, has shifted the Republican Race so far to the right that Hitler would stand to their left. Blackwell is swiftboating Petro, Petro is slinging the mud back. I hope Blackwell has to steal the primary election, so then Petro would have to sue him from the AG position as abrogating his duty as protector of free and honest elections in Ohio. Blackwell was able to avoid having to testify under oath in the post 2004 election double dealing. It would be delicious to see that scenario happen. Exposing the vote stealing? Priceless.
Keep inviting R's to desert that sinking ship. We should toss them a line and welcome them aboard.
Comment #35: Reed31463 said on 3/9/06 @ 5:52pm ET...
Neither Mr Buckley nor Mr Sullivan concedes that the decision to topple Saddam was intrinsically wrong. But "the challenge required more than [President Bush's] deployable resources," the former sadly recognises. "The American objective in Iraq has failed."
For Mr Sullivan, today's mess is above all a testament to American overconfidence and false assumptions, born of arrogance and naïveté. But he too asserts, in a column in Time magazine this week, that all may not be lost.
Of all the critiques however, the most profound is that of Francis Fukuyama, in his forthcoming book, America at the Crossroads. Its subtitle is "Democracy, Power and the Neo-Conservative Legacy" - and that legacy, Mr Fukuyama argues, is fatally poisoned.
Please Mr Speaker, I really really didn't mean to conspire to kill 100,000 Iraqi civilians. Please forgive me!
Comment #36: MAX 1 said on 3/9/06 @ 5:55pm ET...
To add on to my former post.
In my State of Washington, an individual can be held criminally culpable if they are whiteness to a crime and fail to act.
I know that elected Federal Officials cannot be arrested while in position, thus the necessity of impeachment.
But is there anything, anywhere, that holds these criminals, in our Federal Offices, equally culpable?
Congress not only is whiteness to the crimes on many occasions, and when the Administration doesn't act in it's status quo mode of secrecy, many members of Congress endorse the illegality itself.
Comment #37: Citizen J said on 3/9/06 @ 6:32pm ET...
"Ken Blackwell is Karl Rove's evil Ohio twin." LOL Exactly right, as usual OD1.
It sure would be excellent to expose the vote stealing thru their own mudslinging- how ironic THAT would be. Here's hoping!!
Comment #38: Reed31463 said on 3/9/06 @ 7:04pm ET...
Media, Senator, and Represenative contacts are all available from one easy to use location. Just click on "IMPEACHMENT" to access the lists.
...and just for visiting, Someone will throw in this free bonus example Impeachment letter. Unsalted so please season to taste.
Thanks Someone.
Sample impeachment letter-to-the-editor: It is painfully evident to millions of Americans that betraying our trust and abusing the power they have been given is a sordid Republican tradition. During Watergate, Republican White House officials up to and including Richard Nixon covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy. During Iran-Contra, Republican White House officials up to and including Ronald Reagan covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy. For five years, officials in the Bush Administration up to and including George W. Bush have covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy.
This contagion of Republican White House contempt for the rule of law and the principles of representative government is as glaringly obvious as it is reprehensible. There is a pattern of Republican abuse of power here that cannot be denied by any objective observer. Obsessive secrecy, covert agendas, deception, deceit, and demonizing "liberals" have characterized the Nixon, Reagan, and Bush administrations.
Nixon would have been impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, Reagan should have been impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, and Bush must be impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
Perhaps one of these days before it’s too late, tens of millions of Americans will finally realize that Bush and Cheney cannot be trusted to govern responsibly, and will actually behave like intelligent adults and demand impeachment. Perhaps they will actually pay attention to the travesties being perpetrated in Washington and will hold these arrogant fools accountable for the blood they have spilled and the crimes they have committed. Perhaps they will awaken from their comas this year, so fifty thousand Americans won’t have to bleed and die to prop up a corrupt, fundamentalist Shi’ite government in Baghdad. Perhaps they will finally understand that spending $100,000 a minute for the next ten years on Bush’s reckless, bloody fiasco in Iraq is mind-boggling insanity and has nothing to do with freedom or democracy.
In the coming weeks, I hope Americans can aspire to surpassing the intellectual capacity of a tree stump, will actually use the brains God gave them, and will demand impeachment so another American city won’t be erased from the map on live television, so our economy won’t be wrecked beyond salvage by corporate greed, and so Bush won’t attack Iran because they might get one nuclear weapon and thereby render our 20,000 nuclear weapons completely useless.
The current occupant of the White House and his trained GOP parrots in Congress like to talk about democracy. It’s time for every American with a conscience and respect for the our Constitution and our laws to show them what democracy looks like, right here in America. It’s time to demand that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney be impeached for violating multiple articles and amendments of Constitution, for lying us into a war, for spying on American citizens, for subverting elections, for betraying a CIA anti-terrorist network, for criminal negligence during the Katrina catastrophe, and for obstructing justice ever since they were sworn into office on January 20, 2001.
Sincerely,
Someone SR.
Comment #39: Genghis Khan said on 3/9/06 @ 7:08pm ET...
#29
I did this in 1992. I've never looked back.
(ok, I have.. but then I turned back around, puked, and continued on).
Comment #40: Truth_in_action said on 3/9/06 @ 7:35pm ET...
The Lee County, Florida Democratic Headquarters was broken into on Monday. This is the second break-in in the past two years.
Break-in of Lee County, Florida Democratic Headquarters AGAIN!
We cannot afford to have our election stolen again by thugs and thieves with no conscience.
Consider going to www.blackboxvoting.org to see how you can volunteer time or money toward the cause they are working on of trying to ensure a fair election. Citizen volunteers have done a lot to move their cause forward.
AND on the subject of Iran...
CNN is reporting that Condi is saying we face no greater challenge than Iran.
Can you hear the beat of the war drums? Seems I've heard that tune before.
Folks, we are going to have to make a very strong commitment to work harder than ever in the next few months. Some very critical things are coming down the pike, especially the next upcoming election.
Strap your seatbelts on and take your air sickness pills - it's gonna be a bumpy one. We're up for it!
Comment #41: Reed31463 said on 3/9/06 @ 8:01pm ET...
Scott Ritter: UN Weapons Inspector
John Perkins: Economic Hitman
Ref #4 Max 1: After the 21 minute mark, Mr. Perkins answers your question.
The neo-cons are losing control of the media. The fact that these two men are not getting smeared and are getting air time is "proof in the pudding."
Comment #42: Genghis Khan said on 3/9/06 @ 8:16pm ET...
A little fun...
Comment #43: Genghis Khan said on 3/9/06 @ 8:20pm ET...
Wow Reed. I listened to that interview with John Perkins. It scared me so badly I almost drove off the road.
I don't mind us flexing our economic muscles to further our interests, but this whole imperialism thing has got to go. It contradicts the very foundation of our nation.
Comment #44: Reed31463 said on 3/9/06 @ 9:39pm ET...
#42 Genghis Khan
Fun with:
Personalities
On the
Arpanet
Guess who
this
might
be?
Comment #45: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 10:32pm ET...
Reed, RR,
Months ago, when Gerry Giles was on this blog, I posted the video of John Perkins, "Econimic Hit Man." It's good that you brought it up once again, as I think it's so important for everyone to understand some of the "underlying" factors in the global situation.
Here's a little more information for those who might not have been able to access the "video." (The video has become difficult to access.)
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Comment #46: tahoebasha1 said on 3/9/06 @ 11:14pm ET...
Much more on the Dubai Ports deal:
"Dubai Firm to Give Up Stake in U.S. PortsDubai Firm Announces It Is Prepared to Transfer Rights to Operate U.S. Ports to American Entity
Dubai Firm Backs Out of U.S. Ports Deal
WASHINGTON Mar 9, 2006 (AP)— Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned company signaled surrender Thursday in its quest to take over operations at U.S. ports.
"DP World will transfer fully the U.S. operations … to a United States entity," the firm's top executive, H. Edward Bilkey, said in an announcement that capped weeks of controversy. . . ."
Dubai Firm to Give Up Stake in U.S. Ports (emphasis my own) Does anybody see a problem here? I do, it stinks!
Next:
"Treasury says ports review active, seeks details
Thu Mar 9, 2006 6:15 PM ET
WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury late on Thursday said it was seeking more details from Dubai Ports World as to how the company will execute its announced plans to transfer ports to a U.S. entity, a spokesman said.
Treasury spokesman Tony Fratto said a 45-day review of the ports deal that was under way had not been ended by the announcement.
"Technically, the review is still in place," Fratto said.
To end the review by the multi-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States would require a formal request by Dubai Ports World to withdraw the review. This request would then have to be accepted by the committee.
Fratto said he did not have any further details about who would take over the port operations.
"We're trying to get more details on how they plan to execute what they have announced," Fratto said.
The United Arab Emirates firm Dubai Ports World was to have taken over management of six U.S. ports as part of a $6.85 billion deal to take over the global assets of British-based company P&O.
But approval of the deal by a government committee chaired by the Treasury Department sparked outrage among members of Congress, including among leaders of President Bush's own Republican party, who questioned whether the state-owned UAE company could assure security of U.S. ports.
President Bush has insisted it was safe to let the company run the ports and threatened to veto any legislation to block the deal. Amid the controversy, Dubai Ports World had agreed to a new security review, but lawmakers were on track to introduce legislation to block the transaction."
Sorry, tried to link this, and although I could access it, it would not link, saying "no longer available." Hmmmmm?
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Next:
"How the Clock Ran Out on the Dubai Ports Deal
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: March 10, 2006
WASHINGTON, March 9 — For days, White House officials and Congressional Republicans had prodded the United Arab Emirates and its state-owned DP World to give up on plans to acquire several port terminals in the United States, officials involved in the conversations said.
But the team of highly paid lobbyists fighting to save the deal amid a groundswell of opposition had told their client to hang on. . . ."
We need to really watch this for a "back door" deal.
How the Clock Ran Out on the Dubai Ports Deal
Comment #47: Citizen J said on 3/10/06 @ 3:23pm ET...
GK and Reed, "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" is by FAR the most eye-opening book re American Imperialism that I've ever read.
I recommend everyone read it, but don't forget to then leave a nightlight on because it is some truly horrible, scary stuff.
Comment #48: bill_o_carolina said on 3/10/06 @ 4:41pm ET...
Dennis Kucinich says the port deal is not dead!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x627740
