Replies: 35 Comments

Comment #1: MAX 1 said on 10/10/06 @ 5:39pm ET...

Let's not let the GOP turn up the output from their Fear Factory so as to produce the desired frenzied response from their base, proclaiming, "CLINTON DID IT!"

As I reported in the last thread, #17, The US granted N Korea nuclear funds. But to be fair, that only occurred shortly after Bush declared N. Korea as a member on his witch watch list of Evil Empires, those doers of axes. Surely he's steadfast approach lead him on a course of firm resolve...NO?

We will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea. We will not give into blackmail. We will not settle for anything less than the complete, verifiable, and irreversible elimination of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. [5/23/03]

And of course Bush has his front Snowman, piling it on heavily, "It’s ‘Silly’ And ‘Gratuitous’ To Ask If Bush Made Any Mistakes On North Korea" Of course it is. Don't you all know, Bush is the self declared Executive Unitary Decider of what is right and of what is wrong. He decides and oversees what the Executive does.

Of course it's not about King George. So why would someone like Rumsfailed have anything to worry about?

Rumsfeld was the only American to sit on the board of a company which six years ago sold two light water reactors to North Korea.

Oh, That could be a problem.

But not to fear...

Let loose the GOP poster boy of compromise... No not Arlen, we're not trying to rewrite any laws to protect the King today kids. Welcome, Johnny boy McCain, to tell us why, after all this time and buffoon trickery of whose finger is (not) to be pointing at the President, to come along and direct our attention to the right President we all need to be fingering. "CLINTON DID IT!"

Pppfffttt!!! Go figure [rollyeye][rollyeye]

Comment #2: MAX 1 said on 10/10/06 @ 5:44pm ET...

Dear President Bush,

I write to you in my capacity as secretary of the World League of Despots.

It is with great pleasure that I am finally able to extend an official invitation to you to join our ranks. For many years, we have watched your efforts to fulfil the requirements necessary to join our number. From the start, we were greatly impressed by your disdain for democratic principles - the way you wrested power from the democratically elected candidate in the 2000 election, and again in 2005 when you managed to swing what was clearly going to be a victory for your opponent.

Contempt for human life has always been a priority requirement for membership of the league, and I and my fellow adjudicators were well aware of your record as governor of Texas when you quadrupled the number of state executions. But your record since seizing power has surpassed even our expectations. The thousands of innocent people in Iraq, who have died so that you could fulfil your declared political objective of establishing "an American force presence in the Middle East", attest to your eligibility to join our ranks.

I cannot, however, disguise the fact that we adjudicators were extremely anxious when you announced your intention to remove from office one of our most stalwart members, Mr Saddam Hussein. However, we need not have worried. According to a recent UN report, you have ensured that there are now even more human rights abuses in Iraq than there were under Saddam. No less than 10% of those in custody are being physically or psychologically abused. Well done!

Of course, your unstinting efforts to make torture an internationally accepted aspect of human life have surpassed everything we could have ever hoped for. I don't think there is a single member of the league who could have imagined, six short years ago, that our activities in tormenting our fellow creatures would once again be recognised as acceptable, civilised behaviour, as it once was in the middle ages.

Despite these achievements, we had, until now, felt unable to extend our invitation to you because you had been unable to fulfil one of our basic requirements: the ability to carry out arbitrary arrests, imprisonment without trial, secret torture and executions at will.

We approved of your attempts to establish the principles of arbitrary arrest under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, but unfortunately it was still restricted to terror suspects. We appreciate that you were hampered by the US constitution, but the restrictions this imposed on your arbitrary powers kept you below the threshold requirements for qualification as a despot.

Now, however, all that has changed. At the end of last month you persuaded the Senate to pass a bill regarding the treatment of detainees. Illegally obtained evidence can now be used against suspects, even if it has been gathered abroad under torture. Anyone you care to accuse can be thrown into prison without the right to a trial or the right to represent themselves.

Officially the legislation is restricted to "enemy combatants", but you have skilfully adapted this definition to include anyone who has "purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the US". This presumably means that anyone who publicly criticises your conduct can be defined as supporting hostilities to the US. You are now free to arrest and imprison anyone you don't like. You've got it in the bag!

It is with great pleasure that we in the World League of Despots note that you have now appropriated to yourself all the powers of arbitrary arrest and torture that Saddam once enjoyed. You are now one of us. Congratulations!

Terry Jones

Comment #3: Rusty said on 10/10/06 @ 5:48pm ET...

Yes, let's all work hard. Just make sure you don't tell the American people Republicans are LIARS, Congressman Conyers. And don't even whisper about Impeachment, it might make the Republican base angry, not to mention Nancy Pelosi.

Comment #4: okcitykid said on 10/10/06 @ 5:57pm ET...

If you didn't hear it in the news, Rove visited Oklahoma and we protested:

http://okcitykid.bravejournal.com/entry/23793

To learn about impeachment:

http://okcitykid.bravejournal.com/entry/23755

Comment #5: Rusty said on 10/10/06 @ 5:58pm ET...

I remember working hard for Kerry in 2004. I remember giving him and Democrats my last dollar. I remember Springsteen's "No Retreat, No Surrender" blaring at every Kerry campaign event.

I also remember Kerry retreating and surrendering the morning after Election Day, despite massive voter suppression and electoral fraud in Ohio.

Knock off the pep talks, JC. We KNOW what we need to do. We always have. It's Democratic incumbents and candidates who need to finally, at long last, understand what needs to be said and done.

Comment #6: MAX 1 said on 10/10/06 @ 6:05pm ET...

Q U E S T I O N:
What plans are in place, IF the GOP retains hold of the majority status, to move forward with necessary Impeachment investigations and hearings? The list grows longer as the days grow older.

Comment #7: Rusty said on 10/10/06 @ 6:05pm ET...

Thanks for protesting and for the links, okcitykid. Good job, and keep fighting!

Comment #8: Citizen J said on 10/10/06 @ 6:11pm ET...

Damn right Rusty. Now, there's rumors floating around that Kerry will run again.

Uhhhh..... John? YOU HAD YOUR SHOT, and chose to roll over like a $2 hooker. "Count Every Vote", my pale white butt.

I think that Edwards was shocked, and REALLY furious that they gave up so easily. I got the feeling that he wasn't even consulted about conceding to the criminals, before the votes were even counted.

Makes one wonder where TRUE loyalties lie, doesn't it.

Comment #9: wallen said on 10/10/06 @ 7:02pm ET...

As I was reading that the Eisenhower Carrier Group was sailing for Iran, I couldn't help but think of the Gulf of Tonkin "incident", and Johnson's lies that got us further into Viet Nam. Will Bush/Rove/Cheney be willing to go to such extremes and sacrifice these men and women in order to rally for support? Anything is possible. Anything.

Comment #10: koryannder said on 10/10/06 @ 8:01pm ET...

Now is a good time to start with the document I have been preparing for awhile. I think if the Democrats use some of it for talking points, a LOT of support can be gained; This is serious stuff.

Necessary moves to restore the Nation

The United States is sick. The illness has been creeping up on us for over fifty years, and is approaching a terminal phase. Unless we do a lot of things practically simultaneously, the nation is doomed to extinction by neglect and inanition. Oh, the geography will not markedly change, but everything that has made of the US a great nation is in danger of destruction. Following is a list of things, which “Do Something” Congresses can do to restore the moribund body of the nation before it becomes a total corpse. Most are of equal value, and they are not listed in any particular priority, but ALL must be done to put us back on a steady course to historical greatness.

1. A change in policy is necessary. We MUST return to “Progressive” income tax, ELIMINATING loopholes! When the CEO of a company pays less actual tax than one of his employees, something is radically wrong. Instead of a 25,000 page “Tax Code” that nobody – not even employees of the IRS – understands, a one page, one size fits all code would suffice. First, income from ALL sources should be listed and added. Second, losses from all sources should be listed and subtracted. Deductions should be allowed for personal and dependent, age and infirmity as at present, State income and property taxes. NO OTHER DEDUCTIONS! [Example – “Capital Gains” are income, and should be treated as such.] Then – income below the current “Poverty Line” should not be taxed at all, and above that point, tax should be exactly 25% of the differential between the actual income and the poverty line. The more you make, the more you keep is legitimate, but dividing by four is a lot simpler than the current wilderness. Just how many employees of the IRS could be transferred to other agencies - and THIS code would just about do away with the entire profession of “Tax Attorney!” (BTW: I would pay more than I do at present, but a lot of people who shouldn’t have to pay at all won’t have to.) Corporations should pay on exactly the same basis as people; since the Supreme Court decided that corporations have the same rights and privileges as people, they should have the same duties as well. Except that a corporation should pay on the basis of a single unmarried person. (Research and Development and dividends would be allowable deductions - but obscene CEO salaries would take quite a hit! Stock options would be limited to a calendar year. If you don’t take them up, they lapse.)

2. The country is bankrupt. Admit it! We are living on money we borrow from other countries, and that has to stop. ALL indebtedness must be repudiated, except for the actual cash value of the debt plus REASONABLE interest. (I LOVE Banker arithmetic. There is a certain South American Country that borrowed eight billion dollars forty years ago. Against that debt it has paid back forty one billion dollars, and owes, at present, forty two billion dollars. Doesn’t anyone see something wrong with that? And the international bankers got their knickers in a twist when said country said “Enough!” to usury, and refused to pay any more.) So – what to do?
A. Restructure all indebtedness. Yes, a lender is entitled to SOME profit for the use of his money – about one per cent. is reasonable, never more than two. All debts above that should be repudiated in toto.
B. Extend all periods of repayment so that the lender can recover a better profit, but let there be no early repayment penalty.
C. In this case we have the whip hand. If the creditor country will not go along, simply say. “Okay – you get nothing!” and stop payment. What can they do? Refuse to lend us any more? GREAT! We, in turn, bring our industries home and STOP contributing to THEIR economies!

3. Restore the “Bank of the United States.” Put the bankrupt “Federal Reserve” into Bankruptcy receivership and restructure it. Buy it out if necessary after a thorough audit determines just how much it is worth – which, believe it or not, is not much. The Constitution of the United States REQUIRES that CONGRESS issue credit. The FED is flat Unconstitutional, always was, always will be. GET RID OF IT!

More later - it is MUCH too long to come in with one indigestible lump.

Comment #11: tahoebasha1 said on 10/10/06 @ 10:35pm ET...

I think all of the action suggested below is long overdue and more than warranted (understatement of the year)! Each DAY with this criminal administration brings new "crimes" and will continue until WE act!

"Monday, October 9th, 2006
Do-It-Yourself Impeachment Due this Thursday!!! (Oct 12)

By Jodin Morey / World Can't Wait-Drive Out the Bush Regime! -- Minneapolis Chapter

The day the nation demands impeachment is almost upon us. This coming Thursday (Oct 12), sacks and sacks of mail will arrive in congress demanding impeachment via the House of Representative's own rules. This legal document is as binding as if a State or if the House itself passed the impeachment resolution (H.R. 635).

There's a little known and rarely used clause of the "Jefferson Manual" in the rules for the House of Representatives which sets forth the various ways in which a president can be impeached. Only the House Judiciary Committee puts together the Articles of Impeachment, but before that happens, someone has to initiate the process.

That's where we come in. In addition to the State-by-State method, one of the ways to get impeachment going is for individual citizens like you and me to submit a memorial. ImpeachforPeace.org has created a new memorial based on one which was successful in impeaching a federal official in the past. You can find it on their website as a PDF.

STOP WAITING FOR YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO ACT FOR YOU.

You can initiate the impeachment process yourself by downloading the memorial, filling in the relevant information in the blanks (your name, state, etc.), and sending it in. Be a part of history."

IMPEACH
Impeach for Peace - Impeach Now

Comment #12: tahoebasha1 said on 10/10/06 @ 10:54pm ET...

Notwithstanding all of Koryannder's above advices, which I think we can ALL take to heart, I think that my post #11 above represents a chance for EACH of us to act. What are the chances? Who knows! But I think IT is certainly worth a "shout" from every single one of us. SEND the links to EVERYONE you know and implore their action. Maybe, it's just a "shot," but we cannot afford to leave any stone unturned! Just DO IT!

Comment #13: ljm said on 10/11/06 @ 1:10am ET...

One race that is overlooked is Nancy Boyda in KS-2D. Cheney is coming to raise money for Jim Ryun as it's a tight race. Boyda doesn't have enough money to run TV ads. She's fighting on anyhow. Sure wish some Dems with money to spare as they are in safe seats would help out candidates like Boyda who have been totally left on their own.

Comment #14: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 7:14am ET...

This professor is definitely on to something...


Controversial teacher likens Bush to Hitler
University instructor believes U.S. government organized Sept. 11 attacks

Comment #15: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 7:21am ET...

Let's see 3,000 lost in 9/11 vs 655,000 killed since BushCo invaded Iraq...hmmmmmm, absolutely no idea why the Islamic world would hate Americans (yeh, right!)...


Study estimates 655,000 Iraqis died since US-led invasion in March '03; 90% due to violence

Comment #16: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 8:11am ET...

Bush's policies lead in one direction..pi**ing off the world...this is another clear example of how "Mr. Diplomacy" (NOT!) has affected the United States relations with other nations of the world and which could possibly lead to the next world conflagration...



N. Korea threatens war if U.S. pressure persists
Pyongyang says nuke test a success; Japan imposes further sanctions

Comment #17: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 8:21am ET...

The economic theory of supply and demand...OPEC cuts the SUPPLY and then DEMANDS more money...



Oil prices rise after OPEC president confirms production cut

Comment #18: Citizen J said on 10/11/06 @ 11:59am ET...

Keith Olbermann, he da man. Here he is on the Death Of Habeas Corpus:

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Video_Olbermann_laments_death_of_habeas_1011.html

JC, what are the chances that you appear on "Countdown"? Seems to me to be the absolutely perfect fit.

Comment #19: Reed31463 said on 10/11/06 @ 1:06pm ET...

Comment #41: GK,

Great link GK. I added it to our resources page.

Comment #1 & 2: MAX 1: Their tactics never change do they? Point fingers and blame. Play upon peoples fears, prejudices, and pre-conceived notions. Where no misconceptions exist: create them.

A good resource for reliable, non-partisan current and historical information in both summary and detailed format, GlobalSecurity.org is a good place to start. Arm yourself with the truth when discussing matters with others. ie It's Bill Clinton's fault. The truth is, "The North Korean nuclear weapons program dates back to the 1980s."

Comment #20: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 1:56pm ET...

As someone who works in the field of mental health what is readily apparent to me is the illness that pervades this administration as it is consistent with the behaviors of those who suffer from alcoholism and who use two key behaviors to achieve their ends: 1)Lie and 2)Blame.
This is most evident in the recent revelations about Foley and is readily apparent in all of the malfeasance of the Bush years. So what I'm saying here is that this country is now led by a bunch of power hungry alcoholics who, on their best day, couldn't lead a group of school children on an outing much less lead this country to greatness. Now with the Writ of Habeus Corpus under attack, the elimination of the right to contest unlawful arrest by anyone, we are becoming a nation run by terrorists not protecting us from terrorists and creating more terror from Bush and the neocons malfeasance than there ever was before Bush took office. 9/11 happened because Bush and the neocons planned it for only with that event could they accomplish so much damage to the Constitution in so short a time. At some point, maybe not now, we will look back on this era and grieve mightily over what this country gave up for a little security. The only solution to this problem is for the Democrats to "clean the swamp" when they come to power in November and repeal all of these laws that pretend to protect this nation while stripping its citizens and the citizens of the world of their rights.
Bush holds up the nebulous enemy "terrorist", never identifying who or what they are, just that he needs all power to deal with "them". At least during the great wars, and even in Vietnam, there was an enemy you could identify. It's as though Bush is holding up this dark pinata and calling it "terrorists" and asking this nation to ceade all power to the Executive to deal with it. Bush continues to strive for this singular appeasement of his office, that is, to give him all power. He's come back to this agenda through any number of legal avenues and this lame duck, dense, Republican led Congress ceades more and more power to the Executive. If there was a man functioning as President who had greater credentials than he has a degree in business and he used that to run three businesses into the ground, it would make sense. But nothing, absolutely nothing, about the laws that have been enacted since Bush took office, or any of the other pomp and circumstance that this Administration pretends to put on in the name of this nation, has achieved anything other than to piss off our neighbors. It may take another revolution to undo all of the damage done by Bush.

Comment #21: koryannder said on 10/11/06 @ 3:57pm ET...

Here is something to think about. My dad, who was as savvy a Political observer as any of the TV Pundits or talking heads, and a lot wiser than most of them. had this to say,

"Every Democracy carries within it the seeds to its own destruction. All of them have legislative bodies. These bodies do not feel that they are doing their jobs unless they are passing laws. Laws are worthless unless violation carries penalties. After while, it becomes apparent that about the only right the people have left is the right to breathe, and THAT may be infringed upon. When the people realize that no matter what they do, they are breaking some law or other, from a law-abiding society, it becomes a scofflaw society, otherwise known as ANARCHY! At which point, your democracy is dead."

Unfortunately, and with all due respect to the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, with the passage of the USAPATRIOT Act we hit the tipping point. Unless the Congress spends much of its time for the next several sessions REPEALING repressive legislation and returning us to being "The land of the FREE," I fear that we will no longer be the "Home of the BRAVE," since Police States, which we have become, survive by killing the BRAVE - or at least anointing them with pepper spray. paralyzing them with TASERS, and throwing them in jail on one or another trumped up phony charge. We MUST get rid of a LOT of opressive law!!!!!!

Comment #22: Ron said on 10/11/06 @ 4:21pm ET...

Nolip
I,m sure you are aware that it took more than just that IDIOT Bush,to push our country to the verge of ruin.
From the VP on down including All of congress and the senate are complicit in this crime,with very few exceptions.
You realize that Bush doesn't have the mental capacity do this by himself.
We will take back both houses in the coming elections, one way ,or the other.
I hope the peaceful way will prevail.
If not?

Comment #23: Frosted Flake said on 10/11/06 @ 5:01pm ET...

Been Busy.

If any would like to have a Hi-Res Photo of the inside of a septic tank, click my name, write and ask, I'll send you one. It'll make a great desktop cover. Especially if you can sneak it onto the Bosses Rig. (I did say Sneak)

Similarly off topic, I am oddly delighted by this story about the lamented demise of cursive writing. I recall the day I was introduce to this odd concept. What I had to say went along the lines of, "So what you are telling me, Ma'am, is that you taught me to write, wrong. And now you are going to teach me to write, right. Well, I am, I assure you, quite very enthusiastic about listening to this nonsense, but slightly more enthusiastic about reading this book, by Asimov, which I brought to class because I thought it very likely that you would once again bore me to tears." I was not popular with teachers. And embarressed them tremendously when they arrainged for a battery of tests to determine which program for the developmentally disabled I belonged in. They should have known better, which I said in as many words. Doubtless, they appreciated my implication. And now it comes that it is said that it is thought the computer, rather than the pointlessness, which is responsible for the demise of alleged handwriting skills.

I doubt it. I think it much more likely the keyboard is being used as scapegoat. I think it much more likely that teachers are still paying much more attention to thier lesson plan than to what it is they are teaching. Cursive writing has flown out the window? Good! Throw the lesson plan out after it, close the window, then begin to teach what the kids don't know, rather than continue to teach what they never needed.

Starting with, Why is English spelling so screwy? (Because many English words are adopted from other languages without being changed to match English spelling rules because there are none) After lunch, we can move on to the differance between theory and fact. (Theory is an explanation intended to be tested. Fact is the result of theory being tested, whether the theory survives, or not.) Then we can move on to comparative religion. (Is there any real differance? And what is it?) By Friday, they'll be ready for civics. (How is government supposed to work? And how does it really?) I understand there are many who would prefer to force kids to learn cursive. It keeps the hands busy. Weeds out those exasperated by being kept busy when hoping to learn something. Prevent a lot of trouble that way. Can't have bright kids busting up your grade curve. That would make stupid kids look....stupid.

This from a fourth grader with college level vocabulary, math and reading, but no interest in cursive writing...and taken therefore to be stupid, by those who thought themselves his betters, called themselves his teachers, but were in fact his sitters. No child left behind has a nice (sugar fortified, sugar enriched, sugar coated) sound to it, but in reality, it would be far better if no child were held back.

What do you suppose I, or you, would be doing now, had we all a proper education?

And what about the guys on the other side of the isle?

Is this really off topic?
Frosted Flake

Comment #24: Rusty said on 10/11/06 @ 5:33pm ET...

Between now and Election Day, progressives have to deluge America's newspapers with letters-to-the-editor. LTE's can have a significant impact on dozens of races across the country. Most Americans don't read blogs, and most of the corporate media just peddles Republican talking points and calls it news, so we have to be the media during these last critical weeks.

I'm posting my latest LTE as an example of what I think we should emphasize. If anyone cares to use it as a basis for their own LTE, they are very welcome to do so:

The moral depravity, hypocrisy, and deceit of Republican politicians is sickening. A Republican sexual predator stalked the halls of Congress for years and his fellow Republican politicians protected him. Why? I don't have to tell you why, we all know why. The only issue to be determined in the aftermath of this latest shameful scandal is whether Republicans deserve to stay in control of Congress.

As citizens, parents, and taxpayers, we are ultimately responsible for who governs us, so it's time to ask ourselves how much lower Bush and Republicans in Congress have to sink into their cesspool of lies before every one of us says enough is enough. We have not been governed by responsible lawmakers and unifying leaders, we have been abused and shamed by the worst administration and Congress in American history. These people couldn't run a car wash, much less the government of the United States.

If you've enjoyed this Republican horror show of deceit and corruption since 2001, vote for them on Election Day. If spending $400 billion and sacrificing 23,000 American casualties so Iraqis can slaughter each other in an endless civil war is your idea of fiscal responsibility and good foreign policy, vote Republican. If cutting and running from the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan looks like a war on terror to you, vote Republican. If seeing the bodies of dead Americans floating in the streets of New Orleans is your idea of responsible government, vote Republican. If torture and secret trials and human beings in cages and illegal wiretaps make you feel safe and proud to be an American, vote Republican.

But if you believe America is in need of redemption, vote Democratic. If you believe America can reclaim its greatness, vote Democratic. If you believe its time for accountability and responsibility in Washington, vote Democratic. If you cherish the Constitution, vote Democratic. If you believe it's time to reject fear and start behaving like Americans again, vote Democratic. On November 7, for the sake of your children and your self-respect, choose redemption.

Comment #25: Jay Lechnyr said on 10/11/06 @ 6:21pm ET...

Comment #20: Nolip:
In my estimation, BushCo and associates fit every definition of the Borderline Personality Disorder that I've seen.

• An unstable sense of identity
• Projection
• Inconsistent moodinesss with neutrality being a rarity
• Outrageous actions to seek attention
• Overly "black and white" thought process
• Self destructive behavior
• Difficulty maintaining long term relationships
• Impulsive behavior
• Difficulty maintaining behavior considered acceptable by society.

They won elections by proclaiming themselves champions of family values while secretly hiding and then tried to protect an alledged gay pedophile among their own ranks. After years of conservatives proclaiming their belief personal responsibility, Mr. Foley quickly ducks into a rehab facility and from behind the curtains proclaims "I was molested by some priest"!!! Which, of course, according to the very same conservative values he has repeately proclaimed, has absolutely no bearing upon his culpability. So why did he say it in the first place? Because he is no less a hypocrit as any of the rest of these conservatives. Instead of taking responsibility for his own alleged pedophilic actions, he did the same thing that all conservatives do, he abandons his own principles and finds some scapegoat somewhere; as long as it's not himself. Conservatives everywhere are best known for two things
• Bullying everyone with their priciples of personal responsibility
• Their own inability to take responsibility for themselves.

Every accusation conservatives had heaped upon liberals has been or currenly is being exposed as things they themselves have done. This is called projection and is a major component of BPD. Normally considered a coping mechanism, this sophistry is a very effective form of denial. The conservative mindset is dominated by thoughts that one self is more "pure"; more moral and more ethical than everyone else. This, of course, denies the physical facts that conservatives are much more corruptible by physical and monetary gains than liberals. This form of denial often goes so far that individual conservatives often commit acts of brazen illegality without even thinking they have done anything wrong. "After all", they think, "I am a pure moral and ethical creature. How can what I do be considered wrong"? Even though we're talking about the actions of the likes of Jack Abramoff, Ken Blackwell, George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Kenneth Lay.

There seems to be little doubt that the religious right hold very few neutral points of view. That they have used violence, coersion and other gangster tactics to get their twisted version of morality imposed upon the rest of America is a fact proven in court. The viewpoints of the Bush administration and their supporters clearly show few cases of neutrality.

Whether they seek attention as their primary motive is not clear. That BushCo and their supporters have committed acts that would be considered outrageous by the Reagan administration and would have gotten them all hanged as traitors just 30 years ago is a testimate unto itself.

Overly "black and white" thinking seems to dominate the conservative mindset. Anyone who has listened to Rush, Hannity, Rove, or any of the conservative thinkers of the day for an hour or more would be hard pressed to find any views that are not dominated by a "black and white" mentality. Also included is their preponderance for thinking in terms of "us Vs. them". Ask them who the biggest threat to America is, and they will all say "Terrorists". Ask them to define terrorists and they will almost always say something akin to "everyone that's not one of my friends".

Now that these conservatives have had their way with this country for 6 years now, their self destructive tendencies have become apparent to even the most closet born citizen - other than themselves, of course. Form Rush telling his worshippers that not one tree should be left standing to the company owner dumping toxic waste into the rivers to "save some bucks"; conservatives have all shown a penchant for poisoning their own wells if it means cash in their own pocket.

Conservatives tend to make interpersonal relationships into a study, rather than an art. All across the country, they have these places where the conservative elite can go and to send their children to study concepts such as neuro lingustics, mind control, and other forms of coercive persuasion. The average uneducated conservative tends to be the bully in the workplace and at the party. Always ready with the verbal barb in public, these conservatives later find it difficult to understand why you don't particularly care for them in private.

From Foley's apparent inability to refrain from sex with children, Bush showing obvious anger when his lies are laid bare by the media, to the conservative's apparent inability to operate within the confines of their own laws, the conservative's impulsiveness tend to rule their daily lives despite anything they say to the contrary. Even Ann Coulter telling a disabled vietnam vet that he was the reason we lost the vietnam war shows the inability to refrain from their own dark impulses.

Of course, there is no such thing as a conservative who's behavior is acceptable to society. Only those who's unacceptable behavior has not been discovered and proven yet.

Comment #26: Jay Lechnyr said on 10/11/06 @ 6:25pm ET...

Conclusion: Conservatism is a mental disease. They should be pitied, studied, and locked up in a mental institution until cured.

Comment #27: MAX 1 said on 10/11/06 @ 6:27pm ET...

"It [Iraq invasion] could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months," Rumsfailed said, speaking at the American air base at Aviano, in northern Italy. Feb. 7, 2003.

Talk about being EXTREMELY short sighted...

"We don't know what's going to happen but I'm telling you we're looking at our force and how we would continue this level two (troop) rotations beyond (now), so that's beyond 2010," Gen. Peter Schoomaker said at the Pentagon.

Comment #28: Genghis Khan said on 10/11/06 @ 7:18pm ET...

As I listened to Dubya stammer through his speech and Q&A session, I remarked to my wife that he still exhibits classic alcoholic denial and needs to attend a few AA (or PA) meetings pronto. She told me that was funny.

I said, "Honey, if we were Canadians that would be funny...".

Comment #29: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 8:04pm ET...

New voter registration laws leave thousands off the rolls

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-10-voter-registration-laws_x.htm

Comment #30: Nolip said on 10/11/06 @ 8:09pm ET...

Report refutes fraud at poll sites

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-10-poll-fraud-report_x.htm

Comment #31: Frosted Flake said on 10/11/06 @ 8:22pm ET...

Now, just so you know I can tell the differance, on topic. North Korea.

I note the initial report of 10-15 kilotons has been downgraded to the sub kiloton range.

Question : Does this affect the likelihood that the test was faked?

Answer : Yes.

Question : How much?

Answer : Not so much you couldn't hold it between two fingers.

Question : But surely, Mr. Flake, there is a very great differance between 15000 tons of dynamite and 500 tons. And you say this much differance can be held between two fingers?

Answer : Yes, just like a cigarett.

Question : This makes no sense, Mr. Flake, can you make it?

Answer : Naturaly. More information has surfaced than merely the size of the blast. There is also the warning given China ten minutes prior to the blast, warning specifying anticipated yield, of four kiloton. The actual yield fails to match. And would, were the test faked, in order to avoid the impression of a failed nulear test. Particularly in light of the the failed missile test of July 4. Now we have before us two failed stratigic weapon tests. Faked tests do not fail, they succeed. Therefore, I conclude these tests are genuine, though not indicitive of high technical proficiency.

However, the likelyhood of fakery, while important in anticipating the future, is not the main point. The main point is, Kim Jong Il is doing exactly what Saddam Hussien was accused of, as we are now aware accused not in error, but falsely, but is being addressed by this administration as if a mere talking point. I saw this mornings news conferance. The President was impressed by the black reporters funny looking suit (wide pinstripe) but thought the white reporters unremarkable suit to be no suit at all. Perhaps the white reporter had no pants. Perhaps the Emperor had no clothes. He certianly had no plan in regards North Korea, and filled in all the extra time talking about the economy and Iraq. When pressed to lay out his plan, he laid instead blame. And not on Kim Jung Il.

Clearly, there is a very great differance between blaming Mr. Kim and blaming Mr. Clinton. That differance is, whether or not North Korea will be permitted to produce, deploy and then use nuke-ya-ler weapons. And the Motive, China.

Clearly, the administaremdown has no taste for confronting China. I wonder if it has escaped attention that China has recently changed its' tax policy to encourage somewhat less the export of unfinished products. This means that in future the emphasis will be on finished goods. This means China is reorganizing its' economy to address its' own needs, and will therefore in future import fewer high end goods, while exporting more of them. A trend of this sort could easily put the rest of us out of a job. This would make each of us dependant on China. I think this worth some thought.

Of course, this is just coincidence. And so is the fact North Korea is Chinas' proxy, helpless without China, but otherwise invulnerable to criticism. And likewise invulnerable to militerism. That is, if you believe in coincidence.

I'll just come out and say it. North Korea is a battle zone. The use intended is : China will defeat the U.S. Army and all its adherants on ground which may be destroyed completely at no cost to China. All that is needed is to draw the U.S. Army there. And that Is why Pyonyang has Nuclear waepons (that might work).

Stepping back about ninety years, I'm going to give you a glimpse of something generals and armchair generals have been studying ever since.

A half hour before zero hour the British guns stopped firing, and the night became so still that one could hear the nightingales singing in the nearby woods. the men fixed bayonets and removed thier gas masks. Officers changed to enlisted mens tunics and kept peering at thier wrist watches. Zero hour would be 3:10.

At 2:52 the Germans threw up yellow and green flares, calling for artillery fire - a disconcerting sign. How much did they know? At 2:57 heavy bursts of shrapnel swept segments of the British front, but quickly it ceased.

At 3:05 the first streaks of dawn filtered over the Messines ridge. On Mount Kemmel the cocks began to crow. Two green star-flares burst directly in front of the New Zealand Division at 3:06, then machine guns and another flare. Had this unit been discovered? (Some of thier assembly trenches had been dug dangerously forward in No-Mans Land during the early evening.) But at 3:09 the German guns stopped chattering. For one minute absolute silence saturated the air, while at whispered orders the troops crawled over the parapets and lay flat in front of the tapes.

A few seconds befor 3:10 some of the heavy guns rearward began to fire. Then each of the nineteen land mines exploded almost in unison. The earth quaked, tumbling and staggering the British troops as they rose in awe to see the rim of the hated ridge burst skyward in a dense black cloud, beneath which gushed nineteen pillars of flame that lit the salient with the red glare of hell. The pillars fused into greater mushrooms of fire that seemed to set flame to little clouds above. Then, a moment or two later, the long roar of nineteen explosions blended and reverberated into one long blast that stunned even the British troops, awakened the countryside, rolled through Flanders and northern France, hurtled the Channel, and was heard by Lloyd George, awake in his study at #10 downing street.

From the German positions yellow flares soared imploringly high into the sky, the pathetic prayers of doomed men crying for help. As the villages of Messines and Wytschaete dissapeared into oblivian, the heaviest of all artillery barrages struck the German front, and the British assault brigades scrambled over the top.

Plummer and his staff had breakfasted at 2:30, after which everybody went to the top of Cassel Hill near Second Army headquarters, a few miles deep in the sailient, to see the mines go up - all but Plummer, who returned to his room and knelt at his bed in prayer. When the first news of the infantry advance came, he burst into tears. It was quite clear that his Second Army was winning as planned, and with far greater ease than expected. So swift and thorough was the British success that subsequent fighting came as an anti-climax.

The enemy was in a state of near shock when the British fell upon them. they surrendered en-masse, weeping, waving handkerchiefs, grasping the ankles of thier captors. Thousands lay beneath the ground, to be forever entombed there. Some of the mine craters were three hundred feet across and seventy feet deep. The wreckage of their front left many Germans cringing in derelict shelters "like beaten animals" while the British walked along tossing Mills bombs at unresisting clusters of men too dazed to surrender. One Australian lieutenant reported how they "made many fruitless attempts to embrace us. I had never seen men so demoralized." Another distraught prisoner said that only two men in his section of the line had survived the blast. A capture officer reported that of his two hundred man company only thirty were alive when the british foot soldiers arrived. The 3rd Bavarian Division was relieving the 24th Saxons precisely when the explosians and attack burst, both relieved and relievers were decimated and most of the balence were made prisoners.

(In Flanders Fields. Pages 148-150. Author : Leon Wolf. Copyright 1958.)

The total amount of explosives used in these mines was one million pounds. That is a half kiloton. That is in the ballpark of the failed North Korean nuclear test.

Now then, having said all that, I now ask the questions I set up for. Why would China want North Korea to have Nuke-ya-ler weapons?

And what should be done about it?

Obviously, I already answered one of these questions. The answer to the other is, prepare to defend South Korea against a Nulear armed aggressor. Step one, call our puppet in Bagdahd and tell him he is out of time, we need the troops eslewhere, he will have to do without them, whether he can or not. Step two : Have the Navy emphasize patroling the Sea of Japan and adjacent waters, particularly with submarines. Collect all possible data, and study it. Step three : Meet with Japan, determine the extent of cooperation possible, and cooperate to that extent. Step four : Meet with South Korea. It's thier ass the fire is being built under. If they want more, or fewer, American troops, then that is what they should have. Remember 1950? I do, and I wasn't even here yet, much less there. 1950 sucked. Step five : Publicly dedicate two Trident Ballistic Missile Boats to continuously patrol within range of North Korea, a change which really isn't one, as there are already such patrols.

Of course I have more suggestions, but I am not the Secretary of Defence. I am just a
Frosted Flake

Comment #32: tahoebasha1 said on 10/11/06 @ 10:52pm ET...

What an absolutely stupendous thread!

Kudos to Nolip- #20 for a good analysis.

Kudos to Rusty #24 for a nitty-gritty LTE in his, usual inimitable fashion.

Many kudos to Jay Lechnyr #25 and #26 in his response to Nolip's #20 -- excellent post, Jay, and in-depth analysis, as well. Thank you.

And many, many thanks to our "Flake," who takes us to the heart of the North Korean situation with his very "unique" style and interpretation, who, somehow, manages a little humor in a very subtle way.

Comment #33: tahoebasha1 said on 10/12/06 @ 12:01am ET...

And, I also wanted to "thank" Unspun for her thoughtful and kind words on a previous thread to Alma and me.

And, I wanted to "thank" Reed for his wonderful research and thought out posts (which, take him considerable time to compose according to his "alter ego" -- owing to being a slow typist).

And to Koryannder and Wallen for continually to supply us with information and data that we would not normally acquire, were it not for them. And so, many thanks to both of them for all their knowlegeable input.

And, if by chance, I have left anyone out on this "trail of my laudits to our wonderful contributors," please know that each and every single one of us, in my view, is so important, and betwixt us all, maybe, just maybe, we will succeed.

I think it goes without saying that my sentamentality is showing!

Thanks to all!

Comment #34: Bob Strider said on 10/13/06 @ 8:53am ET...

I wouldn't take anything Kos says about the upcoming elections seriously. I believe he is just trying to prepare us for yet another series of 51-49 "upsets." He is nothing more than another whore of the republican machine, and he can go peddle his twigs elsewhere, as far as I'm concerned.

Comment #35: nomad said on 10/19/06 @ 1:19am ET...

Speaking of Kos - there is a recent post detailing the rumor(?) that Blackwell has purged over a million Democrats from the Ohio voter rolls based on a "test letter" which required an action component in order to keep from being purged from the voting rolls. Air America's Thom Hartmann came out with this only this am, and many of his listeners will be checking to see if they are still registered. If this is part of how the GOP "wins" races, it may explain how the stats tighten up as the election gets closer. The pollsters have to be calling registered and/or likely voters from some sort of lists, right? Do they get those lists from the SoS? Do they receive "updated" lists for each new poll? If so, as Democrats are trimmed from those lists, more of those contacted are Republicans, and that party seems to gain in popularity. Thus the races tighten up. We know Rove watches polls like a hawk - he probably gauges the percentage of change that has to take place to get the polls to reach about a 50-50 balance. Then, the election can be stolen and it won't raise too many red flags. Hence the 51-49 "upsets." How do these polling companies work, anyone know?