6/22/07

*Arrogance-Incompetence-Guile – The Holy Trinity of the Bush Administration - In Katrina’s wake foreign countries offered $854 million in aid. The Bush administration only accepted $125 million. At the same time New Orleans has received just over half of the $320 million FEMA allocated for re-building the city infrastructure and emergency related needs. Although extremely unusual it seems to make sense for the United States to accept foreign aid. We send our jobs and manufacturing overseas. Shouldn’t we get something in return?

* Through rain, through sleet…but not through Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It has been revealed that letters and packages with post dates over a year old have not been delivered to wounded soldiers. The next time I hear a Bush administration official or Republican leader lecture about supporting the troops I would like to see his rear end shipped to Iraq to see how our troops are not being supported by these disingenuous, duplicitous and dishonorable imitation patriots.

* Good news for Wall Street – there has been a decline in weekly earnings for 80% of the working population (as gas and food prices increase). At the same time recent reports indicate that corporate executives earn close to 400 times what the average worker earns. When the pendulum swings back on corporate and Republican policy there will be significantly fewer smiles at the country club.

* In another Bush administration and Republican legislators “protecting America” fiasco they are opposing legislation (by Rothman and Lautenberg) requiring stringent anti-terror measures at facilities storing poisonous materials. Why would they oppose something that makes so much sense? The oil, gas and chemical lobbies are against it because it would cost them money. In this alternative universe money should only be used if it adds to profits. Capitalism on steroids!

* The headline read, “As More Toys Are Recalled, The Trail Ends in China”. China manufactured every one of the 24 kinds of toys recalled for safety reasons in the United States this year. Even Alberto Gonzales could have solved this one.

* The U.S. employs about 200 Foreign Service Officers at the embassy in Baghdad. Only ten of these individuals have a general proficiency level for reading and speaking Arabic. How fortunate that Ambassador Ryan Crocker is one of the ten. Perhaps interpreters would bring some relief to the situation. Oops. A large number of interpreters were recently fired for being gay. The military policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” has new meaning for the State Department when its representatives cannot even “ask”.

*Arrogance-Ego-Turpitude-Embarrassment-Contrition – District Attorney Mike Nifong, who damaged a number of lives in the Duke lacrosse team alleged rape case, facing disbarment, blamed his downfall on lack of experience. He failed to mention ethics, ego and common sense.


*Life gets sweeter. A study by The Sunday London Times found that many popular foods have a higher sugar content since 1978. For example, Kellogg’s Special K went from 9.6 grams of sugar per 100 grams to 20.9. This trend also is seen in produce. The sugar in bananas rose from 16.2 grams per 100 grams to 20.9 grams. Similar percentage changes have been found in pears and carrots. At a time when diabetes and obesity are on epidemic increases the role of food suppliers deserves much greater scrutiny. Equal responsibility falls on the consumer.

*Iraqis who have helped Americans and their own country are now targeted and seek refuge in other countries. When CNN interviewed Laura Bush on World Refugee Day she commented, “Obviously we’re especially concerned about Iraqi refugees”. She added, “We welcome many of those refugees, both from Iraq and Afghanistan into the United States”. Currently Syria is hosting 1.4 million Iraqis. The war in Iraq has caused the world’s fastest-growing refugee crisis. How is the U.S. responding? In the first 5 months of 2007 our country has opened its arms and accepted 69 Iraqis. Since the invasion in 2003 the U.S. has resettled fewer than 500 Iraqis. Our support of refugees is as hollow as the support for our troops.

*A recent Newsweek poll found that 26% of Americans approve of the job that President Bush is doing. This is a new low for Bush. In the past 35 years only Richard Nixon has had a lower approval rating of 23% (January 1974). I have a lot of “confidence” in this President and believe that he can under-pass Nixon with 18 very long months remaining in the worst presidency our nation has ever endured.

Have a nice weekend.