*Sleeping with the Enemy – First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting Co is the contractor building the massive U.S. embassy in Iraq. As reported by McClatchy, “massive construction defects, allegations of criminal misconduct, forced labor, and cost overruns in the Baghdad project, the Kuwaiti company is run by a Lebanese businessman who is an ally of Syria and the Iranian-backed Islamic militant group Hezbollah.” Typical of the Bush administration ignoring and covering up corruption and incompetence of its contractors and then rewarding them, First Kuwaiti has just been awarded a $122 million State Department contract to build a U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia. ALLY OF SYRIA, CONNECTIONS TO HEZBOLLAH, FORCED LABOR, AND, NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. The President of the United States has become Emperor of Bizarro World!
*Clear and Present Danger ~ State Department Yoga – ABC news is reporting that internal State Department e-mails, “Show top officials were extensively briefed about repeated incidents of Blackwater security guards killing innocent civilians (in Iraq) more than two years ago.” How many more Iraqi civilians have been killed by these mercenary soldiers since this cover up? Our own government did nothing, allowing more innocents to be murdered. With their heads breaching their own sphincter this administration has the unmitigated gall to lecture the world about the Bush/Cheyney perverted version of democracy, freedom, justice and morality.
*The Greatest Show on Earth ~ Obama balancing act – After receiving strong criticism for inviting a gay-bashing preacher to his gospel/attract Black people of faith tour/presidential campaign Barack Obama decisively addressed the situation. He added an openly gay minister to the tour. One wonders if Obama and his advisors are ready for prime time? I think that any presidential candidate who tries to be all things to all people jeopardizes being anything to anyone. A spinning moral compass leads nowhere.
*The American President ~ Triaging the future - I agree with John Bruhns’ commentary at americablog.com. Although he has not advocated an impeachment of President Bush he feels that Speaker Nancy Pelosi erred when she went on record that impeachment is not on the table. All that did, says Bruhns, “was send a message to President Bush that he can operate however he wishes without facing any consequences.” I would suggest that what is off the table should be put back on. It will take decades for America to recover from the G.W. Bush presidency. With 15 months remaining, how many generations of recovery are still to be tacked on?
*Dumb and Dumber ~ Glaucoma of the brain – Rudy Giuliani told a town hall meeting in New Hampshire that blind people have the Second Amendment right to carry a gun. No doubt this will nail down the “blind vote” for Rudy in the primaries. I imagine that under his leadership new provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act will include bullet caliber must be marked in Braille. I am guessing that Mr. Giuliani is hoping that “blind” voters will not notice that on his staff is a former priest and personal friend guilty of pedophilia and a staffer in Florida convicted of wife beating. Next week the Giuliani campaign will be targeting the hearing impaired – at least those deafened from firing weapons.
*Marathon Man ~ Glaucoma of the mouth – At a town hall meeting in Iowa Giuliani was asked if he thought that waterboarding was torture. He replied, “It depends on how it’s done. It depends on the circumstances. It depends on who does it.” He went on to say that the way it is defined by the “liberal media” it should not be done. Listening to Giuliani is torturous.
*1984 ~ past, present and future– The success of democracy depends upon the free exchange of diverse ideas and opinions. Over the last decade the consolidation of all segments of the media has strained this idea. Independent voices have been lost to acquisitions and drowned out by what is now called mega media corporations who often express the views of its self-interested mega owners. And the situation looks to get worse. Where once our country stood guard against monopoly in most industries that has not been the case in recent years. As noted by the public watchdog Common Cause, “In case you haven't heard, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is threatening to vote, as soon as mid-December, to allow massive consolidation of media outlets. These new media ownership rules are likely to give a single company the right to own multiple television stations, numerous radio stations and the biggest newspaper in your town - effectively controlling almost all of your local news! Worse, the FCC wants to approve the new rules without giving the public a fair chance to voice their concerns.” You can sign a petition to your congressmen opposing this FCC action at Common Cause – Take Action. I certainly do not want the opportunists, manipulators and principle-challenged people such as Rupert Murdoch controlling my news and information. Much of what has taken place in our country is a direct result of our decision, as a society, not to fight city hall. The result is elected leaders operating in the shadows with impunity. Concurrently, the light that the fourth estate once shone brightly is fading. Both of these developments do not bode well for a democracy.
*Dr. Strangelove – NY Times political writer David Brooks was appearing on PBS. The discussion concerned whether Bush will bomb Iran. Brooks commented that he is a member of a group of conservative journalists that meet regularly with the president. Brooks said, “But if you look, read his language, if you look at his body language, you see a man that's totally different than before Iraq. He is preparing the way for the next administration to have some means to deal with the situation. He believes in the diplomacy. But unless I totally misread him, I think he has no inclination to launch a military action.” We can all rest easier now. Brooks the soothsayer reads the body language of an instigator of unprovoked war and disastrous foreign policy and sees a man of diplomacy and strategic planning. I see the same journalist talking heads that did not do their investigative jobs in the lead up to the Iraq invasion.
*The Great Escape – Col. David Hunt writing at Fox News on line, “We know, with a 70 percent level of certainty — which is huge in the world of intelligence — that in August of 2007, bin Laden was in a convoy headed south from Tora Bora. We had his butt, on camera, on satellite. We were listening to his conversations. We had the world’s best hunters/killers — Seal Team 6 — nearby. We had the world class Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) coordinating with the CIA and other agencies. We had unmanned drones overhead with missiles on their wings; we had the best Air Force on the planet, begging to drop one on the terrorist. …Our government, the current administration and yes, our military leaders included, failed to kill bin Laden for no other reason than incompetence.” As we shake our heads in unison, again.
*Dracula and other blood suckers – Bush appointee William Winkenwerder Jr. was secretary of Defense for health affairs from 2001 until April 2007. He then went to work for Logistics Health Inc. as a director and consultant. In June Logistics was awarded a Defense Department medical services contract worth up to $790 million. The firm beat out two other bidders with proposals that ranged from $80 million to $100 million less, records show. The lower bidders have filed a complaint with the Government Accounting Office. Is it any wonder that Bush feels the country cannot afford healthcare insurance for children? Republican ideology historically served this country well calling for smaller government and eliminating wasteful spending. Republicans over the past 15 years are extremely knowledgeable in the “wasteful” category. Graft and cronyism have been symbolic of their tenure.
*Wag The Dog - Vice Admiral Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator of FEMA held a press briefing last week on the government’s response to the California wildfires. As Fox News and MSNBC ran their cameras Johnson took questions from the press, or so we were lead to believe. Johnson actually took questions from FEMA staff members pretending to be members of the press corps. Understandably, he did not have to field any tough questions. In Bizarro World up is down, pretend is the norm, and the hair missing from the top of my head is returning.
*It’s a Wonderful Life – Recall the TV commercials that BP has been running. Squeaky clean people are romping across a pristine and sun-dappled green landscape. Life is good and BP is helping to make it that way. The only thing missing in the commercial is the “truth”. “The British energy company BP, tarnished by a string of costly legal problems, is preparing to settle accusations that it was criminally indifferent to worker safety and that it manipulated energy prices… BP had agreed to a settlement to end criminal investigations stemming from an explosion at a giant BP oil refinery in Texas two years ago… Officials said that the case would not resolve accusations against BP executives who may have failed to take steps to make the refinery safer and that those investigations would continue.” The “accident” killed 15 people and injured 180. “BP is also preparing to settle accusations that its energy trading unit was involved in manipulating prices in the propane market three years ago…The paradox for BP is that it has long promoted itself as an environmentally friendly company that takes its civic responsibilities seriously.” Perhaps mendacity and greed best characterize BP.
*The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight - During Condoleezza Rice’s testimony at a Senate hearing it was learned that the Bush administration official responsible for tough-as-nails anti-corruption in Baghdad is not a diplomat or trained anti-corruption official but a paralegal. Dudley Do-Right to the rescue!
*The Pink Panther – A new government report says that the government’s terrorist watch list now exceeds 755,000 names. A policy of throwing enough crap against the wall hoping that some will stick is not meaningful or productive “anti-terrorism”. Tim Sparapani of the American Civil Liberties Union says the list is “approaching absolutely useless”. Inspector Clouseau to the rescue!
*Mississippi Burning - The Georgia Supreme Court dismissed the sentence of Genarlow Wilson - the young Black man serving a ten-year prison sentence for having consensual oral sex with a 15 year old when he was 17. He was released after spending over 2 years in prison. From thecolorofchange.org “The sad truth is that Genarlow's case is one of many. Black youth, and in particular young Black men, are unfairly criminalized on a routine basis; it becomes clear when you look at arrest rates, prosecution rates, and the sentences they're given. Unfortunately, most cases don't end up like Genarlow's. They get little attention and our young people spend far too much time in jail. Our hope is that by taking action on cases like Genarlow's we can keep the focus on the systemic injustices we face and begin to correct them.”
*Edward Scissorhands – Last week Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She was reporting about how climate change affected public health. It has been learned that the White House cut whole sections from her report on global warming: “heat stress on vulnerable populations; the likelihood of respiratory illnesses from increased air pollution; the spread of waterborne infectious diseases; food and water scarcity; and more injuries from severe weather events such as wildfires.” The Bush flunkies claimed that they redacted the report because it conflicted with findings by a U.N. scientific panel. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) then compared the two reports and found them to be strikingly similar. She said, “Time and time again this administration has changed scientific reports that do not align with their position.” I have run out of adjectives to describe these injurious morons. But, with dictionary in hand, I will keep on trying.
*All the President’s Men - At the site tpmmuckraker.com there is an article, “The Bush Administration; What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt Us”. It identifies about 30 ways the Bush Administration has tried to hide once-public information sources from the public record. For example: After the Bureau of Labor Statistics uncovered discouraging data about factory closings in the U.S., the administration announced it would stop publishing information about factory closings; When Bush’s Department of Education found that charter schools were underperforming, the administration said it would sharply cut back on the information it collects about charter schools; The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced plans to close several libraries which were used by researchers and scientists. The agency called its decision a cost-cutting measure, but a 2004 report showed that the facilities actually brought the EPA a $7.5 million surplus annually. I recommend visiting the article to learn more about what they want hidden – Bush’s “state secrets”.
*An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.
Mae West, actress, 1893 - 1980
Showing posts with label Blackwater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blackwater. Show all posts
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
10/4/07
*Civics Class 101 – A recent poll found that 55 percent of Americans believe the U.S. Constitution establishes a Christian nation. When John McCain was asked, “What do you think”, he responded, “I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.” This from a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate!
Article IV of the U. S. Constitution:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
The First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The founders of our country did not establish a Christian or any other religious nation. The founders established a secular nation. They were aware that many of the Europeans who first settled America were fleeing religious persecution, Christians fleeing Christians. The founders specifically required the separation of church and state to avoid such miscarriages in “the name of God”. And yes, I take offense to anyone who would undermine the bedrock of our freedoms.
*The Christian Right has announced it is considering forming a political party that would launch a presidential candidate. Perhaps they have come to the conclusion that in the foreseeable future they will not own another president as they did George W. Bush - lock, stock and bible.
*Don’t touch that dial – Free speech is “free speech” whether it is a Fourth of July parade, the Skinheads marching, the Ku Klux Klan prancing or Rush Limbaugh frothing. Under our system of democracy an individual or group has the freedom to express their point of view even if a minority or majority of citizens deem the message offensive or mindless. Many are now calling for Limbaugh to be removed from his very successful radio program. His recent remark that Iraq war vets who feel we should get out of Iraq were phony soldiers was offensive and mindless. Our Constitution and democratic tradition provide Mr. Limbaugh the right and freedom to speak his mind. We have the freedom to not listen.
*Words of wisdom - When you open your mouth your mind is on parade.
*A transmission with no “reverse” - For the first time I heard a reasonable explanation of why Bush and Cheney did not have an exit strategy for Iraq. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) explains that they did not intend to leave. I guess this also explains the permanent huge military bases we have built in Iraq as well as the largest and most expensive embassy the U. S. has ever built. The State Department refused comment when I asked if the embassy included an Exxon/Mobil wing.
*Legislative Masturbation - Congress has extended funding for a core abstinence-education program established by the Bush administration. As I previously noted, the program is a demonstrable failure. "Their actions defy logic and common sense," said James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth. First, Congress funds what Mr. Wagoner called unproven abstinence programs. Then it commissions a study that shows they don't work, but lawmakers ignore those results and continue to fund the programs.” I was optimistic that the new Democratic congress, at a minimum, would not continue ineffective, counter-productive and wasteful programs established by a Republican-led legislature that was unfettered during Bush’s first six years. My disappointment is palpable.
*How do you want your burger? – Hold the E-Coli. Topps Meat Co. has recalled 22 million pounds or the equivalent of over 80,000,000 frozen hamburgers. The USDA said that 25 illnesses are under investigation in 8 states. I would suggest that the time to investigate is before product is shipped. U.S. regulatory agencies in recent years have been hampered by under-funding and a federal government philosophy of under-investigating. It will probably take 25 deaths before congressmen trip over each other calling for greater inspection of America’s food supply. Perhaps Joe Lieberman will introduce a resolution in the Senate condemning the E-Coli bacteria as a threat to the American people. This threat we know is real.
*Last minute holiday shopping - On September 30th, with only 86 days left until Christmas, Wal-Mart began cutting prices in its toy department. One game in particular caught my eye and I decided to rush over to my nearest neighborhood temple of shopping. With the price reduced from $18.96 to $10.00 I knew that “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” would not stay on the shelves for long. I was sure that the 535 senators and representatives in Congress would not pass up the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, especially if the price is right. I ignored the sale on imported toothpaste.
*Can’t wait for the Olympics - A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial discussed the lack of management and the mismanagement of China’s environment. The devastating health implications for the world’s most populous country is daunting. It points out how government leadership is vital to a people’s well-being. The environmental degradation cited in the editorial leads a reasonable person to question the wisdom of consuming any edible product originating in China. If you plan on attending the Olympics in China next year it would be prudent to pack a large quantity of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Never mind. A large quantity of U.S. produced peanut butter was recently recalled for botulism infection. Go with jelly sandwiches.
*Speaking of environmental hazards - The number of environmental cases brought by the EPA between 2002 and 2006 is down 70% from that of the mid-nineties. This must be a good sign for our environment. No. The agency now employs only 85% of the minimum number of investigators required by law. Compounding the problem is the laissez faire approach the Bush administration has employed as a watch-dog of the environment and industry. This deficiency in oversight exacerbates the problem because polluters are emboldened to ignore anti-pollution laws. Can you say “perfect storm”?
A pro-environment Bush official – It has taken almost seven years to hear those words but DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff went on the record. He was defending the building of a wall along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants. He said, "Illegal migrants really degrade the environment. I've seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other human artifact in pristine areas. And believe me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment." Mr. Chertoff did not comment on “lesser” things you can do to the environment such as greenhouse gasses, chemical waste being dumped into rivers and lakes, strip mining or not inspecting cargo from foreign countries that potentially contain nuclear, chemical or biological hazards.
~In a related story, the mayors of 4 Texas cities bordering Mexico object to the government’s building of the wall and have refused permits and access necessary to begin construction. This should make for some very interesting court cases.
*Don’t Be a Litter “Bug” – While Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff is busy fighting trash I wonder if he saw the AP article about vulnerable germ research labs. “Federal terror-fighting agencies can't identify all the American research laboratories that could become targets of attackers, congressional investigators have found”. At least 409 facilities work with 72 of the world’s deadliest organisms and poisons “The Government Accountability Office asked a dozen agencies whether they kept track of all the labs handling dangerous germs and toxins, or knew the number. All responded negatively.” And please remember to pick up your human artifact when visiting a pristine area.
*Friends in high places policy - Last week I noted the higher cost of Blackwater contractors in Iraq performing the security job a soldier used to do. Some specifics: “A single Blackwater security contractor costs the government $1,222 per day to guard U.S. civilian personnel, or $445,000 per year. That's six times the cost than a U.S. Army soldier performing the same function.” Since 2003 Blackwater no-bid contracts have totaled $1,000,000,000 (billion). The CEO of Blackwater is Erik Prince. He has strong ties to the White House and his family is very influential in the Republican Party. His company employs many prominent Republicans including Joseph Schmitz. He was appointed by Bush in 2002 to "oversee and police the Pentagon's military contracts as the Defense Department's Inspector General." Can you say “cozy”?
*Society Page ~ Rudy and Bo hanging out - Rudy Giuliani did not attend the presidential debate addressing the concerns of Black America (he had also skipped the Latino Americans debate). His alibi was a scheduling issue. His “issue” was a fundraiser with Bo Derek at the Santa Barbara Biltmore. A West Coast party with the beautiful star of the movie “10”! Who could blame him? Well, any citizen looking for a presidential candidate that is serious about understanding their needs and problems.
*Flash Observations:
~ In the 2008 elections for the Senate, Democrats will be defending 12 seats while Republicans will have to defend 22. This could prove to be the Catch 22 that will minimize the GOP influence in Congress.
~In another Mea Culpa Post Factum Newt Gingerich says that the Republicans ran a cheap and nasty campaign against John Kerry in 2004. Ya think?
~The U.S. debt is approaching $10,000,000,000,000 (TRILLION). The amount equates to $30,000 for every citizen in this country. Allowing congress to continually raise the debt ceiling is akin to hiring Mel Gibson to be the bartender at a Bar Mitzvah.
~Australia has been steadfast in its support of the U.S. military action in Iraq. It has announced that it will not participate in any military action against Iran. It is alleged that Bush is contacting allies to gain support for his Iran policies. I believe that the disrespect that Bush has garnered internationally will leave him isolated on his Iran quest.
*Children of God - I have listened to all of the reasons that President Bush spewed in justifying his veto of health insurance for 10 million uninsured children. As usual, his narrow and myopic reasoning did not account for the future cost and misery that poor health for these youngsters and soon-to-be-adults will bring. He and his brethren stand upon their respective pulpits sermonizing about the sanctity of unborn babes. Once they navigate the womb, screw them.
*Republican strategy ~ subtle and practical – Thomas B. Edsall at the Huffington Post offered an interesting explanation as to why the Republican Party is doing everything it can to lose the presidential election in 2008.
“Perhaps Republican kingpins consider the best possible long-term strategy letting Democrats take over responsibility for the extraordinary mess Bush will leave behind. The next president will have to deal with Iraq, Iran with the bomb, biological and chemical threats, $8.98 trillion in national debt, global warming, rising gas prices, a Mideast on fire, overstretched troops, a legion of returning wounded soldiers, a country unprepared for its aging population, North Korea's supply of nuclear technology to Syria, a steadily eroding dollar, a surging China, and an exponential increase in the number of those who wish America ill.”
Bush believes that history will see him as another Winston Churchill. His successor best have the ability to part the Red Sea and turn water into wine.
*Friends of Mr. Clean – Mitt Romney recently said, "our numbers have shown that we are able to raise the money." While Hillary Clinton has been rightfully criticized for accepting money from fugitive Norman Hsu one hears little about Romney’s sugar daddies. Meet Alan Fabian, one of Mitt’s largest fundraisers. He is currently under indictment on 23 charges including fraud, money laundering, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Meet Robert Lichfield. Founder of Worldwide Association of Specialty Schools, Lichfield is named in a federal lawsuit charging that students of the "behavior modification" schools … were subjected to "physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse." The suit had 140 defendants at last count. Lichfield has been asked to resign his spot on the Romney finance team. Imagine the turpitude of the person Romney would appoint as Secretary of the Treasury. Also of interest is that 25% of the money raised by the Romney campaign has come from Mitt Romney. I guess there is something to be said for a self-starter.
*"Be not intimidated... nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different namesfor hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice."
John Adams (1735 – 1826), Founding Father, 2nd US President
Article IV of the U. S. Constitution:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
The First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The founders of our country did not establish a Christian or any other religious nation. The founders established a secular nation. They were aware that many of the Europeans who first settled America were fleeing religious persecution, Christians fleeing Christians. The founders specifically required the separation of church and state to avoid such miscarriages in “the name of God”. And yes, I take offense to anyone who would undermine the bedrock of our freedoms.
*The Christian Right has announced it is considering forming a political party that would launch a presidential candidate. Perhaps they have come to the conclusion that in the foreseeable future they will not own another president as they did George W. Bush - lock, stock and bible.
*Don’t touch that dial – Free speech is “free speech” whether it is a Fourth of July parade, the Skinheads marching, the Ku Klux Klan prancing or Rush Limbaugh frothing. Under our system of democracy an individual or group has the freedom to express their point of view even if a minority or majority of citizens deem the message offensive or mindless. Many are now calling for Limbaugh to be removed from his very successful radio program. His recent remark that Iraq war vets who feel we should get out of Iraq were phony soldiers was offensive and mindless. Our Constitution and democratic tradition provide Mr. Limbaugh the right and freedom to speak his mind. We have the freedom to not listen.
*Words of wisdom - When you open your mouth your mind is on parade.
*A transmission with no “reverse” - For the first time I heard a reasonable explanation of why Bush and Cheney did not have an exit strategy for Iraq. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) explains that they did not intend to leave. I guess this also explains the permanent huge military bases we have built in Iraq as well as the largest and most expensive embassy the U. S. has ever built. The State Department refused comment when I asked if the embassy included an Exxon/Mobil wing.
*Legislative Masturbation - Congress has extended funding for a core abstinence-education program established by the Bush administration. As I previously noted, the program is a demonstrable failure. "Their actions defy logic and common sense," said James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth. First, Congress funds what Mr. Wagoner called unproven abstinence programs. Then it commissions a study that shows they don't work, but lawmakers ignore those results and continue to fund the programs.” I was optimistic that the new Democratic congress, at a minimum, would not continue ineffective, counter-productive and wasteful programs established by a Republican-led legislature that was unfettered during Bush’s first six years. My disappointment is palpable.
*How do you want your burger? – Hold the E-Coli. Topps Meat Co. has recalled 22 million pounds or the equivalent of over 80,000,000 frozen hamburgers. The USDA said that 25 illnesses are under investigation in 8 states. I would suggest that the time to investigate is before product is shipped. U.S. regulatory agencies in recent years have been hampered by under-funding and a federal government philosophy of under-investigating. It will probably take 25 deaths before congressmen trip over each other calling for greater inspection of America’s food supply. Perhaps Joe Lieberman will introduce a resolution in the Senate condemning the E-Coli bacteria as a threat to the American people. This threat we know is real.
*Last minute holiday shopping - On September 30th, with only 86 days left until Christmas, Wal-Mart began cutting prices in its toy department. One game in particular caught my eye and I decided to rush over to my nearest neighborhood temple of shopping. With the price reduced from $18.96 to $10.00 I knew that “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” would not stay on the shelves for long. I was sure that the 535 senators and representatives in Congress would not pass up the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, especially if the price is right. I ignored the sale on imported toothpaste.
*Can’t wait for the Olympics - A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial discussed the lack of management and the mismanagement of China’s environment. The devastating health implications for the world’s most populous country is daunting. It points out how government leadership is vital to a people’s well-being. The environmental degradation cited in the editorial leads a reasonable person to question the wisdom of consuming any edible product originating in China. If you plan on attending the Olympics in China next year it would be prudent to pack a large quantity of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Never mind. A large quantity of U.S. produced peanut butter was recently recalled for botulism infection. Go with jelly sandwiches.
*Speaking of environmental hazards - The number of environmental cases brought by the EPA between 2002 and 2006 is down 70% from that of the mid-nineties. This must be a good sign for our environment. No. The agency now employs only 85% of the minimum number of investigators required by law. Compounding the problem is the laissez faire approach the Bush administration has employed as a watch-dog of the environment and industry. This deficiency in oversight exacerbates the problem because polluters are emboldened to ignore anti-pollution laws. Can you say “perfect storm”?
A pro-environment Bush official – It has taken almost seven years to hear those words but DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff went on the record. He was defending the building of a wall along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants. He said, "Illegal migrants really degrade the environment. I've seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other human artifact in pristine areas. And believe me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment." Mr. Chertoff did not comment on “lesser” things you can do to the environment such as greenhouse gasses, chemical waste being dumped into rivers and lakes, strip mining or not inspecting cargo from foreign countries that potentially contain nuclear, chemical or biological hazards.
~In a related story, the mayors of 4 Texas cities bordering Mexico object to the government’s building of the wall and have refused permits and access necessary to begin construction. This should make for some very interesting court cases.
*Don’t Be a Litter “Bug” – While Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff is busy fighting trash I wonder if he saw the AP article about vulnerable germ research labs. “Federal terror-fighting agencies can't identify all the American research laboratories that could become targets of attackers, congressional investigators have found”. At least 409 facilities work with 72 of the world’s deadliest organisms and poisons “The Government Accountability Office asked a dozen agencies whether they kept track of all the labs handling dangerous germs and toxins, or knew the number. All responded negatively.” And please remember to pick up your human artifact when visiting a pristine area.
*Friends in high places policy - Last week I noted the higher cost of Blackwater contractors in Iraq performing the security job a soldier used to do. Some specifics: “A single Blackwater security contractor costs the government $1,222 per day to guard U.S. civilian personnel, or $445,000 per year. That's six times the cost than a U.S. Army soldier performing the same function.” Since 2003 Blackwater no-bid contracts have totaled $1,000,000,000 (billion). The CEO of Blackwater is Erik Prince. He has strong ties to the White House and his family is very influential in the Republican Party. His company employs many prominent Republicans including Joseph Schmitz. He was appointed by Bush in 2002 to "oversee and police the Pentagon's military contracts as the Defense Department's Inspector General." Can you say “cozy”?
*Society Page ~ Rudy and Bo hanging out - Rudy Giuliani did not attend the presidential debate addressing the concerns of Black America (he had also skipped the Latino Americans debate). His alibi was a scheduling issue. His “issue” was a fundraiser with Bo Derek at the Santa Barbara Biltmore. A West Coast party with the beautiful star of the movie “10”! Who could blame him? Well, any citizen looking for a presidential candidate that is serious about understanding their needs and problems.
*Flash Observations:
~ In the 2008 elections for the Senate, Democrats will be defending 12 seats while Republicans will have to defend 22. This could prove to be the Catch 22 that will minimize the GOP influence in Congress.
~In another Mea Culpa Post Factum Newt Gingerich says that the Republicans ran a cheap and nasty campaign against John Kerry in 2004. Ya think?
~The U.S. debt is approaching $10,000,000,000,000 (TRILLION). The amount equates to $30,000 for every citizen in this country. Allowing congress to continually raise the debt ceiling is akin to hiring Mel Gibson to be the bartender at a Bar Mitzvah.
~Australia has been steadfast in its support of the U.S. military action in Iraq. It has announced that it will not participate in any military action against Iran. It is alleged that Bush is contacting allies to gain support for his Iran policies. I believe that the disrespect that Bush has garnered internationally will leave him isolated on his Iran quest.
*Children of God - I have listened to all of the reasons that President Bush spewed in justifying his veto of health insurance for 10 million uninsured children. As usual, his narrow and myopic reasoning did not account for the future cost and misery that poor health for these youngsters and soon-to-be-adults will bring. He and his brethren stand upon their respective pulpits sermonizing about the sanctity of unborn babes. Once they navigate the womb, screw them.
*Republican strategy ~ subtle and practical – Thomas B. Edsall at the Huffington Post offered an interesting explanation as to why the Republican Party is doing everything it can to lose the presidential election in 2008.
“Perhaps Republican kingpins consider the best possible long-term strategy letting Democrats take over responsibility for the extraordinary mess Bush will leave behind. The next president will have to deal with Iraq, Iran with the bomb, biological and chemical threats, $8.98 trillion in national debt, global warming, rising gas prices, a Mideast on fire, overstretched troops, a legion of returning wounded soldiers, a country unprepared for its aging population, North Korea's supply of nuclear technology to Syria, a steadily eroding dollar, a surging China, and an exponential increase in the number of those who wish America ill.”
Bush believes that history will see him as another Winston Churchill. His successor best have the ability to part the Red Sea and turn water into wine.
*Friends of Mr. Clean – Mitt Romney recently said, "our numbers have shown that we are able to raise the money." While Hillary Clinton has been rightfully criticized for accepting money from fugitive Norman Hsu one hears little about Romney’s sugar daddies. Meet Alan Fabian, one of Mitt’s largest fundraisers. He is currently under indictment on 23 charges including fraud, money laundering, perjury, and obstruction of justice. Meet Robert Lichfield. Founder of Worldwide Association of Specialty Schools, Lichfield is named in a federal lawsuit charging that students of the "behavior modification" schools … were subjected to "physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse." The suit had 140 defendants at last count. Lichfield has been asked to resign his spot on the Romney finance team. Imagine the turpitude of the person Romney would appoint as Secretary of the Treasury. Also of interest is that 25% of the money raised by the Romney campaign has come from Mitt Romney. I guess there is something to be said for a self-starter.
*"Be not intimidated... nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different namesfor hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice."
John Adams (1735 – 1826), Founding Father, 2nd US President
Saturday, September 29, 2007
9/29/07
*Celebrating Bono – Heroes can be as scarce as truth. This week the Constitution Center in Philadelphia awarded the Liberty Medal to an unlikely Irish rock star of U2 fame. It is important that we learn about the accomplishments of this amazing individual. He is a symbol of how the human spirit can be channeled to benefit tens of millions of human beings suffering from poverty, disease, lack of education and miniscule opportunity. The organization that Bono helped found only 5 years ago, DATA, has brought together world leaders, countries and average citizens to make a major impact on Africa. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of DATA said these efforts “have supported Africans to support themselves.” When the honor roll of remarkable people of the 21st century is assembled, You Too, Bono, will be so remembered.
*Celebrating America – I just returned from horseback riding with a very close friend. It is one of the most beautiful days of the year. It reminded me that although it is too easy to criticize many of the things occurring in our country, there is not a better place to live in the world. Given the safety, freedoms and standard of living that most of us enjoy I at times wonder if there has ever been a better time and place to have existed on this planet. It is because of this special gift that we share that we must be vigilant and proactive. What we have inherited must not be intentionally or unintentionally dissipated and deprived from our children and their children.
*An interesting question – The droll comedian Steven Wright once posed the question, “What do you add to powdered water?” It came to mind when I pondered what our country will do about Iraq. President Bush will retire having bequeathed this debacle to the next administration and the country. Then what?
*Those damn kids! - Bush plans to ask congress for $200 billion more for the Iraq war. He is also planning to veto bipartisan legislation that would provide health insurance for 10 million children. The insurance would cost $12 billion annually, an amount equal to 41 days of Iraq funding. One day of Iraq funding would insure 246,000 children. One hour would insure over 10,000 children. One minute of Iraq war funding, sixty seconds, would insure 166 children.
*Louisiana gumbo – Recall Senator David Vitter (R-LA) the married “family values” guy exposed for multiple involvement with prostitutes. The New Orleans Times Picayune reports that he recently placed an earmark in a spending bill that gave $100,000 to a creationist group in Louisiana to push creationism in public schools. The recipient of the earmark is Louisiana Family Forum (LFF). Among their core values ...”life-long, faithful marriage is the first Human institution ordained by God and therefore, the basic, irreducible building block of society. We believe the value of marriage in a community will determine that community’s health, happiness, productivity and safety.” Politics and money sure make strange bedfellows. Attention LFF, “bedfellow” is not an accusation of homosexuality, it is an accusation of hypocrisy. (credit to dailykos.com for the background on this topic).
*Waterloo 3, The God gap – Last week I noted 2 developments that indicate the Republican future is not especially bright. Here is another interesting one. The so-called “God gap”—the 20-point advantage Republicans have held for a decade among Americans who attend religious services once a week or more—has been virtually cut in half, down from 22 points in 2004 to 12 points in 2006, according to the National Election Pool exit polls covering U.S. House races nationwide. Republican presidential candidates have decided to ignore Blacks and Latinos and concentrate on their perceived base. It appears that there are a lot of empty seats in the pews.
*The irony surrounding Nader - I found John Aravosis’ observations (americablog.com) concerning Ralph Nader running for President as an independent most interesting. Many feel that George W. Bush won the presidency because of the Democratic votes that Nader garnered instead of the votes going to Al Gore. As a result, many of the issues that Nader has spent his career trying to improve, product safety, the environment and the excessive influence of corporations have all deteriorated under the Bush administration. The topic has arisen because Nader is considering another presidential run. I understand the fact that he is unhappy with both political parties. Who isn’t? However, with absolutely no chance of winning a presidential election Mr. Nader must address what is the greater good. Diluting the Democratic vote possibly resulted in a Republican administration that trashed his goals. Will he chance it again?
*Oil industry oversight is an oil slick – I have been commenting on the failure of the federal government in its policing and oversight responsibilities. No better example is the Interior Department and its mission to collect billions of dollars annually from gas and oil companies that drill on federal land. An independent inspector’s report found that the Minerals Management Service “is troubled by mismanagement, ethical lapses and fears of retaliation against whistle-blowers. ...investigators found a “profound failure” in the agency’s technology for monitoring oil and gas payments”. This report brings to mind an event at the beginning of the Bush administration when VP Cheney held secret meetings with oil company executives to develop a U.S. energy policy. Secret. The Bush-Cheney-Republican-Oil Industry cabal represents as great a concern for Americans as does OPEC. The primary difference is that the OPEC cartel functions more in the public view.
*Mr. Potato Head – The man from Idaho, Senator Larry Craig (R), is an interesting study. In spite of being arrested recently for homosexual solicitation, this week he voted against the Matthew Shepard Act. The legislation expands federal hate crimes laws to include violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, disability, and other factors. He voted against protecting himself.
*Not even a band aid - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal in the spring revealed how ill-prepared our country is to take care of wounded military. Bush and members of congress promised to fix the problem. A new report by the Government Accountability Office found “the response to shoddy outpatient treatment at Walter Reed has been woefully inadequate….there has been little progress in rectifying staffing shortfalls, facilitating VA/DoD data sharing, and streamlining disability evaluation systems. Processing disability payments still takes an average of 177 days.” Seven months have passed and there has been little improvement. The President is what he is but the new Congress is a big disappointment. Regardless of one’s stance on the Iraq war caring for wounded military is not a political issue. It has become an issue of shame.
*Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ fools Rush in - Conservative radio talk show host and egomaniacal blowhard Rush Limbaugh said that those troops who come home and want to get America out of the middle of the religious civil war in Iraq are "phony soldiers" On tomorrow’s show Limbaugh will probably state that these brave men and women deserve the phony medical care they receive at Walter Reed.
*Chasing windmills ~ A Resolution– The Senate just condemned MoveOn for an advertisement. On Monday a resolution will be introduced in the House condemning Limbaugh for the “phony soldiers” remark. Today I submit the following resolution: We the people condemn the Senate and the House for taking the time to discuss and vote on meaningless resolutions that ignore free speech and that have absolutely nothing to do with addressing the problems confronting the United States of America.
*Flash observations:
~President Bush told a NYC school class, "Childrens do learn." It seems that adults dunt.
~President Bush’s nominee for General Counsel for the CIA, John Rizzo, has withdrawn his name from nomination. He is the man who wrote the memo “acceptable” interrogation techniques or, as sentient human beings would say, “torture”. We can hope that in the next administration his memo will have a similar demise.
~ A new trend in beauty-conscious Venezuela is to give girls breast implants for their 15th birthday. What ever happened to charm bracelets?
~If you are concerned with the dominant role the right and the religious right have had on the national discourse you may want to visit the web site People for the American Way. Their area of emphasis includes; independent judiciary, constitutional liberties, civil rights and equal rights; religious freedom.
~Bill Maher has very interesting comments at the Huffington Post. New Rule: Stop saying Iraq is another Vietnam, it is another Enron. He details some of the whistleblowers of Iraq mis-spending and their vilification.
~If Republican Senator Ted Stevens is to be given credit it is for fortitude and consistency. His Alaskan “bridge to nowhere” linking two little populated areas at a cost of $452 million has been scrapped. His solution is a high-speed ferry at a cost of $83 million, twice what the Navy estimated the cost to be. Of course the Navy did not budget kickbacks and payoffs to family, friends, lobbyists and political supporters.
~A House Oversight hearing found that a key reason why six nuclear warheads were loaded onto a cross-country military flight was a simple error: the Air Force base of departure stored its fake nuclear warheads with its real nuclear warheads. I would say simple and effective. A plan so stealth it fooled themselves.
~In June the House passed a bill that would strengthen background checks on gun buyers. The Sensate version, National Instant Check System (NICS) Improvement Act has been put on “hold” by Republican (surprise?) Senator Tom Coburn (OK). You can send emails to your senators from the Brady Campaign web site urging them to pass this important legislation.
*Some idealism and accountability would not hurt - The law requires candidates for the White House and members and candidates for the House of Representatives to file their campaign finance reports electronically. The Senate has attempted to pass a similar law. Each time it is brought up for consideration Republicans block it. If an elected official is not for transparency they should not be in office.
*Gung ho Genghis Khans - Republican senators Kyl (R-AZ) and Lieberman (R-at-large) have offered an amendment to a defense bill that would escalate the possibility of a military attack on Iran. These armchair warriors join Bush and Cheney to demonstrate who has the biggest trigger. Our aggressive militarism and impotent diplomacy have failed miserably. Solution – stay the course and kick it up a notch. In a mind-boggling vote 75% of the Senate voted for the amendment. Have they learned nothing from earlier votes that enabled the Bush-Neocon juggernaut? Please do not send emails telling me that Lieberman is not a Republican.
*Fantasia? - The Bush administration has made many accusations against Iran over the past year concerning its involvement with and weapons supply of Iraq Shiite militia. The media, almost joyously, repeat these claims. Less-mainstream media and a variety of experts have questioned the accuracy of such statements. Recall that claims about Iraq in 2002 were a crock of material scooped from the bull pen at the Crawford ranch. I do not doubt that the Iranian leadership presents a real danger to the Middle East and the world. I question whether our government is providing the truth. Tinker Bell and a government looking out for our best interests are both fantasies in the first decade of the 21st Century in America.
*Another corner, another shell game - We are 4 years into the Iraq war and Defense Secretary Gates tells congress that he has ordered U.S. military commanders in Iraq to crack down on any abuses they uncover by private security contractors. One of the primary functions of the contractors is to provide security for U.S. officials. No one leaves the Green Zone without a full security force. These contractors have operated with impunity and were suspected of abuses well before the most recent Blackwater incident. The abuses have been ignored because the US operation in Iraq cannot function without these contractors, mercenaries making more money than U.S. military personnel. In most cases they are former military and Gates admits that they lure soldiers with the higher wages. The Pentagon claims to have 180,000 U.S. troops on the ground but the Iraq operation is actually using a total of 350,000 people between military and contractors. The real surge began over 3 years ago when these contractors were authorized.
*Go global, go private, gone – Although little publicized, Blackwater (yes, that Blackwater), Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Arinc were recently awarded a collective $15 billion from the Pentagon to conduct global counter-narcotics operations. Yes, 15 followed by nine zeroes. Whatever happened to our army, our police force, our federal agents? Answer - the same thing that happened to U.S. domestic manufacturing – outsourced.
*Guantanamo Bay is an anathema to democratic principles and American tradition. It is symbolic of America’s deteriorating moral position and leadership position in the world community. It is symbolic of the misguided, poorly managed and amoral approach the Bush administration has taken to “protect” America. Our President is fond of pontificating about the “evil” governments of Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Syria and most recently Myanmar. These are in fact dangerous regimes. However, our President has not looked in the mirror. Some of what he accuses these governments of doing are also being committed by himself under the banner “fighting terrorism.” While Mr. Bush is “defending” America he is also seriously damaging its heart – democracy. Amnesty International has a web site Tearitdown.org where you can sign a petition promoting human rights and advocating the elimination of Guantanamo and its practices.
*”You do not have to become a monster to defeat a monster.”
Bono, in remarks accepting the Liberty Medal on September 27, 2007
*Celebrating America – I just returned from horseback riding with a very close friend. It is one of the most beautiful days of the year. It reminded me that although it is too easy to criticize many of the things occurring in our country, there is not a better place to live in the world. Given the safety, freedoms and standard of living that most of us enjoy I at times wonder if there has ever been a better time and place to have existed on this planet. It is because of this special gift that we share that we must be vigilant and proactive. What we have inherited must not be intentionally or unintentionally dissipated and deprived from our children and their children.
*An interesting question – The droll comedian Steven Wright once posed the question, “What do you add to powdered water?” It came to mind when I pondered what our country will do about Iraq. President Bush will retire having bequeathed this debacle to the next administration and the country. Then what?
*Those damn kids! - Bush plans to ask congress for $200 billion more for the Iraq war. He is also planning to veto bipartisan legislation that would provide health insurance for 10 million children. The insurance would cost $12 billion annually, an amount equal to 41 days of Iraq funding. One day of Iraq funding would insure 246,000 children. One hour would insure over 10,000 children. One minute of Iraq war funding, sixty seconds, would insure 166 children.
*Louisiana gumbo – Recall Senator David Vitter (R-LA) the married “family values” guy exposed for multiple involvement with prostitutes. The New Orleans Times Picayune reports that he recently placed an earmark in a spending bill that gave $100,000 to a creationist group in Louisiana to push creationism in public schools. The recipient of the earmark is Louisiana Family Forum (LFF). Among their core values ...”life-long, faithful marriage is the first Human institution ordained by God and therefore, the basic, irreducible building block of society. We believe the value of marriage in a community will determine that community’s health, happiness, productivity and safety.” Politics and money sure make strange bedfellows. Attention LFF, “bedfellow” is not an accusation of homosexuality, it is an accusation of hypocrisy. (credit to dailykos.com for the background on this topic).
*Waterloo 3, The God gap – Last week I noted 2 developments that indicate the Republican future is not especially bright. Here is another interesting one. The so-called “God gap”—the 20-point advantage Republicans have held for a decade among Americans who attend religious services once a week or more—has been virtually cut in half, down from 22 points in 2004 to 12 points in 2006, according to the National Election Pool exit polls covering U.S. House races nationwide. Republican presidential candidates have decided to ignore Blacks and Latinos and concentrate on their perceived base. It appears that there are a lot of empty seats in the pews.
*The irony surrounding Nader - I found John Aravosis’ observations (americablog.com) concerning Ralph Nader running for President as an independent most interesting. Many feel that George W. Bush won the presidency because of the Democratic votes that Nader garnered instead of the votes going to Al Gore. As a result, many of the issues that Nader has spent his career trying to improve, product safety, the environment and the excessive influence of corporations have all deteriorated under the Bush administration. The topic has arisen because Nader is considering another presidential run. I understand the fact that he is unhappy with both political parties. Who isn’t? However, with absolutely no chance of winning a presidential election Mr. Nader must address what is the greater good. Diluting the Democratic vote possibly resulted in a Republican administration that trashed his goals. Will he chance it again?
*Oil industry oversight is an oil slick – I have been commenting on the failure of the federal government in its policing and oversight responsibilities. No better example is the Interior Department and its mission to collect billions of dollars annually from gas and oil companies that drill on federal land. An independent inspector’s report found that the Minerals Management Service “is troubled by mismanagement, ethical lapses and fears of retaliation against whistle-blowers. ...investigators found a “profound failure” in the agency’s technology for monitoring oil and gas payments”. This report brings to mind an event at the beginning of the Bush administration when VP Cheney held secret meetings with oil company executives to develop a U.S. energy policy. Secret. The Bush-Cheney-Republican-Oil Industry cabal represents as great a concern for Americans as does OPEC. The primary difference is that the OPEC cartel functions more in the public view.
*Mr. Potato Head – The man from Idaho, Senator Larry Craig (R), is an interesting study. In spite of being arrested recently for homosexual solicitation, this week he voted against the Matthew Shepard Act. The legislation expands federal hate crimes laws to include violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, disability, and other factors. He voted against protecting himself.
*Not even a band aid - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal in the spring revealed how ill-prepared our country is to take care of wounded military. Bush and members of congress promised to fix the problem. A new report by the Government Accountability Office found “the response to shoddy outpatient treatment at Walter Reed has been woefully inadequate….there has been little progress in rectifying staffing shortfalls, facilitating VA/DoD data sharing, and streamlining disability evaluation systems. Processing disability payments still takes an average of 177 days.” Seven months have passed and there has been little improvement. The President is what he is but the new Congress is a big disappointment. Regardless of one’s stance on the Iraq war caring for wounded military is not a political issue. It has become an issue of shame.
*Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ fools Rush in - Conservative radio talk show host and egomaniacal blowhard Rush Limbaugh said that those troops who come home and want to get America out of the middle of the religious civil war in Iraq are "phony soldiers" On tomorrow’s show Limbaugh will probably state that these brave men and women deserve the phony medical care they receive at Walter Reed.
*Chasing windmills ~ A Resolution– The Senate just condemned MoveOn for an advertisement. On Monday a resolution will be introduced in the House condemning Limbaugh for the “phony soldiers” remark. Today I submit the following resolution: We the people condemn the Senate and the House for taking the time to discuss and vote on meaningless resolutions that ignore free speech and that have absolutely nothing to do with addressing the problems confronting the United States of America.
*Flash observations:
~President Bush told a NYC school class, "Childrens do learn." It seems that adults dunt.
~President Bush’s nominee for General Counsel for the CIA, John Rizzo, has withdrawn his name from nomination. He is the man who wrote the memo “acceptable” interrogation techniques or, as sentient human beings would say, “torture”. We can hope that in the next administration his memo will have a similar demise.
~ A new trend in beauty-conscious Venezuela is to give girls breast implants for their 15th birthday. What ever happened to charm bracelets?
~If you are concerned with the dominant role the right and the religious right have had on the national discourse you may want to visit the web site People for the American Way. Their area of emphasis includes; independent judiciary, constitutional liberties, civil rights and equal rights; religious freedom.
~Bill Maher has very interesting comments at the Huffington Post. New Rule: Stop saying Iraq is another Vietnam, it is another Enron. He details some of the whistleblowers of Iraq mis-spending and their vilification.
~If Republican Senator Ted Stevens is to be given credit it is for fortitude and consistency. His Alaskan “bridge to nowhere” linking two little populated areas at a cost of $452 million has been scrapped. His solution is a high-speed ferry at a cost of $83 million, twice what the Navy estimated the cost to be. Of course the Navy did not budget kickbacks and payoffs to family, friends, lobbyists and political supporters.
~A House Oversight hearing found that a key reason why six nuclear warheads were loaded onto a cross-country military flight was a simple error: the Air Force base of departure stored its fake nuclear warheads with its real nuclear warheads. I would say simple and effective. A plan so stealth it fooled themselves.
~In June the House passed a bill that would strengthen background checks on gun buyers. The Sensate version, National Instant Check System (NICS) Improvement Act has been put on “hold” by Republican (surprise?) Senator Tom Coburn (OK). You can send emails to your senators from the Brady Campaign web site urging them to pass this important legislation.
*Some idealism and accountability would not hurt - The law requires candidates for the White House and members and candidates for the House of Representatives to file their campaign finance reports electronically. The Senate has attempted to pass a similar law. Each time it is brought up for consideration Republicans block it. If an elected official is not for transparency they should not be in office.
*Gung ho Genghis Khans - Republican senators Kyl (R-AZ) and Lieberman (R-at-large) have offered an amendment to a defense bill that would escalate the possibility of a military attack on Iran. These armchair warriors join Bush and Cheney to demonstrate who has the biggest trigger. Our aggressive militarism and impotent diplomacy have failed miserably. Solution – stay the course and kick it up a notch. In a mind-boggling vote 75% of the Senate voted for the amendment. Have they learned nothing from earlier votes that enabled the Bush-Neocon juggernaut? Please do not send emails telling me that Lieberman is not a Republican.
*Fantasia? - The Bush administration has made many accusations against Iran over the past year concerning its involvement with and weapons supply of Iraq Shiite militia. The media, almost joyously, repeat these claims. Less-mainstream media and a variety of experts have questioned the accuracy of such statements. Recall that claims about Iraq in 2002 were a crock of material scooped from the bull pen at the Crawford ranch. I do not doubt that the Iranian leadership presents a real danger to the Middle East and the world. I question whether our government is providing the truth. Tinker Bell and a government looking out for our best interests are both fantasies in the first decade of the 21st Century in America.
*Another corner, another shell game - We are 4 years into the Iraq war and Defense Secretary Gates tells congress that he has ordered U.S. military commanders in Iraq to crack down on any abuses they uncover by private security contractors. One of the primary functions of the contractors is to provide security for U.S. officials. No one leaves the Green Zone without a full security force. These contractors have operated with impunity and were suspected of abuses well before the most recent Blackwater incident. The abuses have been ignored because the US operation in Iraq cannot function without these contractors, mercenaries making more money than U.S. military personnel. In most cases they are former military and Gates admits that they lure soldiers with the higher wages. The Pentagon claims to have 180,000 U.S. troops on the ground but the Iraq operation is actually using a total of 350,000 people between military and contractors. The real surge began over 3 years ago when these contractors were authorized.
*Go global, go private, gone – Although little publicized, Blackwater (yes, that Blackwater), Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Arinc were recently awarded a collective $15 billion from the Pentagon to conduct global counter-narcotics operations. Yes, 15 followed by nine zeroes. Whatever happened to our army, our police force, our federal agents? Answer - the same thing that happened to U.S. domestic manufacturing – outsourced.
*Guantanamo Bay is an anathema to democratic principles and American tradition. It is symbolic of America’s deteriorating moral position and leadership position in the world community. It is symbolic of the misguided, poorly managed and amoral approach the Bush administration has taken to “protect” America. Our President is fond of pontificating about the “evil” governments of Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Syria and most recently Myanmar. These are in fact dangerous regimes. However, our President has not looked in the mirror. Some of what he accuses these governments of doing are also being committed by himself under the banner “fighting terrorism.” While Mr. Bush is “defending” America he is also seriously damaging its heart – democracy. Amnesty International has a web site Tearitdown.org where you can sign a petition promoting human rights and advocating the elimination of Guantanamo and its practices.
*”You do not have to become a monster to defeat a monster.”
Bono, in remarks accepting the Liberty Medal on September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
9/20/07
*Integrity postmortem – The NY Times published an article about former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s new book “The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World.” Greenspan criticizes Bush, Cheney and the Republican-controlled congress for abandoning their party’s principle on spending and deficits. He says, “They swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither. …Mr. Bush was never willing to contain spending or veto bills that drove the country into deeper and deeper deficits, as Congress abandoned rules that required that the cost of tax cuts be offset by savings elsewhere. The Republicans in Congress lost their way.” Recall that Greenspan favored these tax cuts that since 2001 have amounted to $1,000,000,000,000 (trillion). I find it interesting that a number of government officials, after they leave their position, have much criticism of the Bush administration. I find it disingenuous that while on the job their silence allowed deception and incompetence to proliferate.
*Greenspan spins the barrel – He says that he favored the invasion of Iraq because Saddam was a threat to the Straits of Hormuz, a major route for our oil supplies that needed protection. I seem to recall that the U.S. crushed the Iraq army in under a week. Quite the threat! At that time oil was $33 a barrel. Today a barrel of oil costs $80. Quite the protection!
*Conservative wisdom – Pat Buchanan is a conservative commentator with whom I often disagree. What he had to say about the President of Iran not being allowed to lay a wreath at the site of the 9/11 attack in NYC made a lot of sense. Whatever the motivation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his appearance at the site may have opened a door to diplomacy, something the U.S. sorely needs. The U.S. has a long history of diplomacy with some of the most horrible men who have walked this planet – Khrushchev, Mao, Khadafy and their ilk. It was in the U.S. and world interest to engage such men following their reigns of murder and destruction. There was only an upside to engaging Ahmadinejad at the World Trade Center site.
*An about face ~ industry seeks regulation – The NY Times is reporting that many major U.S. industries are abandoning positions of self-regulation or no regulation that have been supported by the federal government. Why the change? Fear of low-cost foreign competition, stricter state rules, potential consumer law suits and the anticipation that new regulations now will be more palatable than what may ensue as the Democrats gain more control in Washington.
* Taxation without representation - The citizens of Washington D.C., under current law, cannot elect someone to the House of Representatives. This week the inequity had a chance to be corrected. However, a bid to bring D.C. voting rights legislation to the floor failed by a mere three votes. The vote was not on an actual bill. The vote was on whether to even consider such a bill. D.C. is a major black city and Democratic in make-up. While the Republicans raised constitutional questions those issues could have been addressed through legislation and the courts. It is not surprising that they would oppose adding a potential Democratic vote in congress. The right of representation for Washington D.C. citizens was immaterial.
*A look ahead, empty pockets - Recent statements by various Bush officials indicate that they are planning for a long stay in Iraq. The cost will be in the trillions of dollars. For math-challenged people like me a trillion is 1000 billion. What will be left for healthcare, education, social security, basic human services, repair of infrastructure, food safety inspection…?
*Is it a small price to pay? - Following last week’s post a reader brought to my attention a web site that offers photos and much more of our military men and women who have served in Iraq and how this war has impacted their lives. The site is: http://www.purpleheartsbook.com/. Our government has gone to great lengths to shield Americans from the war’s reality. Recall that the media is banned from photographing caskets arriving home from Iraq. The consequences of the Iraq war deserve our attention.
*It is a big price to pay ~ non-enforcement of laws - The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 requires that the financial systems of major federal agencies “comply substantially” with generally accepted accounting standards. Each year those agencies are required to release results of outside audits. The Department of Homeland Security has failed every audit since 2003. Its annual budget is $35 billion. The Defense Department has never come close to passing. Defense’s annual budget is $460 billion representing 20% of all federal spending. The departments seem incapable of providing even the most basic level of accountability by balancing their financial books. Our money is spent with little oversight. The question to be begged is who is enforcing the law? This is not unlike the illegal immigration crisis in this country. There are laws against entering the U.S. illegally and there are laws against employing illegal immigrants. And yet, both practices are rampant. The soap box politicians keep telling us that we are “a country of laws” and that we live under “the rule of law”. Blah, blah, blah. Where is the sheriff?
*The price of political corruption –Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-partisan watchdog holding public officials accountable. CREW just released its list of the 22 most corrupt congressmen (and women) in Washington. Nineteen on the list are Republicans and three are Democrats. This link provides the list and the details. Why is corruption so prevalent? Congress has vigorously opposed attempts to limit special-interest influence on elected officials as well as attempts to establish an independent commission to oversee and penalize ethics violations. And, some people are just outright crooks who won an election.
*The price of the corporate tax shell game – A USA Today article by Robert S. McIntyre, a Director of Citizens for Tax Justice says that corporate tax loopholes will cost ordinary citizens over the next ten years 3 trillion dollars. On one hand U.S. corporations face the highest tax rate of industrialized countries at 39%. However, due to loopholes and subsidies they only pay taxes on about half of their income. The extra funds left in the hands of corporate America certainly have not benefited the majority of employees as demonstrated by the number of jobs corporations outsource to foreign countries and the number of illegal immigrants they hire in this country. This system not only lacks fairness but is shortsighted. Corporations sell a product or a service. If the market lacks the resources to purchase what they produce, they are out of business. Unless the business community begins thinking beyond the next quarterly report they should start selling their stock short.
*A world apart – In 2005 Hillary Clinton gave a speech in New Delhi to Indian businessmen. She offered a blunt assessment of the loss of American jobs across the Pacific. "There is no way to legislate against reality," she declared. "Outsourcing will continue. . . . We are not against all outsourcing; we are not in favor of putting up fences." In 2007 the presidential candidate told a group of students in New Hampshire that she hated seeing U.S. telemarketing jobs done in remote locations far, far from our shores. Senator Clinton’s ties to corporate interests and money leave me in knots about her candidacy. The special interests supporting her are not that far, far away.
*Flash observations:
-China has announced that it will no longer give Giant Pandas to foreign countries as a way of improving international relations. There was no mention of whether it would improve product safety inspections as an alternative diplomatic booster.
-A Veco Oil Co. executive has testified that his company did in fact participate in the renovation of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) house. Stevens’ son is being investigated on separate corruption charges related to his tenure as President of the Alaskan senate. Is “genetics” a defense?
-Many of us sit at home frustrated with the Iraq war wishing things were different. Many people and organizations are being proactive. If you want to learn more and perhaps do something a good place to begin is: votersforpeace.org
- Republican constituents are angry with the Bush administration's aggressive drive to promote oil and gas drilling on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Energy development is tainting some of the country's most majestic landscape. If current and past presidents had put as much effort into reducing our need for oil as drilling for oil perhaps our purple mountain’s majesty would not be in jeopardy.
-Water-boarding (a suspect has water poured over his mouth and nose to stimulate a drowning reflex) has been removed by the CIA as an approved interrogation technique. Other “enhanced interrogation techniques” remain in place.
-Fading presidential candidate John McCain has always identified himself as an Episcopalian. In a life-transforming religious experience, no doubt stemming from a desire to appeal to the Republican base to support his presidential candidacy, he is now referring to himself as a Baptist. Praise the Lord and pass the grits.
-A little discussed aspect of General Patreus’ report on the surge in Iraq was that it is his plan. The Iraq situation of “looking good, needs more time” is a familiar melody. With the Senators and Representatives offering more windy speeches than insightful inquiries for the General his appearance was not much of a test. Under this system of testing I would have graduated Magna Cum Laude.
-Leading Republican presidential candidates have avoided debates sponsored by Black and Latino organizations. In their world diversity ended in America when the passengers on the Mayflower disembarked. Praise the King and pass the spam and white bread.
*Quote of the week – “The Americans always try to pretend the responsibility for cleaning up this mess isn’t theirs and tend to shift blame onto Iraq, Iran and Syria for everything that goes wrong,” veteran Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman
*Ignoramus of the week ~ Come on down David Frye - Sgt. Yance Gray came from Ismay, Montana. He died in Iraq last week. His death gained attention because he was one of seven authors of a recent New York Times op-ed criticizing the continued occupation. Frye, a prominent Montana Republican, is saying Sergeant Gray probably wasn't smart enough to actually write the op-ed. These neo-conservative ideologues do not give a crap about the lives of Americans being wasted in support of an ideology of annihilation with potential consequences of self-annihilation. If you put a robe and mustache on these cretins you wind up with the Taliban.
*Doing a 180 – Newt Gingrich says he is making a grass-roots push to change how the country is governed so there will be less partisanship. This is the man who, when Speaker of the House in the 1990s, invented partisanship with the fury of a napalm attack. The transformation of Mr. Gingrich can be attributed to one of three factors; a guilty conscience, Alzheimer’s disease, a presidential candidacy.
*I only lie when I am lying - I noted last week that the Director of National Intelligence Mitch McConnell lied to congress about the effectiveness of laws authorizing warrentless wiretapping. This week he appeared once again before congress to request additional spying authority. How does congress determine legitimacy in the absence of credibility?
*Restoration of Civil Liberties – Senators Leahy and Dodd have proposed the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007. This would reverse one of the grievous elements of the Military Commissions Act that sanctioned the detention and jailing of U.S. residents without the opportunity to appear before a judge. This piece of legislation would reverse the error. You can sign on as a co-sponsor by clicking on this link.
*Black ops ~ black oops – A little discussed aspect of the war in Iraq is the large number of private security forces contracted by the U.S. government. These are jobs once performed by our military. They operate outside of the regular command with little oversight. In many cases they guard important U.S. officials. One of the largest of these firms is Blackwater. With strong ties to the Bush administration they have raked in billions of dollars in fees. This past weekend saw a catastrophe not unique to Blackwater and their counterpart contractors. A shootout with Blackwater mercenaries left 9 Iraqi civilians dead. The Iraqi Interior Ministry has ordered that Blackwater be expelled from Iraq. It will be interesting to see who wins this battle. I would not bet on the Interior Ministry. For those people calling for our State Dept. to stop using mercenaries they can’t. They are out of soldiers and Bush has no options.
* I feel that we are doing something so important that it is awesome—it is almost purifying. It has a deep religious meaning, of that I feel certain. Surely it is God’s wish that men not wage wars of aggression. The proof here is absolutely overwhelming. I would never have believed that men could be so evil, so determined on a course of war; of murder; of slavery; of dreadful tyranny. Never before has such a record been written and men will read it for a thousand years in amazement and wonder how it ever happened.
Excerpt from a letter written by Thomas Dodd, a prosecutor at the Nuremberg trial of Nazi war criminals, from a new book:
My Father’s Narrative of a Quest for Justice By Sen. Christopher J. Dodd with Larry Bloom, Crown Publishing New York, 2007
*Greenspan spins the barrel – He says that he favored the invasion of Iraq because Saddam was a threat to the Straits of Hormuz, a major route for our oil supplies that needed protection. I seem to recall that the U.S. crushed the Iraq army in under a week. Quite the threat! At that time oil was $33 a barrel. Today a barrel of oil costs $80. Quite the protection!
*Conservative wisdom – Pat Buchanan is a conservative commentator with whom I often disagree. What he had to say about the President of Iran not being allowed to lay a wreath at the site of the 9/11 attack in NYC made a lot of sense. Whatever the motivation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his appearance at the site may have opened a door to diplomacy, something the U.S. sorely needs. The U.S. has a long history of diplomacy with some of the most horrible men who have walked this planet – Khrushchev, Mao, Khadafy and their ilk. It was in the U.S. and world interest to engage such men following their reigns of murder and destruction. There was only an upside to engaging Ahmadinejad at the World Trade Center site.
*An about face ~ industry seeks regulation – The NY Times is reporting that many major U.S. industries are abandoning positions of self-regulation or no regulation that have been supported by the federal government. Why the change? Fear of low-cost foreign competition, stricter state rules, potential consumer law suits and the anticipation that new regulations now will be more palatable than what may ensue as the Democrats gain more control in Washington.
* Taxation without representation - The citizens of Washington D.C., under current law, cannot elect someone to the House of Representatives. This week the inequity had a chance to be corrected. However, a bid to bring D.C. voting rights legislation to the floor failed by a mere three votes. The vote was not on an actual bill. The vote was on whether to even consider such a bill. D.C. is a major black city and Democratic in make-up. While the Republicans raised constitutional questions those issues could have been addressed through legislation and the courts. It is not surprising that they would oppose adding a potential Democratic vote in congress. The right of representation for Washington D.C. citizens was immaterial.
*A look ahead, empty pockets - Recent statements by various Bush officials indicate that they are planning for a long stay in Iraq. The cost will be in the trillions of dollars. For math-challenged people like me a trillion is 1000 billion. What will be left for healthcare, education, social security, basic human services, repair of infrastructure, food safety inspection…?
*Is it a small price to pay? - Following last week’s post a reader brought to my attention a web site that offers photos and much more of our military men and women who have served in Iraq and how this war has impacted their lives. The site is: http://www.purpleheartsbook.com/. Our government has gone to great lengths to shield Americans from the war’s reality. Recall that the media is banned from photographing caskets arriving home from Iraq. The consequences of the Iraq war deserve our attention.
*It is a big price to pay ~ non-enforcement of laws - The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 requires that the financial systems of major federal agencies “comply substantially” with generally accepted accounting standards. Each year those agencies are required to release results of outside audits. The Department of Homeland Security has failed every audit since 2003. Its annual budget is $35 billion. The Defense Department has never come close to passing. Defense’s annual budget is $460 billion representing 20% of all federal spending. The departments seem incapable of providing even the most basic level of accountability by balancing their financial books. Our money is spent with little oversight. The question to be begged is who is enforcing the law? This is not unlike the illegal immigration crisis in this country. There are laws against entering the U.S. illegally and there are laws against employing illegal immigrants. And yet, both practices are rampant. The soap box politicians keep telling us that we are “a country of laws” and that we live under “the rule of law”. Blah, blah, blah. Where is the sheriff?
*The price of political corruption –Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-partisan watchdog holding public officials accountable. CREW just released its list of the 22 most corrupt congressmen (and women) in Washington. Nineteen on the list are Republicans and three are Democrats. This link provides the list and the details. Why is corruption so prevalent? Congress has vigorously opposed attempts to limit special-interest influence on elected officials as well as attempts to establish an independent commission to oversee and penalize ethics violations. And, some people are just outright crooks who won an election.
*The price of the corporate tax shell game – A USA Today article by Robert S. McIntyre, a Director of Citizens for Tax Justice says that corporate tax loopholes will cost ordinary citizens over the next ten years 3 trillion dollars. On one hand U.S. corporations face the highest tax rate of industrialized countries at 39%. However, due to loopholes and subsidies they only pay taxes on about half of their income. The extra funds left in the hands of corporate America certainly have not benefited the majority of employees as demonstrated by the number of jobs corporations outsource to foreign countries and the number of illegal immigrants they hire in this country. This system not only lacks fairness but is shortsighted. Corporations sell a product or a service. If the market lacks the resources to purchase what they produce, they are out of business. Unless the business community begins thinking beyond the next quarterly report they should start selling their stock short.
*A world apart – In 2005 Hillary Clinton gave a speech in New Delhi to Indian businessmen. She offered a blunt assessment of the loss of American jobs across the Pacific. "There is no way to legislate against reality," she declared. "Outsourcing will continue. . . . We are not against all outsourcing; we are not in favor of putting up fences." In 2007 the presidential candidate told a group of students in New Hampshire that she hated seeing U.S. telemarketing jobs done in remote locations far, far from our shores. Senator Clinton’s ties to corporate interests and money leave me in knots about her candidacy. The special interests supporting her are not that far, far away.
*Flash observations:
-China has announced that it will no longer give Giant Pandas to foreign countries as a way of improving international relations. There was no mention of whether it would improve product safety inspections as an alternative diplomatic booster.
-A Veco Oil Co. executive has testified that his company did in fact participate in the renovation of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) house. Stevens’ son is being investigated on separate corruption charges related to his tenure as President of the Alaskan senate. Is “genetics” a defense?
-Many of us sit at home frustrated with the Iraq war wishing things were different. Many people and organizations are being proactive. If you want to learn more and perhaps do something a good place to begin is: votersforpeace.org
- Republican constituents are angry with the Bush administration's aggressive drive to promote oil and gas drilling on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Energy development is tainting some of the country's most majestic landscape. If current and past presidents had put as much effort into reducing our need for oil as drilling for oil perhaps our purple mountain’s majesty would not be in jeopardy.
-Water-boarding (a suspect has water poured over his mouth and nose to stimulate a drowning reflex) has been removed by the CIA as an approved interrogation technique. Other “enhanced interrogation techniques” remain in place.
-Fading presidential candidate John McCain has always identified himself as an Episcopalian. In a life-transforming religious experience, no doubt stemming from a desire to appeal to the Republican base to support his presidential candidacy, he is now referring to himself as a Baptist. Praise the Lord and pass the grits.
-A little discussed aspect of General Patreus’ report on the surge in Iraq was that it is his plan. The Iraq situation of “looking good, needs more time” is a familiar melody. With the Senators and Representatives offering more windy speeches than insightful inquiries for the General his appearance was not much of a test. Under this system of testing I would have graduated Magna Cum Laude.
-Leading Republican presidential candidates have avoided debates sponsored by Black and Latino organizations. In their world diversity ended in America when the passengers on the Mayflower disembarked. Praise the King and pass the spam and white bread.
*Quote of the week – “The Americans always try to pretend the responsibility for cleaning up this mess isn’t theirs and tend to shift blame onto Iraq, Iran and Syria for everything that goes wrong,” veteran Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman
*Ignoramus of the week ~ Come on down David Frye - Sgt. Yance Gray came from Ismay, Montana. He died in Iraq last week. His death gained attention because he was one of seven authors of a recent New York Times op-ed criticizing the continued occupation. Frye, a prominent Montana Republican, is saying Sergeant Gray probably wasn't smart enough to actually write the op-ed. These neo-conservative ideologues do not give a crap about the lives of Americans being wasted in support of an ideology of annihilation with potential consequences of self-annihilation. If you put a robe and mustache on these cretins you wind up with the Taliban.
*Doing a 180 – Newt Gingrich says he is making a grass-roots push to change how the country is governed so there will be less partisanship. This is the man who, when Speaker of the House in the 1990s, invented partisanship with the fury of a napalm attack. The transformation of Mr. Gingrich can be attributed to one of three factors; a guilty conscience, Alzheimer’s disease, a presidential candidacy.
*I only lie when I am lying - I noted last week that the Director of National Intelligence Mitch McConnell lied to congress about the effectiveness of laws authorizing warrentless wiretapping. This week he appeared once again before congress to request additional spying authority. How does congress determine legitimacy in the absence of credibility?
*Restoration of Civil Liberties – Senators Leahy and Dodd have proposed the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007. This would reverse one of the grievous elements of the Military Commissions Act that sanctioned the detention and jailing of U.S. residents without the opportunity to appear before a judge. This piece of legislation would reverse the error. You can sign on as a co-sponsor by clicking on this link.
*Black ops ~ black oops – A little discussed aspect of the war in Iraq is the large number of private security forces contracted by the U.S. government. These are jobs once performed by our military. They operate outside of the regular command with little oversight. In many cases they guard important U.S. officials. One of the largest of these firms is Blackwater. With strong ties to the Bush administration they have raked in billions of dollars in fees. This past weekend saw a catastrophe not unique to Blackwater and their counterpart contractors. A shootout with Blackwater mercenaries left 9 Iraqi civilians dead. The Iraqi Interior Ministry has ordered that Blackwater be expelled from Iraq. It will be interesting to see who wins this battle. I would not bet on the Interior Ministry. For those people calling for our State Dept. to stop using mercenaries they can’t. They are out of soldiers and Bush has no options.
* I feel that we are doing something so important that it is awesome—it is almost purifying. It has a deep religious meaning, of that I feel certain. Surely it is God’s wish that men not wage wars of aggression. The proof here is absolutely overwhelming. I would never have believed that men could be so evil, so determined on a course of war; of murder; of slavery; of dreadful tyranny. Never before has such a record been written and men will read it for a thousand years in amazement and wonder how it ever happened.
Excerpt from a letter written by Thomas Dodd, a prosecutor at the Nuremberg trial of Nazi war criminals, from a new book:
My Father’s Narrative of a Quest for Justice By Sen. Christopher J. Dodd with Larry Bloom, Crown Publishing New York, 2007
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