Letter may shed light on ouster of pastor - The Boston Globe

Mullah Sean P. O'Malley should join the bigot club of mullah Jerry Falwell and mullah Pat Robertson.
Letter may shed light on ouster of pastor - The Boston Globe: "Sean P. O'Malley "

TomPaine.com - What Baker-Carter Got Right

The commission’s greatest flaw is calling on states to lead what should be a national system. There is no doubt that some states will abuse these recommendations, jumping to require photo IDs while not acting to register all eligible voters. The current leadership in Congress and many states certainly has put pro-democracy advocates on the defensive, struggling simply to maintain access to the polls for racial minorities and the poor.
TomPaine.com - What Baker-Carter Got Right: "But Republican and Democratic leaders are both now unpopular among most Americans, and ignore reasonable steps toward free and fair elections at their political peril. "

Rep. Waxman and Leader Pelosi introduce Anti-Cronyism Bill

Unfortunately, this bill will probably never see the light of day since if it ever passed it would put so many political hack cronys out of work that the mass exodus from DC would put the Houston evacuation to shame. It's nice wishful thinking though.
Committee on Government Reform Minority Office

Bush Calls for Less Driving to Conserve Gas

I would like to suggest that bush leave AF-1 parked on the tarmac instead of flying all over the country for worthless photo-ops. And if enough of us move into the astrodome this winter body heat will keep us from freezing and maybe ma bush will come over and say how lucky we must feel to survive the bitter cold.
President Calls for Less Driving to Conserve Gas - New York Times: "Households that use natural gas will pay an average $1,130 to heat their homes this winter, an increase of almost $400, according to federal government estimates. The price of natural gas in futures markets has more than doubled since 2000 and is six times what it was throughout the 1990's."

Leader of the F.D.A. Steps Down After a Short, Turbulent Tenure - New York Times

It seems the bush Whitehouse hasn't had time to decide which spin to put on Dr. Crawford's abrupt resignation. Let's see, we have the 'getting a little strange on the side', some possible financial hanky panky, and oh yes, the too-cozy relationship with the pharmaceutical industry and an attitude of shielding rather than disclosing information. Could it be that Dr. Crawford is another political hack like the totally unqualified Michael Brown of FEMA? Or has mullah Pat Robertson been giving his expert advice from the RR crowd. My bet is on 'all of the above'.
Leader of the F.D.A. Steps Down After a Short, Turbulent Tenure - New York Times: "In recent weeks, consumer advocates and scientists inside and outside the agency had said scientific decisions were being warped by politics.
On Thursday, a commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine titled 'A Sad Day for Science at the F.D.A.' said that 'recent actions of the F.D.A. leadership have made a mockery of the process of evaluating scientific evidence,' disillusioned many scientists, 'squandered the public trust and tarnished the agency's image.'"

The safe vote for Democrats is no.

One has to wonder if those Democrats who are up for re-election in 2006 and those who think they are Presidential contenders are willing to roll the dice with their bets on Roberts or play it safe. The idea that "we'll show some balls on the next one that bush nominates" will save their ass is very, very risky.
Chief Justice Vote Splits Top Democrats - Los Angeles Times:

Senator Baucus Caving on Roberts?

It seems Senator Baucus talks out of both sides of his mouth. Why would he vote yes on an amendment supporting women's health issues and then flip-flop in the support of John Roberts to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who doesn't wish to comment on these issues.

Key Vote
Unintended Pregnancy Amendment
Bill Number: S Con Res 18Issue: Abortion IssuesDate: 03/17/2005 Sponsor:Amendment: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]; Original Bill: Sen. Gregg Judd [NH]-->Sponsor:Amendment: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]; Original Bill: Sen. Gregg Judd [NH]
Roll Call Number: 0075Amendment Rejected (Senate)How members voted
Senator Max S. Baucus voted YES.
Read statements Senator Baucus made in this general time period.
Official Title of Legislation:S AMDT 244 to S Con Res 18: To expand access to preventive health care services that reduce unintended pregnancy (including teen pregnancy), reduce the number of abortions, and improve access to women's health care. Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote to adopt an amendment to the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget that allocates $100 million for the prevention of unintended pregnancies.Highlights:- Increases funding and access to family planning services- Funds legislation that requires equitable prescription coverage for contraceptives under health plans- Funds legislation that would create and expand teen pregnancy prevention programs and education programs concerning emergency contraceptives

This is my current smiley face Mr. or Ms. Congressperson. You don't want to entertain me as a constituent when I REALLY GET PISSED. You serve at our pleasure, the people in your district and your vote to sustain the funding for this illegal war when those funds are so sorely needed at home will be looked upon with GREAT DISPLEASURE. BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!  

TomPaine.com - U.N. Reform: Bolton The Spoiler

More incompetence of the people this administration has endorsed, promoted and yes, Bolton will probably get a Freedom Medal along with the rest of the ignorant, incompetent morally corrupt people in the bush circle of cronies.
TomPaine.com - U.N. Reform: Bolton The Spoiler

Message: I Care About the Black Folks

Message: I Care About the Black Folks - New York Times: "The worst storm in our history proved perfect for exposing this president because in one big blast it illuminated all his failings: the rampant cronyism, the empty sloganeering of 'compassionate conservatism,' the lack of concern for the 'underprivileged' his mother condescended to at the Astrodome, the reckless lack of planning for all government operations except tax cuts, the use of spin and photo-ops to camouflage failure and to substitute for action."

Clinton launches withering attack on Bush on Iraq, Katrina, budget

Clinton launches withering attack on Bush on Iraq, Katrina, budget - Yahoo! News: "'We depend on Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Korea primarily to basically loan us money every day of the year to cover my tax cut and these conflicts and Katrina. I don't think it makes any sense.'"

U.S. Claims Success in Iraq Despite Onslaught

Is bush going to call this success? Mission Accomplished? With 140,000 US (uh, COALITION) troops, 190,000 Iraqi troops and 22% of the country under insurgent Abu Musab Zarqawi's "foreign-led" alQaeda fighters control, with two suicide bombers stepping up for every one blown up is there any reason to call this bush mess anything but QUAGMIRE?
U.S. Claims Success in Iraq Despite Onslaught

After Katrina fiasco, time for Bush to go - baltimoresun.com

The disastrous federal response to Katrina exposes a record of incompetence, misjudgment and ideological blinders that should lead to serious doubts that the Bush administration should be allowed to continue in office.
After Katrina fiasco, time for Bush to go - baltimoresun.com

Stirling Newberry | Will FEBAR Bring Down the House?

t r u t h o u t - Stirling Newberry | Will FEBAR Bring Down the House?: "The Katrina catastrophe and the failure of response - FEBAR - have primed the pump of a deep well, that of liberal and Democratic anger. It isn't just that traffic on liberal blogs has spiked. It isn't just that the images have been so shocking, the reality of a nation unprepared for disaster so outrageous. It is that it cuts in sharp relief how out of power the Democrats are, and what that really means."

The world press weighs in on Katrina and its aftermath

What foreign observers witnessed from afar, with a combination of shock and awe: "sheer, maddening incompetence".
WORLD VIEWS: The world press weighs in on Katrina and its aftermath: "Don't think the rest of the world -- not just stunned Americans and even some conservative American reporters and commentators who have long served as George W. Bush's loyal mouthpieces -- failed to notice the president's inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation."

New Orleans: A Geopolitical Prize -Katrina's Harvest

Bush's Second Gulf Disaster
New Orleans: A Geopolitical
Prize - News Archive - Stratfor: "The displacement of population is the crisis that New Orleans faces. It is also a national crisis, because the largest port in the United States cannot function without a city around it. The physical and business processes of a port cannot occur in a ghost town, and right now, that is what New Orleans is. It is not about the facilities, and it is not about the oil. It is about the loss of a city's population and the paralysis of the largest port in the United States. "

From The Roots :: Pulling the Bush Out

One has to wonder how many people in the bush entourage it must require to prepare the stage for photo ops. Its been reported also that search and rescue helicopters have been shut down while bush has toured in his helicopter. How many more people have to die because of this monster?
From The Roots :: Pulling the Bush Out:Senator Landrieu-"But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast black and white, rich and poor, young and old deserve far better from their national government. "

Values-Bush Asks Not

VALUES
Bush Asks Not

Speaking to a nation that was in the midst of confronting monumental challenges such as poverty and war, President John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, "My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country ... ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you." Speaking from the Rose Garden to a nation that is simultaneously fighting a war and dealing with perhaps the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history, President George W. Bush failed to issue any such call for sacrifice. The New York Times writes in an editorial, "Sacrifices may be necessary to make sure that all these things happen in an orderly, efficient way. But this administration has never been one to counsel sacrifice."

BUSH COULD SACRIFICE TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY: Marshall Loeb, editor of Money and Fortune magazines, writes, "The President could show that he, too, is prepared to sacrifice for Katrina's victims, perhaps by rolling back some of his planned tax cuts. The nation can ill afford to pay for a war, tax reductions and this disaster recovery at the same time." But Bush has given no indications he will back off his ideological agenda of more tax cuts which primarily benefit the wealthy. Pete Peterson, former secretary of Commerce under Nixon, wrote, "After 9/11, [the administration] faced a choice between tax cuts and getting serious about the extensive measures needed to protect this nation against further terrorist attacks. They chose tax cuts." And again, as the Iraq war commenced, Bush faced a similar choice. But catering to the arguments of conservative ideologues like Tom DeLay, who argued, "Nothing is more important in the face of a war than cutting taxes," Bush again failed to call for sacrifice and instead chose tax cuts. Despite the devastating economic impact of Katrina, conservatives are already positioning themselves for a vote next Tuesday on the next priority item: repealing the estate tax -- a tax paid by the wealthiest one percent of Americans who inherit at least $1.5 million. 

BUSH COULD CALL FOR CONSERVATION:  The president of American Petroleum Institute, Red Cavaney, said, "The impact of this devastating storm on oil and natural gas operations will be significant and protracted.... Let us understand: This is not an easy thing." His solution? "Right now would be a good time for everybody to sort of ramp up your energy conservation," Cavaney said, even offering energy-saving tips which could help increase fuel efficiency. AAA is also urging motorists to drive less and conserve fuel. President Bush had an opportunity yesterday to publicly elevate the need for energy conservation, but failed to make the call for sacrifice. Bush implored citizens to "understand this storm has disrupted the capacity to make gasoline and distribute gasoline" but offered no suggestions as to how Americans should cope with the crisis.  He should take his cue from Gov. Mike Easley of North Carolina, who said recently, "I am asking all North Carolinians to conserve gas."

IF YOU ASK, THEY WILL RESPOND: Shortly after the attacks of 9/11, Sen. John McCain complained, "After 9/11, people wanted to serve and they were told to go shopping or get on an airplane.... That's not the answer they wanted to hear. This is an opportunity to serve." Americans have demonstrated time and again that, in the face of tragedy, they will respond with true compassion. Already, the Red Cross has announced that it has collected $21 million in donations for the victims of Katrina, "a figure comparable to the response for tsunami victims following the devastation in Asia earlier this year." "The outpouring of support has been amazing," said Kara Bunte, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross. "People are now starting to see the images on TV and want to help." Americans also responded with amazing compassion in the two months following 9/11, providing approximately 1.6 million blood donations and contributing over $1.3 million to charities and relief agencies. Americans can and will do more to sacrifice; they simply need a president who will ask.

Life in the Bottom 80 Percent

The rich get richer, the poor and middle class get poorer and when congress resumes they will work on making the rich richer by more tax cuts by eliminating the estate tax.
Life in the Bottom 80 Percent - New York Times: "Income inequality is an economic and social ill, but the administration and the Congressional majority don't seem to recognize that."

Still Waiting for a Leader

Waiting for a Leader - New York Times: "Nothing about the president's demeanor yesterday - which seemed casual to the point of carelessness - suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis."

A Can't-Do Government -Paul Krugman

A Can't-Do Government - New York Times: "At a fundamental level, I'd argue, our current leaders just aren't serious about some of the essential functions of government. They like waging war, but they don't like providing security, rescuing those in need or spending on preventive measures. And they never, ever ask for shared sacrifice.
Yesterday Mr. Bush made an utterly fantastic claim: that nobody expected the breach of the levees. In fact, there had been repeated warnings about exactly that risk.
So America, once famous for its can-do attitude, now has a can't-do government that makes excuses instead of doing its job. And while it makes those excuses, Americans are dying. "