Neocons Deny Their Lord

Like rats from a sinking ship (the ship they sunk themselves!), the neocons are swimming away from Iraq and George W. Bush just as fast as their nasty, scrofulous little legs can paddle.

Vanity Fair has just posted a shocking (and I do not use that word lightly) article on its website. The magazine itself will not hit the news stands until the beginning of December, but the folks at VF apparently feel that this is important enough to warrant getting it out to the public now. When you read it, you'll see why.

Now that it's obvious to all but the most willfully blind that this unprovoked occupation of Iraq is a complete and utter disaster, the neoconservative architects of this debacle are completely distancing themselves from the bloody mess they created and pointing the finger at the crap-flinging, flea-bitten, hydrocephalic chimp they installed to do their dirty work.

A few tidbits:

Richard Perle:

"The decisions did not get made that should have been. They didn't get made in a timely fashion, and the differences were argued out endlessly.… At the end of the day, you have to hold the president responsible.… I don't think he realized the extent of the opposition within his own administration, and the disloyalty."

"In the administration that I served [Perle was an assistant secretary of defense under Ronald Reagan], there was a one-sentence description of the decision-making process when consensus could not be reached among disputatious departments: 'The president makes the decision.' [Bush] did not make decisions, in part because the machinery of government that he nominally ran was actually running him. The National Security Council was not serving [Bush] properly. He regarded [then National-Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice] as part of the family."

Michael Ledeen, American Enterprise Institute freedom scholar:

"Ask yourself who the most powerful people in the White House are. They are women who are in love with the president: Laura [Bush], Condi, Harriet Miers, and Karen Hughes."

Frank Gaffney, an assistant secretary of defense under Ronald Reagan and founder of the Center for Security Policy:

"[Bush] doesn't in fact seem to be a man of principle who's steadfastly pursuing what he thinks is the right course. He talks about it, but the policy doesn't track with the rhetoric, and that's what creates the incoherence that causes us problems around the world and at home. It also creates the sense that you can take him on with impunity."

David Frum (former speechwriter 'Axis of Evil'):

"I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed to the ideas that underlay those words. And the big shock to me has been that although the president said the words, he just did not absorb the ideas. And that is the root of, maybe, everything."

(well, duh, David!)

But the real kicker is this unbelievably heinous quote from Perle.

Richard Perle:

"Huge mistakes were made, and I want to be very clear on this: They were not made by neoconservatives, who had almost no voice in what happened, and certainly almost no voice in what happened after the downfall of the regime in Baghdad. I'm getting damn tired of being described as an architect of the war. I was in favor of bringing down Saddam. Nobody said, 'Go design the campaign to do that.' I had no responsibility for that."

Oh, I get it, Richie. Damn tired, are you? What a pity. How awful for you. 600,000 Iraqi people dead, almost 2900 American soldiers dead, half a trillion dollars stolen from the American taxpayers, an irreplaceable American city demolished due to an overextended foreign distraction, leaving nothing for our own at home...and you're 'damn tired'? It's not your fault - you just wanted to get rid of Saddam? And just how was that going to happen? A friendly suggestion? You bloodless, worthless, shameless waste of skin, you. If you were any kind of a human being instead of a ghoul, you'd at least accept some responsibility for your action. If things had gone 'well' in Iraq, I'll bet you wouldn't be backing away from the credit.

You are unfit to breathe air. You and your brethren in crime should rot in the hell you slithered out of.

Update 11-6-06: Richard Perle piles it on, adding insult to injury. Just when you think he can't be any more degenerate and disgusting, he continues to surprise.

"I only agreed to tell the truth about Iraq if it would not be published before the election."

In. F***ing. Credible.

Be Afraid...

Protect Yourselves and Your Loved Ones From New STD

Got this from my sister-in-law - had to share!

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of sexually transmitted disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior.

The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and pronounced "gonna re-elect him." Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years. Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: anti-social personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies towards evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.

Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated only a few years ago from a bush found in Texas .

Poor Wolf Blitzer - Patriotism 'Sniped'!

That poor, maligned Wolf Blitzer - his patriotism has been impugned by a Cheney.

Welcome to Democrat World.

Sorry to hear that you're miffed, Wolfie. That's what we Democrats have been dealing with for the last 6 years.

So, how does it feel? Not so great, huh?

But it's okay for war-hero Democrats to have their patriotism questioned by military-avoiding chicken-hawks.

Think about that, Wolf, the next time some Republican starts throwing around the 'unpatriotic' label.

Just think about it.

Surprise! I'm Writing A Book!

I wanted to wait until paper was signed before I made any noise about it, but I'm writing a book! It's going to be about why Americans vote against their own best interests.

How did this come about? In a very strange but interesting way.

I started blogging almost 2 years ago (blog-i-versary coming up!) just to save my own sanity and connect with others who felt the way I did, so I wouldn't feel so alone and crazy. Along the way I've made many fine friends and learned more about my country, my government, and the world than I ever imagined I would know. It also propelled me into action outside the blogosphere, as I realized that it was necessary to do more than write and talk.

Occasionally, I'd send something I had written to Mike Malloy, who would read it on his show. Not too long before his Air America show was cancelled, he read one of my articles on the air. He mentioned the Hooterville address, and I got some very nice e-mails.

One of those e-mails came from someone at a publishing company who asked if I would be interested in discussing writing a book about why Americans vote against their own best interests. At first I thought it was a hoax or a vanity-press thing ('for only $2500, you can be a published author!') but upon using the Google, I found out that the company was a real publisher. The person who contacted me said that they had been looking for someone to write this kind of book, and my writing apparently fit the bill.

So we talked about it, and they asked me to submit a book proposal. I went out and bought a book on how to write a book proposal, put one together and sent it to them. They liked it and sent me a contract, and here I am - an author-in-progress!

I'm really, really excited about this, as you all know how I feel about this subject. I'm hoping to be able to explain this in a way that regular people (non-bloggers or non-political junkies) will understand. But what blows me away about this is that it came about strictly from blogging. It didn't happen because I 'knew' anyone or had any literary contacts whatsoever. In fact, before I became a blogger, I never wrote at all. But I figure, if literary professionals think I can write a book, who am I to doubt them? They know more about it than I do!

It is a testament to the egalitarian nature of the Internet that I'm writing this book - that simply putting one's work out there - casting your bread upon the waters - can result in it finding a home and an audience. So I have to include all of you in this - all of you who have come here to comment and allowed me to get to know you; all of you whose own writing and passion for making our country better have inspired me; all of you who have shared your own selves on your blogs, and have become personal friends as well as blog friends.

I may not be posting as much while I'm working on this book, but I will be here and checking in regularly, so I hope you all won't forget about me. It would be so great to write something that may make a difference, open someone's eyes, or at least make them think. And I will be striking back at these venomous blowhards who have been dominating the media. I'll show them some 'liberal media', by God!

I'm Working The Polls On Nov. 7. You Can, Too!

Hey, fellow patriots! It's not too late to sign up to be a poll worker!

This is an action that you can take right now to be a part of the process. They're accepting people right up to the last day, I believe. You also get paid!

Here's the site for the Election Assistance Commission, with the info about how to sign up in your state.

I'm a clerk, and my inspector called me up the other day to make sure I was on board and getting training. We ended up talking for about a half hour - we realized that we're going to have to make an effort to actually do our jobs, and not just chatter to each other all day long! Of course, we're both really committed to doing the best job we can, so we will have to contain ourselves, but I'm glad to be doing this with a kindred spirit. And, the more progressives we have with our eyes on the process, the better.

One thing she said to me that I wanted to pass on to you all is that poll workers are needed! I hadn't thought about there being lots of room for volunteering. In fact, I never knew how exactly you got to work at a polling place.

So, here's a few things I know so far (I'll have more info tomorrow, after I take my training class):

You can sign up right up until voting day.

High school students are eligible to be poll workers (at least in California - check your state).

You get paid, both for working and for training - I'd do it for free if necessary, but I'm glad that it makes it possible for those of us for whom every day's pay matters to be able to be part of the process.

They offer training on the machines - a 90-minute class, but it is not mandatory. So, if your schedule would prevent you from getting to a training class (and there are a lot of them, all the way up to Sunday the 5th), don't let an inability to get training keep you from volunteering on Election Day.

I can't think of a more patriotic thing to do on this November 7th. And, as we know, this may well be the most important election of our lifetime. This may be our last chance to stop these thugs, or at least keep them from driving us over the cliff into the abyss. We need to be able to hold onto the 'freedoms' that have been left to us, and try to get back the ones they've stolen from us.

Hotline To Heaven!

The Earth Is Not Enough...

I swear, folks - you can't make this stuff up!

Update - I know it sounds incredible, so here are a couple of other sources.

Read the official document.

NYT editorial.

From the U.K.

The Google search.

DIY Impeachment

Do with this what you will...

Impeach Bush: DIY style.

Katherine Harris - The Gift That Keeps On Giving®!

Ahhh yes. When I'm down and out - when I'm on the street - when evening falls so hard...there's always a sunshiny face to cheer me up! Who else but that politician's politician, Miz Katherine Harris!! Her relentless optimism in the face of disaster (especially that of her own making!) is nothing short of inspirational. Just take a gander at the happy news on her website!

TAMPA, FL- Congresswoman Katherine Harris, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, soundly defeated Bill Nelson this evening by a 54% to 45% margin in the straw poll conducted at the Lakeland Bi-Annual Politics in the Park. The Harris campaign continues to build momentum, engendering tremendous grassroots support throughout the state with a pro-growth, pro-family message that resonates across the political spectrum.

Kiddies, I'm from Florida. I know Lakeland - I used to work there on a regular basis. It is a lovely area and I can tell you that it is a roiling sea of fundamentalism - some of the local preachers make Jerry Falwell look like a Unitarian-Universalist. So if Bill Nelson is getting 45% of the vote in Lakeland - well, let's just say that if I were Katherine I wouldn't be bragging about that.

Kathy, Kathy, Kathy - you're the best!

Who's The Enemy?

I am sick, sick, sick to death of being treated like the enemy by the person who is supposed to be my president.

For that matter, I don't like that word 'enemy', period. It's too easy to go from 'the person or country we're currently fighting against' to the 'personification of evil', thereby removing all traces of humanity from said 'enemy' and transforming them into faceless monsters to be eliminated at any cost without guilt. And when you indiscriminately use the word 'war' for anything you oppose, the corollary to that is there has to be an 'enemy' to fight and hate.

Of course, when you're running for office, you're supposed to be partisan. Everyone expects that. But once you've 'assumed' the Presidency, you are in charge of the entire country, not just Republicans. You're supposed to make decisions that are in the best interests of everyone, Democrats as well as Republicans.

But the Resident, from the moment he seized office, has treated Democrats the same way he treats 'the terrorists' (another convenient buzz-word). He talks about us as enemies to be vanquished and silenced. And we're paying for him to do so.

He ran for office in 2000, among other things, on a platform of being 'a uniter, not a divider'. What became immediately apparent was that, by 'uniter' he meant 'getting everyone to do what he says'. Bipartisanship simply meant forcing his agenda upon Democrats. It's always a one-way street.

By 'Americans' he seems to add 'who agree with me' under his breath, like some kind of mental signing statement. And now, with this latest travesty of a bill that he shoved through Congress last week, he's merely formalizing it.

Eery time he gets in front of a microphone, he's blasting Democrats. And I'm sick of paying him to do that. Once you're in office (however you got there), you're on my dime.

I don't often wax eloquent on the charms of the Democrats, because lord knows there's a lot I'd like to see us do that doesn't happen. But I'll tell you one good thing about us (since I'm one), and this is a signal difference between the two parties:

Our platform does not specifically include the elimination of the opposing party!

Republicans have just come out and said it. This is a specific goal - to nullify Democrats and liberals entirely. As bumbling as Democrats can be, by virtue of our relative independence, we don't seek to eliminate a two-party government. We don't want to eliminate checks and balances. Sure, we want to implement our agenda, but that agenda does not include silencing all who disagree with us.

Not so the Republicans. Not so George W. Bush.

They are not in favor of a democracy. They couldn't care less about the Constitution, unless it's twisted around to bludgeon someone with who disagrees with them. They are opposed to liberty and justice for all. They only want 'the best' people to be in charge, 'the best' being the richest or most powerful. Certainly they don't want 'the brightest' anywhere near - that has been painfully obvious. And 'one man, one vote' is a dated, outmoded concept. Quaint, you might call it.

So, who's the enemy? You tell me.

Clash Of The Titans?

The Washington Post says that the GOP hold on evangelicals is weakening. DownWithTyranny! has a great post on it with lots of numbers to back it up!

That's the danger of the Rovian strategy - pulling together groups who have little in common and promising each one that their agenda will be implemented. That strategy, so far, has been overwhelmingly successful. But it can't hold together indefinitely, because there is an innate conflict between evangelicals and plutocrats, which till now has been brushed aside in the common pursuit of power. The problem arises when the bill comes due.

They've put it off for as long as they can, but it's time to pay the piper, and the moral bank account is empty.

I'm hoping against hope that this is the beginning of the crumbling of that unholy alliance. Of course, it never pays to underestimate the power of power-mongering, and I know that the Republicans (and those who profit by them) are in no way ready to relinquish the reins. So let's hope that this will be the blast that starts the avalanche.

Whatever it takes to pull us back from the abyss...

A Drunk? You Wish!

Someone must be spiking the Konservative Kool-Aid. Lately it seems that everyone wants to join my club - A.A.

Hate-mongering, corruption, child molesting? Off to rehab with you! Mark Foley is only the latest member of the "I'm not a criminal - I'm a drunk" contingent. It's just like the "Jesus in the jailhouse" club, except that these guys are already Bible-thumpers, so they have to play the next 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card - the Alcoholic card.

Sorry, fellas. It ain't that easy.

They all have some idea that, if you call alcoholism a disease, then you're not responsible for what you've done. It was the booze's fault.


As a recovering alcoholic, I can tell you that it doesn't work that way. Having a disease does not absolve you of responsibility for managing that disease. Mel, it wasn't the booze that made you anti-Semitic. Bob, it wasn't the booze that made you a corrupt congressman-on-the-take. Mark, it sure as hell wasn't the booze that made you a pedophile. So if you think that you can boo-hoo your way into rehab instead of jail, go ahead and give it your best shot. But to blame it on the booze?

This drunk ain't buying it.

Update - thanks to the scintillating Blue Gal and Crooks and Liars for the mention!

"Naughty"? And, Yes, It's ABC - Always Blame Clinton!

I am simply sputtering. I am aghast. Are you motherfucking kidding me?

I have had it with these sick, twisted hypocritical perverts.

This is where one of the fundamental flaws of the so-called 'Family Values' raises its hideous, ghoulish, misshapen head.

All this talk about how 'evil' homosexuality is - and, make no mistake, this is a central tenet in the Rovian scheme to keep Republicans in power forever by mobilizing the fundamentalist base - and all this finger-pointing and demonizing of liberals as godless. hellbound profligates who have no respect for the 'sanctity of marriage', and smugly congratulating themselves on their own holiness. Hell, they're practically walking around with their arms in a cast from patting themselves on the back.

Yet, they continue to willfully ignore the fact that being gay is something that you are born with - that is, may I say, 'God-given' - and is not abnormal. immoral, or unnatural, and thereby force anyone who is not able to express their natural sexuality (hetero or homo - priests come to mind) into perversion - child molesting.

Well, fuck you. Let me spell it out for you.

Being gay is not perverted.

Being a pedophile is perverted.

Being a pedophile is a CRIME.

You can be gay and be a pedophile.

You can be straight and be a pedophile.

It is not your sexual orientation that is at issue.

It is molesting children that is at issue.

And it is covering up for those who molest children that is at issue.

The Republican party is completely to blame here because they knew about it for 5 years!!! But - oh, no - can't lose a Republican seat over a few molested pages. Hey, boys will be boys! Simply a matter of human failing - nothing sexual, says Newt (why is he all over the airwaves every time you turn around? He's not even in office anymore. Gearing up for '08? Yeah, Mr. Serial Philanderer is just the guy to call when you want the low-down on Family Values)...you know, a couple of naughty e-mails; no big deal.

It's difficult to know where to start with this - so much perfidy, so little time.

Denny "Refrigerator" Hastert is spinning like a top. scrambling to deflect blame. And. predictably, the mouth-breathers at the major media are tripping all over themselves to spread blame everywhere except where it really belongs. Favorite target? Who else but the Big Dawg! And gays! And liberals for tolerating gays!

And then that faux-balance - "Let's not judge him till all the facts are in..." Yeah - I can't wait to see the e-mails that are coming. The ones talking about asking about the kid's genital measurements are just 'overly friendly'.

Nobody in media has the stones to come out and admit that it is almost always exclusively conservative Republicans that are doing this shit! And they have the nerve to brand themselves morally superior on top of it.

This is one reason why the conservative message is flawed. Legislating morality, denying normal human nature (not perversion), 'do as I say, not as I do'...it's all so very wrong.

On This Sad Day, I Hang My Head In Shame

Way to go, Dems. Way to fucking roll over. You make me sick.

It's bad enough that we have to deal with the Republicans who are giving the big thumbs-up to this murderocracy.

But here was a chance for Democrats to use the one and only crumb of power we have left to us - the filibuster - to oppose the shredding of our Constitution, to stand on principle and stand up for human rights, to tell the American people that we do not condone pissing on the Geneva Convention.

Instead, what did we say? We said, "Hey, George, it's OK with us what you're doing! Go on ahead and commit atrocious war crimes! We're behind ya, buddy. And don't worry about them coming back to bite you in the ass. We're all right with passing a law that only exempts civilians from responsibility for these crimes (retroactively as well as any future crimes) - civilians like you, Cheney, Rummy, private 'contractors' - but holds the military (who is forced to carry out your unspeakably vile orders) responsible for what you, in your safe, cushy office, tell them to do. 'Low-hanging fruit' Lynndie England won't be hoppin' out of the hoosegow any time soon, but that's just fine and dandy. And hey, who cares that we've just opened the doors for other countries to do to our American soldiers what you intend to do to any other foreigner that you don't like? We think you're so great, we'll just let you do anything you want to! Roll on, brother - we got your back!"

'Obstructionist'? Hell yes we should be obstructionist. What else do we have at our disposal to slow these killers down? Every Democrat should be a proud obstructionist. But instead, we have enablers, fellow travelers, appeasers. This is the real 'soft on terror' crowd. Heaven forbid the Resident should call us names!

I hang my head in shame.

For information on the Democrats who let this go by, visit Democrats For Torture.

Support Keith Olbermann At MSNBC

I read a comment over at Firedoglake that sounded like a good idea to me. Whatever else you may think about MSNBC, they put Keith Olbermann on the air. Let's show them that we appreciate that by contacting the companies that sponsor the show, and telling them so. There is no other outspoken liberal voice in the traditional media but his - God bless him.

Here's a list of products and/or companies - even if you wouldn't personally buy them (and some I would not), at least we can let them know that there are eyeballs on the screen for Olbermann.

Cheerios
monster.com
PNC
commitlozenge.com
Aleve
sprint mobile broadband
senior lending network reverse mortgages
Honda Certified Used Cars
AT&T Dynamic Networking New ATT att.com
ReadyRegion.org red cross
Comcast digital voice
l’Oreal Pro Calcium Moisturizer
NBC NEws on I-Tunes
subaru outback sport utility wagon
Genworth Financial Retirement solutions
Vonage unlimited local and long distance calling
New York Stock Exchange
Clairol natural Instincts
Dell Power Edge Servers

Bye Bye, Geneva! Hello, Gulag!

Well, as we're all probably aware, the Kowboy Koward of Krawford and his torture buddies are pressuring Congress to let them have their torture and their exemption from legal culpability for said torture - their retroactive immunity for the war crimes they have committed in the past and the war crimes they are eagerly planning to commit in the future. The quaint, backward Geneva Conventions are a thing of the past, baby! Come on, it's 2006!

One question on many people's lips is - why torture when we know that information gained through torture is unreliable, that the torturees will say anything they think will make the torture stop?

How about this for an answer: That's exactly why.

They don't want true information - they want the information that they are looking for! And if you use torture, that's exactly what you'll get. Whatever will justify actions that the administration wants to take.

It's just another way to do what they've been doing all along - ignoring information tht doesn't fit their agenda, and pressuring for information that does.

Remember Richard Clarke?

"The president dragged me into a room with a couple of other people, shut the door, and said, 'I want you to find whether Iraq did this.' Now he never said, 'Make it up.' But the entire conversation left me in absolutely no doubt that George Bush wanted me to come back with a report that said Iraq did this.

"I said, 'Mr. President. We've done this before. We have been looking at this. We looked at it with an open mind. There's no connection.'

"He came back at me and said, "Iraq! Saddam! Find out if there's a connection.' And in a very intimidating way. I mean that we should come back with that answer. We wrote a report."

This is the real purpose. This is the M.O. of this administration, and has been since Day 1. What was implied before is now about to be written into law.

Read this bill.

Looking Back: The Onion - Jan, 2001

Check this out!

The Onion, in a scarily prescient article written in January 2001, declares:"Bush Says 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'".

When I read it, I swear it could have been written today. Here's an excerpt:

"My fellow Americans," Bush said, "at long last, we have reached the end of the dark period in American history that will come to be known as the Clinton Era, eight long years characterized by unprecedented economic expansion, a sharp decrease in crime, and sustained peace overseas. The time has come to put all of that behind us."

Bush swore to do "everything in [his] power" to undo the damage wrought by Clinton's two terms in office, including selling off the national parks to developers, going into massive debt to develop expensive and impractical weapons technologies, and passing sweeping budget cuts that drive the mentally ill out of hospitals and onto the street.

During the 40-minute speech, Bush also promised to bring an end to the severe war drought that plagued the nation under Clinton, assuring citizens that the U.S. will engage in at least one Gulf War-level armed conflict in the next four years.

"You better believe we're going to mix it up with somebody at some point during my administration," said Bush, who plans a 250 percent boost in military spending. "Unlike my predecessor, I am fully committed to putting soldiers in battle situations. Otherwise, what is the point of even having a military?"

On the economic side, Bush vowed to bring back economic stagnation by implementing substantial tax cuts, which would lead to a recession, which would necessitate a tax hike, which would lead to a drop in consumer spending, which would lead to layoffs, which would deepen the recession even further.

Wall Street responded strongly to the Bush speech, with the Dow Jones industrial fluctuating wildly before closing at an 18-month low. The NASDAQ composite index, rattled by a gloomy outlook for tech stocks in 2001, also fell sharply, losing 4.4 percent of its total value between 3 p.m. and the closing bell.

Asked for comment about the cooling technology sector, Bush said: "That's hardly my area of expertise."

Turning to the subject of the environment, Bush said he will do whatever it takes to undo the tremendous damage not done by the Clinton Administration to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He assured citizens that he will follow through on his campaign promise to open the 1.5 million acre refuge's coastal plain to oil drilling. As a sign of his commitment to bringing about a change in the environment, he pointed to his choice of Gale Norton for Secretary of the Interior. Norton, Bush noted, has "extensive experience" fighting environmental causes, working as a lobbyist for lead-paint manufacturers and as an attorney for loggers and miners, in addition to suing the EPA to overturn clean-air standards.

Bush had equally high praise for Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft, whom he praised as "a tireless champion in the battle to protect a woman's right to give birth."

You can read the entire article here.

All that crummy peace and prosperity was really bumming me out.

War Is A Racket

This is what I saw in my inbox the first thing this morning, courtesy of the Randi Rhodes Show, and I want to pass it on to you verbatim. No words of mine can begin to touch this:

"In the first half of the 20th century, Gen. Butler was as well known as Colin Powell is today. He served 33 years in the US Marines and is one of only 19 people ever to receive TWO Congressional Medals of Honor - the highest decoration the US Military awards.

Gen. Butler served with unquestionable distinction on battlefields spanning three continents. And when his service was through and the only orders he followed were his own he did what all great men do: he asked himself "Why?"

History now remembers General Smedley Butler for his answer that very simple question. An answer that holds as true today as it did 73 ago…

WAR IS A RACKET!"

The following is an excerpt from a speech Gen. Butler delivered in 1933…one of over 1,200 speeches he delivered in over 700 US cities.

"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

In 1935, Gen. Butler published his famed short work titled War is a Racket. Click here to read it in its entirety.

Thanks to the Randi Rhodes Show.

Cheney On Iran - January, 2005

Amid all this hoo-haw over Iran, and their nuclear capabilities, my Dad reminded me of somthing that happened almost 2 years ago. 'Swingin' Dick Cheney was interviewed by Don Imus, and he all but urged Israel to attack Iran.

"Given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards," Cheney said. (nudge nudge, wink wink)

This was pretty much an open invitation for Israel to go after Iran, with the implicit blessing of the US.

Nobody paid a lot of attention to this at the time, (except my Dad, who said he got chills up and down his spine when he heard Darth Cheney say that) but in retrospect, we can see the truth in what people have been saying for a while now - that Iran has been in the Administration's sights for some time.

First, the deploring and the head-shaking. Then, the discussion of diplomatic solutions, with force only being considered 'as a last resort'.

'Last resort' my ass. The minute they say the word 'force', it's a done deal. It's been a done deal. Next step: offer the Iranians some bogus conditions that they could not and should not possibly comply with. Then, when the 'offer' is rejected, with sighs and long faces, the Administration sorrowfully concludes, with a heavy heart, that there is no alternative but to go and bomb the shit out of those dastardly villains, all the while telling the Iranians how much we love them.

Remember, this was right after the second (or third) Diebold miracle, and this interview was given a couple of hours before the KKofK's inaugural address. Watch the charade play out - it's the best show in town.

Update: Jolly Roger at Reconstitution sends this link - definitely a word to the wise. Do read.

Give 'Em Hell, Harry - Reid and Durbin Open A Can Of Whoop-Ass On Frist

On Monday, Bill Frist, on his return to the Senate floor, blamed Democrats for the "Do-Nothing Congress", calling them 'obstructionists' who 'let politics get in the way of sound policy and purpose' - in other words, have the temerity to decline to rubber-stamp every disastrous policy that the Republicans are trying to force down their throat.

Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader, and Dick Durbin, Democratic Whip, proceeded to tag-team up on Frist with a colloquy that was beautiful to watch.

Mr. Durbin: Will the Senator yield for a question?

Mr. Reid: I will be happy to yield for a question.

Mr. Durbin: Can the Senator refresh my memory? Was Mr. Bremmer the recipient of a gold medal or something from the President? Didn't he receive some high decoration or medal for his performance in Iraq?

Mr. Reid: The answer is, yes, he received that. I assume one would expect that from somebody who had a throne while he was over there.

Mr. Durbin: Isn't it also true that George Tenet, who was responsible for the intelligence that was so bad that led us into the war in Iraq, got a medal from the President the same day?

Mr. Reid: That is true.

Mr. Durbin: Did Michael Brown with FEMA receive a gold medal from the White House before he was dismissed?

Mr. Reid: I don't think he did. Even though he was doing a heck of a job, I don't think he obtained a medal from the White House.

Mr. Durbin: Apparently, these gold medals were being awarded for incompetence. They missed Mr. Brown, but they did give one to Mr. Bremmer. Will the Senator yield for another question?

Mr. Reid: I will be happy to.

Mr. Durbin: I am trying to recall the exact number -- it was in the billions of dollars -- that we gave to the President for the reconstruction of Iraq; is that not true?

Mr. Reid: It started out at $18 billion. But as the Senator from Illinois will remember, part of that money, stacks of one-hundred-dollar bills, was used by some of the contractors who were sent over there to play football games -- some of these same people.

Mr. Durbin: It is also true, is it not, that the Democratic policy conference has been holding hearings -- in fact, I think it is the only agency on the Hill holding hearings -- on this waste and abuse, this profiteering and corruption at the expense of American taxpayers and even, equally important -- more importantly -- at the expense of our troops?

Mr. Reid: I say to my friend, this war is approaching 3 1/2 years, and there has not been a single congressional oversight hearing on the conduct of the war. This war has now cost us, the American taxpayers, about $325 billion. There has not been a single congressional oversight hearing on the war.

Mr. Durbin: I ask the Senator from Nevada if he might comment on this as well: Are we not in a situation where the President has told us that he wants to "stay the course'' in Iraq, and Vice President Cheney, when asked a week ago, said he wouldn't change a thing in the way they have done this war in Iraq? Is it very clear that unless there is a change in leadership in this town soon, we are going to continue down this disastrous course, exposing our soldiers to danger every single day, their families to the anxiety of separation, and the taxpayers of this country to billions and billions of dollars more being spent that don't make us any safer?

Article on Smirking Chimp here.

Video from C-SPAN here.

With Friends Like Dubya, Who Needs Enemies?

Heads up, Iran!

In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, the Kowboy Koward of Krawford just told you what good friends he is with you.

"To the people of Iran: The United States respects you; we respect your country. We admire your rich history, your vibrant culture, and your many contributions to civilization. You deserve an opportunity to determine your own future, an economy that rewards your intelligence and your talents, and a society that allows you to fulfill your tremendous potential. The greatest obstacle to this future is that your rulers have chosen to deny you liberty and to use your nation's resources to fund terrorism, and fuel extremism, and pursue nuclear weapons."

Before you get all swoony, just remember what he said to his good buddies in Iraq, right before he invaded and started his killing spree:

Many Iraqis can hear me tonight in a translated radio broadcast, and I have a message for them: If we must begin a military campaign, it will be directed against the lawless men who rule your country and not against you.

As our coalition takes away their power, we will deliver the food and medicine you need.

We will tear down the apparatus of terror and we will help you to build a new Iraq that is prosperous and free.

In free Iraq there will be no more wars of aggression against your neighbors, no more poison factories, no more executions of dissidents, no more torture chambers and rape rooms.

The tyrant will soon be gone. The day of your liberation is near.

It is too late for Saddam Hussein to remain in power. It is not too late for the Iraq military to act with honor and protect your country, by permitting the peaceful entry of coalition forces to eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Our forces will give Iraqi military units clear instructions on actions they can take to avoid being attacked and destroyed.

I urge every member of the Iraqi military and intelligence services: If war comes, do not fight for a dying regime that is not worth your own life.

And all Iraqi military and civilian personnel should listen carefully to this warning: In any conflict, your fate will depend on your actions. Do not destroy oil wells, a source of wealth that belongs to the Iraqi people. Do not obey any command to use weapons of mass destruction against anyone, including the Iraqi people. War crimes will be prosecuted, war criminals will be punished and it will be no defense to say, "I was just following orders." (emphasis mine)

Notice the eerie similarities. Note how he told the Iraqis how much he loved them; it was their nasty old leaders that had to go. Then he made sure to emphasize their assets and command that no one destroy them.

Also, notice how he was talking about torture, and war crimes. Right before he went in and decimated the country.

Look out, Iran. Your pal Dubya's giving you fair warning.

Vote Early and Often!

You must see this video about how easy it is to hack a Diebold.

Thanks to kissfan at Truespeak.

Ann Richards

I was saddened yesterday by the news that Governor Ann Richards has died. She was a true Texas hero (born and raised *ahem*) and was a powerful force for progressive change. I always hoped in my heart of hearts that she would be our first female President. She died of esophageal cancer, which is what my dad has been battling.

Jurassicpork over at Welcome To Pottersville has her famous screed on "How To Be A Good Republican".

Hilarious Video! Joe L. and George W.B.!

Why watch "The Path To 9/11" when you can watch this instead? Star A. Decise has once again sent something hilarious my way - a home-made video featuring those two BFFs - Joe Lieberman and George W. Bush. This, unlike "TPT9/11", will put a smile on your face.

It really is great. Please tell me you'll watch it - you'll thank me!

Propaganda? Easy As ABC!

Max Blumenthal has just written an article that rips the lid off of the ABC ("Annihilate Bill Clinton", "All-Bush Channel" "Altered By Conservatives") crock-u-drama "The Path To 9/11".

Less than 72 hours before ABC's "The Path to 9/11" is scheduled to air, the network is suddenly under siege. On Tuesday, ABC was forced to concede that "The Path to 9/11" is "a dramatization, not a documentary." The film deceptively invents scenes to depict former President Bill Clinton's handling of the Al Qaeda threat.

Now, ABC claims to be is editing those false sequences to satisfy critics so the show can go on - even if it still remains a gross distortion of history. And as it does so, ABC advances the illusion that the deceptive nature of "The Path to 9/11" is an honest mistake committed by a hardworking but admittedly fumbling team of well-intentioned Hollywood professionals who wanted nothing less than to entertain America. But this is another Big Lie.

In fact, "The Path to 9/11" is produced and promoted by a well-honed propaganda operation consisting of a network of little-known right-wingers working from within Hollywood to counter its supposedly liberal bias. This is the network within the ABC network. Its godfather is far right activist David Horowitz, who has worked for more than a decade to establish a right-wing presence in Hollywood and to discredit mainstream film and TV production. On this project, he is working with a secretive evangelical religious right group founded by The Path to 9/11's director David Cunningham that proclaims its goal to "transform Hollywood" in line with its messianic vision.

That's right, folks.

There has been a right-wing movement, headed by David Horowitz, to infiltrate the TV and movie business in Hollywood, to shape it from the ground up according to far-right lights. As is usually the case, it is well-funded and connected, and has been placing members of the right-wing evangelical group "Youth With A Mission" as interns in the film industry, through an auxiliary group called "The Film Institute", which is, according to its mission statement, "dedicated to a Godly transformation and revolution TO and THROUGH the Film and Televisionindustry."

Don't believe the hype - these gross inaccuracies are not "honest mistakes". They are deliberate fabrications by a far-right messianic evangelical cadre, with the blessings of the ABC/Disney group.

Why would a network go along with this? Don't forget - when Republicans are in power, tax breaks and de-regulation are the order of the day. The networks and media outlets are consolidating, with more and more outlets under the control of fewer and fewer people. Less competition=more monopoly.

That's where we're heading, friends. The consolidation of the media is the goal here, and one that can only be possible through the good graces of a Republican government. They are trying to do this as quickly as they can, before the mid-terms have a chance of breaking the total lock on power that is currently in place. And if it's messianic, who cares as long as the the media companies make the mucho buck-os. They don't care where it comes from. Their deity is the Almighty Dollar, and if they can get more from evangelical propaganda, then - Hallelujah!

Please read this for yourself - check the sources. It's chilling.

I'm going to call ABC/Disney and let them know that I will no longer be watching their programming or buying from their sponsors, and will be talking to others about doing the same. When I get a list of the sponsors of their prime-time programming, I'll put it up here.

Update on ABC/Disney contact info: This comment on Air America, while really long, has a wealth of information that covers anything and anyone associated with this digusting travesty.

Read this comment!

Mike Malloy Kicked To The Curb By Air America?!?

This is just disgusting. My favorite liberal talk show host, Mike Malloy - unceremoniously dumped by a so-called liberal radio station. This after telling him that his contract was on the way the week before, and that his program was going back on in NYC. Lily-livered weasels.

There is a petition going around to express support for Mike and Kathy and tell the weenies at AAR that we want him back on the air ASAP. He may not want to, and I can't say I'd blame him if he didn't, but I for one need to hear his strong, morally uncompromising voice on the airwaves.

Now, more than ever, we need the rage and the outrage that Mike expresses. He makes us feel that we are not alone and crazy. Perhaps we are getting a little too close to the mid-terms. Can't be getting the proletariat all riled up, now, can we?

Mike has read many of my e-mails on the air in the past, and always makes his listeners feel like they matter. He is abrasive but the truth is not comfortable. Go somewhere else if you're looking for infotainment and feel-good smarminess.

Kudos to Randi Rhodes and Sam Seder for standing up for their comrade-in-arms.

Petition is here.

A Tidbit From Gore Vidal

Pssst - Gore Vidal says that Al Gore wants to run - he just doesn't want it to be difficult. After 2000, can you blame him?

Oh, if it could be...

An Evening With John Dean And Gore Vidal

I just got back from an unforgettable evening. Our local chapter of the Progressive Dems of America, PDLA, sponsored a talk with John Dean and Gore Vidal! It was held at a private home, and was also taped by C-Span. I bought John Dean's book the day it came out, so I brought along my copy and had him sign it 'to Hooterville'; now we have another 'book premium' for Hooterville For Habitat. "Conservatives Without Conscience" is an incredible book, and it has been a key to the thinking I've been doing along the lines of authoritarianism.

John Dean is a brilliant, morally courageous man, and it was a a privilege to listen to him speak in person. And as for Gore Vidal - what can you say? He is a living legend - frighteningly intelligent, with a razor-sharp wit. They don't make his kind anymore. He is a product of an era of respect for, appreciation of, and delight in the written and spoken word - 'le mot juste'. I just fell in love with him right there. To listen to the two of them have a conversation was a marvel. If it goes up on C-Span, you should watch it if you can. I came away inspired.

Plus, I heard a great new name for the Kowboy Koward of Krawford - "The Yellow Rose Of Texas"!

Yee-haw!

'Block The Vote' Video on PBS (and an interesting coincidence)

I got an e-mail today from People For the American Way (PFAW) about a program on PBS that examines the new laws restricting voters. It's a great program, and it prominently features my namesake, Georgia State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan, who is involved in PFAW Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network.

I found out who she was in an interesting way a while back. I got an e-mail confirming a flight from Atlanta to Washington - a ticket that I had not booked. It was sent to my specific address. I was worried that someone had charged a ticket to my credit card or something, so I called the airline. They confirmed that it was indeed to an Alicia Morgan, at my e-mail address. But I knew I had not booked any flight, so I started Googling, and located an Alisha Morgan in Georgia. I called her, and she turned out to be a State Representative who was traveling to DC. I guess she booked the flight on the phone, and the ticket person must have used my spelling instead of hers, and we both have websites with our names. We had a very nice conversation, and I was thrilled (and not a little relieved) to find out she was a progressive Democrat. She is also the first African-American to represent her district.

And we found out something else we had in common. Not only do we have the same name - but so do our husbands! We both married David Morgans!

(cue the Twilight Zone theme!)

Anyhow, if you didn't see this on TV, please watch it on video from the PBS site. It's a real eye-opener, and I believe that there can be no more grievous attack on our democracy than voter suppression. Everything else is contingent upon our right to vote and to have our vote counted, and the Bush thugs and their tools on the right are doing their best to make sure that only 'their kind' of voters get to the polls.

And, check out Rep. Alisha Morgan - I definitely think she is someone to watch. I am expecting extraordinary things from her. I think you'll like her, and I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more from her as time goes on.

The Psychology Of Micro-Activism

As I've been ruminating on my "Preaching To The Choir" concept, I've been thinking about how we get inactive progressives to step up. One way could be micro-activism. Instead of coming up with the biggest donation you can muster, just stick a drop in a bucket.

That's what I'm talking about with the Hooterville For Habitat project - you don't have to be George Soros to make a difference. If you come across something that sparks your interest or you feel is deserving, kick in $10. Or $5. Any donation, no matter how small, is better that none. Not only that, but it gets you into the feeling of participation, which is the main purpose. Instead of throwing yourself full-time into someone's campaign, just phone bank for one night, from your cell phone. Or offer some other skill you have - for a couple of hours.

The point of micro-activism isn't the amount. It's involvement versus non-involvement. I kicked in $20 to DownWithTyranny's Blue America project. That's not going to send the accountants into a tizzy, but it means I'm supporting it with my action. It's psychological more than financial, really.

If you want to talk about a war, the war in question is a psychological one, being waged against us by the powers that have a vested interest in our capitulation, our passivity. And so far they've been winning. Look at what they've been able to do to this country (and the rest of the world) because we haven't stopped them.

This is the ultimate in Psy-Ops, and we've been trying to fight fire with wood. We have to learn and understand their methods so we can fight them effectively. The majority of Americans may not be gung-ho activists, but if we can get them to just stick their toes in the water, they'll at least be present and accounted for, which can change a lot of things. Remember, this is psychological, not logical. We have to understand that before anything can get better.

In A Stunning Upset

...my friend Lesli Carroll has surged into the lead in the quest for the coveted Greg Palast book! DivaJood, the early frontrunner, was widely expected to run away with the prize but in the home stretch, Lesli put on a sudden burst of speed and is now ensconced in first place.

Lesli, for those of you who don't know her, is my fairy geek-mother. One of my first friends when I moved to California 19 years ago, she is an incredible saxophone player, composer,arranger, and producer. I'd need another blog to list all her talents, but she's the person who introduced me to computers - she's a total Mac whiz. She is also my sister leftie from way back - we actually were working on a satirical song about the Usurper while he was still 'running'. Lesli moved to Idyllwild a few years ago, so I don't get to see her often, so it was really a treat to have her involved in our Katrina project. Not surprising, though - Lesli walks the talk in a way that many talk about and few actually do. I'm hoping she'll start a blog sometime, although she's one of the busiest people I know. She has a great voice, is fiercely intelligent, and has a lot to say.

I am so happy and thankful to my friends for helping out with this donation page. So happy, in fact, that I am going to both raise the goal to $1000, and offer prizes to everyone who donates.

The big kahuna, of course, is the book "Armed Madhouse" by Greg Palast, personally autographed by Greg 'to Hooterville'. But I have a lot of other great books that I will pass along to you guys - "American Theocracy" by Kevin Phillips, "Conservatives Without Conscience" by John Dean, and many more along those lines. I'll make up a list, and when you donate, you can pick one of the books on the list as your 'premium'. Even a $1 donation gets a book! Remember, no donation is too small! I hope you'll consider joining our Hooterville For Habitat Team - even if only for a dollar. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, as a team member you can get other people to donate to your account!

My kids have been saving change in a jar, and they came up with $48. I kicked in the extra $2 to make it an even $50.

This is also a great way to catch up on your progressive reading at very little cost to yourself, and help Katrina victims (since Dubya and Co. are too busy trying to find more folks to bomb) get homes at the same time.

Click on the graphic or here to get to our Team Page, and thanks again to DivaJood, Lesli, Karena and Helen for stepping up! Much love to you.

Have You Had Enough - Part 2

The lovely and talented Howie Klein of Down With Tyranny is the ringmaster for this particular circus, and it's fun for all ages. Check out the cool video that a supporter of Coleen Rowley made. Let me give you Howie in his own words:

The whole story of how Rickie Lee Jones and the 2 guys from The Squirrel Nut Zippers (Tom Maxwell and Ken Mosher) came to record the song is here at Down With Tyranny.

We're doing our best to get it on the radio so people start to get familiar with it and we've offered it for free download at MySpace.com/haveyouhadenough/ (and in 2 weeks it will be available for free on all the big digital services). The goal, though is a little more involved. We've made 30 second radio spots out of the song. For targeted districts, with particularly terrible incumbents and particularly excellent challengers (like Jerry McNerney taking on Dick Pombo in CA-11 and Vic Wulsin taking on Mean Jean Schmidt on OH-02) we've replaced the line "it's time to throw the rascals out" with "it's time to throw Pombo out" and "it's time to throw Mean Jean out."

The districts we're targeting can all be called "dollar a holla" media markets. A very little bit of money can go a relatively long way. Our hope is to get our ads up on the radio during October. We're trying to raise $250,000, not just for these two districts but for as many of the Blue America candidates as we can help. The list is here: http://www.actblue.com/page/blueamerica/ And that is also a place where, if you think it's worthwhile, you can chip in some money too. Even $10, if enough people chip in, will be incredibly helpful.

It's been a real grassroots project from Day One and now supporters of candidates are doing remixes and making video clips and spreading it virally. This week a supporter of Coleen Rowley sent me a little video he made, which is up on YouTube. It's cute: http://homepage.mac.com/mmcintee/hadenough/iMovieTheater115.html/

I'm sure you know Bush and his rubber stamp Congress aren't going away of their own accord. We can expect terror alerts and God knows what else from them to sway a voting public that has become increasingly disgusted with them. It makes people feel good to take part in ousting them and freeing themselves.

Nancy Johnson and Dick Cheney - Separated At Birth?

Check it out here...

I smell Pulitzer!

Have You Had Enough? Check Out My Favorite New Song

My friend Star A. Decise over at Enigmatic Paradox has turned me on to a fabulous new song that will be in heavy rotation on my iPod.

It's by a collective of activist musicians that includes my all-time favorite Rickie Lee Jones, of whom I am a sick fan. It's called "Have You Had Enough" and it's a swingin' ditty.

I urge all of you to hot-foot it over Star's way and dig this great tune.

Go here!

We're So Close!

We're almost to our $500 goal!

Right now, DivaJood is the frontrunner, but it's still anyone's game. Don't forget, you can get friends and family to donate to your name! Greg's autographed book is still up for grabs.

Here's the link...

No donation is too small!

Katherine Harris - The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

Oh, I do luv me some Katherine Harris.

Along with Tom DeLay, she merrily brushes aside the idea of the separation of church and state like so much Spanish moss.

I think I'll just let Katherine speak for herself, as she gives an interview to the Florida Baptist Witness. No other commentary can do her justice.

Green Acres, We Are There...

My long-time readers know that I've spent a fair amount of time on the question "Why?" I'm pretty clear on 'what', but the rationale for the seemingly senseless behavior of people who, as I state in my preamble, are like 'chickens voting for Colonel Sanders', has puzzled me to no end.

I can understand completely why the Bush Crime Family and the NeoCons do what they do. No puzzle there. They are the beneficiaries of this corruption. But the average working joe whose job has been outsourced, whose paycheck buys less and less every year, whose kids are cannon fodder - why would they vote for these thugs who treat them like so much Charmin? Stockholm Syndrome?

But, finally, the puzzle piece has fallen into place. I've just started reading George Lakoff, the Berkeley linguistics professor and social scientist who writes extensively about framing. He says that people tend to see the country as a one of two family metaphors, the 'strict father' (conservative) and the 'nurturant parent' (progressive - or, the hell with it - I'll say it - liberal). Of course, you may already know about Lakoff, but he's new to me.

He claims that these frames are so deeply ingrained within our personalities that if a fact conflicts with it, it simply slides off. So it really doesn't matter if Bush lies. He's the 'strict father', taking care and protecting us, and the pesky facts have no effect on these people.

It is the only explanation that makes sense to me.

But Lakoff does more than explain; he offers ways to counter this. I for one used to think that, if only the facts were out there, people would wake up and rise up against these murderers. But it doesn't work that way.

It's not just the Bush Crime Family, but conservatism itself, that is the real enemy. If you wonder why Republicans are suddenly coming out against George Bush, don't be fooled. It's because, since he can't be re-elected, he's the perfect fall guy. If they can blame every disaster that they've inflicted on us on the Kowboy Koward of Krawford, then when he's out, they'll get a 'better' conservative in. Bad Bush! Naughty Bush! Not that Bush has been anything but a brain-damaged puppet since before Day One. But you and I know it's the bigger picture - the multinational corporations, the military/ industrial complex, that is supported by this anti-democratic conservative regime. Believe me, everything is going just swimmingly for these people. No mistakes there!

Conservatism is about domination. About unquestioned authority. About punishment. About dog-eat-dog. About self-interest being the highest good. According to conservative philosophy, caring for those who can't care for themselves is immoral. Rewarding the weak by giving them something they haven't earned is not just foolish. It is immoral. Morality is represented by those with the discipline to get ahead - therefore, the good people are rewarded for their discipline and hard work by wealth. So, the wealthy deserve to be wealthy and the poor deserve to be poor.

I'll be getting into more of this, so stay tuned!

James and I On Randi Rhodes Today

Today on the Randi Rhodes Show, Randi had been subjected to the 'no fly' list on a recent plane trip, and asked for people to send in their stories to her message board.

I sent my story about my 8-year-old son, the international terrorist, which I posted here about a year ago. Then I went to work.

When I came back there were some messages that indicated that it might have been read on the air.

I downloaded the podcast, slapped it into my trusty Digital Performer 5, and scanned through till I found it.

It was! So I sliced and diced it, and popped it up on my server.

Hear it here.

Update: I wrote Mike Malloy last night, and he read it on the air today (Thursday). I didn't know about it until I got home from work and there were 2 new visitors to Hooterville who came over via Air America! Hi, friends!

Might as well put up the audio for that, too...

Hear it here.

Another New Video From Neil - 'Families'

Neil has another video from Living With War - this time it's the moving anthem "Families" that speaks to the true cost of this administration's callous decisions - our soldiers who are losing their lives in a useless war.

QuickTime

Windows Media

Warrantless Spying Smackdown!

Get ready for the blowback.

Rudely intruding (if only momentarily) on the oh-so-important JonBenét Ramsey story, U.S. district Judge Anna Diggs Taylor handed down a decision today that is already letting loose the rabid, frothing, mange-ridden junkyard dogs of right-wing demagoguery.

Her offense?

She has ruled that the warrantless surveillance of American citizens, in defiance of rules of the FISA court, is unconstitutional, and has ordered the program to be halted immediately.

David Corn of The Nation writes:

In her decision, she accused the administration of dishonestly arguing that the lawsuit filed by the ACLU and others (including journalists, researchers and lawyers) against the NSA wiretapping should be dismissed because it would expose state secrets:

It is undisputed that Defendants have publicly admitted to the following: (1) the TSP [Terrorist Surveillance Program] exists; (2) it operates without warrants; (3) it targets communications where one party to the communication is outside the United States, and the government has a reasonable basis to conclude that one party to the communication is a member of al Qaeda, affiliated with al Qaeda, or a member of an organization affiliated with al Qaeda, or working in support of al Qaeda. As the Government has on many occasions confirmed the veracity of these allegations, the state secrets privilege does not apply to this information.


She added:

Defendants assert that they cannot defend this case without the exposure of state secrets. This court disagrees. The Bush Administration has repeatedly told the general public that there is a valid basis in law for the TSP. Further, Defendants have contended that the President has the authority under the AUMF [legislation authorizing Bush to use military force against Iraq] and the Constitution to authorize the continued use of the TSP. Defendants [the Bush administration] have supported these arguments without revealing or relying on any classified information. Indeed, the court has reviewed the classified information and is of the opinion that this information is not necessary to any viable defense to the TSP....Consequently, the court finds Defendants' argument that they cannot defend this case without the use of classified information to be disingenuous and without merit.

Once more, with feeling: "(t)he court finds Defendants' argument that they cannot defend this case without the use of classified information to be disingenuous and without merit."

Of course, nothing is more maddening to that pill-poppin', doctor-shoppin' gasbag Limbaugh, the Oxy Moron and his ilk, than daring to question any fascisitic tactic that the Kowboy Koward of Krawford decides to use on his bitterest enemies, the American people. That just roasts their weenies. So fasten your seatbelts, friends, and get ready for the eruption of Mount Rush. Look out for flying furniture when the Coultergeist lets loose. Try to avoid being assaulted by howls of "Activist judges! " and "Out-of-control judiciary!" and "Here come the terrorists!" Row, row, row your swift-boats gently down the screams! You'll need more than one falafel to scrub off the spew.

Naturally, it's being appealed by the Administration, and Attorney Generalissimo Alberto "No Pain, No Gain" Gonzales boldly asserts that the government will continue to use the program.

The ACLU, who filed the suit, have all the information about it, including the decision itself, on their website. Read all about it here.

At least one judge has the courage to tell it like it is. I just hope that she doesn't have to pay too high a price, and that others will support her.

Her name is Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, and you can send her a message of support, either by phone or e-mail - Mike Malloy has the contact info here.

"The Office of the Chief Executive has itself been created, with its powers, by the Constitution. There are no hereditary Kings in America and no power not created by the Constitution."
-- Judge Anna Diggs Taylor
U.S. District Court

Now, that's music to my ears!

Brand New Neil Young Video - 'After The Garden'

Neil Young has made a new video for the first song on "Living With War"- 'After the Garden'. It is a powerful indictment of Bush's eco-policy and makes a bold statement. More videos coming soon!

I'll put links to all the versions and you can take your pick.

Windows Media:
220
450
700
QuickTime:
220
450
700

1246 Days

...since we invaded Iraq.

It took 1245 days to defeat Adolph Hitler.

I'm just sayin'.

Assclowns of the Week - Via Jurassicpork

Jurassicpork at Welcome To Pottersville has a great weekly feature entitled "Assclowns of the Week". A comprehensive overview of the f***ups, foibles and flummery of the past seven days, it's worth visiting for the pictures alone (pic #6 in particular is noteworthy). But you don't want to miss out on the acerbic, insightful commentary, either.

Go there.

Betty Bowers, 'America's Best Christian' Asks -

Who's the winner of the "Crazed Dictator Look-Alike Contest"?
For the answer, and more Hollywood in-depth analysis, click here!

Mrs. Betty Bowers, via her highly-placed friends in the Eff Bee Eye, also lets us into the secret of spotting a terrorist.

Hooterville For Habitat! Win Greg's Book!

Well, at long last, I've set up my Habitat For Humanity donation site, and my contest to auction off the personally-autographed copy of "Armed Madhouse" that Greg Palast dedicated 'to Hooterville'.

I've never done much fundraising before, so I have no idea whther this will go over or not, but I'd really like to be part of contributing to Katrina relief. A year has gone by, and the region is still devastated. The Bush administration is too busy spending our tax dollars to kill men, womnen and children all over the world to pay attention to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Out of sight, out of mind - not that it was any great concern to begin with.

So, here's the deal. If you'd like to participate, sign up on the Hooterville For Habitat page, join the team, and make a donation. Use whatever name you choose, so long as I can identify the high donor! Of course, if you aren't in a position to donate a lot, donate whatever you can. No amount is too small!

We can't let our own Gulf region be forgotten about. Let's show love to our own.

P.S. - I am going to give this book away, no matter what, so if the highest donation is $10, then that's the winning ticket!
P.P.S. You can also get other people to donate to your personal page and have it count toward your amount!

OPTC on Winograd Watchdog!

Today, I attended a meeting of the Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, along with Helen Wheels and DivaJood. I have done volunteer work for the Dem Party and some candidates before, but I've never actually gotten involved on this particular level. It was informative, inspiring and very educational.

Helen and Jood and I had a fabulous time. After our blistering liberal activism, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the heart of Beverly Hills.

Marcy Winograd has posted my "Preaching To The Choir" letter on her new blog, "Winograd Watchdog - Democracy's Best Friend"! I love that name. And that cute little dog on the banner is hers, too.

Shameless Band Self-Promotion, Part III

Once again, folks, it's that time! The time that I beg all my friends in the area to come see our band 'Some Like It Hot', and our friends who are not in the area to go click on our website, and through to the club we're playing at, so that many hits are registered, and the owner is pleased.

Anyhow, we will be playing at Cozy's Blues Club in Sherman Oaks on Friday, August 18 (in 2 weeks!) from 9:30 PM till 12:30 or 1:00 AM. We would love, love, love to see you if you are in the area and can make it out!
Click here for more info (and click through to the club from the front page!)

Thanks!

Smirk Of The Day

Okay - this is the second time I've gotten this e-mailed to me, so I might as well share -

Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. July 7, 2006

Bush losing support among core supporters

President Bush appears to be losing support among a key group of voters who had hitherto stood firmly with the president even as his poll numbers among other groups fell dramatically.

A new Gallup poll shows that, for the first time, Bush's approval rating has fallen below 50% among total fucking morons, and now stands at 44%. This represents a dramatic drop compared to a poll taken just last December, when 62% of total fucking morons expressed support for the president and his policies.

The current poll, conducted by phone with 1,409 total fucking morons between May 4 and May 8, reveals that only 44% of those polled believe the president is doing a good job, while 27% believe he is doing a poor job and 29% don't understand the question.

The December poll, conducted by phone with 1,530 total fucking morons, showed 62% approved of the president, 7% disapproved and 31% didn't understand the question.

Faltering approval ratings for the president among a group once thought to be a reliable source of loyal support gives Republicans one more reason to be nervous about the upcoming mid-term elections. "If we can't depend on the support of total fucking morons," says Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), "then we've got a big problem. They're a key factor in our electoral strategy, and an important part of today's Republican coalition."

"We've taken the total fucking moron vote for granted," says Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL), "and now we're paying for it. We've let the Democrats control the debate lately, and they've dragged discourse back into the realm of complex, nuanced issues. So your average total fucking moron turns on his TV and sees his Republican Congressman arguing about Constitutional law or the complexities of state formation in the Middle East, and he tunes out. He wants to hear comforting, pandering, flattering bromides and he doesn't want to hear a logical argument more complex than what you'd find on a bumper sticker."

For Feeney, the poll is a dire warning that Republicans can ignore only at their peril. "This should send a signal that we have to regain control of the debate if we want the support of our key constituencies in the coming election and beyond. We need to bring public discourse back into the realm of stupidity and vacuity. We should be talking about homosexual illegal immigrants burning flags. We should be talking about the power of pride. These are the issues that resonate with total fucking morons."

But some total fucking morons say it's too late. Bill Snarpel of Enid, Oklahoma, is a total fucking moron who voted for Bush in both 2000 and 2004. But he says he won't be voting for Bush in 2008.

"I don't like it that he was going to sell our ports to the Arabs. If the Arabs own the ports then that means they'll let all the Arabs in and then we'll all be riding camels and wearing towels on our heads. I don't want my children singing the Star Spangled Banner in Muslim." Total fucking moron Kurt Meyer of Turlock, California also says his once solid support for Bush has collapsed. "He invaded Iraq and all those soldiers died, and for what? We destroyed all their WMDs, but now their new president is making fun of us and saying he's going to build nuclear bombs and that we can't stop him. Well, nuclear bombs are even worse than WMDs, so what did we accomplish?"

Laura McDonald, a total fucking moron from Chandler, Arizona, says she is disappointed that the president hasn't been a more forceful advocate of Christian values. "This country was founded on Christian values," she says, "but you'd never know it looking around and seeing all the Mexicans running around. I thought Bush was going to bring Jesus back into the government. Instead, Christians are being persecuted worse than ever before in history, because all these Mexicans come here and tell Christians that we have to respect their religious beliefs. So now it's illegal for children to pray in school. Soon it will be illegal for them to speak English."

Not all total fucking morons have turned their backs on the president. Jeb Larkin of Topeka, Kansas, says he still fully supports Bush. "He is doing a great job. He is a great president. He is a great decider. I have a puppy. His tail sticks straight up and you can see his butthole."

And not all Republican lawmakers are concerned about the poll. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), for one, does not find it a cause for anxiety. While he agrees that his party should not take total fucking morons for granted, they "really don't have anywhere else to go. They're never going to be able to understand someone like Al Gore or John Kerry or anybody intelligent and articulate who wants to talk about substantive issues. Just try having a conversation with one of them about global warming. They'll say, 'Oh, but Rush says volcanoes consume more ozone than humans do.' I mean, they're morons! Total fucking morons!"

"They've got nowhere else to go," Alexander reaffirms with a smile, "and they always vote."

OPTC Blog Up

I've started a blog just for "Operation Preaching To The Choir" because I feel that this is an important enough issue that it deserves its own space.

This blog will be a place to talk about reaching out to those liberals and moderates who are, for whatever reasons, staying out of the political process and inviting them to be a part of taking back our country. Without them, we may not be able to do it.

You're invited to drop by!

Operation Preaching To The Choir

Operation "Preaching To The Choir"

This is something I've been thinking about for a while. I'd like to know what you think.

I have always been a Democrat, but I have not always been involved in politics. I, like many people I know, didn't think I needed to be. Since 2000, but especially since 2004, I have become, perhaps not an activist, but definitely aware and active politically.

Until 1994 and Newt Gingrich's so-called 'Republican Revolution', although I disagreed in principle with Republicans, I did not feel attacked by them. When Reagan took office and they started gutting arts programs, that bothered me, as a member of a family involved in arts education, but politics was still on the periphery for me, something that other people were involved in. I figured people would get sick of Reaganomics and do something about it, and I went my own way, with my own life. I was a musician, not a politician. Let the people who 'did politics' take care of it. I stood on the sidelines and occasionally watched as others debated the issues of the day.


When Bush I took office, I didn't care for him but I was not afraid of him (shows what I knew!). The Gulf War was, by the war standards I remembered of Vietnam as a child, watching on television at dinnertime, over almost as soon as it had begun. It was hard to take it seriously as a war. Then Bill Clinton was elected, and I rejoiced. It seemed that we had a President that cared about the things I cared about, and had the political will and wiles to implement them, unlike Jimmy Carter, whom I loved but felt was too good a man to be an effective President. Then came 1994 and Newt Gingrich's 'Contract On America'.

That shook me up a bit. Were the American people really going to buy that crap? The blatant disrespect, hostility and opposition that Newt's Republicans exhibited towards the President took me aback. I could not recall any Congress with one party so openly antagonistic towards their political counterparts. The glee with which the Republicans attacked the Democrats was shocking to me. A line was crossed then, when we ceased to be the 'loyal opposition' and became the enemy. Instead of two parties who had different ideas about how to achieve the same goals as Americans, we Democrats were depicted as evil, immoral, unpatriotic, enemies to be vanquished, conquered, silenced, and if possible, eliminated altogether from the political process.

The hounding of Bill Clinton shocked me, too. Watching him being hunted down by the 'vast right-wing conspiracy', as then-First Lady Hillary Clinton so aptly put it (and was roundly ridiculed for doing so) was disturbing, mostly because of the fact that the rest of America just sat back and watched it. That was when I first got a twinge of fear. That was when I said to myself, maybe I ought to start paying attention here. A personal attack by what seemed to me rather extra-legal means, perpetrated by a small group of radical right-wingers, who were guilty of far worse in their own personal lives than what they were accusing the President of, was being allowed to derail our country. Not an attack on Clinton's policies, but his personal life, brought with obvious personal hostility, regardless of the cost to our country in not only dollars but Presidential effectiveness, and by extension American security - to jeopardize our standing in the world because of a personal loathing. Nevertheless Bill Clinton managed to stay in office, and he left the country in better shape than when he took office - no mean feat.

When the Residential Selection of 2000 occurred - when the most completely unsuccessful, incompetent, unfit-for-public-office candidate was handed the Presidency by clearly unconstitutional means - I began to be really afraid. The rules were changing. The processes by which Americans chose their leaders was no longer something you could count on. However, I thought to myself, "How bad can it be? This bumbling idiot, this smirking frat-boy who failed at everything he set his hand to, even when rescued from each disaster by his powerful family - what harm can he do? He'll do his term, the public will see at once what an idiot he is and he'll be out on his ear in '04." I had no idea what was ahead of us.

As he and his handlers (the real perpetrators) rampaged through this country like (dare i say) a mad elephant, I grew more and more concerned. There seemed no way to stop the carnage, both literal and figurative. I started paying close attention, learning as much about what was going on as I could. Leaving politics to the politicians started seeming less like a good idea and more like putting my head in the sand. The more I learned, the more worried I got.

But it was the Debacle of 2004 that galvanized me into doing more than worrying.

When I woke up on November 3rd, my head was spinning. I felt as if reality had been pulled out from underneath me. I began a political blog as a way to deal with the depression and frustration which had settled on me, and started reading, writing and talking politics. It became clear to me that sitting back and hoping for other people to fix things was not going to work.

But what to do?

I felt so helpless, so hopeless, so small. How can one person make any difference? Especially a person who is not rich, influential, high-profile in any way? I am not in a position to run for office. I am not a particularly persuasive speaker. My writing audience is not a large one. I can't even change the opinions of family members - how can I expect to change the minds of millions of Americans or counteract the giant propaganda machine?

The conclusion I have come to is that, however small the action I take, it is worth doing because to not take action is giving active support to those people and positions I wish to fight against. Not only is it worth doing, but imperative, or I will not be able to face myself in the mirror.

It would be great, of course, if we could be guaranteed that by following a certain course of action, we would achieve the desired results. It would be nice to know that if we called Senator X, signed Petition Y and marched at Protest Z, that our troops would come home, that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al. would resign en masse, that we'd get universal health care. The reality is, in spite of our best efforts, we may not be able to achieve these objectives. But it does not mean that we are morally exempt from making our best efforts. If we really believe the way we say we do, then we have no choice but to work for what's right, even if we don't see a sure and smooth path to success. That, to me, is what morality is. So, to say, "I'm not going to do anything because it won't change things, or my vote doesn't count, or the process is corrupt" or any other excuse, is beside the point. We don't do what's right because we'll get what we want. We do what's right because it's right.

We know in our hearts what's right. We know in our hearts that it's right to care for those who need care. It's right to stop killing. It's right to work for peace, for justice. Whether we get peace and justice doesn't matter. There is something for everyone to do, whether we see it making a difference or not.

So here is what I'm proposing.

I have come to understand that there is a large segment of the population that, because of their emotional need, will follow this administration wherever it goes; that there is nothing awful enough that would change the minds of these people, if they have chosen to believe in these self-appointed authoritarians. If George Bush says black is white (and he does!) then that's what they'll believe. Facts, logic and reality have no place in their worldview. As Richard Pryor once said, "Who are you going to believe - me or your lying eyes?"

But I also understand that this segment is not the majority, and I am not going to attempt to change the minds of these people. The ones I'm concerned with right now are the people like me - the ones who believe in peace, in social justice, in America as it was intended to be, but are not active because they don't understand that it is necessary. I want to 'preach to the choir'.

When I was discussing this with Maryscott O'Connor of My Left Wing, she said, "What you're talking about is evangelizing." And, you know what? - she's right. That's exactly what I'm talking about.

The word 'evangelize' comes from the Greek word ("eu-aggelos") for 'bringing good news' (εὐάγγελος). It is used mainly in the context of Christianity, but it also can means bringing other kinds of 'good news' to people. If we can bring this discussion into the open, with our friends, our family, our co-workers - not the ones who already have their minds made up that whatever George Bush wants to do is just dandy because he's 'keeping us safe', but the ones who are disaffected, who are disgusted with politics and politicians. The ones who think that, since their vote will be stolen anyway, there's no use in voting. The ones who think that things will get better by themselves - that someone else is going to take care of it. These people aren't going to hear the truth from the traditional media, which is all most working people have time to pay attention to these days. So we need to bring the news to them, one person at a time. I carry around whatever book I happen to be reading - John Dean, Greg Palast, Kevin Phillips. When someone asks me what I'm reading, it's an opportunity to start a discussion. Most of the time, I've gotten very positive responses. I've found it to be a way for people who feel like we do to connect, to relate, to realize that they're not alone in feeling this way and that there is a network of people out there working toward the same thing. I can give them suggestions on ways to get active that are within reach, like volunteering on a local level, with whatever they have to offer. Perhaps phone banking for one night for a local candidate whose positions they support, perhaps making a call to a Congressperson about an issue they feel strongly about. Perhaps standing on a corner for an hour on a Friday night with some local peace activists. It's simply about getting involved on some level. Nothing earth-shattering or life-changing; just simple action. Any action at all is preferable to inaction.

There's no doubt that evangelizing is the way the right-wing religious conservatives have been able to solidify their base and bring about political change. Why shouldn't we do the same? We don't have to change our lives - just carry our values around with us and share them if we find an opportunity. Not only that, but it is a way to combat that feeling of helplessness, of paralysis in the face of the daunting task in front of us.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! I hope you'll join me in "Operation Preaching To The Choir".
(many thanks to Amit at Anything Else for the code to expandable post summaries!)

Thought For The Day

Oh, the Shame, the Shame...Minimum Wage Held Hostage By Paris Hilton Tax Cut

Barney Frank smacks it out of the park on this one.

(need to take the video out, as it slows down the site badly!)

1-800-LEAVE NOW!

The always-right-the-f***-on Jurassic Pork at Welcome To Pottersville has some words of wisdom for Mrs. Battered America. When will enough be enough? How bad does it have to get before we pick up the phone and get out?