Old Fashioned Patriot

The quarter where households earning less than 100,000 got a 400 dollars per kid. (Families earning less than 20,000 got nothing, thanks DeLay.) Tax cuts for middle America works. We have had 8 quarters of tax cuts for Bush's rich friends and the economy barely showed a pulse in 4 of them. Now at a cost of 1% of all the other tax cuts, the economy has gotten some much needed stimulus.

The obvious lesson is let's get rid of the tax cuts for the rich which aren't working and have several more rounds of tax cuts for Americans earning less than 100,000 a year with kids. The kids part may seem gratuitous but the point is someone making 80,000 a year with no kids is probably already able to spend and save.

Tax cuts for the middle class and poor work and tax cuts for the rich don't. We can, of course, guess what the Miserable Failure will propose...

Republicans are spinning this as Democrats want a bad economy in an effort to make people forget that it is the Democrats' tax cut proposal that is doing the heavy lifting for Bush.

The Bush administration is quietly piling up victories in a legal battle to block payments to 17 U.S. combat veterans who were captured and tortured in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and won a suit against Iraq for nearly $1 billion.

Compare and contrast to Bremer's 4 billion dollars that is "unaccounted" for and tell me that Bush's war crimes are about freedom...

From Tuesday's Press Conference:
Q: ...And the second question, can you promise a year from now that you will have reduced the number of troops in Iraq?

THE RESIDENT: The second question is a trick question, so I won't answer it.

That question seemed pretty straight forward and not at all tricky to me. In fact, there is a trick question that needs to be answered in spite of its trickiness. Mr. Bush, did you know your case for war was built on lies before or after you told them to Congress and the American people?

Let's get everyone to link to http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html
with the words "Miserable Failure" Our goal is to make Shrubya the top google pick.

It's fun, it's easy just <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html" >Miserable Failure</a> in your favorite web page will look like Miserable Failure

His latest quips include:
It's too bad the White House isn't as good at protecting the identities of intelligence officials as it is at protecting the identity of senior White House officials that out intelligence officials that are married to whistle-blowers.

It seems Bush and his band of war criminals and thieves have been up to it again. Four billion dollars are unaccounted for from the Coalition Provisional Authority. I am sure glad Congress voted overwhelming to make sure another 87 billion of our tax dollars will disappear. Maybe Bremer will tell us the Scottish newspaper is working for the terrorists.

Why did you vote for Bush's robbing future generations to pay for his war to rob Iraqis of oil? Giving billions more to Bush's cronies will have the same effect that it has had for the last 7 months. Troops will continue to have shortages of the water, food and mail that we are paying Halliburton to deliver. Bush's bill doesn't support the troops, it punishes them by making them ineligible for veteran's benefits. How can you leave Bush's tax breaks in place? There were enough Democrats to support a filibuster, why in the hell didn't you use it?

You try to claim a moral victory by saying half of the reconstruction money is a loan. Where is the humanity in making Iraqis pay for the damage done by US bombs launched by that war criminal Bush and his enablers in Congress?

If any Democrats with a conscience decide to challenge you in a primary, they will have my support.

Jeffrey Dvorkin thinks Terry Gross was too hard hitting in her program with Bill O'Rielly. Apparently, Terry was going to read a passage to Bill from People magazine, a magazine known for its loud, obnoxious, raw edged, abusive, bullying format when Bill pulled his hissy fit.

Dvorkin describes O'Lielly as "populist political talk show host Bill O'Reilly." Hey, Jeffrey, has Rush been letting you into his medicine cabinet?

Update:
The insanity continues. This article quotes Bill O'Rielly as saying ""I don't do interviews like that, I back up my stuff with facts" which, as usual, was said by Bill without any supporting facts... Should you doubt me, let me refer you to Al Franken's wonderful book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them." It is no accident that Bill's picture was on the cover...

Rep Dunn (R - Shortsighted) sold her constituents in Seattle suburbs short. She was allegedly protecting them by blocking use of Eastside money in making improvements in Seattle. I guess her position is no one in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland or Issaquah ever go to Seattle so why should we pay for improving "their" traffic problems. Why does Rep. Dunn hate Seattle? Is it because it is full of open minded people and minorities? This elected idiot actually fought against getting federal money already allocated to the project!

Sunni Triangle' more dangerous than ever for U.S. Military's more aggressive tactics trigger more attacks is the headline in USA Today.

U.S. officers in Baghdad say more aggressive patrolling has stirred up guerrillas. The 82nd Airborne Division recently was deployed in Anbar province west of Baghdad to increase pressure on Saddam loyalists

No thought given to consider our approach isn't working?

I sent the following to the invaluable mediawhoresonline.com:

Her article about Democrats using corporate jets to campaign makes it seem like Bush is above that source of special interest.

Hah!

She doesn't mention Bush's extensive use of unindicted Enron executive Ken Lay's corporate jet during campaign 2000.

She plays up Bush paying $84,000 for the use of Air Force One for his non-stop fundraising. Considering how many campaign fundraisers he has done, I estimate he is reimbursing the federal government for the use of Air Force One for political purposes for him and his staff at about the cost of a coach class seat for just him.

The Florida Legislature passed an extraordinary law that allows Jeb Bush to overrule the Florida courts. The Florida legislature passed the law in 18 hours giving Bush dictatorial powers, a time they hope to better in next year's election contest.

Meanwhile, halfway across the globe, sibling rivalry raised its ugly head when W was heard yelling at Rove that he wanted a law like that...

I decided I will open a PR firm to help Georgie in his good news initiative. I won't be greedy just a $20 million dollar contract should do it. I will even start hiring once they give me the payola... err cash.

After I get that 20 million dollar contract, you can send your resumes to my new office in Barbados. Of course, hiring workers to actually do anything would cut into my bottom line so don't be surprised if it takes time for me to get back to you. Also, you do realize that the work will be in an area where you will be running through areas saturated with depleted uranium as you dodge the bullets and bombs in our new and improved Iraq passing out flyers for Bush's PR war that say لا يحصل بعض الشّيء أفضل من هذا . That is probably a bad translation for "It doesn't get any better than this."

Resident Bush bans press from photographing the American victims of his war crimes in Iraq. I guess he prefers to filter the news...

Certainly, our misleader wants a full and free investigation if it involves Clinton's sex life. If it is about the shortcomings of the military and FAA while Bush was reading about goats then he appears not to be so interested....

His speech to the UN where he parrotted Bush's lies was instrumental in getting support from those who were wavering on Bush's plans to commit war crimes. This article about Greg Thielman, a real WMD expert unlike the New York Time's fake expert, Judith Miller was aghast at what Co-Lyin' Powell said at the UN. I don't think Thielman's reference to Powell's long and distinguished career was meant to include Powell's involvement in the coverup of the My Lai 4 massacre.

They fired Jayson Blair for making stuff up in his articles. Why does Judith Miller, their WMD "expert", still have a job? Can they at least print a belated correction to the drivel she stenoed for Chalabi? Will they have the decency to apologize to the Vets who are maimed for life and to the families who lost loved ones for NYT's part in helping Bush build support for his war crimes?

Diebold's methods of shutting down critics is under fire. Now let's really cut to the chase. Diebold's methods of counting votes are what need to come under investigation.

California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer (D - When Convenient) voted for the groper?

On the subject of accusations of sexual misconduct against Mr. Schwarzenegger, Mr. Lockyer said that he had no doubt that the basic accusations against Mr. Schwarzenegger were true, but that Mr. Schwarzenegger had learned from his mistakes and should be given a second chance. Second chance? More like 16th chance by the number of women who have gone public...


Mr. Lockyer said he had intended to follow the advice of Senator Dianne Feinstein, who encouraged her fellow Democrats to vote no on the recall and also not select a replacement candidate. I thought Dianne was smarter than that. Not voting in the replacement portion was closing your eyes to make the bad robot disappear.

"I'm convinced Arnold really didn't understand that he was caught up in this frat-boy behavior, and it was accepted too frequently in that industry," Mr. Lockyer said on Saturday. "So it is part of the culture. And I think he really genuinely means to not do that. So I give him the benefit of the doubt." So I guess it is safe to say Attorney General Lockyer is soft on crime... Or is he saying it is ok to grope women who don't want it if the boss looks the other way? I am confused.

I must admit I am currently a one issue voter. That issue is what do we do with Iraq. I have no Iraqis as friends or enemies but the only position I can support in the name of American troops and Iraqi freedom is withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. I will vote for Dean in a heartbeat and I will vote for Clark if I have to hold my nose but the only Democrat running for President who is willing to withdraw troops because it is the right thing to do is Dennis.

Bush created the abomination to use unconstitutional, illegal means to combat terrorism. Leaking Plame's name to the press only helps the terrorists. Considering her line of work, outing her helps terrorists that are looking to get nuclear bombs. Bush and his entire administration should be incarcerated at Guantanamo to speed the investigation to find the traitors in their midst.

Corn's article about Novak outing an agent at the behest of two senior White House officials was the first about Treasongate. David Corn has another scoop about how Plame's name got bandied about in the NSC. Unlike the traitors to America in the White House, Corn won't release the name. The NSC? It looks like my earlier guesses of Rove and Rice are gaining steam...

It looks like California is in for a bumpy ride. Schwarzengroper is going to do California redistricting, Texas style. Bend over, Golden State!

The much fabled audit which will uncover "billions and billions of dollars of waste that is going on" will be conducted by Jeb Bush's hatchet woman, Donna Arduin. Metafilter has an excellent post about this Republican party hack.

According to this story, Halliburton is accused of bilking the Army by charging $1.60 a gallon to import gas into Iraq! Gas costs only 70 cents in the Middle East. To make sure Cheney's company's gravy train keeps going, Iraqis are only charged 15 cents at the pump. This sounds like Cheney's buddies are aiding the terrorists... ship them to Gitmo!

Unguarded weapons in Iraq? Is this by accident or design? Remember, every burned out Bradley means another sale for the Carlyle Group to replace it.

Arnold Schwarzengroper : I think getting pumped up during a workout is as good as cumming.
George Bush: I like a good workout too.
AS: Are you afraid to cum in front of other men?
GB: Hell, no, I "cum" from Skull and Bones.
AS: Let's go work out.
GB: Great idea, mind rubbing me down with some of that he man oil you use?

TweedleRum and TweedleRice
Agreed to have a battle!
For TweedleRum said TweedleRice
Had spoiled his nice new rattle.

Just then flew down a monstrous crow,
As black as a tar-barrel!
Which frightened both the heroes so,
They quite forgot their quarrel.'

"I know what you're thinking about," said TweedleRum; "but it isn't so, nohow.'"

"Contrariwise,'' continued TweedleRice, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'"

"I was thinking," Alice said politely, "which is the best way out of this wood: it's getting so dark. Would you tell me, please?"

"Nohow!" TweedleRum cried out briskly, and shut his mouth up again with a snap.

Rich Proctor leaks Bush's PR memo.

It, of course, includes going beyond the right wing media and goes on to create right wing entertaintment. My favorite: Christian Eye for the Muslim Guy!

... but leave the Americans' billions behind in America. TomPaine.com has an excellent article about infrastructure.

I was one of millions of Americans who wallowed in Watergate. For me, until recently, Nixon was the embodiment of ultimate evil in American politics. W went from runner up to undisputed champ with war crimes in Iraq that surpassed Nixon's in Cambodia. W's bald faced lying to us, his employers, is nonstop compared to Nixon's.

Nearly 30 years ago, if anyone had suggested to me that I would be singing the praises of John Dean, I would have thought they weren't paying attention. But it is true, John Dean, whose job at one time was Presidential legal counsel (to Nixon!) has put partisan politics aside and looked at Traitorgate with an eye and experience that none can match.

From Dean's "A Further Look At The Criminal ChargesThat May Arise From the Plame Scandal, In Which a CIA Agent's Cover Was Blown"

But even if the White House was not initially involved with the leak, it has exploited it. As a result, it may have opened itself to additional criminal charges under the federal conspiracy statute.

In the continuing guessing game (because none of Bush's traitors to America will come forward and take personal responsibility) I still think Novak's "two senior White House officials" were Rove and Rice because Novak wouldn't want to go out on a limb unless he knew his ass was covered. I am sure Novak knew it was wrong. I plan to research it this weekend but I bet he wrote a column 25 years or so ago damning Philip Agee's outing of agents and supporting Poppy Bush's anti Agee law. I will have to use the old fashioned research tool, the library and microfiche - so it may take awhile.

Bush is going to dismantle the food distribution system that feeds many Iraqis. While some see it as a blow against socialism others see it as Bush getting ready to ignite food riots while others just believe it is yet another incompetent move by the worst "President" ever.

Well, folks, it is worse than all that. The War Criminal's bombs and take over of the Ministry of Oil pretty much displaced the last owner of the oil. Oil pays for the Iraqi free food distribution and Bush's Gang of Thieves have to get rid of the last remaining historical claim to "their" oil. Food riots be damned.

Democrats, in an effort to take most of the damage from Bush's failed war, call for reinstating the draft.

Rep. John Conyers took a bold move and asked Karl Rove to do the decent thing and resign. In a time when nearly all Republicans and many Democrats hop when Karl barks it is nice to see someone have the guts to take on Bush's attack dog.

There will be no betting on the outcome because there is no one who will pony up money that Rove would do the decent thing...

It appears that the media is reporting California's Sir Gropes A Lot won by a landslide. 48% of the vote is not quite a majority a landslide!.

Ha! Schwarzengroper's landslide is overrated. I think it is because the media wants Republicans to do well.

Apparently there is no evidence on Rove after Ashcroft gave everyone a head start to delete the evidence.

It is occurring to Congress that the more Bush's case for Iraq fails the test of time and truth the less they want to pay for reconstructing Iraq. The Republicans are looking to make the Iraqis pay for half of the reconstruction of Bush's bombs. The sad truth is, the less substance behind Bush's case for war the more apparent it is a war crime, Bush's crime against humanity, and we are responsible for the whole damned lot.

Unlike Congress, I don't think this $20 billion should be given to Condi Rice's make me lots of friends before I announce for President in 2007 Iraq Stabilization Group but given to the Iraqis through the aegis of the UN and let them rebuild their country the way they want to.

Remember, there are two tragedies in life. Not getting what you want and getting what you want.

Any bets on how long before he is frog marched out for any of the crimes against the women who recently spoke out against him? Hopefully one or more of the prosecutors in the various jurisdictions will have the guts to follow up on charges against Enron's cabana boy before he gives Enron their 9 billion good night kiss. Notice how the "liberal media" is spinning he survived those charges which is code for we can't bring them up again?

1. Dr. Rice, in her role as National Security Advisor, has admitted that she didn't read her department's report in the runup to the war. You have now put her in charge of spending $20 billion in your Iraq Stabilization Group. Do you think she will read the reports that govern the spending of working Americans' tax dollars in Iraq? (follow up question) All of your initiatives so far have done the opposite of what they are named. Why is this one any different?

2. Isn't the Justice Department's investigation into the Plame Affair already tainted by their approval to give your administration nearly a full day's notice before you had to preserve evidence? (follow up question) Isn't this an admission of the need for an independent prosecutor?

3. If the Justice Department's investigation is full and fair why are the materials having to go to your counsel first? (follow up question) Isn't this an admission of guilt?

* But couldn't even if they wanted to because Bush is afraid to hold press conferences.

Iraq has failure written all over it for reasons best articulated by Clausewitz nearly 200 years ago. First, his thoughts about concluding a war: But even when both these things are done, still the War, that is, the hostile feeling and action of hostile agencies, cannot be considered as at an end as long as the will of the enemy is not subdued also; that is, its Government and its Allies must be forced into signing a peace, or the people into submission; for whilst we are in full occupation of the country, the War may break out afresh, either in the interior or through assistance given by Allies. Oops, we are trying to kill Saddam and not get him to surrender.

The other principle that Clausewitz outlined has to do with the will of the enemy and the will of one's own troops. Iraqis want us out of Iraq. Our troops want out of Iraq. Most of America wants out of Iraq. Guess what will happen sooner or later? The only reason we are continuing with Bush's war crime is when it is all over, he wants to own Iraq's oil.

Bush, as a deserter during Viet Nam (oops, more politely AWOL) wouldn't be expected to know this. Co_Lyin' Powell who had to study this at West Point should.

Arnold's supporters attack woman. Like Fuehrer like followers. Probably because they wanted Georgy to stop making sense.

In response to the horrible catastrophe that Enron's power gaming wreaked upon California with its manufactured shortages and price gouging, California voters prepare to oust Davis and install Enron's cabana boy Arnold Schwarzenegger While everyone thinks Enron is dead, it is still fighting Americans in every court possible. Enron is pursuing hundreds of millions of dollars for power it never delivered to Nevada. Enron is also looking to have California's 9 billion dollar lawsuit against it dismissed .

Apparently, Clark wasn't a Democrat when he announced.(Scroll to bottom) Is he waiting until he gets the nomination to make the switch?

Bush names Rice head of the Iraq Stabilization Group. Like all of Bush's initiatives, No Child Left Behind, the Jobs and Growth Tax Cut and the Healthy Forest Initiative expect the Iraq Stabilization Group to do the opposite of what it is called.

I got a polite email from Clark asking for money (lol, he is a millionaire, I am but a technopeasant) so I replied to the email saying
"Prove to me you are really a Democrat and then the money will follow. (Hint - saying you would have voted for the war one day and saying you wouldn't the next doesn't cut it with me - in fact, it only makes me think you are really a Republican.) "

I got the following message from the hotmail emailer

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

wesclark@clark04.com

Is no one home?