Ta-Ta, Katherine - Hello, Michele!

Although I am thrilled that we finally have a Dem majority, I have been despondent over losing my muse, my homegirl, the lovely Katherine Harris. How many happy hours we spent together - she making a total ass of herself, me enjoying it. But now, there is a ray of light breaking through my dark clouds of despair. Over at FireDogLake, Phoenix Woman has brought to my attention a new and exciting Congresswoman, Michele Bachmann from Minnesota, who began making waves immediately upon being elected by attempting to sexually harass the President. Wow! That got my attention right away. Way to make a first impression!

But it only gets better.

She is a fierce evangelical Christian conservative in a way that makes James Dobson look like a lesbian Unitarian minister. She is a tireless advocate for creationism, insisting that it be taught in science classes so the little kiddies can 'make up their own minds'. Of course, as much time as she spends trying to 'improve' Minnesota's educational system, she would not be caught dead putting her own brood into the public schools. Nossir, all of her biological kids were home-schooled.

According to her Wikipedia bio:

During a debate televised by WCCO on October 28, 2006, news reporter Pat Kessler quoted a story that appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and asked Bachmann whether it was true that the church she belonged to taught that the Pope was the Anti-Christ. Bachmann answered that her “church does not believe that the Pope is the Anti-Christ, that's absolutely false… I'm very grateful that my pastor has come out and been very clear on this matter, and I think it's patently absurd and it's a false statement.” Bachmann is a member of a church that is part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, whose doctrine teaches that the Roman Catholic papacy is the Anti-Christ identified in Scripture. Bachmann came under scrutiny for campaigning at the Living Word Christian Center in the 3rd district of Minnesota, where the pastor endorsed her from the pulpit, violating the church's tax-exempt status. In her speech, she claimed that "God called [her] to run for Congress." She also professed her belief that wives are to be submissive to their husbands.

And she loves teh gays:

"This is not about hating homosexuals. I love homosexuals," Bachmann concludes. "But should we allow them to teach sinful ways [to] our children?"

There's a lot more where that came from. Almost too good to be true. Katherine Who? Miz Harris comes off like a more liberal Cynthia McKinney next to her. You better believe I'll be keeping Michele on my speed-dial.

She is golden, I tell you. Golden.

Pottersville Props!

My cohort in first-klass snark and a mighty warrior in the progressive trenches, JurassicPork of Welcome To Pottersville (BTW, one of the best blog names ever and a near neighbor to Hooterville) was interviewed by Simon Owens of Bloggasm, a media blog. The discussion is (surprise!) blogging, and JP has an interesting take:

Simon Owens: Do you think that the political blogosphere will remain mostly a “commentary” type of media, or do you think they have the capacity to do some major investigative reporting? What kind of resources would they need to do this?

Jurassicpork: With very few exceptions, such as Media Matters and Newshounds, to name but two, I don’t think one major blogger and not many B listers got into this game to act as a watchdog or minder of the watchdogs of democracy, as Helen Thomas calls the press. I believe that the political blogosphere originally started as a platform for commentary, which it still is essentially. Don’t forget the provenance of the word “blog”: It’s a contraction for “web log” or an online diary. Diaries are typically journals of private thoughts.

However, for the first time in our nation’s history, we’re in a position to judge the probity and efficacy of the mainstream media. Blogs have broken us out of the capricious and often exclusionary forum of letters to the editor or even emails to your favorite program. And the longer we do our thing, the more people discover us.

(true!)

All the same, the impression I get is that bloggers in general are not comfortable with having to be arbiters of what’s true or not true. And now I’m about to say something very surprising. It’s not our job to tell the truth. I can picture the expression on your face right now. But I’m right in that it’s not our job to tell the truth. That’s why we have a Fourth Estate. It’s their job to tell the truth instead of being mere mediums and stenographers for the government. It’s only our job to seek the truth. And if the MSM doesn’t do its job which it largely isn’t, then we will have to seek it out that much more diligently. And in some notorious cases, we have “scooped” the media.

Otherwise, there’s no blogger out there who can approach the likes of Ron Suskind, Seymour Hersh or David Brooks in terms of access or sources. And that’s the way it ought to be.

Still, the MSM largely disrespects us and even resents us for being so critical of the way they do their jobs, which is alarmingly similar to the arch, “We’re in charge and we know what we’re doing” attitude of the government. And they forget that we’re an increasingly large part of their customer base.

Very well put - and since I hold the MSM at least partly responsible for this mess we're in because they have not held up their end of the bargain, I think it's important for bloggers to hold their feet to the fire.

And JP was nice enough to list Hooterville as one of his five favorite blogs! I will try to keep up with posting, even with my book sucking up most of my thinking lately.

Moral Victory: Lt. Ehren Watada!

Little by little, bit by bit...flashes of sunlight are appearing through the dark, oppressive clouds of the Bush Administration.

The court-martial of First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, who refused to deploy to Iraq because he believed that the Iraq war was illegal, had been charged with missing a troop movement and with two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer, based on his public statements criticizing the war and President Bush, has ended in a mistrial.

Because Watada neither caused nor agreed to the mistrial, it is possible that he may not be retried because of double jeopardy.

The Army, of course, plans to retry Watada in March. But in asking for a 'do-over', the prosecution may have made a fatal mistake. At issue was a pretrial stipulation in which Watada admitted to the fact of failing to deploy, but did not admit guilt for that fact because he felt justified by his belief that the Iraq conflict was illegal. "The judge was concerned that the stipulation amounted to a confession by Watada to an offense to which he intended to plead not guilty," said Fort Lewis spokesman Joseph Piek.

The implications of this trial may go far beyond that of Watada and into the realm of the debate on free speech in the military.

But regardless of the outcome of the trial, the moral victory already belongs to Lt. Watada and his refusal to commit war crimes. When we ask ourselves "Could another Holocaust happen here?", if the answer is "Hell, no!", it will be because of people like First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, a real American patriot.

Here's a great article by ElectronicIraq, with lots of links.

And of course, the website by Watada's supporters Thank You, Lt. Watada.

I Love Ted Kennedy. So There.

People sure like to make fun of Ted Kennedy, but I love him. He just nails the
Republicans on the minimum wage.

"What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?"

Once More, With Feeling: 'Twas the Night Before Fitzmas...

...and through Hootervill-age,
A hope was held out for an end to the pillage.
An end to the theft of American dollars,
An end to the demonization of scholars.

The people of Hooterville wished and they prayed
For justice and peace to be no more DeLayed.
They longed for the day that their country would be
No longer a captive of venality.

For many a year now, the Hooterville people
Have cried, "What's the matter with all of you sheeple?
How can you just sit there and let this go on?"
But, sadly, their outrage was met by a yawn.

And those who were stealing from those who have least,
Rampaging like some kind of greed-maddened beast,
Were holding us up, shouting, "This is a heist!
So put up your hands in the name of our Christ!"

Then, what to our wondering eyes should appear
But a man speaking words that we so longed to hear:
"It's time for the Piper at last to be paid"
And Hooterville happily hip-hip-hoorayed.

Indictments all round for the scum who would claim
That they'd never known Wilson or Valerie Plame
And all along, vengeance had been the sole reason
To 'out' our own agent, and so commit treason.

For war must be waged, and their coffers be filled -
Who cares about mothers whose sons have been killed?
Who cares for the dying, the crying, the hurtin' -
Just look at those profits for ol' Halliburton!

It's time for the hammer of justice to fall;
Time we put a stop to it once and for all.
A stop to corruption, and cronies, and lies.
Let's stop before one more American dies.

And what do I want 'neath my own Fitzmas tree?
A Scooter, a Rover, maybe a Cheney!


(I keep trotting this old chestnut out, but it's kind of timely just now.)

Let's Talk Health Care.

Today, I found out that what I thought was the flu was actually a kidney infection. Not bad enough to go to the hospital, thank God, but pretty darn painful.

I'm one of the lucky ones. For now.

I have Screen Actors Guild insurance, which is fairly comprehensive. It used to be free if you made a certain amount of money yearly through SAG. A few years ago they started charging a premium. Extremely low - $150 a quarter - but a premium nonetheless, no matter how much money you made through SAG. Every year, we've been making less and less money through SAG. Barring a miracle, in a few years we won't make enough money to qualify for that plan. Of course, since we're vested, we can self-pay about $900 a month.

Yippee.

It might as well be $9000 a month as far as our ability to pay that goes.

Along with that, my GP who I've been going to for 18 years has decided this year to close his regular practice, and open up a 'boutique' practice, with more personal service and no waiting to get in. All this for the modest fee of $1800 a year - double that for the 2 of us. On the one hand, I'm crushed. I started going to him when he was a new young doctor - we had kids around the same time, and he's been there for me through a lot of medical issues over the years. On the other hand, I can't say I blame him. Doctors are forced to see so many patients that it gets to be like a treadmill. There's no time to actually be a doctor, hardly - to be able to actually spend the time with a patient. Can you blame him for trying to find a little quality in life? If I could afford it, I'd sign up for his service, but I can't.

I have a wonderful OB/GYN who I was able to call today. Thank goodness it was close enough to being GYN that I could call him. I've been going to him almost as long as to my GP, and I'm worried that he, too, will 'wise up' and pack it in. He's one of that rare breed that goes beyond the call of duty. He's no warm-and-fuzzy, cuddly type - he's better. He is always there, always concerned about doing his very best to care for his patients, as is his staff (including his head-nurse wife). You can tell a quality doctor by his or her staff, and he's had the same fantastic people since I've known him.

But if the so-called "health-care industry" has its way, people like my doctors are going to be just ground under, used up, and thrown out. All to fatten the bottom line of people who aren't even involved in health care, except to find new and creative ways to deny it to people who need it.

And I am, as I said, one of the lucky ones. We have got to get these leeches out of the system.

Live-blogging SOTU

I've been woefully lax.

I wouldn't be surprised if I've lost all my readers. But, as you know, I've had lots on my plate. Yesterday, I got the flu bug that I've been fending off for the last few weeks, and have been in bed all yesterday and today. Since I'm just laying here in bed, I thought I'd live-blog on my laptop. I'm listening with Mike Malloy to keep from screaming.

It's just incredible. Barely had he opened his mouth when he came out with that Luntzian phrase 'Democrat majority'. Then he went on to talk about "No Child Left Behind" and subtly espouse vouchers.

6:50 - Well, let's see - he's talked about health care. And his solution is to eliminate 'junk lawsuits'. Meaning, of course, closing off any avenues for redress after the overburdened health care system denies you care.

Private health accounts. Why do they get to profit from our misery?
What else? Oh yes, the economy is just peachy keen. Isn't that swell?

The Senate must give my judicial nominees their eager support and an immediate up-and-down vote. That's their job. My job's to give the orders, your job is to do what I say, see? Order-giving is hard work. Don't make my job any harder by arguing with me. It ain't no use.

And one of the most jaw-dropping statements of all - that "Yet one question has surely been settled — that to win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy." It has not, you cretin!!! Quit lying!

6:56 - Nucular, nucular, nucular. Sunni extremists?

Oh god. He's talking about an African. Yay Mtumbo. 'Son of the Congo'. Sounds a little too 'Little Black Sambo' for my taste, but that's just me.

And notice that he said "Global Climate Change" instead of Global Warming. The devil's in the details, folks.


Now he's praising a former gas-station attendant-turned-hero-soldier. Isn't that wonderful?

"We've been through a lot together"? You've put us through hell - that's what you mean.

7:05 - It's over. Nothing about Katrina. The silence screams. Waiting for Jim Webb.

7:17 - Jim's up. Missed first part, but got there in time to hear him mention Katrina.

He's talking about the difference between what constitutes a 'good economy' for the rich - high Dow - and what it means for the rest of us. He mentioned that it takes an average worker a year to make what an average CEO makes in a day.

"The President took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable – and predicted – disarray that has followed."

And he does not shrink from mentioning the Robber Barons. Here's the text of Jim Webb's response.

On C-Span, they're trying to find people who agree with Bush. The only one was what sounded like a very young guy saying, in effect, "I support Bush because he knows more than we do".

How Britney of him.

Here's the full text of the KKofK's SOTU. I can't do it any more.

Update - I just noticed, when I checked the transcript on Raw Story, they have written "Democratic majority" instead of what he said, which was
"Democrat majority". Check the tape!

Have You Ever Kept A New Year's Resolution?

Every New Year, we're awash in resolutions. This New Year, I'd like to ask a different question: Have you ever made one that you've kept?

I have. I made a resolution one year - can't remember which - to make sure I appreciated my life and the people around me as if it would be gone tomorrow.

I can honestly say that I have learned to do that. My life is so much richer because of it, and less stressful, too - I don't get aggravated at so many petty things, and I don't think I'll get caught wishing I had said "I love you". I make sure it gets said.

I wish I could be as successful with some of my other resolutions, such as losing weight. However, if I had to pick just one to keep, gratitude would be it, and I'm glad I have.

How about you? I'd love to hear yours - inspire me!

Merry Christmas From Hooterville and Pottersville

At long last, the day has arrived! My talented friend jurassicpork over at Welcome To Pottersville has been working on a very special Christmas post, and I did the Photoshopping for it.

It is awesome, if I may be so bold, and I really enjoyed doing the pix.

Go to Pottersville to visit George Failey and all his friends!

(and many thanks to the love of my life, my husband David, who surprised me with a shiatsu chair massager this morning - a lifesaver after this effort!)

An Alternative To The Bush "Library"

Apparently, the plans for a Bush Presidential Library are not going so well. One of the schools considered a front-runner for the honor of hosting the rich ($500 million dollar) legacy of the Worst. President. Ever., Southern Methodist University, seems to be ambivalent about accepting that prestigious prize. SMU's Perkins School of Theology sent a letter from its faculty, administrators and staff to the president of the university. According to the letter, they

...regret to see SMU enshrine attitudes and actions widely deemed as ethically egregious: degradation of habeas corpus, outright denial of global warming, flagrant disregard for international treaties, alienation of long-term U.S. allies, environmental predation, shameful disrespect for gay persons and their rights, a pre-emptive war based on false and misleading premises, and a host of other erosions of respect for the global human community and for this good Earth on which our flourishing depends.

And these are Texas Christians!

Of course, many people have pointed out that perhaps a library is not exactly the most fitting tribute to a President who has never darkened the door of one, nor sullied the pristine purity of a book by opening it.

So I think I've come up with the perfect solution.

How about the "George W. Bush Presidential Video Game Arcade and Total Fitness Gym™"?

Now, that would be worth spending $500 million dollars on!

Instead of a boring, stuffy ol' 'liberry' full of dumb ol' books nobody's ever gonna read anyway, the George W. Bush Presidential Video Game Arcade and Total Fitness Gym™ would be filled with awesome action-packed video games like "Pre-Emptive Strike", "Quail Hunters", and "Shock 'n' Awe" where you could shoot-'em-up to your heart's content, and when you've cranked yourself up into a homicidal frenzy, you can work off all that excess energy on one of the thousands of stationary bikes lined up in the Hall of Cycling. Heck - who knows - you might find yourself spinning your wheels right next to the Bicycler-In-Chief, who now boasts a resting heart rate of 7.

Plus, unlike other Presidential libraries, this one will pay for itself! It's guaranteed to be thronged with eager customers, and filled with the the happy sounds of booms, crashes, and screams!

And that's just in the Hall of Cycling.

Chuck Norris Facts

I know this is totally off-topic, but this is the funniest site I've seen in a long time. I have gotten a 'kick' (get it?) out of Chuck Norris since the 70s, but there seems to be a resurgence of all things Chuck, and my 15-year-old son turned me on to this great site of Chuck Norris facts.

Here are a few:

• When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.


• Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.


• There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.


• Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Chuck Norris.


• Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.


• Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.


• Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.


• Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.


• There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.


• When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.


• Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

• Crop circles are Chuck Norris' way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie down.

• The quickest way to a man's heart is with Chuck Norris' fist.

• Chuck Norris can hit you so hard that he can actually alter your DNA. Decades from now your descendants will occasionally clutch their heads and yell "What The Hell was That?"

• Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris.

• Chuck Norris was the fourth wise man, who gave baby Jesus the gift of beard, which he carried with him until he died. The other three wise men were enraged by the preference that Jesus showed to Chuck's gift, and arranged to have him written out of the bible. All three died soon after of mysterious roundhouse-kick related injuries.
  

• Chuck Norris is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Chuck Norris.

This is just the tip of the iceberg that is Chuck Norris Facts. Go now.

Yes, I know he's a right-winger. It's still funny.

Had to add this one:

• Kenny G is allowed to live because Chuck Norris doesn't kill women.

Weblog Awards - Hooterville Is A Finalist!

I have no idea how I managed to make it to the finals (along with nine other blogs - all conservative but me) for a Weblog Award, but since the unlikely event has happened, I'd like to invite anyone so inclined to head on over and vote for me. I'm nominated in the "Best of the Top 1751 - 2500 Blogs" category (as rated by TTLB Ecosystem). Also, Blue Gal is a finalist in the "Best of the Top 3501 - 5000 Blogs", so if you happen to be over that way, send her a vote, too! She is also the lone liberal in a sea of conservatives.

Here's how it works - you are allowed to vote once every 24 hours (in each category) and the voting is open until December 15. That gives us smaller blogs a chance.

I haven't had time to check out all the blogs, but if the ones in my category and Blue Gal's are any indication, they do tend to swing to the right. So here's an opportunity to strike a blow for freedom, and get the liberal voice out there.

It's time to take it to The Man!

Bye Bye, Bolton!

Woo hoo! John Bolton has bolted!

About damn time.

Frat Boys

A friend of mine, Chris Miller, is the ultimate frat boy. The frat boy's frat boy. Look up 'frat boy' in the dictionary and you'll find his picture there.

A former National Lampoon and Saturday Night Live writer, he wrote the movie 'Animal House', based on his own fraternity experiences. We became friends through our kids - his son and my stepson have been best friends since preschool; they are now college sophomores. He has an encyclopedic knowledge and appreciation of jazz, rock, blues and reggae, is a science-fiction fan, as am I, and is one of the few people I knew who actually knew of and appreciated Don & Dewey, who I played with for years. Cool guy.

When the Kowboy was first running for office in 2000, I remember talking with Chris about him. From what I had learned about him during the primaries, I was underwhelmed. "He's just an overgrown frat boy," I said to Chris.

"Hey!" he said. "What's wrong with frat boys? I was a frat boy!"

"Nothing is wrong with frat boys as long as they're in college, where they belong," I replied. "But would you want a frat boy like you and your buddies were back then to be in charge of the free world?"

He thought about that for a minute. "You may have a point," he said.

He has just written a book called The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie, and he e-mailed me yesterday to tell me that he was going to be on the O'Reilly Factor that night to talk about it with none other than the Splotchy One himself. Apparently BOR was hidden away in an undisclosed location (perhaps the S-Ps were after him) but nevertheless he intended to poke his liver-spotted puss out long enough to interview my pal.

Now, I must admit that I am not exactly what you'd call a regular Factor watcher. In fact, I can say with some accuracy that my retinas have never been assaulted with that particularly grisly visage on the TV. I'm careful to limit my exposure to him to the clips that Stephanie Miller plays in the morning - sloppy seconds is all I can handle from him. But for Chris I would heroically make an exception.

It was worth it, though - this was an O'Reilly I had never seen before. He was practically babbling. It became embarrassingly obvious that the secret desire of BOR's shriveled little raisinish heart was to have been a cool frat boy in college, instead of the antisocial, irritating, splenetic little weasel that he must have been. He was lovin' on Chris like a drunken co-ed. I was waiting for him to ask Chris for his phone number, or did he maybe wanna hang out sometime, y'know - get crazy.

I hope nobody has the heart to tell him that Chris is an S-P.

On second thought, I hope somebody does.

OT: My Daughter's Blog

My daughter, Nancy Leigh, has become a blogger. She has a blog called Animal City. At 7, she can log in to Blogger, research a subject on Google, write a post about it, and publish it. She loves animals, and she also loves blogging. She asked me to ask my friends to stop by and visit her, maybe leave a comment. So I am passing it along from her. Thanks!

Update: Thanks so much to everyone who commented on Nancy Leigh's blog! She is so excited when she sees a new comment! She will go and visit you soon.

Welcome, "Crooks and Liars" Peeps

Many thanks to Mike from Mike's Blog Roundup at Crooks and Liars for the mention! And just in time for my Blog-i-versary, too! Please feel free to pull up a chair and kick back here in Hooterville - we're glad you're stopped by, and you're welcome anytime.

Outlaw War Profiteering!

Yesterday and today, Randi Rhodes has been talking about something that has been on my mind for a long time.

As in World War II, we need to take a stand - make war profiteering illegal. President Roosevelt said, "I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the United States as a result of this world disaster". Harry Truman referred to war profiteering as 'treason'. And in 1953, at the height of the Cold War, President Dwight Eisenhower, a real war hero, said, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."

I concur.

According to the Nation,

When he heard rumors of such profiteering, Truman got into his Dodge and, during a Congressional recess, drove 30,000 miles paying unannounced visits to corporate offices and worksites. The Senate committee he chaired launched aggressive investigations into shady wartime business practices and found "waste, inefficiency, mismanagement and profiteering," according to Truman, who argued that such behavior was unpatriotic. Urged on by Truman and others in Congress, President Roosevelt supported broad increases in the corporate income tax, raised the excess-profits tax to 90 percent and charged the Office of War Mobilization with the task of eliminating illegal profits. Truman, who became a national hero for his fight against the profiteers, was tapped to be FDR's running mate in 1944.

In 2003, United for a Fair Economy did a study of defense contractor CEO pay that is worth taking a look at. (Download the .pdf here.) There is a direct correlation between the size of campaign donations and the size of defense contracts. The study found that:

Median CEO pay at the 37 largest defense contractors rose 79 percent from 2001 to 2002, while overall CEO pay climbed only 6 percent, according to a new report from United for a Fair Economy, More Bucks for the Bang: CEO Pay at Top Defense Contractors, by Chris Hartman and David Martin.

Median pay was 45 percent higher in 2002 at defense contractors than at the 365 large companies surveyed by Business Week magazine. The typical U.S. CEO made $3.7 million in 2002, while the typical defense industry CEO got $5.4 million.

The jump in median defense contractor CEO pay far exceeded the increase in defense spending, which rose 14 percent from 2001 to 2002.

Compared with an army private’s pay of $19,585, the average CEO at a major defense contractor made 577 times as much in 2002, or $11,297,548. This is also more than 28 times as much as the Commander in Chief’s salary of $400,000.

The study also looked at the size of campaign contributions by the largest defense contractors and found a strong correlation between campaign contributions made by a company in the 2000 and 2002 election cycles and the value of defense contracts awarded to that company. Ninety percent of the difference in contract size can be accounted for by size of contributions. For example, top arms contractor Lockheed Martin was also the top campaign contributor among defense firms.

The 37 companies included in the CEO pay study were all the publicly-traded corporations with at least $1 billion in total defense contracts from 2000 through 2002. The list includes well-known defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics, as well as some companies not usually associated with military spending, such as FedEx and Dell Computer. Compensation was defined as salary, bonus, “other compensation,” restricted stock awards, long-term incentive payouts, and the value realized from the exercise of stock options.

People, let's be real.

That's what's put us in Iraq, that's what's keeping us in Iraq. This is 'War A-Go-Go', as Country Joe said, and 'there's plenty good money to be made supplying the army with the tools of the trade'.

How ironic that the Kowboy Koward of Krawford is making his first trip to Vietnam right now. As we muddle and muck through this terrible quagmire, American soldiers' lives are still being traded for profits. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to get a law passed today against war profiteering, but I can guaran-damn-tee you that the contractors would be out of there so fast it would make your head spin.

And our kids could come home.

What if they gave a war and nobody came?

Hooterville Blog-i-versary! Let's Party!

Wow - with everything that's been going on, I forgot about my Blog-i-versary yesterday. Hooterville is 2 years old!

I'm having my party here, and you're invited!

What a difference a year (or two) makes! When I started this blog, I was in the depths of despair. The theft of 2004 left me shaking. I had never written before, but I had to find some way to deal with the helplessness and frustration that was paralyzing me, making it difficult to even get out of bed in the morning. Through blogging, I was able to meet people who felt the way I did, and people who were doing something about it! You guys energized me and motivated me.

Fast-forward two years - we just took back the House and Senate, I've become an active participant in my local political community as well as online, I'm writing a book, and I've made some wonderful friends all over the world - all due to blogging.

I know that we have a lot of work ahead of us, and it's not going to be a 'cakewalk' with 'flowers and chocolates' (sorry, I couldn't resist) but I think we've earned the right to feel good about the work we've done together for the last couple of years.

So, this year (as last year) my blogiversary is dedicated to you, my blog compatriots. I'd like to take this opportunity to give shout-outs to some of my fave blog-friends and sites (I'd need a whole new blog to list them all) - thanks for my sanity!

Helen Wheels @ Just Ain't Right
DivaJood @ Journeys With Jood
Karena @ Karena's Blog
Blue Gal @ Blue Gal
Maryscott @ My Left Wing
Old White Lady @ It's Morning Somewhere
Wanda @ Words On A Page (not forgotten!)
Sue Woo @ Susie's Sharp Points
ae @ arse poetica
John and Mike @ Crooks and Liars
Princess Sparkle Pony @ Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog
G @ Library Bitch
kissfan @ Truespeak
Star A. Decise @ The Enigmatic Paradox
Crabbi @ A Curmudgeonly Crab
The Fat Lady Sings @ The Fat Lady Sings
Kvatch @ Blognonymous
jurassicpork @ Welcome To Pottersville
Howie @ DownWithTyranny
Catherine @ PovertyBarn
Cookie Christine @ It's Recess-time Somewhere
Station Agent @ Ice Station Tango
Rainbow Demon @ =Coffee House Studio=
Frederick @ Mccs1977
quakerdave @ The Quaker Agitator
greensmile @ The Executioner's Thong
Yoga Korunta @ Yoga Korunta
my comrades @ Comments From Left Field
my blogfather, Mr. M @ Comments From Left Field
my comic compatriots @ 'Left Toon Lane

and everyone else on my blogroll - all personally selected and approved of!

Thanks, friends.

PS - even though Blue Gal is miserably ill, she is all about the linky love, so - double-back atcha, and friends, go visit her and make her feel better...

Moving Along With My Book - Would You Like To Help?

Hi friends -

Here's an update on my upcoming book. After Nov. 7, to my great satisfaction, I found that I needed to retool the focus of my book, as there were many people who actually did 'vote for their best interests!' While that group of people who continue to support their oppressors has not changed, the number of people who stood up for democracy has increased to the point to where they couldn't completely steal the election.

So, I have decided to concentrate on conservatism itself - why it's bad for America. I believe conservatism is built on myths, but they are very deep-rooted myths about society and about human nature.

My working title is "Glass Houses, Fun-House Mirrors, and the First Stone - Why Conservatism Is Bad For America". Since this is a book which has come about completely through blogging, I invite any of you (my blog friends) who would like to weigh in on the subject to do so, and I will happily acknowledge you in the introduction, or wherever your input is used. I would love to have you guys come along with me on my book-journey!

The first thing I'd like to put out is for the cover. My best friend from the 5th grade, who is an incredibly talented illustrator, will be submitting the cover art. My idea is this - on the cover will be a picture of a fun-house, with at least three distorted mirrors. In front of one mirror you'll see a Democrat - shown in the mirror you'll see a terrorist. In front of another, you'll see a chicken-hawk, but the mirror will reflect some military hero - who that would be is open to suggestion.

So this is what I'm looking for - ideas of mirror-pairs, seen through the distortion of the conservative mirror.

Any thoughts?

Excuse Me, But Was That A Threat?

In his Veteran's Day (augh!) radio address, many people noticed that, in addition to kicking Rummy to the curb, the Kowboy Koward of Krawford slipped a few zingers into his speech. Among them was this little gem:

Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war.

WTF?

Now, why on earth would you say something like that unless it was at issue? Is this what the writery folk call 'Chekhov's Gun'? There has never been a time that we have not had elections in a 'time of war' (again with the 'war' frame, even though we're not technically at war.) John Nichols writes that even during the Civil War, when Lincoln was urged by his party to suspend elections, he refused. Instead, he ran for re-election, facing strong opposition both within his own party and from a Democrat who was a decorated general.

“We cannot have free government without free elections,” he said. “If the rebellion could force us to forgo or postpone a national election, it might fairly be claimed to have already conquered and ruined us.”

So what's this talk about suspending elections, if it's never been done before?

Are you threatening us, Dubya?

Thanks, Rush!

Hey folks - there's a hot new Democrat in town!

Everyone's favorite Oxy Moron, Rush Limbaugh!

Don't believe the hype - that he 'hates liberals'. It's all been a secret stealth plan to propel the Democrats to victory. The modest, retiring Limbaugh is loath to take credit, being the humble and self-effacing guy that he is, but I can tell you that we owe the Democratic Senate majority to one man and one man only - the Rush-meister. Oh, he had everyone fooled for a while, but all of that bluff and bluster conceals the squishy, rubbery, blubbery heart of a true-blue Democrat.

So, welcome to our party, Rush, and please accept our heartfelt thanks for single-handedly delivering the complete domination of Congress to the Democrats. You gave us the single Senate vote that made the difference between a tie and a majority. Your entertaining dance routine in homage to Michael J. Fox was truly inspirational to all Americans.

We've got a big tent, Rush - even big enough for you!

Rummy's New Job?

Just like K-Fed, Rummy's a free man! And ready for a new job, according to G at Library Bitch... (still waiting on my petits-fours, G!)

click on the pic to enlarge - it's worth seeing in detail.

Brakes On The Crazy Bus!

...and not a moment too soon.

Events are unfolding at a break-neck pace - Rummy's been thrown under the wheels of the Crazy Bus! - things are happening almost too quickly to process.

All I can say is, whatever happens next, at least we have brakes on the Crazy Bus. We may not have a steering wheel, but we have brakes. We're not going over the cliff just yet. It's not going to be all gazebos and jellybeans. Dems have a lot to figure out. And we will now be held responsible for what goes on. There's no magic wand.

But at least we have checks and balances again.

Thank God.

I think that's plenty to be happy about for today.

File Under "Isn't It Ironic?"

Wow. Now that's chutzpah!

Raw Story reports that the winner of the Hilary Swank Look-Alike contest, the lovely Ken Mehlman, has written an Op-Ed in USA Today, the nation's favorite McPaper. Mehlman said that given their electoral impotence, Democrats need the help of activist judges.

"Democrats ... vocally fought - and then voted against - Justices Roberts and Alito. Why? Because they depend on activist judges to hand them the victories they can't win at the ballot box," wrote Mehlman.

That's really cojon-er-rific, considering that his Dear Leader assumed office by 'depending on activist judges to hand him the victory he couldn't win at the ballot box'.

I'm just sayin'.

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!