Tuesday, August 31, 2004
WWJD?
When asked in a Time magazine interview if she thought the Swift Boat Veterans attacks (lies) have been unfair to John Kerry, Laura Bush said, "Not really. There have been millions of terrible ads against my husband."
Keeping in mind that while Kerry goes out of his way to keep his spirituality private (see Matthew, chapter 6), the Bush's go out of their way to wear their religiosity on their sleeves on the campaign trail. It seems perfectly reasonable to see if their walk matches their talk.
Now... I'm no theologian. But the meaning of the 9th Commandment seems pretty self-evident to me: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor" (NIV). That's pretty interesting in and of itself because Jesus directly tied Loving God with loving your neighbor towards the end of Matthew chapter 22. So, telling lies about your neighbor would seem to be very clearly in violation of the most basic Christian tenets. It goes without saying that condoning lies makes one a party to the lie.
Excusing the SBV lies with the argument that her husband has been on the receiving end doesn't get a pass either. Jesus had some pretty blunt things to say about seeking revenge in Matthew 5:38-48.
WWJD?
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Keeping in mind that while Kerry goes out of his way to keep his spirituality private (see Matthew, chapter 6), the Bush's go out of their way to wear their religiosity on their sleeves on the campaign trail. It seems perfectly reasonable to see if their walk matches their talk.
Now... I'm no theologian. But the meaning of the 9th Commandment seems pretty self-evident to me: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor" (NIV). That's pretty interesting in and of itself because Jesus directly tied Loving God with loving your neighbor towards the end of Matthew chapter 22. So, telling lies about your neighbor would seem to be very clearly in violation of the most basic Christian tenets. It goes without saying that condoning lies makes one a party to the lie.
Excusing the SBV lies with the argument that her husband has been on the receiving end doesn't get a pass either. Jesus had some pretty blunt things to say about seeking revenge in Matthew 5:38-48.
WWJD?
Flip-Flopping GOP in disarray over War on Terror
President Bush has flip-flopped pretty badly recently by first maintaining for many months that the War on Terror can be won. Then as Carla noted in her post the other day, he said it can't be won. And now he's flip-flopped back to his earlier position that it can be won.
Former Republican speaker of the House and FOX News Channel contributor Newt Gingrich said that Kerry would be "really silly" to argue that he could "win the war on terror." Media Matters reports,
So basically they've got Gingrich holding to a position that defines Bush as being "really silly" because he asserts (well... when he's not flip-flopping, of course) that we can win the War on Terror.
I think the way this is supposed to work, from the demented point of view of Bush partisans, is that no matter what Kerry says he's wrong by some NeoCon hack's definition. Of course the logical implication here is that the average American voter is simply too stupid to see thru the BS. But, as usual, they're counting on you not being bright enough to understand that.
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Former Republican speaker of the House and FOX News Channel contributor Newt Gingrich said that Kerry would be "really silly" to argue that he could "win the war on terror." Media Matters reports,
On the August 30 edition of FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes, which aired live from the Republican National Convention, co-host Alan Colmes asked Gingrich about Bush's remark that the war on terror is not winnable. Gingrich said, "I'm sure you're going to have John Kerry, if he's not careful, saying something really silly, which is that he'd win the war on terror." Yet, as Media Matters for America has noted, it was Bush who said on July 30: "We have a clear vision on how to win the war on terror and bring peace to the world.
So basically they've got Gingrich holding to a position that defines Bush as being "really silly" because he asserts (well... when he's not flip-flopping, of course) that we can win the War on Terror.
I think the way this is supposed to work, from the demented point of view of Bush partisans, is that no matter what Kerry says he's wrong by some NeoCon hack's definition. Of course the logical implication here is that the average American voter is simply too stupid to see thru the BS. But, as usual, they're counting on you not being bright enough to understand that.
GOP/Hezbollah Connection
This is a bumper sticker for sale at republicanmarket.com.
Coincidentally(?) Hezbollah means "party of god."
The sheer arrogance of both groups is mind-boggling in it's level of self-delusion and propensity for selectively ignoring vast sections of their respective holy books. Needless to say, one can find religous conservative zealots at the root of the vast majority of bloody conflicts over the last 2000+ years. Funny how that works, huh.
Closed minded bigots have long resorted to religious texts in an attempt to justify their bigotry and hatred. The more things change the more they stay the same...
Greg at The Talent Show posted some extremely appropriate texts from the Bible with his post on this. But, I'm going to take another approach that I firmly believe gets to the root of matter.
Luke 18
11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[1] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.
No wonder they didn't talk about the economy last night....
They must have known about the economic numbers coming out today....
Consumer Confidence shaken
Manufacturing Index shows sharp drop
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Consumer Confidence shaken
Manufacturing Index shows sharp drop
In the Church of the Poison Mind...
Welcome to the Republican National Convention
I've turned into a major Amy Sullivan fan. Not only is she a very good writer, she has a formidable ability to level the glee the Republicans take in being completely disingenuous.
Sullivan points out some of the silliness in Giuliani's speech (a target rich enviornment):
In the midst of his half-hour ad lib of kicking back and telling stories, Giuliani talked about the fireman who used profane language when describing to Bush what should be done to al-Qaeda. "I can't repeat what he said," Giuliani told the audience. "This is a Republican Convention, after all." Oh, the laughs and chuckles that received. Please tell me that some television producer thought to cut to Dick "Go F*** Yourself" Cheney at that moment.
Did you know that until George W. Bush came along, terrorists did "not face any consequences"? Giuliani might want to stop in for a chat with Ramzi Yousef and friends, who I believe were captured, tried, and convicted for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
And went out of her way to show how John McCain proved Michael Moore to be spot on:
McCain may have singled out Michael Moore for ridicule last night, but there was more than enough evidence on display to support Moore's theory that, when in doubt, Republicans will try to win by scaring the hell out of all of us. I tried to keep track of all of the times I heard "dangerous world", "terrorists", "evil", "attack", "bombing", etc. and I lost count. But I sure am frightened now.
What's truely shameful and distasteful beyond what McCain and Giuliani did however, was the absolute whoring of September 11 by the Republican Party. The use of a national tragedy to turn tricks for their candidate is beyond the pale. And make no mistake...that's exactly what they're doing...prostituting the terrorist attacks in an effort make their guy look strong.
"Thank God" George W Bush was President when 9/11 happened, opined Rudi. Yeah...Al Gore could never have managed to sit in a classroom after hearing our nation was attacked...apparently paralyzed, not knowing what to do. And then hide out all day like a scared child....only to promise us Bin Laden would be caught dead or alive...and completely fail to capture him and put an end to Al Qaida.
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I've turned into a major Amy Sullivan fan. Not only is she a very good writer, she has a formidable ability to level the glee the Republicans take in being completely disingenuous.
Sullivan points out some of the silliness in Giuliani's speech (a target rich enviornment):
In the midst of his half-hour ad lib of kicking back and telling stories, Giuliani talked about the fireman who used profane language when describing to Bush what should be done to al-Qaeda. "I can't repeat what he said," Giuliani told the audience. "This is a Republican Convention, after all." Oh, the laughs and chuckles that received. Please tell me that some television producer thought to cut to Dick "Go F*** Yourself" Cheney at that moment.
Did you know that until George W. Bush came along, terrorists did "not face any consequences"? Giuliani might want to stop in for a chat with Ramzi Yousef and friends, who I believe were captured, tried, and convicted for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
And went out of her way to show how John McCain proved Michael Moore to be spot on:
McCain may have singled out Michael Moore for ridicule last night, but there was more than enough evidence on display to support Moore's theory that, when in doubt, Republicans will try to win by scaring the hell out of all of us. I tried to keep track of all of the times I heard "dangerous world", "terrorists", "evil", "attack", "bombing", etc. and I lost count. But I sure am frightened now.
What's truely shameful and distasteful beyond what McCain and Giuliani did however, was the absolute whoring of September 11 by the Republican Party. The use of a national tragedy to turn tricks for their candidate is beyond the pale. And make no mistake...that's exactly what they're doing...prostituting the terrorist attacks in an effort make their guy look strong.
"Thank God" George W Bush was President when 9/11 happened, opined Rudi. Yeah...Al Gore could never have managed to sit in a classroom after hearing our nation was attacked...apparently paralyzed, not knowing what to do. And then hide out all day like a scared child....only to promise us Bin Laden would be caught dead or alive...and completely fail to capture him and put an end to Al Qaida.
GOP violating military rules at their Convention
Eric Alterman makes a nice catch.
The RNC convention week is boasting that it has 144 active duty military delegates at the convention or three percent of the total.
But according to DOD Directive 1344.10:
4.1.2. A member on active duty shall not:
4.1.2.1. Use his or her official authority or influence for interfering with an election; affecting the course or outcome of an election; soliciting votes for a particular candidate or issue; or requiring or soliciting political contributions from others.
The disgrace that is the Republican Convention continues....
Update: Alterman has updated his piece...saying that they are reserves, not regular military.
But the RNC sure managed to get that delegate list off of their website in a hurry...LOL
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The RNC convention week is boasting that it has 144 active duty military delegates at the convention or three percent of the total.
But according to DOD Directive 1344.10:
4.1.2. A member on active duty shall not:
4.1.2.1. Use his or her official authority or influence for interfering with an election; affecting the course or outcome of an election; soliciting votes for a particular candidate or issue; or requiring or soliciting political contributions from others.
The disgrace that is the Republican Convention continues....
Update: Alterman has updated his piece...saying that they are reserves, not regular military.
But the RNC sure managed to get that delegate list off of their website in a hurry...LOL
Gloom, Despair and Agony part 2
Predictably, the rightwing noise machine is virtually orgasmic over Giuliani and McCain from last evening. The left blogosphere thought it was a total farce.
However, an equal opportunity basher found last night's brouhaha pretty offensive.
Media reporter Howard Kurtz, blasted the Republican Convention:
NEW YORK, Aug. 31--I knew the Republicans were going to talk about 9/11 last night.
I didn't know they were going to drag us through every bloody minute of it.
When Rudy Giuliani recalled turning to his police commissioner after the awful attacks on the twin towers and declaring "Thank God George Bush is our president," it was clear they were pulling out all the stops.
Any campaign would take advantage of the president's response to 9/11, even if the convention wasn't in New York, even if the third anniversary wasn't days away. But the endless retelling of those days, the comments by the 9/11 family members, the skyline backdrop, all of that raises the question of whether they went a bit too far.
Indeed. Did 9/11 happen only to the Republicans?
And apparently going after decorated Veterans is the new GOP sport. They give us a candidate who ducks out of his National Guard service and spend their Convention bashing men who served. I'll give them credit for being ballsy, that's for sure. But in terms of loving their country more than their partisan BS? What little respect I had for Republicans was flushed down the toilet after that.
I've been fairly vocal here about my disdain for religion mixing with politics. But as we know, the Republicans don't shy away from beating folks over the head with their own brand of Jesus.
Just think, we're going to be treated to three more days of this disgrace.
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However, an equal opportunity basher found last night's brouhaha pretty offensive.
Media reporter Howard Kurtz, blasted the Republican Convention:
NEW YORK, Aug. 31--I knew the Republicans were going to talk about 9/11 last night.
I didn't know they were going to drag us through every bloody minute of it.
When Rudy Giuliani recalled turning to his police commissioner after the awful attacks on the twin towers and declaring "Thank God George Bush is our president," it was clear they were pulling out all the stops.
Any campaign would take advantage of the president's response to 9/11, even if the convention wasn't in New York, even if the third anniversary wasn't days away. But the endless retelling of those days, the comments by the 9/11 family members, the skyline backdrop, all of that raises the question of whether they went a bit too far.
Indeed. Did 9/11 happen only to the Republicans?
And apparently going after decorated Veterans is the new GOP sport. They give us a candidate who ducks out of his National Guard service and spend their Convention bashing men who served. I'll give them credit for being ballsy, that's for sure. But in terms of loving their country more than their partisan BS? What little respect I had for Republicans was flushed down the toilet after that.
I've been fairly vocal here about my disdain for religion mixing with politics. But as we know, the Republicans don't shy away from beating folks over the head with their own brand of Jesus.
Just think, we're going to be treated to three more days of this disgrace.
Republicans Mock Veterans
Republicans at the GOP Convention have revealed their true colors by mockingthe oldest service medal in the world, the Purple Heart. What they're doing is passing out bandaids with a purple heart on it in a truly unpatriotic attempt to belittle Kerry's service to his country.
The motivation behind this infantile and unpatriotic stunt is patently obvious. George W. Bush got two silver fillings in his mouth during the Vietnam War as he served in the "Champaigne Unit" of the Texas Air National Guard, while Kerry earned three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star during two tours of Vietnam which he volunteered for. That coupled with the fact that the GOP is literally packed with ChickenHawks and we begin to see why the Bush partisans are so desperate to smear Kerry any way possible. If that were all they were doing it would be one thing. But, in the process they are calling into question all medals ever won by service men and women who had the courage and character to serve this great nation in war. And the GOP smear machine is also implying gross incompetence on the part of the United States Navy by insinuating that the Navy is such a bumbling outfit that they allow soldiers and sailers to award themselves on a whim.
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The motivation behind this infantile and unpatriotic stunt is patently obvious. George W. Bush got two silver fillings in his mouth during the Vietnam War as he served in the "Champaigne Unit" of the Texas Air National Guard, while Kerry earned three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star during two tours of Vietnam which he volunteered for. That coupled with the fact that the GOP is literally packed with ChickenHawks and we begin to see why the Bush partisans are so desperate to smear Kerry any way possible. If that were all they were doing it would be one thing. But, in the process they are calling into question all medals ever won by service men and women who had the courage and character to serve this great nation in war. And the GOP smear machine is also implying gross incompetence on the part of the United States Navy by insinuating that the Navy is such a bumbling outfit that they allow soldiers and sailers to award themselves on a whim.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Gloom, despair and agony on me..
While freely admitting I'm no fan of Republican ideology, tonight's showing by the GOP was really lame, even by my standards.
Giuliani makes a happy face attack dog....but like the RNC website...it's all about Kerry-bashing...and nothing more. No outline of the GOP agenda/platform. No list of reasons to vote for Bush.
And McCain? Wow. This is guy who's been so well respected for being candid and cutting to the chase. As Amy Sullivan for Washington Monthly notes, McCain just doesn't do shill well.
Not to mention these are two moderates that have nothing at all to do with the power base of the Republican Party.
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Giuliani makes a happy face attack dog....but like the RNC website...it's all about Kerry-bashing...and nothing more. No outline of the GOP agenda/platform. No list of reasons to vote for Bush.
And McCain? Wow. This is guy who's been so well respected for being candid and cutting to the chase. As Amy Sullivan for Washington Monthly notes, McCain just doesn't do shill well.
Not to mention these are two moderates that have nothing at all to do with the power base of the Republican Party.
Bush: We can't win the war on terror
Just in time for the Republican Convention, Bush gets honest and admits we can't win the war on terror.
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I want to be a part of it...in old New York...
Predictable, yet appropriate
Alicublog has a very entertaining (but very long...bring a snack) diatribe on the protests in New York as well as some punditry reaction.
The Republican blogosphere is apparently all a-twitter over the idea that hundreds of thousands would show up and have the audacity to tell them that their President sucks.
Our good friends at Centerfield have several pieces up about reactions to New York City and the feel around the town. (Ignore the anti-Kerry stuff. Tully is hopeless.)
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Alicublog has a very entertaining (but very long...bring a snack) diatribe on the protests in New York as well as some punditry reaction.
The Republican blogosphere is apparently all a-twitter over the idea that hundreds of thousands would show up and have the audacity to tell them that their President sucks.
Our good friends at Centerfield have several pieces up about reactions to New York City and the feel around the town. (Ignore the anti-Kerry stuff. Tully is hopeless.)
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Because I love my country....
Tonight I was watching the tail end of "Inside The Actor's Studio" as Martin Sheen was being interviewed. As many are well aware, Sheen is a vocal liberal political activist.
He was questioned tonight by a man in the audience who was fomerly in the military, a graduate of West Point. The man told Sheen that their politics were completely divergent...but he could tell from listening to Sheen that he truely and deeply loved his country.
Sheen seem very moved by the man's words. He said (paraphrase) that he loves his country so much that he's willing to risk it's wrath to show it when it's doing something wrong.
To me, that is what it means to be a patriot.
Sheen also quoted a poem from the great Nobel Laureate poet,Rabindranath Tagore:
Where the Mind is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection:
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
It occurs to me that in the last decade, what it means to be a patriot has been muddled. Blind obedience and lack of dissent have become a hallmark for some of patriotism.
I'm grateful that men like Sheen love their country that much....
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He was questioned tonight by a man in the audience who was fomerly in the military, a graduate of West Point. The man told Sheen that their politics were completely divergent...but he could tell from listening to Sheen that he truely and deeply loved his country.
Sheen seem very moved by the man's words. He said (paraphrase) that he loves his country so much that he's willing to risk it's wrath to show it when it's doing something wrong.
To me, that is what it means to be a patriot.
Sheen also quoted a poem from the great Nobel Laureate poet,Rabindranath Tagore:
Where the Mind is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection:
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
It occurs to me that in the last decade, what it means to be a patriot has been muddled. Blind obedience and lack of dissent have become a hallmark for some of patriotism.
I'm grateful that men like Sheen love their country that much....
Joshua Kinberg arrested
Indy Media NYC reports:
Down in the comments section at IMNYC someone who apparently witnessed the arrest said that when the officers conferred they were told to test the chalk and if it didn't remove easily to arrest Kindberg.
braintag has an update posted. Apparently Kinberg was released this morning. But his amazing bicycle, laptop and cell phone have all been confiscated and will reportedly be held until the court hearing. A lawyer from the National Lawyer Guild believes that the case is a clear violation of the first amendment, citing Houston v. Hill which explicitly found that chalk is a protected medium for constitutionally protected self-expression.
I'm thinking that the NYC city hall has kicked over an ant hill on this one. But, I doubt they'll give it much attention until after the GOP convention is over.
Props to William Bragg where I first read about this story.
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Bikesagainstbush creator Joshua Kinberg was arrested while taping an interview with MSNBC's Ron Reagan in Manhattan Saturday afternoon.
Kinberg was stopped by police while demonstrating the bicycle for the television interview. His bicycle is a high-tech graffiti writer, using chalk to print anti-Bush political messages sent by people via the internet. Apparently there was a question of whether or not the sprayed messages were a defacement of property.
When Kinberg showed the police sergeant how the bicycle used a non-permanent spray chalk, the sergeant seemed to agree that it wasn't defacement, at which point Kinberg asked, "am I free to go?" After conferring about it, officers decided to call superiors, then came back moments later to place Kinberg under arrest and confiscate the bicycle.
Kinberg cooperated fully with the officers as he was being handcuffed, only asking, "can I ask what I'm being arrested for?" to which no one provided an answer. As of 11:00 PM Saturday evening, he was still in custody without being charged with anything.
Video of the incident is available as a torrent at DV Guide.
Down in the comments section at IMNYC someone who apparently witnessed the arrest said that when the officers conferred they were told to test the chalk and if it didn't remove easily to arrest Kindberg.
braintag has an update posted. Apparently Kinberg was released this morning. But his amazing bicycle, laptop and cell phone have all been confiscated and will reportedly be held until the court hearing. A lawyer from the National Lawyer Guild believes that the case is a clear violation of the first amendment, citing Houston v. Hill which explicitly found that chalk is a protected medium for constitutionally protected self-expression.
I'm thinking that the NYC city hall has kicked over an ant hill on this one. But, I doubt they'll give it much attention until after the GOP convention is over.
Props to William Bragg where I first read about this story.
...cuz I'm workin' for a livin'....
Cuz I've been working like a Democrat so I can live like a Republican
I've been working most of the weekend in a booth at the Oregon State Fair for my employer so I'm too tired and lazy tonight to blog about some of the really good stuff. Instead...I'll leave it to
DemfromCT at Kos
Matthew Yglesias
And a very long but incredibly fascinating list of delicious good news from Ruy Teixiera.
Enjoy.
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I've been working most of the weekend in a booth at the Oregon State Fair for my employer so I'm too tired and lazy tonight to blog about some of the really good stuff. Instead...I'll leave it to
DemfromCT at Kos
Matthew Yglesias
And a very long but incredibly fascinating list of delicious good news from Ruy Teixiera.
Enjoy.
"It's just that so many of your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Apparently some Mormon Bushies are showering Carl Lewis with their own brand of Christan love:
Carl Lewis: His legs run well, but his brain is on Crack
So, dig this. We free Afghanistan & Iraq, allowing them to become FREE nations, and all Carl Lewis can do is attack President Bush for freeing them. He earned his gold medals. However, gold medals in track & field do not an intelligent man, nor his comments, make.
Yes, Carl...we boycotted the olympics to support Afghanistan in 1980. Now, instead of a boycott, we LIBERATED Afghanistan.
Carl, stop tacking Crack...unless you want to condemn the people of Afghanistan to living under dictators who keep & treat their women like dogs. If Olympic Medals could be lost for stupidity...yours would be gone already.
This reminds me of the story of when missionary E Stanley Jones met with Mahatma Ghandi and asked him, "Mr. Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?"
And Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Amen, Mahatma.
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Carl Lewis: His legs run well, but his brain is on Crack
So, dig this. We free Afghanistan & Iraq, allowing them to become FREE nations, and all Carl Lewis can do is attack President Bush for freeing them. He earned his gold medals. However, gold medals in track & field do not an intelligent man, nor his comments, make.
Yes, Carl...we boycotted the olympics to support Afghanistan in 1980. Now, instead of a boycott, we LIBERATED Afghanistan.
Carl, stop tacking Crack...unless you want to condemn the people of Afghanistan to living under dictators who keep & treat their women like dogs. If Olympic Medals could be lost for stupidity...yours would be gone already.
This reminds me of the story of when missionary E Stanley Jones met with Mahatma Ghandi and asked him, "Mr. Ghandi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?"
And Ghandi replied, "Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Amen, Mahatma.
Of Naked Emperors and Failed Promises
Senate GOP Majority Leader Bill Frist and another Republican in New York trying to place blame for the very uncertain economic forecast.
The buzz is that Bush is planning on making the enshrining of his tax cut schemes as permanent a centerpiece of his rhetorical strategy to win re-election. This despite the fact that neither of his major tax cut schemes generated anything close to the numbers of new jobs that Bush had promised they would. The main thing the Bush tax schemes seem to have accomplished has been to squander the budget surplus Clinton left him and put the nation deep into debt. But don't expect him to talk about that aspect of it. He's trying to convince us to vote for him, not remind us of the painful legacy of his fiscal policies.
Let Nader Speak!
Iran-NeoCon(tra) II?
Last week the press reported that the FBI is investigating a CIA analyst suspected of passing highly sensitive information to Israel about the Bush administration's policy towards Iran. It seems the analyst is Larry Franklin, who works in the office of Undersecretary Douglas Feith. You'll recall that it was Feith's office that sponsored Ahmed Chalabi (at significant taxpayer expense!) and pushed the alleged Osama/Saddam partnership which has been disproven.
It appears that we've only seen the tip of the iceburg. In the first installment of an investigative project by Joshua Micah Marshall, Laura Rozen, and Paul Glastris we read about yet another rogue intelligence operation involving key NeoCons, both inside and outside the Bush administration. Naturally, Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar of Iran-Contra fame is in the thick of it too.
Can anyone really be surprised at this? Didn't we all watch George W. Bush surround himself with cronies of his father's administration when he took office in 2000? Yes, that would be the same George H.W. Bush who, as former Director of the CIA and sitting Vice President, told the whopper of all time when he claimed to have been "outside the loop" on Iran-NeoCon(tra) I.
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It appears that we've only seen the tip of the iceburg. In the first installment of an investigative project by Joshua Micah Marshall, Laura Rozen, and Paul Glastris we read about yet another rogue intelligence operation involving key NeoCons, both inside and outside the Bush administration. Naturally, Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar of Iran-Contra fame is in the thick of it too.
Can anyone really be surprised at this? Didn't we all watch George W. Bush surround himself with cronies of his father's administration when he took office in 2000? Yes, that would be the same George H.W. Bush who, as former Director of the CIA and sitting Vice President, told the whopper of all time when he claimed to have been "outside the loop" on Iran-NeoCon(tra) I.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Bush Flip-Flops on 527's
A few days ago President Bush said that 527 groups are "bad for the system." But, when he was being helped by similiar groups in his 2000 primary fight against McCain, Bush was all in favor of them, saying, "[T]hat's what freedom of speech is all about. ... People have the right to run ads. They have the right to do what they want to do, under the -- under the First Amendment in America."
There are several other places where Bush made similiar statements in favor of independent groups and individuals participating in the political process via paid advertising. Media Matters has the info at: Media ignores another Bush flip-flop: Bush was for 527s -- before he was against them
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There are several other places where Bush made similiar statements in favor of independent groups and individuals participating in the political process via paid advertising. Media Matters has the info at: Media ignores another Bush flip-flop: Bush was for 527s -- before he was against them
It ain't me, it ain't me...
...I ain't no millionaire's son, no. - CCR
Former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes is "very ashamed" that he helped George W. Bush avoid Vietnam by helping to get Bush into the Texas Air National Guard.
Barnes made the comments in a series of videotaped interviews released here
( hat tip to Random Thoughts )
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Former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes is "very ashamed" that he helped George W. Bush avoid Vietnam by helping to get Bush into the Texas Air National Guard.
"Let's talk a minute about John Kerry and George Bush, and I know them both," said Barnes in the video, which was filmed at a gathering of about 200 Kerry supporters in Austin on May 27. "I got a young man named George W. Bush into the Texas National Guard when I was lieutenant governor, and I'm not necessarily proud of that. But I did it. I got a lot of other people in the National Guard because I thought that was what people should do when you're in office, and you help a lot of rich people."
"And I walked to the Vietnam Memorial the other day," Barnes continued, "and I looked at the names of the people that died in Vietnam, and I became more ashamed of myself than I have ever been, because it was the worst thing I ever did, was help a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family names of importance get into the National Guard. And I'm very sorry about that, and I'm very ashamed, and I apologize to you as voters of Texas."
Barnes then condemned the Republican attacks on John Kerry's war service: "And I tell you that for the Republicans to jump on John Kerry and say that he is not a patriot after he went to Vietnam and was shot at and fought for our freedom and came back here and protested against the war, he's a flip-flopper, let me tell you: John Kerry is a 100 times better patriot than George Bush or Dick Cheney."
Barnes made the comments in a series of videotaped interviews released here
( hat tip to Random Thoughts )
Colin ducks Greeks
Secretary of State Colin Powell on Saturday cancelled a weekend visit to Athens to attend the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Demonstrators had marched through Athens just hours earlier.
Powell's cancellation was written off as "urgent responsibilities".
Among the protests:
On Friday, riot police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who took part in a protest against the Powell visit. About 1,500 people who took part in the march were prevented from reaching the U.S. Embassy to protest Powell's trip.
"It is an enormous victory of the anti-war movement that managed to cancel the visit of the arch-killer Powell," protest organizer Yiannis Sifahakis told The Associated Press.
Just hours before Powell was to arrive, Greece's Communist Party displayed a large banner at the site of the ancient Acropolis to protest his trip.
"Powell killer go home. Don't forget that civilians are being slaughtered in Najaf and a wall is being built in Palestine," read the banner, which was raised on one of the sides of the Acropolis Hill.
Isn't it great to be the country everybody loves and respects?
(sigh)
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Powell's cancellation was written off as "urgent responsibilities".
Among the protests:
On Friday, riot police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who took part in a protest against the Powell visit. About 1,500 people who took part in the march were prevented from reaching the U.S. Embassy to protest Powell's trip.
"It is an enormous victory of the anti-war movement that managed to cancel the visit of the arch-killer Powell," protest organizer Yiannis Sifahakis told The Associated Press.
Just hours before Powell was to arrive, Greece's Communist Party displayed a large banner at the site of the ancient Acropolis to protest his trip.
"Powell killer go home. Don't forget that civilians are being slaughtered in Najaf and a wall is being built in Palestine," read the banner, which was raised on one of the sides of the Acropolis Hill.
Isn't it great to be the country everybody loves and respects?
(sigh)
Friday, August 27, 2004
GOP sued for race discrimination and retribution
Nadia Naffe, former field director in SW Florida for the GOP filed a lawsuit in federal court alledging race discrimination and retribution on the job.
Naffe complains that she was subjected to racially insensitive and stereotypical statements by RPOF (Republican Party of Florida) Executive Director of Party Development Terry Kester. Among Naffe's specific complaints:
-- Instructing Naffe to contact African-American Republican Clubs to discourage their members from attending an NAACP march because "The last thing (the RPOF) want(s) to see is some black guy on television wearing a Republican shirt and responding to the press in an ignorant way."
-- Telling Naffe that she was being given race-matched job assignments because "you understand your people."
Naffe alledges that she went over the head of Kester to RPOF officials who did nothing to address her complaints. So Naffe went to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in March to attempt to get a solution. When Naffe informed her employers that she'd contacted the EEOC she was told, "You don't have the right to an attorney. You don't have the right to speak to the EEOC. If you do that, you will lose your job." by RFOC General Counsel Robert Sechen.
Naffe also alledges that as retaliation, she was fired based on trumped up charges.
Yup...the GOP sure is the big tent party, eh?
Thanks to Value Judgement for the link.
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Naffe complains that she was subjected to racially insensitive and stereotypical statements by RPOF (Republican Party of Florida) Executive Director of Party Development Terry Kester. Among Naffe's specific complaints:
-- Instructing Naffe to contact African-American Republican Clubs to discourage their members from attending an NAACP march because "The last thing (the RPOF) want(s) to see is some black guy on television wearing a Republican shirt and responding to the press in an ignorant way."
-- Telling Naffe that she was being given race-matched job assignments because "you understand your people."
Naffe alledges that she went over the head of Kester to RPOF officials who did nothing to address her complaints. So Naffe went to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in March to attempt to get a solution. When Naffe informed her employers that she'd contacted the EEOC she was told, "You don't have the right to an attorney. You don't have the right to speak to the EEOC. If you do that, you will lose your job." by RFOC General Counsel Robert Sechen.
Naffe also alledges that as retaliation, she was fired based on trumped up charges.
Yup...the GOP sure is the big tent party, eh?
Thanks to Value Judgement for the link.
m-i-s-t-a-k-e
You're almost there, George.
See? I've even spelled it out for your speech writers.
It's pronounced miss-STEAK. It's two whole little syllables...much easier than NOOK-lee-ur.
You know you want to.
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See? I've even spelled it out for your speech writers.
It's pronounced miss-STEAK. It's two whole little syllables...much easier than NOOK-lee-ur.
You know you want to.
Prosecutor French put on Administrative Leave
Clackamas County Prosecutor Al French has been placed on administrative leave after confessing he'd lied to his boss over an extramarital affair with a colleague.
French also recently confessed that despite signing a sworn affadavit along with other Swift Boat Veterans to the contrary, he'd never actually been an eye witness to any of Kerry's actions in Vietnam.
No word has come out yet from the Clackamas County DA's office as to whether French is under investigation for the affadavit, although Clackamas County DA John Foote has said that French is entitled to have offwork political activites.
Earth to Foote: It's unethical (and probably illegal) for officers of the court in the State of Oregon to sign an affadavit that they know is not truthful.
Either way, French is in deep. This affair business may be a way for Foote to get rid of French without having to use the SBV affadavit to do it.
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French also recently confessed that despite signing a sworn affadavit along with other Swift Boat Veterans to the contrary, he'd never actually been an eye witness to any of Kerry's actions in Vietnam.
No word has come out yet from the Clackamas County DA's office as to whether French is under investigation for the affadavit, although Clackamas County DA John Foote has said that French is entitled to have offwork political activites.
Earth to Foote: It's unethical (and probably illegal) for officers of the court in the State of Oregon to sign an affadavit that they know is not truthful.
Either way, French is in deep. This affair business may be a way for Foote to get rid of French without having to use the SBV affadavit to do it.
Epiphany of the week
Conservative columnist/pundit Charley Reese says he's voting for John Kerry.
Reese says he'll have to "swallow a lot of petty policy differences" with Kerry, but he's willing to do it in order to:
get a man in the White House with brains enough not to blow up the world and us with it.
Way to go, Charley!
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Reese says he'll have to "swallow a lot of petty policy differences" with Kerry, but he's willing to do it in order to:
get a man in the White House with brains enough not to blow up the world and us with it.
Way to go, Charley!
Video Killed the Radio Star
The Buggles
MoveOnPAC has a series of mini movies coming out over the next 10 weeks. The first one is out. It's by Benny Boom entitled "Everyone".
It's very well done and extremely entertaining (and it has nothing to do with Bush...which is kind of refreshing).
Check it out
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MoveOnPAC has a series of mini movies coming out over the next 10 weeks. The first one is out. It's by Benny Boom entitled "Everyone".
It's very well done and extremely entertaining (and it has nothing to do with Bush...which is kind of refreshing).
Check it out
Trickle down torture
Jackson Diehl of the Washington Post has an analysis of the Schlesinger Report on the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal.
The report directly states that no official policy mandated or allowed the torture to take place and that no official above the rank of colonel deserved prosecution or formal punishment. But in the classic Washington style of twisting, turning and stretching, the report directly implicates Bush, his top aides and senior military advisors.
So while Schlesinger is loathe to hold any of the civilian or brass command responsible in terms of court action or punishment, it's pretty clear that he couldn't put his report together without showing an accounting for how their decisions led to the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, as Diehl notes:
The causal chain is all there: from Bush's February 2002 decision to Rumsfeld's December 2002 authorization of nudity, stress positions and dogs; to the adoption of those methods in Afghanistan and their sanction in Iraq by a commander looking back to Bush's decision; and finally, to their use on detainees by soldiers who reasonably believed they were executing official policy.
As we've seen with pretty much ever foible from the Bush Administration, the buck stops anywhere but Bush's desk. It's no shock that this one doesn't either. That said, Diehl is hinting strongly that these tortures took place not just at Abu Ghraib, but throughout the military prison system.
I've been questioned in the comments section of a different post about how I could possibly think that the US is less secure since we invaded Iraq. The rest of the world is watching what we do and how we handle ourselves right now. Torturing prisoners (many of whom had nothing to do with any terrorist acts and are linked to noone who does) puts us in the position of being the neighborhood bully. Such arrogance and reprehensible behavior completely undermines our moral high ground and gives us no leg to stand on when it's time for us to complain about the treatment of US citizens. Further it gives impetus to those looking for more excuses to hate us and to come after us. Yes I know...some groups don't need an excuse. But many do. This is just another link in their chain.
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The report directly states that no official policy mandated or allowed the torture to take place and that no official above the rank of colonel deserved prosecution or formal punishment. But in the classic Washington style of twisting, turning and stretching, the report directly implicates Bush, his top aides and senior military advisors.
So while Schlesinger is loathe to hold any of the civilian or brass command responsible in terms of court action or punishment, it's pretty clear that he couldn't put his report together without showing an accounting for how their decisions led to the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, as Diehl notes:
The causal chain is all there: from Bush's February 2002 decision to Rumsfeld's December 2002 authorization of nudity, stress positions and dogs; to the adoption of those methods in Afghanistan and their sanction in Iraq by a commander looking back to Bush's decision; and finally, to their use on detainees by soldiers who reasonably believed they were executing official policy.
As we've seen with pretty much ever foible from the Bush Administration, the buck stops anywhere but Bush's desk. It's no shock that this one doesn't either. That said, Diehl is hinting strongly that these tortures took place not just at Abu Ghraib, but throughout the military prison system.
I've been questioned in the comments section of a different post about how I could possibly think that the US is less secure since we invaded Iraq. The rest of the world is watching what we do and how we handle ourselves right now. Torturing prisoners (many of whom had nothing to do with any terrorist acts and are linked to noone who does) puts us in the position of being the neighborhood bully. Such arrogance and reprehensible behavior completely undermines our moral high ground and gives us no leg to stand on when it's time for us to complain about the treatment of US citizens. Further it gives impetus to those looking for more excuses to hate us and to come after us. Yes I know...some groups don't need an excuse. But many do. This is just another link in their chain.
A light in the wilderness....at least for today.
Imagine my surprise to find a column in World Net Daily that was actually sensible and reasonable (sort of).
Ilana Mercer's takedown of Michele Malkin's book In Defense of Internment: The Case for 'Racial Profiling' in World War II and the War on Terror is a stinging rebuke. (via Atrios who lifted it from TBogg)
Mercer considers herself, "to her (Malkin) right on America's immigration disaster, but I also support rational profiling. And by the latter, I don't mean stripping frail, white old ladies down to their Depends. I'd like to see Malkin's God – government – permit private-property owners to defend their property and clients to the fullest, rather than have to get in line for a state-appointed sky marshal with a Taser gun".
Okay... so she's not a "light in the wildnerness" as my title suggests...but it's fun to read the column. She completely eviscerates Malkin's book on the basis of the Fifth Amendment...a worthy exercise indeed. She also tears into Malkin for her appearance on Hardball where she accuses Kerry of intentional self-inflicted wounds for his first Purple Heart.
This is going to be a major catfight. Malkin is probably sharpening her claws as we pixel. Watching the righties cannabilize each other is good sport.
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Ilana Mercer's takedown of Michele Malkin's book In Defense of Internment: The Case for 'Racial Profiling' in World War II and the War on Terror is a stinging rebuke. (via Atrios who lifted it from TBogg)
Mercer considers herself, "to her (Malkin) right on America's immigration disaster, but I also support rational profiling. And by the latter, I don't mean stripping frail, white old ladies down to their Depends. I'd like to see Malkin's God – government – permit private-property owners to defend their property and clients to the fullest, rather than have to get in line for a state-appointed sky marshal with a Taser gun".
Okay... so she's not a "light in the wildnerness" as my title suggests...but it's fun to read the column. She completely eviscerates Malkin's book on the basis of the Fifth Amendment...a worthy exercise indeed. She also tears into Malkin for her appearance on Hardball where she accuses Kerry of intentional self-inflicted wounds for his first Purple Heart.
This is going to be a major catfight. Malkin is probably sharpening her claws as we pixel. Watching the righties cannabilize each other is good sport.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
New Additions
New stuff in the sidebar:
Today I added a fantastic new site called SKS Owners For Kerry. An SKS is a model or brand of military rifle that I had always thought was of German origin. But, reading the SKS Owners For Kerry site I've learned that it's actually Russian in origin. I must have read something about an East German version of the SKS years ago and just assumed that it was a German brand. These guys remind me of radio talkshow host, Ed Schultz's tagline... "meat eating, gun toting lefty." Speaking of which... I've also added a link to The Ed Schultz Show. I identify with Ed because, like me, he used to be a conservative Republican. Unlike Ed I've remained an Independent since leaving the GOPers. But, I very much enjoy his radio show.
We've also added two new blogs to our blogroll. C101 and tsuredzuregusa, both of which are very well written blogs that Carla and I both enjoy and recommend.
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Today I added a fantastic new site called SKS Owners For Kerry. An SKS is a model or brand of military rifle that I had always thought was of German origin. But, reading the SKS Owners For Kerry site I've learned that it's actually Russian in origin. I must have read something about an East German version of the SKS years ago and just assumed that it was a German brand. These guys remind me of radio talkshow host, Ed Schultz's tagline... "meat eating, gun toting lefty." Speaking of which... I've also added a link to The Ed Schultz Show. I identify with Ed because, like me, he used to be a conservative Republican. Unlike Ed I've remained an Independent since leaving the GOPers. But, I very much enjoy his radio show.
We've also added two new blogs to our blogroll. C101 and tsuredzuregusa, both of which are very well written blogs that Carla and I both enjoy and recommend.
Thank God...
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Four more years, eh?
Conservatives have essentially been in control of all aspects of the federal government for the last four years. They promised us a booming economy. They promised us jobs. They promised us that they'd be good stewards of our enviornment. They told us that they'd be better at handling foreign policy because they're the "grownups".
Yet our nation is less stable, less secure in the world and has exponentially expanded our own poverty:
The US Census Bureau is reporting that the ranks of those living in poverty are swelling for the third straight year. The ranks of the uninsured are swelling at an even higher rate.
Home sales are dipping hard due to higher mortgage rates. Home sales have been the one area of the US economy that's kept us afloat.
Unemployment claims are once again on the rise. Last week's rise is due in some part to Hurricane Charley, according to analysts. But even with Charley, claims rose much higher than expected.
Iraq really is a mess. Tens of thousands are streaming into Najaf, advocating for one side or the other. Despite Ayatollah Sistanti attempting to cool tensions, things are no better than they were three weeks ago. And more are dying. In nearby Kufa, more Shi'ites loyal to Al Sadr have died as they tried to march toward Najaf. Iraqi oil exports have been cut in half due to another sabotage of the pipelines. And the number of US (and other countries) casualties continues to climb.
Our national security has never been more compromised, either. Bush has alienated many of our allies and created a situation where the rest of the world has a high negative opinion of us. Many in conservative circles address this issue by claiming that we don't need anyone else or that it doesn't matter what they think. On the contrary, we need other countries for intelligence, backup and support. Additionally, we don't need to be creating more enemies. We've already seen what happens when groups hate us.
Four more years? Hell no. It will be tough enough to get through the next four months.
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Yet our nation is less stable, less secure in the world and has exponentially expanded our own poverty:
The US Census Bureau is reporting that the ranks of those living in poverty are swelling for the third straight year. The ranks of the uninsured are swelling at an even higher rate.
Home sales are dipping hard due to higher mortgage rates. Home sales have been the one area of the US economy that's kept us afloat.
Unemployment claims are once again on the rise. Last week's rise is due in some part to Hurricane Charley, according to analysts. But even with Charley, claims rose much higher than expected.
Iraq really is a mess. Tens of thousands are streaming into Najaf, advocating for one side or the other. Despite Ayatollah Sistanti attempting to cool tensions, things are no better than they were three weeks ago. And more are dying. In nearby Kufa, more Shi'ites loyal to Al Sadr have died as they tried to march toward Najaf. Iraqi oil exports have been cut in half due to another sabotage of the pipelines. And the number of US (and other countries) casualties continues to climb.
Our national security has never been more compromised, either. Bush has alienated many of our allies and created a situation where the rest of the world has a high negative opinion of us. Many in conservative circles address this issue by claiming that we don't need anyone else or that it doesn't matter what they think. On the contrary, we need other countries for intelligence, backup and support. Additionally, we don't need to be creating more enemies. We've already seen what happens when groups hate us.
Four more years? Hell no. It will be tough enough to get through the next four months.
That makes two of us....
Columbia Journalism Review's (CJR) Campaign Desk has a piece today which basically echos my thoughts from yesterday on the media falling down on the job when it comes to reporting stories.(via Atrios)
CJR:
Campaign Desk has written many times about the perils of "he said/she said" journalism, the practice of reporters parroting competing rhetoric instead of measuring it for veracity against known facts. In the wake of the first SBVFT spot early this month, cable news programs for the most part offered viewers two talking heads, one on each side of the issue, to debate the merits of the claims. Verifiable facts were rarely offered to viewers -- despite the fact that military records supporting Kerry's version of events were readily available. Instead of acting as filters for the truth, reporters nodded and attentively transcribed both sides of the story, invariably failing to provide context, background, or any sense of which claims held up and which were misleading.
I consider myself a reasonably bright woman but I'm no journalism expert. CJR is an expert. How is it that someone like myself and a journalism expert can see these real and fundamental problems with the media...but the media doesn't? Or maybe the better question is, do they see it and don't care to fix it because it's not a moneymaker to be a filter for the truth?
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CJR:
Campaign Desk has written many times about the perils of "he said/she said" journalism, the practice of reporters parroting competing rhetoric instead of measuring it for veracity against known facts. In the wake of the first SBVFT spot early this month, cable news programs for the most part offered viewers two talking heads, one on each side of the issue, to debate the merits of the claims. Verifiable facts were rarely offered to viewers -- despite the fact that military records supporting Kerry's version of events were readily available. Instead of acting as filters for the truth, reporters nodded and attentively transcribed both sides of the story, invariably failing to provide context, background, or any sense of which claims held up and which were misleading.
I consider myself a reasonably bright woman but I'm no journalism expert. CJR is an expert. How is it that someone like myself and a journalism expert can see these real and fundamental problems with the media...but the media doesn't? Or maybe the better question is, do they see it and don't care to fix it because it's not a moneymaker to be a filter for the truth?
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Progressive chicks...check out the bottom of the blog...
As I was surfing around tsuredzuregausa (one of the newer blogs on our blogroll), Shaula Evans wondered on her blog about why there is no Progressive women's blog webring.
So being a woman not to sit on her laurels, I created one.
If you are a woman who writes for a Progressive political blog and you're interested, please drop me an email at Carla@preemptivekarma.com. Or click the "join" link at the Progressive Women's Blog Webring at the bottom.
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So being a woman not to sit on her laurels, I created one.
If you are a woman who writes for a Progressive political blog and you're interested, please drop me an email at Carla@preemptivekarma.com. Or click the "join" link at the Progressive Women's Blog Webring at the bottom.
Beware of elephants on Broadway....
With the Republican National Convention set to start on Monday, allegations are flying that the Bush Administration completely mishandled problems at Ground Zero, and plans to perpetuate those same problems in the future.
According to a report from the Sierra Club (which followed up the EPA's own report):
-- The Bush administration knew the health risks and ignored its own long-standing body of knowledge about the harmful products of incineration and demolition. It should have issued a health warning immediately on that basis.
-- EPA failed to find toxic hazards because it did not look for them, or did not look for them properly. And EPA failed at least a dozen times to change its safety assurances as new information arose -- even after it became clear that people were getting sick.
-- Many workers at and near Ground Zero did not have proper health and safety protections. And the Bush administration refused to enforce worker safety requirements at Ground Zero.
-- Both EPA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assured families they could clean up contaminated dust themselves with wet rags and discouraged them from wearing safety masks.
The report alledges that Bush plans to turn what they did at Ground Zero into standard policy.
The Village Voice is also offering it's take onThe 10 Ways Bush Screwed New York (via Catch.com).
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According to a report from the Sierra Club (which followed up the EPA's own report):
-- The Bush administration knew the health risks and ignored its own long-standing body of knowledge about the harmful products of incineration and demolition. It should have issued a health warning immediately on that basis.
-- EPA failed to find toxic hazards because it did not look for them, or did not look for them properly. And EPA failed at least a dozen times to change its safety assurances as new information arose -- even after it became clear that people were getting sick.
-- Many workers at and near Ground Zero did not have proper health and safety protections. And the Bush administration refused to enforce worker safety requirements at Ground Zero.
-- Both EPA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assured families they could clean up contaminated dust themselves with wet rags and discouraged them from wearing safety masks.
The report alledges that Bush plans to turn what they did at Ground Zero into standard policy.
The Village Voice is also offering it's take onThe 10 Ways Bush Screwed New York (via Catch.com).
We love dirty laundry....
Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody’s pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry
There's a lot of back and forth going on over whether or not 527 groups should be eliminated:
Mathew at Centerfield has complained loudly that 527s are bad for the political process.
RedState is not surprisingly gleefully omitting the fact that Bush has benefitted from 527s and was actively for them when they helped him win Florida in 2000. Apparently to them it's only bad to these guys when Bush isn't benefitting at the moment.
WorldNetDaily breathlessly reports that the Democratic 527s have vastly outraised and outmobilized their GOP counterparts. (Gee...no wonder Bush is so anxious to get rid of them).
Jesse over at Pandagon slams Bush for initially taking advantage of 527s, signing the campaign finance law and then complaining because he thought he'd banned them.
Ted from Crooked Timber asks why it's suddenly not okay with the Bush campaign for private groups to pool together and raise money for political gain?
And Matthew Yglesias mocks Bush and MClellan for what he sees as the Campaign/Administration giving no thought whatsoever to their stated position before trotting themselves before the cameras to offer it.
I've been considering the thoughts on this issue both from Bush's supporters and his detractors. I think there are some valid concerns about the 527s in terms of the media reporting everything these groups say as the unvarnished truth. I thought it was the media's job to sift through stories and check out allegations before they reported them. Color me naive.
This seems to boil down, however, to the media not doing their job. The 527s aren't necessarily a pox on our political process, especially under a fourth estate willing to step up and monitor them.
Howard Kurtz might actually have the best take on these groups:
I don't agree that all 527s should be condemned. What they're doing is perfectly legal, and an outgrowth of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation. They're also a little less shadowy than they used to be, thanks to disclosure requirements. Why should any group -- environmentalists, unions, corporations, swift boat veterans -- be prevented from buying air time to get their point of view across?
This is a very sensible line of reasoning from my view. But I think more needs to happen. Private groups such as factcheck.org and spinsanity.org provide some oversight of these groups. They tend to be nonpartisan and go out of their way to research and study the ads from 527s. They report if a group is lying or not and support their conclusions with the research they do. You know, kind of like the mainstream media is supposed to do.....
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Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody’s pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry
There's a lot of back and forth going on over whether or not 527 groups should be eliminated:
Mathew at Centerfield has complained loudly that 527s are bad for the political process.
RedState is not surprisingly gleefully omitting the fact that Bush has benefitted from 527s and was actively for them when they helped him win Florida in 2000. Apparently to them it's only bad to these guys when Bush isn't benefitting at the moment.
WorldNetDaily breathlessly reports that the Democratic 527s have vastly outraised and outmobilized their GOP counterparts. (Gee...no wonder Bush is so anxious to get rid of them).
Jesse over at Pandagon slams Bush for initially taking advantage of 527s, signing the campaign finance law and then complaining because he thought he'd banned them.
Ted from Crooked Timber asks why it's suddenly not okay with the Bush campaign for private groups to pool together and raise money for political gain?
And Matthew Yglesias mocks Bush and MClellan for what he sees as the Campaign/Administration giving no thought whatsoever to their stated position before trotting themselves before the cameras to offer it.
I've been considering the thoughts on this issue both from Bush's supporters and his detractors. I think there are some valid concerns about the 527s in terms of the media reporting everything these groups say as the unvarnished truth. I thought it was the media's job to sift through stories and check out allegations before they reported them. Color me naive.
This seems to boil down, however, to the media not doing their job. The 527s aren't necessarily a pox on our political process, especially under a fourth estate willing to step up and monitor them.
Howard Kurtz might actually have the best take on these groups:
I don't agree that all 527s should be condemned. What they're doing is perfectly legal, and an outgrowth of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation. They're also a little less shadowy than they used to be, thanks to disclosure requirements. Why should any group -- environmentalists, unions, corporations, swift boat veterans -- be prevented from buying air time to get their point of view across?
This is a very sensible line of reasoning from my view. But I think more needs to happen. Private groups such as factcheck.org and spinsanity.org provide some oversight of these groups. They tend to be nonpartisan and go out of their way to research and study the ads from 527s. They report if a group is lying or not and support their conclusions with the research they do. You know, kind of like the mainstream media is supposed to do.....
A little less conversation....
...a little more action, please.
There's several worthwhile reads on the Republicans for Kerry site. But I felt this one stood out a bit.
I realize that there are those out there who will claim this group isn't legit. There will rolling of eyes and gnashing of teeth about how this is just a Democrat front group. Maybe. What they're saying either way is relevant and right on the money.
And excerpt from the cited piece:
Job Creation Planned Results: Bush set a goal of 5.5 million new jobs. 4.1 million created through the economies normal job growth projections, and 1.4 million due to tax cuts.
Job Creation Actual Results: Labor Department's numbers released August 6; show this administration has lost nearly 1.6 million jobs since taking office. 2.7 million family wage earner manufacturing jobs have been lost. The new jobs Bush claims to be adding pay 36% LESS per year than the ones we are losing.
Unemployment Planned Results: The month Bush took office; our unemployment rate was 3.9%. The goal was to better what the Clinton administration had attained.
Unemployment Actual Results: Current unemployment rate is 5.6%. Even before 9/11 payroll numbers showed a drop of nearly 40,000 jobs per month. 8.2 million Americans are unemployed, 38% more than when Bush took office. And that number only includes the recently unemployed. Those that have run out of unemployment benefits are not shown in these numbers. Nearly two million people have dropped out of the labor force and are not even counted anymore as unemployed.
Tax Cuts Planned Results: Tax cuts will increase consumer spending, encourage business owners to invest, thereby creating new jobs and a steep economic upturn.
Tax Cuts Actual Results: The tax cuts did nothing to create jobs. Nearly all economists agree that reducing taxes on dividends and capital gains has very little effect on job growth. Tax breaks for business expenses made no sense at all. Businesses had the funds to invest in new equipment. Credit is readily available at very low interest rates. These business owners didn't need a tax cut they needed people from the lower and middle income brackets to have more spending money so their businesses could SELL more products.
Head over there and check it out.
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There's several worthwhile reads on the Republicans for Kerry site. But I felt this one stood out a bit.
I realize that there are those out there who will claim this group isn't legit. There will rolling of eyes and gnashing of teeth about how this is just a Democrat front group. Maybe. What they're saying either way is relevant and right on the money.
And excerpt from the cited piece:
Job Creation Planned Results: Bush set a goal of 5.5 million new jobs. 4.1 million created through the economies normal job growth projections, and 1.4 million due to tax cuts.
Job Creation Actual Results: Labor Department's numbers released August 6; show this administration has lost nearly 1.6 million jobs since taking office. 2.7 million family wage earner manufacturing jobs have been lost. The new jobs Bush claims to be adding pay 36% LESS per year than the ones we are losing.
Unemployment Planned Results: The month Bush took office; our unemployment rate was 3.9%. The goal was to better what the Clinton administration had attained.
Unemployment Actual Results: Current unemployment rate is 5.6%. Even before 9/11 payroll numbers showed a drop of nearly 40,000 jobs per month. 8.2 million Americans are unemployed, 38% more than when Bush took office. And that number only includes the recently unemployed. Those that have run out of unemployment benefits are not shown in these numbers. Nearly two million people have dropped out of the labor force and are not even counted anymore as unemployed.
Tax Cuts Planned Results: Tax cuts will increase consumer spending, encourage business owners to invest, thereby creating new jobs and a steep economic upturn.
Tax Cuts Actual Results: The tax cuts did nothing to create jobs. Nearly all economists agree that reducing taxes on dividends and capital gains has very little effect on job growth. Tax breaks for business expenses made no sense at all. Businesses had the funds to invest in new equipment. Credit is readily available at very low interest rates. These business owners didn't need a tax cut they needed people from the lower and middle income brackets to have more spending money so their businesses could SELL more products.
Head over there and check it out.
Take THAT, Zell
|Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Cowards All Around
Michael Tomasky has a very excellent summary of the irresponsible tack the media has taken in it's coverage of the various accusations against Kerry.
An excerpt:
So now we're having a debate about whether the man who did the honorable thing may have embellished his record a little (although nothing in the documentary record suggests he did this), while we have two cowards who did everything they could to stay miles away from the place Kerry demanded he be sent. This is the fundamental truth. And while yes, Kerry has made his war service a centerpiece in a way that Bush and Cheney for obvious reasons did not, is it really Kerry who deserves scrutiny for how he behaved in 1968 and 1969?
This notion that "Kerry brought this on himself" for making his service part of his campaign is something I've read in several places. Certainly Kerry's service is scrutinized when this happens. But to claim somehow that it's Kerry's fault because Bush's surrogates are publicly lying about Kerry? And when did outright lying about a man meet the standard of free speech (another saw I've read on some sites)?
There are those who appear to want Bush to win so much that they're willing to suspend common sense in order to bash Kerry and ignore the glaring flaws of their own guy. I'd venture to say that the vast majority of those supporting Bush would need to do that in order to actually vote for him.
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An excerpt:
So now we're having a debate about whether the man who did the honorable thing may have embellished his record a little (although nothing in the documentary record suggests he did this), while we have two cowards who did everything they could to stay miles away from the place Kerry demanded he be sent. This is the fundamental truth. And while yes, Kerry has made his war service a centerpiece in a way that Bush and Cheney for obvious reasons did not, is it really Kerry who deserves scrutiny for how he behaved in 1968 and 1969?
This notion that "Kerry brought this on himself" for making his service part of his campaign is something I've read in several places. Certainly Kerry's service is scrutinized when this happens. But to claim somehow that it's Kerry's fault because Bush's surrogates are publicly lying about Kerry? And when did outright lying about a man meet the standard of free speech (another saw I've read on some sites)?
There are those who appear to want Bush to win so much that they're willing to suspend common sense in order to bash Kerry and ignore the glaring flaws of their own guy. I'd venture to say that the vast majority of those supporting Bush would need to do that in order to actually vote for him.
The Suicide of Lance Corporal Jeffrey Lucey
Still think playing soldier is all about guts and glory? Think again! Reading this story felt like getting punched in the gut. I don't think I can summon the will to blog on it beyond this. So, I'm just gonna post a link here.
This Is Rumor Control - The Things He Carried: Atrocities, Investigations and the Suicide of Lance Corporal Jeffrey Lucey
Via Norwegianity
This story saddens me beyond my ability to express it. And yet at the same time it makes me angry. Angry that chickenhawks can hide behind their ideological delusions and send our young men and women off to walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, to borrow a phrase from the ancient King David.
Now perhaps more than ever we need a President who has a frickin' idea of what it's like to have to walk thru that valley. Not a coward who hides behind the skirts of the Secret Service and taunts killers who he knows have no way of coming after him.
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This Is Rumor Control - The Things He Carried: Atrocities, Investigations and the Suicide of Lance Corporal Jeffrey Lucey
Via Norwegianity
This story saddens me beyond my ability to express it. And yet at the same time it makes me angry. Angry that chickenhawks can hide behind their ideological delusions and send our young men and women off to walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, to borrow a phrase from the ancient King David.
Now perhaps more than ever we need a President who has a frickin' idea of what it's like to have to walk thru that valley. Not a coward who hides behind the skirts of the Secret Service and taunts killers who he knows have no way of coming after him.
Death With Dignity, Oregon's brave accomplishment
An August 20th study published in the Journal of Clinical Ethics declares that Oregon's Death With Dignity Law has not increased the practice and in fact may have caused a decline in requests to doctors.
The study, conducted by Oregon Health Sciences University, is the first to examinewho considers the practice as well as those who carry it out. Over the six year period that the law has been in place, 171 Oregonians have chosen to take the lethal prescription and carry out their own end of life decision.
In a highly unexpected twist, the study discovered that roughly 1 in every 1000 deaths in Oregon were a result of doctor assisted suicide. That number is much lower than predicted by both opponents and proponents of the law during it's debate period. It's also much lower than the considered national average. Another study of terminally ill patients in six states where doctor assisted suicide remains illegal found that 1 in every 250 patients deaths happened via doctor assisted suicide.
Other findings reported in the study:
*Patients who consider using the law are remarkably similar to those who actually do: they tend to be younger, white and their income is over $30k per year. But unlike those who actually follow through with it, they tend not to be well educated.
*Oregonians remain very divided on the issue. More than 40% of families reject using the law both for themselves and for those around them.
*Protestants and Roman Catholics are about half as likely, compared with people with no religious affiliation, to favor assisted suicide.
*None of the 62 dying African Americans in the study was reported to have considered assisted suicide. Twenty percent of white patients did.
This law, passed twice by the citizens of Oregon, has been under constant attack by the Bush Administration, specifically Attorney General John Ashcroft. Ashcroft has so far unsuccessfully taken the issue to court. But as long as Ashcroft is AG, the law will be in danger from federal intervention.
This issue is a big loser for Bush. While the law is controversial even in Oregon, Oregonians want the feds to remain out of it.
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The study, conducted by Oregon Health Sciences University, is the first to examinewho considers the practice as well as those who carry it out. Over the six year period that the law has been in place, 171 Oregonians have chosen to take the lethal prescription and carry out their own end of life decision.
In a highly unexpected twist, the study discovered that roughly 1 in every 1000 deaths in Oregon were a result of doctor assisted suicide. That number is much lower than predicted by both opponents and proponents of the law during it's debate period. It's also much lower than the considered national average. Another study of terminally ill patients in six states where doctor assisted suicide remains illegal found that 1 in every 250 patients deaths happened via doctor assisted suicide.
Other findings reported in the study:
*Patients who consider using the law are remarkably similar to those who actually do: they tend to be younger, white and their income is over $30k per year. But unlike those who actually follow through with it, they tend not to be well educated.
*Oregonians remain very divided on the issue. More than 40% of families reject using the law both for themselves and for those around them.
*Protestants and Roman Catholics are about half as likely, compared with people with no religious affiliation, to favor assisted suicide.
*None of the 62 dying African Americans in the study was reported to have considered assisted suicide. Twenty percent of white patients did.
This law, passed twice by the citizens of Oregon, has been under constant attack by the Bush Administration, specifically Attorney General John Ashcroft. Ashcroft has so far unsuccessfully taken the issue to court. But as long as Ashcroft is AG, the law will be in danger from federal intervention.
This issue is a big loser for Bush. While the law is controversial even in Oregon, Oregonians want the feds to remain out of it.
Bush Supporters Unmasked
About 350 Kerry/Edwards yard signs in Pensacola, Florida, a GOP stronghold, have been stolen and defaced lately.
All right, children... Somebody needs a timeout.
Monday, August 23, 2004
Local prosecutor asked to step down over Swift Boat ad
Clackamas County Oregon prosecutor Alfred French is being asked by a local veterans group to step down from his job, according to KATU news in Portland.
French signed an affidavit declaring that he knows Kerry is lying about his record in Vietnam. French also appeared on the Swift Boat ad declaring Kerry lied about what happened. French later admitted that he had no firsthand knowledge of Kerry's actions and was relying on stories from friends.
Don Stewart, a veteran, spoke for the veteran's group asking for French's resignation. The group is filing a complaint with the Oregon Bar Association saying that an Oregon prosecutor cannot be trusted if he lies in a sworn affadavit.
According to the KATU report, Oregon rules say that no officer of the court may participate in conduct deemed dishonest, fraudulent, deceitful or that misrepresents.
There's currently no link to the story on the KATU website. I'll post one as soon as I notice one is available.
Update:KGW.com has the story up on their site, but registration is required. This story also omits the discussion on the Oregon Bar and the possibility of French having violated Oregon rules.
Update part deux: You can read about the story and view the news video at Katu.com.
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French signed an affidavit declaring that he knows Kerry is lying about his record in Vietnam. French also appeared on the Swift Boat ad declaring Kerry lied about what happened. French later admitted that he had no firsthand knowledge of Kerry's actions and was relying on stories from friends.
Don Stewart, a veteran, spoke for the veteran's group asking for French's resignation. The group is filing a complaint with the Oregon Bar Association saying that an Oregon prosecutor cannot be trusted if he lies in a sworn affadavit.
According to the KATU report, Oregon rules say that no officer of the court may participate in conduct deemed dishonest, fraudulent, deceitful or that misrepresents.
There's currently no link to the story on the KATU website. I'll post one as soon as I notice one is available.
Update:KGW.com has the story up on their site, but registration is required. This story also omits the discussion on the Oregon Bar and the possibility of French having violated Oregon rules.
Update part deux: You can read about the story and view the news video at Katu.com.
Operation Truth to launch this Wednesday
Former Navy SEALer/pro-wrestler/Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura will join founder Paul Rieckhoff at a press conference via phone to launch Operation Truth.
Operation Truth seeks to
educate the American public about the truth of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from the perspective of the soldiers who have experienced them first-hand. We will provide returning veterans with national, regional, and local podiums from which they will expose the preventable hardships that they endured as a result of failures at the top levels of leadership. We intend to publicize how poorly-planned policies and approaches have manifested themselves as problems on the front lines and back at home. We will act domestically to protect our troops and to aid them in their fight to protect us.
The organization says it considers itself nonpartisan but declares itself at odds with the current administration.
Rieckhoff is an infantry platoon leader in Iraq. The conference will also include Bobby Muller of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.
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Operation Truth seeks to
educate the American public about the truth of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from the perspective of the soldiers who have experienced them first-hand. We will provide returning veterans with national, regional, and local podiums from which they will expose the preventable hardships that they endured as a result of failures at the top levels of leadership. We intend to publicize how poorly-planned policies and approaches have manifested themselves as problems on the front lines and back at home. We will act domestically to protect our troops and to aid them in their fight to protect us.
The organization says it considers itself nonpartisan but declares itself at odds with the current administration.
Rieckhoff is an infantry platoon leader in Iraq. The conference will also include Bobby Muller of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.
More problems for Camp W
The necons are infighting.
Earlier this month, Francis Fukuyama, author of "The End of History" and one of the most influential thinkers associated with the movement, surprised many by delivering a lengthy attack on the neoconservatives' longstanding arguments in support of the war in Iraq, including their confidence in building a democracy there and their assessment of the threat from Islamic radicalism.
In the clubby world of neoconservative intellectuals, many of whom are longtime friends and allies, Mr. Fukuyama's repudiation of the case for war, which appeared in The National Interest, was all the more startling because he presented it as an attack on a recent speech by his friend, the columnist Charles Krauthammer of The Washington Post.
Somebody went after that pugnacious prevaricator of pusillanimous pomposity known as Charles Krauthammer?
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Krauthammer and Fukuyama are considered the "intellectual heavyweights" of neoconservatism...if such a thing can exist.
What I found most gratifying is the fact that Fukuyama echoed many of the criticisms of Iraq that those of us who didn't support the invasion and occupation have said:
"One gets the impression that the Iraq war," Mr. Fukuyama continued, "has been an unqualified success, with all of the assumptions and expectations on which the war had been based vindicated."
Like many other critics of the war, he argued that Mr. Krauthammer and other neoconservatives were overconfident about turning Iraq into a democracy, too quick to dismiss arguments of longtime allies, and too willing to give up the practical advantages of partnership with other nations.
Most of all, though, he argued that Mr. Krauthammer and other supporters of the war mischaracterized Iraq and Islamic radicals as an immediate threat to the existence of the United States, a claim that justified immediate intervention. The Soviet Union arguably threatened the existence of the United States, Mr. Fukuyama argues, but Iraq never did.
This single set of admissions from Fukuyama is stunning in the face of Bush unable to think of a mistake he's made..and Krauthammer continuing his silly defense of Bush's policies in the face of such an obvious mess. It's a definite splinter away from a group that has been traditionally a very tight clique.
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Earlier this month, Francis Fukuyama, author of "The End of History" and one of the most influential thinkers associated with the movement, surprised many by delivering a lengthy attack on the neoconservatives' longstanding arguments in support of the war in Iraq, including their confidence in building a democracy there and their assessment of the threat from Islamic radicalism.
In the clubby world of neoconservative intellectuals, many of whom are longtime friends and allies, Mr. Fukuyama's repudiation of the case for war, which appeared in The National Interest, was all the more startling because he presented it as an attack on a recent speech by his friend, the columnist Charles Krauthammer of The Washington Post.
Somebody went after that pugnacious prevaricator of pusillanimous pomposity known as Charles Krauthammer?
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Krauthammer and Fukuyama are considered the "intellectual heavyweights" of neoconservatism...if such a thing can exist.
What I found most gratifying is the fact that Fukuyama echoed many of the criticisms of Iraq that those of us who didn't support the invasion and occupation have said:
"One gets the impression that the Iraq war," Mr. Fukuyama continued, "has been an unqualified success, with all of the assumptions and expectations on which the war had been based vindicated."
Like many other critics of the war, he argued that Mr. Krauthammer and other neoconservatives were overconfident about turning Iraq into a democracy, too quick to dismiss arguments of longtime allies, and too willing to give up the practical advantages of partnership with other nations.
Most of all, though, he argued that Mr. Krauthammer and other supporters of the war mischaracterized Iraq and Islamic radicals as an immediate threat to the existence of the United States, a claim that justified immediate intervention. The Soviet Union arguably threatened the existence of the United States, Mr. Fukuyama argues, but Iraq never did.
This single set of admissions from Fukuyama is stunning in the face of Bush unable to think of a mistake he's made..and Krauthammer continuing his silly defense of Bush's policies in the face of such an obvious mess. It's a definite splinter away from a group that has been traditionally a very tight clique.
Voting machines....a contested election waiting to happen
States that rely on ATM-like voting machines aren't doing themselves any favors.
The companies that make the machines operate under a shroud of secrecy and refuse to discuss possible shoddy workmanship.
The machine testing companies say they are committed to secrecy in their contracts with the voting machine makers, despite the fact that your tax dollars are what's paying their salaries.
To boil it down, it's none of your business if the voting machines work properly, are tamper proof and can be properly audited.
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The companies that make the machines operate under a shroud of secrecy and refuse to discuss possible shoddy workmanship.
The machine testing companies say they are committed to secrecy in their contracts with the voting machine makers, despite the fact that your tax dollars are what's paying their salaries.
To boil it down, it's none of your business if the voting machines work properly, are tamper proof and can be properly audited.
Strapped in the chair of the city's gas chamber....
...why I'm here I can't quite remember...
The first four arraignments for terror suspects held at Guantanamo are scheduled for tomorrow.
Of the four suspects, one was alledgedly a driver for Osama. Another is an Aussie who is an alledged "footsoldier" for Al Qaida. A third is an Al Qaida accountant. The fourth is a poet. None are accused of killing Americans. Each could be sentenced to death and there is no independent appeals process.
What's next? Will we be giving life sentences to Al Qaida's caterer and a firing squad for Osama's manicurist?
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The first four arraignments for terror suspects held at Guantanamo are scheduled for tomorrow.
Of the four suspects, one was alledgedly a driver for Osama. Another is an Aussie who is an alledged "footsoldier" for Al Qaida. A third is an Al Qaida accountant. The fourth is a poet. None are accused of killing Americans. Each could be sentenced to death and there is no independent appeals process.
What's next? Will we be giving life sentences to Al Qaida's caterer and a firing squad for Osama's manicurist?
What's a NeoCon to do...
... when he's got no domestic agenda to speak of? Attack the other guy, of course. Which is precisely what Bush has been doing.
Under the radar screen the NeoCons are moving forward with their plan to etch their decidedly pro-millionaire taxation scheme in stone. Working stiffs like me will be forced to shoulder an ever greater share of the burden over the short term, while my kids will have to figure out a way to pay the rest.
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Under the radar screen the NeoCons are moving forward with their plan to etch their decidedly pro-millionaire taxation scheme in stone. Working stiffs like me will be forced to shoulder an ever greater share of the burden over the short term, while my kids will have to figure out a way to pay the rest.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Why is Najaf still unsettled?
I realize that everyone is still all breathless over Kerry's Vietnam record and Bush's lack of one...but what the heck is up with Najaf?
Weren't we told earlier in the week that Sadr had told his people to leave and that they'd be laying down their arms?
Instead we have more US soldiers dead and no resolution.
Speaking of Vietnam...
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Weren't we told earlier in the week that Sadr had told his people to leave and that they'd be laying down their arms?
Instead we have more US soldiers dead and no resolution.
Speaking of Vietnam...
The Politics of Bullying...
You go out and fight the world,
Beat up boys and beat up girls.
And nothing's gonna change your ways,
You look at us, but we just say:
We're fun, you're not,
We play, we fight,
You're off, we're not,
That chip is all you got!
Interesting thoughts from Paul Rogat Loeb on the politics of bullying:
A former Air Force colonel I know described the administration’s attitude toward dissent as “shut up and color,” as if we were unruly eight-year-olds. Whatever we may think of Bush’s particular policies, the most dangerous thing he’s done is to promote a culture that equates questioning with treason. This threatens the very dialogue that’s at the core of our republic.
Think of the eve of the Iraq war, and the contempt heaped on those generals who dared to suggest that the war might take far more troops and money than the administration was suggesting. Think of the attacks on the reputations and motives of longtime Republicans who’ve recently dared to question, like national security advisor Richard Clarke, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, weapons inspector Scott Ritter, and Bush’s own former Treasury Secretary, Paul O’Neill. Think of the Republican TV ads, the 2000 Georgia Senate race—which paired Democratic Sen. Max Cleland with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein—asserting that because Cleland opposed President Bush’s Homeland Security bill, he lacked “the courage to lead.”
There's been a lot of discussion especially on blogs but some in the press about the Bush Campaign/Administration's systematic use of bullying and intimidation in their various PR schemes. The author's main idea that this type of thing is threatening to our republic may sound a bit alarmist on it's face but I believe he has a very valid point.
As people are labeled "unpatriotic" or "treasonous" when they offer a dissenting political view it teaches society that it's wrong to speak out (In all fairness, Kerry's wife has referred to Dick Cheney as "unpatriotic" for ducking Vietnam....but that wasn't an attempt to label Cheney for his political views). It's a wearing of the scarlet letter for simply daring to have political disagreements and voicing them. We're becoming what we said we hated...like China or the Soviet Union.
Our founders established the First Amendment for the expressed purpose of making certain political dissent was not only protected, but encouraged. Is there such a fundamental lack of understanding of this issue by the American electorate that they would continue to reward such heinous behavior? Or are so many just lazy or busy so that they don't keep track enough to notice what's going on?
Such labeling erodes the basic civil right of political free speech. As long as this labeling continues to be rewarded with political points, it won't end. Journalists seem to no longer exist and the media appears to be a group of sycophants more interested in preening and power than offering facts. When it's perfectly acceptable to treat people like Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity and Matt Drudge as serious arbiters of political ideas, it's time to stop dead in our tracks and take stock of where we are.
Lying For Jesus...
The Washington Post has uncovered yet one more Vietnam veteran who has not been heard from yet and who corraborates John Kerry's (and the official) version of the events for which he was awarded the Bronze Star:
Langhofer was approached by the GOP Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth" group several months ago, but declined their invitation to lie about Kerry.
In a relevant article from the conservative The Weekly Standard there is an open admission that George W. Bush and his "ambiguous military record" is a candidate that "relatively few" Republicans "find personally or politically appealing." Which explains why the intense effort to smear the bonefide war hero, John Kerry and John McCain before him. George W. Bush is a hard sell compared to the 1990's when the Democrats ran a draft-dodger against the youngest pilot in the Pacific WWII Theater, and then later against another war hero, Bob Dole.
Given how Bush has sought to wrap himself in the Bible, and how many conservative Christian churches and leaders have sought to reinforce that impression... if this isn't lying for Jesus I don't know what is. These people aren't stupid. They know that they're lying. And they know that they're doing it in the name of Jesus. Which brings to mind a Biblical passage warning believers to beware sheeps in wolves clothing.
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Until now, eyewitness evidence supporting Kerry's version had come only from his own crewmen. But yesterday, The Post independently contacted a participant who has not spoken out so far in favor of either camp who remembers coming under enemy fire. "There was a lot of firing going on, and it came from both sides of the river," said Wayne D. Langhofer, who manned a machine gun aboard PCF-43, the boat that was directly behind Kerry's.
Langhofer said he distinctly remembered the "clack, clack, clack" of enemy AK-47s, as well as muzzle flashes from the riverbanks."
Langhofer was approached by the GOP Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth" group several months ago, but declined their invitation to lie about Kerry.
In a relevant article from the conservative The Weekly Standard there is an open admission that George W. Bush and his "ambiguous military record" is a candidate that "relatively few" Republicans "find personally or politically appealing." Which explains why the intense effort to smear the bonefide war hero, John Kerry and John McCain before him. George W. Bush is a hard sell compared to the 1990's when the Democrats ran a draft-dodger against the youngest pilot in the Pacific WWII Theater, and then later against another war hero, Bob Dole.
Republicans have no such luck this time, and so they scramble to reassure themselves that they nevertheless are doing the right thing, voting against a war hero. The simplest way to do this is to convince themselves that the war hero isn't really a war hero. If sufficient doubt about Kerry's record can be raised, we can vote for Bush without remorse. But the calculations are transparently desperate. Reading some of the anti-Kerry attacks over the last several weeks, you might conclude that this is the new conservative position: A veteran who volunteered for combat duty, spent four months under fire in Vietnam, and then exaggerated a bit so he could go home early is the inferior, morally and otherwise, of a man who had his father pull strings so he wouldn't have to go to Vietnam in the first place.
Needless to say, the proposition will be a hard sell in those dim and tiny reaches of the electorate where voters have yet to make up their minds. Indeed, it's far more likely that moderates and fence-sitters will be disgusted by the lengths to which partisans will go to discredit a rival. But this anti-Kerry campaign is not designed to win undecided votes. It's designed to reassure uneasy minds.
Given how Bush has sought to wrap himself in the Bible, and how many conservative Christian churches and leaders have sought to reinforce that impression... if this isn't lying for Jesus I don't know what is. These people aren't stupid. They know that they're lying. And they know that they're doing it in the name of Jesus. Which brings to mind a Biblical passage warning believers to beware sheeps in wolves clothing.
Saturday, August 21, 2004
And now the end is near...and so I face..the final curtain...
FS
This is my last Swift Boat Veteran for "Truth" post for awhile. I actually hope it's the last one EVER. In the last three days it seems that this organization got what it wanted...the media spotlight. And with that spotlight came truth shone into the dark corners of their allegations and accusations.
Two more news stories emerged in the last 24 hours that have put the nail into the coffin for these clowns:
Chicago Tribune Editor William Rood has written a piece that completely backs Kerry's entire account of the Silver Star. Rood notes that there were 3 Swift Boats there that day and only two commanders are alive to tell the story: himself and Kerry.
Oregonian and Swift Boat Veteran for "Truth" Alfred French has admitted that he actually witnessed none of the combat incidents in question, he has relied on accounts from other individuals. This after calling Kerry a "liar" in the Swift Boaters TV ad.
I feel certain this isn't the last we've heard from these guys. But in terms of cred, they are completely bone dry. Kevin Drum has also has a great series of pieces on Kerry's medals vs the Swift Boaters as well.
And now the cherry on the cake:
Kerry's new TV ad
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This is my last Swift Boat Veteran for "Truth" post for awhile. I actually hope it's the last one EVER. In the last three days it seems that this organization got what it wanted...the media spotlight. And with that spotlight came truth shone into the dark corners of their allegations and accusations.
Two more news stories emerged in the last 24 hours that have put the nail into the coffin for these clowns:
Chicago Tribune Editor William Rood has written a piece that completely backs Kerry's entire account of the Silver Star. Rood notes that there were 3 Swift Boats there that day and only two commanders are alive to tell the story: himself and Kerry.
Oregonian and Swift Boat Veteran for "Truth" Alfred French has admitted that he actually witnessed none of the combat incidents in question, he has relied on accounts from other individuals. This after calling Kerry a "liar" in the Swift Boaters TV ad.
I feel certain this isn't the last we've heard from these guys. But in terms of cred, they are completely bone dry. Kevin Drum has also has a great series of pieces on Kerry's medals vs the Swift Boaters as well.
And now the cherry on the cake:
Kerry's new TV ad
Friday, August 20, 2004
Isn't it ironic....
don'tcha think?
From the Kos diaries, Zell Miller gushes praise for Kerry in 2001
The original is on Miller's website.
Zell is apparently a great big fan of John Kerry. Funny how the guy who plans to give the keynote at the GOP Convention considers Kerry an "authentic hero" a "great leader" and a "good friend".
Zell has apparently been drinking from the same well as the Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth"
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From the Kos diaries, Zell Miller gushes praise for Kerry in 2001
The original is on Miller's website.
Zell is apparently a great big fan of John Kerry. Funny how the guy who plans to give the keynote at the GOP Convention considers Kerry an "authentic hero" a "great leader" and a "good friend".
Zell has apparently been drinking from the same well as the Swift Boat Veterans for "Truth"
Kerry Files Suit
Senator Kerry has filed suit against the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth with the FEC. The suit alleges that SBV is illegally coordinated with the Bush/Cheney 04 campaign in violation of campaign laws. The Kerry team say they have overwhelming evidence with which to back up their suit.
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David Kay: Iraq was an overwhelming systemic failure
David Kay, late of the US team who found zero WMD in Iraq, gave testimony to Congress on Wednesday that the National Security Council (NSC) has done a lousy job when it comes to vetting intelligence.
Kay didn't name Rice openly...but it's pretty obvious that Rice is the target of Kay's wrath....and Kay believes she should be held accountable.
Kay's comments also mirror those made by Richard Clarke.
So basically, Condi sucks at her job and should be fired.
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Kay didn't name Rice openly...but it's pretty obvious that Rice is the target of Kay's wrath....and Kay believes she should be held accountable.
Kay's comments also mirror those made by Richard Clarke.
So basically, Condi sucks at her job and should be fired.
Ban All Independent Campaign Advertising?
Bush says,"Yes".
Don't let anything like the First Amendment stand in your way, eh? The Fourth and Fifth haven't bothered you, why should the First?
Criminey.
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Don't let anything like the First Amendment stand in your way, eh? The Fourth and Fifth haven't bothered you, why should the First?
Criminey.
Bush's Catholic Scandal
How a Philosophy Professor With a Checkered Past
Became the Most Influential Catholic Layman in George W. Bush's Washington: The Real Deal
While I'm on the subject of Catholics and voting: Is Kerry a Good Catholic?
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Became the Most Influential Catholic Layman in George W. Bush's Washington: The Real Deal
While I'm on the subject of Catholics and voting: Is Kerry a Good Catholic?
...we are the Sultans of Swing...
Dire Straits
Pew Research has released their latest polling data on the election. The headline on the poll:
Public Faults Bush on Economy - 55% Say Jobs are Scarce
Kerry Makes Gains on Issues, Bush Maintains Leadership Image Advantage
On the race itself:
Kerry 47
Bush 45
Nader 2
Brian Keegan over at Centerfield first brought this poll to my attention. Centerfield is on my daily list of blog reads. While I don't always agree with them (I'm waiting for Mathew to hunt me down in my sleep and duct tape my fingers together to keep me from posting) the comments tend to be cerebral and interesting.
Brian's analysis is that the Bush Campaign has had some success defining Kerry...as Bush still polls a "leadership" advantage. Those numbers haven't budged much in the last few months, either. But interestingly when it comes to specific issues (including "morality"...which seems very vague), Kerry has surpassed Bush and in many areas is pulling away. To me this suggests while the Bush campaign is having some success defining Kerry, they appear to be struggling where it counts: issues.
Ruy Teixeira also analyzes the Pew poll on his site. Ruy notes that "On eight of the 11 foreign policy issues in the poll on which there are significant partisan gaps, opinions of swing voters are closer to those of Kerry supporters than to those of Bush voters.
On several issues, the differences between swing voters and committed Bush voters is substantial. More than half of swing voters (53%) regard strengthening the United Nations as a top priority compared with 35% of Bush voters who have this view. And about twice as many swing voters as Bush supporters view global warming as a major concern (35% vs. 18%). "
As Kevin often reminds me, swing voters are what move an election one way or the other. This Pew Poll seems to indicate that Kerry has the definite advantage both on issues and with swing voters.
There is a caveat, however. The election is still quite a few weeks away and the GOP Convention has yet to take place. There's lots of time for things to move either way.
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Pew Research has released their latest polling data on the election. The headline on the poll:
Public Faults Bush on Economy - 55% Say Jobs are Scarce
Kerry Makes Gains on Issues, Bush Maintains Leadership Image Advantage
On the race itself:
Kerry 47
Bush 45
Nader 2
Brian Keegan over at Centerfield first brought this poll to my attention. Centerfield is on my daily list of blog reads. While I don't always agree with them (I'm waiting for Mathew to hunt me down in my sleep and duct tape my fingers together to keep me from posting) the comments tend to be cerebral and interesting.
Brian's analysis is that the Bush Campaign has had some success defining Kerry...as Bush still polls a "leadership" advantage. Those numbers haven't budged much in the last few months, either. But interestingly when it comes to specific issues (including "morality"...which seems very vague), Kerry has surpassed Bush and in many areas is pulling away. To me this suggests while the Bush campaign is having some success defining Kerry, they appear to be struggling where it counts: issues.
Ruy Teixeira also analyzes the Pew poll on his site. Ruy notes that "On eight of the 11 foreign policy issues in the poll on which there are significant partisan gaps, opinions of swing voters are closer to those of Kerry supporters than to those of Bush voters.
On several issues, the differences between swing voters and committed Bush voters is substantial. More than half of swing voters (53%) regard strengthening the United Nations as a top priority compared with 35% of Bush voters who have this view. And about twice as many swing voters as Bush supporters view global warming as a major concern (35% vs. 18%). "
As Kevin often reminds me, swing voters are what move an election one way or the other. This Pew Poll seems to indicate that Kerry has the definite advantage both on issues and with swing voters.
There is a caveat, however. The election is still quite a few weeks away and the GOP Convention has yet to take place. There's lots of time for things to move either way.
Smell the desperation...
It's just overkill...
Today's New York Times completely disassembles the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group:
Records show that the group received the bulk of its initial financing from two men with ties to the president and his family - one a longtime political associate of Mr. Rove's, the other a trustee of the foundation for Mr. Bush's father's presidential library. A Texas publicist who once helped prepare Mr. Bush's father for his debate when he was running for vice president provided them with strategic advice. And the group's television commercial was produced by the same team that made the devastating ad mocking Michael S. Dukakis in an oversized tank helmet when he and Mr. Bush's father faced off in the 1988 presidential election.
The piece also goes on to discuss how many of the individuals involved with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth had lavished praise on Kerry, some as late as last year. The Times further connects the web between the organizations start up and it's funding sources...which are directly linked to big time Bush donors/supporters in Texas.
Last evening, Larry Turlow of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth appeared on Hardball with Chris Mathews...where Turlow was forced to admit he had no actual evidence that any of the accusations he was making were true.
And in the most bizarre twist of this entire thing whackjob rightwing columnist Michelle Malkin wildly accuses Kerry of deliberately shooting himself to get his first Purple Heart (also on Hardball last evening, same transcript further down).
Toward the end of Mathew's show, David Gergen (former Presidential advisor) sums it all up:
DAVID GERGEN, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: It would be better to take responsibility, but I think everybody knows these are Republicans who are funding this. And John Kerry is getting the best of this argument. When he says, it‘s fronting for the Bush people, the money does come from Republicans and everybody connects the dots. The conclusion is that they are doing the dirty work. The president ought to denounce this ad and move on. It‘s a losing proposition for the president.
MATTHEWS: Do you think the people around him share that assessment politically?
GERGEN: Well, I guess they don‘t because they seem to—Dana said they‘re dancing away from it in Texas and not denouncing the ad, but they‘ve—I think the Democrats—it is interesting to me, Chris. The last couple of weeks, we thought George Bush was politically more adept and boxing in John Kerry on Iraq and he did a good job. On this issue, it defies belief that the Bush administration would like to keep the issue of John Kerry‘s war record and shrapnel in his leg and his heroism front and center in the campaign. This is Kerry‘s strong point not his weak point.
This whole thing with the Swift Boaters has seemed like desperation on the part of the Bush people from the outset. It's stupid to align themselves with these guys, which is exactly what Bush is doing by not denouncing them and their actions.
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Today's New York Times completely disassembles the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group:
Records show that the group received the bulk of its initial financing from two men with ties to the president and his family - one a longtime political associate of Mr. Rove's, the other a trustee of the foundation for Mr. Bush's father's presidential library. A Texas publicist who once helped prepare Mr. Bush's father for his debate when he was running for vice president provided them with strategic advice. And the group's television commercial was produced by the same team that made the devastating ad mocking Michael S. Dukakis in an oversized tank helmet when he and Mr. Bush's father faced off in the 1988 presidential election.
The piece also goes on to discuss how many of the individuals involved with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth had lavished praise on Kerry, some as late as last year. The Times further connects the web between the organizations start up and it's funding sources...which are directly linked to big time Bush donors/supporters in Texas.
Last evening, Larry Turlow of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth appeared on Hardball with Chris Mathews...where Turlow was forced to admit he had no actual evidence that any of the accusations he was making were true.
And in the most bizarre twist of this entire thing whackjob rightwing columnist Michelle Malkin wildly accuses Kerry of deliberately shooting himself to get his first Purple Heart (also on Hardball last evening, same transcript further down).
Toward the end of Mathew's show, David Gergen (former Presidential advisor) sums it all up:
DAVID GERGEN, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: It would be better to take responsibility, but I think everybody knows these are Republicans who are funding this. And John Kerry is getting the best of this argument. When he says, it‘s fronting for the Bush people, the money does come from Republicans and everybody connects the dots. The conclusion is that they are doing the dirty work. The president ought to denounce this ad and move on. It‘s a losing proposition for the president.
MATTHEWS: Do you think the people around him share that assessment politically?
GERGEN: Well, I guess they don‘t because they seem to—Dana said they‘re dancing away from it in Texas and not denouncing the ad, but they‘ve—I think the Democrats—it is interesting to me, Chris. The last couple of weeks, we thought George Bush was politically more adept and boxing in John Kerry on Iraq and he did a good job. On this issue, it defies belief that the Bush administration would like to keep the issue of John Kerry‘s war record and shrapnel in his leg and his heroism front and center in the campaign. This is Kerry‘s strong point not his weak point.
This whole thing with the Swift Boaters has seemed like desperation on the part of the Bush people from the outset. It's stupid to align themselves with these guys, which is exactly what Bush is doing by not denouncing them and their actions.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Kerry hits a homer
Today in a speech to the International Association of Firefighters, John Kerry hit one out of the park:
Over the last week or so, a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been attacking me. Of course, this group isn’t interested in the truth – and they’re not telling the truth. They didn’t even exist until I won the nomination for president.
But here’s what you really need to know about them. They’re funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They’re a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won’t denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know—he wants them to do his dirty work.
Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth. It still is. And I still carry the shrapnel in my leg from a wound in Vietnam.
As firefighters you risk your lives everyday. You know what it’s like to see the truth in the moment. You’re proud of what you’ve done—and so am I.
Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: “Bring it on.”
I’m not going to let anyone question my commitment to defending America—then, now, or ever. And I’m not going to let anyone attack the sacrifice and courage of the men who saw battle with me.
Kerry has very cleverly put Bush into a corner. By not condemning what the Swift Boat liars are doing, Bush appears aligned with them. Kerry has condemnded the recent MoveOn ad questioning Bush's service. Thus distancing himself and staying above the fray.
In further setbacks for Bush surrogates....
Todays Washington Post has a story that backs what Kerry has been saying over one of the Swift Boat liars.
And Chris Mathews of Hardball is exasperated as well with the Bush Campaign and with Bush mouthpieces like Michelle Malkin.
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Over the last week or so, a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been attacking me. Of course, this group isn’t interested in the truth – and they’re not telling the truth. They didn’t even exist until I won the nomination for president.
But here’s what you really need to know about them. They’re funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They’re a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won’t denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know—he wants them to do his dirty work.
Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth. It still is. And I still carry the shrapnel in my leg from a wound in Vietnam.
As firefighters you risk your lives everyday. You know what it’s like to see the truth in the moment. You’re proud of what you’ve done—and so am I.
Of course, the President keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: “Bring it on.”
I’m not going to let anyone question my commitment to defending America—then, now, or ever. And I’m not going to let anyone attack the sacrifice and courage of the men who saw battle with me.
Kerry has very cleverly put Bush into a corner. By not condemning what the Swift Boat liars are doing, Bush appears aligned with them. Kerry has condemnded the recent MoveOn ad questioning Bush's service. Thus distancing himself and staying above the fray.
In further setbacks for Bush surrogates....
Todays Washington Post has a story that backs what Kerry has been saying over one of the Swift Boat liars.
And Chris Mathews of Hardball is exasperated as well with the Bush Campaign and with Bush mouthpieces like Michelle Malkin.
FLA-22: What's up with Jim Stork?
News out of the Jim Stork campaign isn't good.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, Stork is putting his campaign on hiatus for up to two weeks for medical reasons.
Stork is reportedly having medical tests done over this time.
From the news story:
In an e-mail to campaign supporters today, Stork wrote that "I am currently undergoing some medical tests and will be in touch as soon as I know more. Right now, I am simply looking forward to putting these health issues behind me and moving forward."
Stork's staff said he was suffering from fatigue but emphasized that the gay former mayor of Wilton Manors was HIV negative.
Yikes. That just doesn't sound good at all.
One hopes that Stork's health is okay...but a campaign suspension is a huge issue. Stork has been endorsed by the likes of Kos and Democracy for America. He's been pushed prominently on the internet.
Will Stork's health force him to drop out? If so...what then?
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According to the Sun-Sentinel, Stork is putting his campaign on hiatus for up to two weeks for medical reasons.
Stork is reportedly having medical tests done over this time.
From the news story:
In an e-mail to campaign supporters today, Stork wrote that "I am currently undergoing some medical tests and will be in touch as soon as I know more. Right now, I am simply looking forward to putting these health issues behind me and moving forward."
Stork's staff said he was suffering from fatigue but emphasized that the gay former mayor of Wilton Manors was HIV negative.
Yikes. That just doesn't sound good at all.
One hopes that Stork's health is okay...but a campaign suspension is a huge issue. Stork has been endorsed by the likes of Kos and Democracy for America. He's been pushed prominently on the internet.
Will Stork's health force him to drop out? If so...what then?
Questions for Bush...would you do it again?
The Bush Campaign and it's surrogates have worked very hard in the last couple of weeks to attack John Kerry on the vote for the Iraq Resolution to give the President authority to deal military with Iraq. In my research on this topic I decided to look over the Republican National Committee website. Quick first impression: for a group that's supposed to be promoting Bush, these guys sure spend very little time actually promoting Bush. It's all about Kerry.
That said, the basic premise seems to be that Kerry has been inconsistent on his stance with Iraq. First he's for the war...then he's against the war....then he's for the war again. Wow! I'm thinking to myself. Is Kerry really that inconsistent? Could he possibly be that mixed up on what he believes in?
The vote that the GOP talk about is the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq. It seems that this might be a good time to revisit this particular Resolution...just to refresh my memory.
In terms of force, Bush was authorized by Congress to:
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) AUTHORIZATION. The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to
(1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and
(2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.
Interesting. So if Iraq is threatening the security of the United States, the President may use military force. Or if it's necessary to enforce UN Security Council Resolutions, the President may use military force.
The Resolution also says (also under Section 3):
b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION.
In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon there after as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that
(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq, and
(2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorists attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.
So if diplomacy isn't working to protect the security of the US, the President can use military force. If diplomacy won't get the UN Security Council Resolutions enforced, then the President can use military force. If there's a connection to 9/11, the President can use military force.
That said, the basic premise seems to be that Kerry has been inconsistent on his stance with Iraq. First he's for the war...then he's against the war....then he's for the war again. Wow! I'm thinking to myself. Is Kerry really that inconsistent? Could he possibly be that mixed up on what he believes in?
The vote that the GOP talk about is the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq. It seems that this might be a good time to revisit this particular Resolution...just to refresh my memory.
In terms of force, Bush was authorized by Congress to:
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) AUTHORIZATION. The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to
(1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and
(2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.
Interesting. So if Iraq is threatening the security of the United States, the President may use military force. Or if it's necessary to enforce UN Security Council Resolutions, the President may use military force.
The Resolution also says (also under Section 3):
b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION.
In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon there after as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that
(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq, and
(2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorists attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.
So if diplomacy isn't working to protect the security of the US, the President can use military force. If diplomacy won't get the UN Security Council Resolutions enforced, then the President can use military force. If there's a connection to 9/11, the President can use military force.