Jane Writes Another Letter

To Jim Brady

This one is another satisfying one. As the dust begins to settle, the one question that the Washington Post wont answer is: Why?

Why did Jim Brady, and the rest of washingtonpost.com (since they like to think they are different), feel that Domenech was worth the risk to theirs, and The Washington Post's credibility?

Did their vetting process go only as far as Jane thinks it went? Hugh Hewitt?

Is Brady so intent on sucking up to the Conservative Movement that he is willing to trash his own employer to accomplish said sucking up?

As it stands today, The Washington Post as the larger entity is now no better than Fox News, or the Washington Times. Both of which are toadies to the Bush administration, and the Conservative Movement. Both of which are also lumped in with the liberal media (although more "truthful" than the rest) by the same movement conservatives.

And now, for all the world to see, we can see the extent of just how much respect movement conservatives have for the media.

Anything to get one of their own on board.
Anything to try and tear down the media.
Anything at all.

So, Jim Brady should respond to Jane Hamsher. If not to attempt to salvage his own reputation, at least to attempt to salvage The Washington Post's reputation.



Technorati Tags: Jim Brady, Jane Hamsher, Washington Post, Conservative Movement

Thought for the Day

"The gods too are fond of a joke."

--Aristotle

Intellectual Honesty

There appears to be a real lack of it these days from the Conservative bloggers like Glenn Reynolds, and others over the Ben Domenech catastrophe.

For those that choose to be intellectually dishonest, I suppose this post isn't really directed at you, but for the rest of you who choose to reside in the real world, let me make this clear.

That the Washington Post hired a conservative blogger is acceptable.

That the Washington Post chose to not hire a liberal blogger along side is questionable, but within the Washington Post's rights.

That the Washington Post hired a self-admitted plagarist, and Republican party operative, with no jounalistic experience, particularly when there are plenty of Conservative voices in Washington who have journalistic experience, and without the close ties to the Republican party, is the problem. Particularly when they claim to have fully vetted his writing, when simple google searches turned up almost all of the examples where he copied others work.

I realize the Conservatives have a real hard time admitting when they make a mistake, and rarely, if ever, apologize for them. However, intellectual dishonesty shouldn't be their first course of action.


Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Conservative Movement, RedState.org, Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.com

Seizing the Reigns of the Government

Glenn Greenwald has an analysis of the responses the DoJ gave to both Republicans and Democrats regarding their questions on domestic spying.

Glenn is spot on, the executive branch of the federal government, under George Bush has decided that it, and it alone has the power to create laws, execute laws, and interpret laws, and the other branches of government can pretend all they want that they have power to stop the administration:

Can that be any clearer for you - Congressmen, Senators, journalists? The President is bestowed by the Constitution with the unlimited and un-limitable power to do anything that he believes is necessary to "protect the nation." Thus, even if Congress passes laws which seek to limit that power in any way, and even if the President agrees to those restrictions and signs that bill into law, he still retains the power to violate it whenever he wants.

The only questions left outstanding at this time, is what will congress do?
What will the media report?

As Glenn points out, James Madison warned that something like this would happen:

From these facts, by which Montesquieu was guided, it may clearly be inferred that, in saying "There can be no liberty where the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or body of magistrates," or, "if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers," he did not mean that these departments ought to have no partial agency in, or no control over, the acts of each other.

His meaning, as his own words import, and still more conclusively as illustrated by the example in his eye, can amount to no more than this, that where the whole power of one department is exercised by the same hands which possess the whole power of another department, the fundamental principles of a free constitution are subverted. This would have been the case in the constitution examined by him, if the king, who is the sole executive magistrate, had possessed also the complete legislative power, or the supreme administration of justice; or if the entire legislative body had possessed the supreme judiciary, or the supreme executive authority.

Today, the Bush administration is doing its damnedest to remove the legislative and judicial branches of the government. In its responses to congress on the issue of domestic spying, the Bush administration says it believes it already has while claiming to "protect" the Constitution.

As usual, the most amazing aspect of all of this is not that the Administration is claiming these powers. It is that even as it claims them as expressly and clearly as can be, the Congress continues to ignore it and pretend that it still retains power to restrict the Administration by the laws it passes. And the media continues to fail in its duty to inform the country about the powers the Administration has seized, likely because they are so extreme that people still do not really believe that the Administration means what they are saying. What else do they need to do in order to demonstrate their sincerity?

I will go one further and say that both Congress and the media are in a state of willful denial. Not only do they not want to believe it, whenever something like this comes along that proves what the administration believes, they shut their eyes to it and pretend this proof does not exist.

The real issue is to try and get the congress and the judiciary to step in, and take back what is rightfully theirs, namely co-equal power within the government. The media needs to come out of its stupor and stop pretending the President isn't trying to do exactly what the DoJ says the President is doing, and tell the hard truth.

Why am I not confident they will do that though?




Technorati Tags: Bush Administration, Glenn Greenwald, Unitary Executive

Red Ben

I thought this story was all but over. However, it appears that Ben won't let it go.

I am not going to quote from this post, you can go read it if you are interested. However, it is the true final exposé of just how far the conservative movement has fallen. Instead of accepting responsibility for his actions, Ben proceeds to blame liberal bloggers.

It really is the capstone of everything that the movement is. Preaching responsibility, self sufficiency, ethics, yadda, yadda, yadda.

When the time comes to live up to that ethos, what does a movement conservative do?

Blame everyone else for their own foul up. Refuse responsibility for their actions. Point the finger in every direction but the one direction it should be pointed. Back at themself.

Figures.


Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Conservative Movement, RedState.org

One WaPo Blogger to Another

Joel Achenbach responds:

Domenech is supposedly 24, but I'm betting right here and now that he's a junior in high school. All this is under investigation. His blog, Red America, didn't contain anything that would make someone think he was the second coming of William F. Buckley. Indeed, this whole affair seems like a spoof, a prank, to make all the real, authentic, rock-ribbed, hard-headed if perhaps slightly lizard-hearted conservatives look bad. [But of course they say that about the entire last 5 years of American government.]

I have a slight beef with the headline on the web site saying "Ben Domenech Resigns." Can you resign a freelance position? I'm sorry, but this person was just a contractor, and was never, despite everything you may have heard, a Washington Post staffer, or even a washingtonpost.com staffer. (And yes, there's a difference betwixt the Post and post.com. They're two separate companies, in DC and Arlington -- though for all practical purposes there's only one Washington Post brand, and we ought to get everyone into the same building at some point.)

It seems that this may be the start of a bit of introspection by those associated with the Washington Post on how they want to be perceived as. Much of it private (probably has already been happening), and some of it public.

We'll see which direction WaPo goes in the coming days, weeks and months.

Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Achenblog

Red Ben Resigns

To those naysayers who said he would last until next week: Nyah, nyah.

Jim Brady, Executive Editor finally comes out and says what the left blogosphere has been saying since day one of Domenech's term:

Plagiarism is perhaps the most serious offense that a writer can commit or be accused of. Washingtonpost.com will do everything in its power to verify that its news and opinion content is sourced completely and accurately at all times.

While I have no doubt that after the "investigation" that the Washington Post would have conducted, they would have fired 'ole Ben, he did leave the Washington Post hanging for 3 days.

Of course, since Ben Domenech is a Republican operative, he will resurface somewhere, with a plum position, but he shouldn't. At this point, it has been demonstrated pretty clearly that a significant amount of his work was copied from other writers. Other's whose entire reputation hinges on what they write. That Domenech felt free to copy that work, should be more than enough to ensure that his work does not reach any audience of any size going forward.

The question outstanding is, what will the Post do to salvage their reputation?

Update: Howard Kurtz pipes up.

Of course, Kurtz adds fuel to the fire that this was a "Liberal Blogosphere" versus Conservative and Media battle. It was no such thing. This entire fight started over media bias. The plagarism debate was only the final nail in the coffin.



Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Conservative Movement

Thought for the Day

"I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them."

--Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.

Abandoning Ben

It is nice to see that right-wing bloggers are waking up to the Ben Domenech fiasco.

The right-wing blogosphere needs to do an honest examination of their motivations. If propping up their own, and Bush is the overriding goal, then by all means support RedState.org's position, that Ben must be defended at all costs.

However, as Matt points out, not everyone is willing to ride that bus to the end of the line.

As Echidne says plagarism is the literary equivalent of stealing. How can a person who claims to advocate "good Christian values" such as the Ten Commandments stand by and watch someone violate the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Steal"?

As Matt says:

We're now seeing the rot from the inside. The conservative movement is nearly totally bereft of ethical standards. Torn between loyalty and integrity, they pick neither, a lukewarm mixture of contempt for those who point out ethical violations, a reflexive angry defensiveness, and a melancholy regognition that supreme self-righteousness might not be the most appropriate attitude in every instance.

The only question remaining is whether the Washington Post will show the same rot that the conservative movement is showing. Will they stand up for journalistic principles, and kick Domemech out to the curb?

With each minute that passes, the stench of the rot is getting stronger, and stronger.


Update: It appears that Michelle Malkin is taking the right path, and hanging Ben out to dry.


Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Conservative Movement

Outsourcing Homeland Security

I was caught up in the Ben Domenech stuff yesterday, and I missed this:

In the aftermath of the Dubai ports dispute, the Bush administration is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo passing through the Bahamas to the United States and elsewhere.

The administration acknowledges the no-bid contract with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. represents the first time a foreign company will be involved in running a sophisticated U.S. radiation detector at an overseas port without American customs agents present.

Freeport in the Bahamas is 65 miles from the U.S. coast, where cargo would be likely to be inspected again. The contract is currently being finalized.

The Bush administration once again, demonstrates its commitment to providing Homeland Security, by handing out security based jobs to his foreign corporate friends.

I've said it before, and I will repeat it here, the job of securing America from a terrorist attack should not be the province of the private sector. Particularly the private sector of another country. When the primary focus is on controlling costs first, which corners get cut? Which "unecessary" expenditures get top billing when it comes to reducing overhead?

Repeatedly, George Bush demonstrates his "efforts" at securing America.


Thanks to John at Americablog for the link.

Technorati Tags: George Bush, Hutchison, Homeland Security

Next on Washington Post blogs

John Aravosis has a list of what more we can expect from Washington Post Blogs.

They should make for some very interesting reading.


Technorati Tags: Washington Post, Americablog

Defending Red Ben

None other than Howard Kurtz gets trotted out to defend Ben Domenech:

Late yesterday, the liberal Web sites Daily Kos and Atrios posted examples of what appeared to be instances of plagiarism from Domenech's writing at the William & Mary student paper. Three sentences of a 1999 Domenech review of a Martin Scorsese film were identical to a review in Salon magazine, and several sentences in Domenech's piece on a James Bond movie closely resembled one in the Internet Movie Database. Domenech said he needed to research the examples but that he never used material without attribution and had complained about a college editor improperly adding language to some of his articles.

As Mr. Kurtz has conveniently ignored, there were far more than those two examples, and blaming the editor???

I thought Republicans were all about the personal responsibility ethos? It seems to me that Domenech does not take that ethos to heart.

This article by Kurtz is nothing more than an attempt to hit back at those of us in the blogosphere who have rightfully pointed out the total folly in what The Washington Post has done. Make no mistake, The Washington Post is on the header of the webpage. It doesn't matter how many times Howard Kurtz, or Jim Brady try to tell us that washingtonpost.com and The Washington Post are different. Whose name is on the mast head?

To Jim Brady, why are you hiding behind Howard Kurtz? How about a column from you, maybe on the post.blog explaining how Domenech's writings have escaped you, and those who approved hiring Domenech as the posts Conservative blogger?

How about the issue of hiring a Liberal blogger to counter Domenech, or better yet, someone without the baggage that Domenech is carrying?

How about addressing the issues of Domenech's father being linked to Jack Abramoff? Etc. etc. etc.

This article by Howard Kurtz does nothing but reinforce the notion that some have, that this is nothing but a political favor to some Bush ally.

As a final pitiful wail from the corner occupied by RedState.org comes a plaintive cry for help from the likes of Malkin, Limbaugh, Hewitt, and Reynolds. I could be wrong, but this is not a battle that any of them will want to wade into.

This comedy of embarrassment continues. I wonder how long before the one player who can put a stop to it (The Washington Post) will act.



Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, RedState.org, Howard Kurtz

Pure Comedy Gold

Atrios finds find some pure comedy gold from Ben's co-bloggers at redstate.org:

It's true. Ben Domenech is Augustine. And I stand behind him 100%. He has said nothing filled with racism or hate, or bigotry. In fact, Ben has been a leader in keeping those he dubs the "evilcons" off RedState. Unbeknownst to all of you, RedState continually self-polices and purges its own ranks of those who might be allies, but are too filled with hate to function in the internet society we choose to create. We would not without Ben's insistence at the creation of RedState be so self-policing.

It gets better from there. Erick pulls out all the tired canards, about how the lefty blogosphere is trying to silence dissent in the media. How Froomkin is a far left liberal blogger who needs to be countered with the mild mannered Ben Domenech. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

There have been many bloggers who predicted what the response would be, and they weren't let down.

Up to this point, the Washington Post has remained silent on this issue, and oddly enough Mr. Domenech hasn't posted on his blog since 14:15 Eastern time today. I am wondering when either party will answer the raft of charges that bloggers and others have found. Of course, the only acceptable response is that Mr. Domenech has been fired, but I am not holding my breath on that one.

Tomorrow is another day. Let's find out together if Mr. Domenech continues to be the Washington Post's Conservative Blogger.

Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, RedState.org

Conason on Red Ben

Salon.com

Does the Washington Post intend to maintain journalistic standards in the brave new blogosphere? Or are those standards incompatible with the Post company's ambitions for WashingtonPost.com?

As the Washington Post continues to allow this embarrassment to continue, the hole that was started by the hiring of Ben Domenech, only gets deeper.

Since most people make no distinction between washtingtonpost.com and The Washington Post, the credibility of both is being shredded.



Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post, Salon.com, Joe Conason

Red Ben

This issue with Ben Domenech is reaching such an absurd level, that it boggles the mind.


Post after post of material that appears to be copied from someone else.

Atrios finds even more.

This coming from a paper in which one of its columnists, Richard Cohen, criticized The New York Times for Jayson Blair. Curious that.

Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post

Red Ben the Plagarizing Man?

Sure seems

like it

I just wonder how much longer the Washington Post is going to continue to employ Mr. Domenech?

Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post

Red Ben

Is plagarism one of his skills?

As if we didn't have enough evidence that Ben Domenech was not the smartest hire at the Post, here is one more example.

It would appear that Ben Domenech is a plagiarist.

Thanks to Oregon Guy and anon, we find out that Ben's lyrical stylings on a real party are completely lifted from P.J. O'Rourke's "Modern Manners" - a chapter entitled "Real Parties."

I wonder how much longer the Washington Post can keep this up?



Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post

Red Ben

As the previous writings of Ben Domenech begin to get exposure, you have to think that the management at the Washington Post are getting a bit of heartburn. Especially with Jane Hamsher's latest letter to Jim Brady asking about some very racists postings.

It seems so much so, that Ben had to post the first, of what I am sure will be many "clarifications":

Two clarifications for the many folks who have risen up in force to attack the existence of this blog (I appreciate the attention, by the way).

I am sure this is exactly the kind of attention he, and Jim Brady want.

What an auspicious start.

Update: Media Matters finds even more of Ben's illustious writings.


Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Washington Post

Put Down the Beer, and Step Away from the Bar

Welcome to Texas:

Texas has begun sending undercover agents into bars to arrest drinkers for being drunk, a spokeswoman for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said Wednesday.

The first sting operation was conducted recently in a Dallas suburb where agents infiltrated 36 bars and arrested 30 people for public intoxication, said the commission's Carolyn Beck.

Being in a bar does not exempt one from the state laws against public drunkenness, Beck said.

First off, the TABC has its own Peace Officers who are the ones conducting these arrests. In theory no regular Police are being taken away from their regular duties to conduct these stings.

Contrary to CNN and the other reports of this incident yesterday, these stings have been going on for 6 months, and have cited 2,200 people.

Additionally, what I have not seen reported, but was on a local radio station last night, was the TABC agents were arresting people in hotel bars for public intoxication (PI). Even if that person was staying at the hotel.

With the caveat that I am no lawyer, I noticed that the Texas Penal Code does not seem to specify what constitutes the definition of "Public Intoxication" (Section 49.02) beyond being drunk in a public place. Apparently the TABC is interpreting this to include any location with a permit to sell alcohol is a public place. Per the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code the TABC has the right to enter and inspect any establishment licensed to sell alcohol for any reason. Which is not an unreasonable burden. However, it seems to be a rather liberal application of the PI laws to say that an individual in a bar, cannot be drunk. To include a hotel bar, where the majority of the patrons don't even leave the establishment to return to their rooms is really stretching it.

Add to that, in the TAB code, a minibar is explicitly defined, which could mean that TABC agents could conceivably enter your hotel room, and cite you for PI if you are drunk.

Is it any coincidence that this rather liberal enforcement of PI laws is occuring under a Republican administration in Texas? And one which is losing popularity?

I wonder if these sting operations are at the prompting of the Governors office, trying to boost his Religious Right street cred?


Technorati Tags: Texas, Public Intoxication

Thought for the Day

"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."

--Voltaire



Busy morning, sorry for the light posting.

Red Ben

I have been kind of slack on the Ben Domenech posts today. Wednesday is the day I normally go out and have drinks with my co-workers. However, it is nice to see that others have been keeping up with just how offensive Ben Domenech is, and just how embarrassing Domenech is to the Washington Post.

For example, Ben compared the judical branch to the KKK.

Also, Ben pretends that he speaks for Marines when he never actually served in the military.

Ben also calls his co-worker, Dan Froomkin, a lying weasel-faced Democrat shill

So, as Ben Domenech continues to demonstrate that the Washington Post is nothing more than a shill for the Republican Party, those of us on the left, will continue to point it out.

Oh, and Mr. Kurtz,

I am still awaiting your response to how your employer is not the Republican stooge I called it. But, that may be too much to ask.

Technorati Tags: Ben Domenech, Red America, Howard Kurtz, Washington Post

Priorities Folks, Priorities

In their continued effort at securing America, the Bush administration finally decides to do something about chemical plant security:

The Bush administration called Tuesday for federal regulation of security at chemical plants, but would largely let the industry decide how stiff the protections should be and leave inspections to private auditors.

And in demonstrating the usual Bush administration concern for protecting America, they drop the ball.

In keeping with the total lack of concern the Bush administration has for port security, and mine safety, they create a security program for chemical plants that does no such thing.

Remind me again of how Bush is protecting America?


Technorati Tags: Security, Bush

Thought for the Day

"I am just going outside and may be some time."

--Captain Lawrence Oates

Red Ben

Over at The Washington Post's newest blog, our hero lets us on the left have it:

First off, a note of thanks to the liberal side of washingtonpost.com's readership, which has weighed in on Red America in this comment thread. I'm happy that no one's engaged in any ridiculous hyperbole, unfounded accusations or unintentionally hilarious name-calling.

I suppose, that as long as the ridiculous hyperbole only comes from the left, then this sort of thing is acceptable from the right?:

Democrats who have won major elections since 1992 have, with very few exceptions, been the ones who distanced themselves from the shrieking denizens of their increasingly extreme base, soft-pedaled their positions on divisive issues and adopted the rhetoric and positions of the right

Because I am not the best blogger out there, others have come up with just how great Ben Domenech is:
Ben's dad helped Jack Abramoff:

You see, it turns out the Domenech family came in for a number of Bush administration appointments. Not only Ben, but Ben's dad, Doug, who was White House liaison to the Department of Interior.

Or to put it more colloquially, White House guy to make sure Jack Abramoff got what he wanted with the Indians and the Pacific Island stuff.

Ben as homeschooled is qualified to comment on public school education:

I personally don't have a problem with evolution being taught in public schools. I occasionally have a problem with the way it is taught - as a final, solid, unquestioned truth, as opposed to a still-changing theoretical approach that many scientists think best explains the way things came to be.

Yglesias speaks about Darwinistic evolution as if it was a solid, undebatable fact, like 2+2=4. But the whole thing's a lot more complicated than that. An academic survey a couple of years ago found that nearly a third of hard scientists believed in theories other than the typical evolutionary construct - either something involving genetic mutation, or intelligent design, or something inspired by Stephen Jay Gould, or the like.

When I lived in Virginia, many years ago, I would happily read the Washington Post from page one to the last page.

Today, I am thankful that I don't live in an area that is (under)served by today's Washington Post.

Ben Domenech has finally succeeded in doing to the Washington Post, what all of the other "Liberal Media Bias" shriekers have tried to do for years. Destroy the last shred of credibility of one of the nations (formerly) most respected news outlets.

I hope that Jim Brady, Deborah Howell, and John Harris are proud.


Technorati Tags: Washington Post, Ben Domenech, Red America

Jane Writes a Letter

It is a good one.

Let me just add my 2¢ and that say that there have to be some real embarassed people over at the Washington Post right now. Their hot new blogger has, in the first two posts exposed himself as the total GOP tool that he is. And now the Washington Post is as big a tool, if not bigger, for having hired Domenech.

When I called the Washington Post a Republican Stooge, little did I know that their actions subsequent to that statement, would only serve to validate my assertion.



Technorati Tags: Washington Post, Red America, Ben Domenech, Liberal Media Myth

Whiner

It is nice to see consistency from WaPo's newest contributor:

Of course, we should never question social psychologists in their line of work. They are, after all, professionals. So the idea that perhaps a small number of kids from the Berkeley area may not be a truly representative slice of the American population is just silly. Professor Jack Block, the author of the study, defends his work by explaining to the Star that "within his sample....the results hold." Surely, his statistics professor is very proud.

Meanwhile, as the academy tells us that social ineptness, insanity, and insecurity can all be motivations for conservatism, the MSM doesn't want us to forget the other side of the scale: hence, Ruth Marcus's column in today's Washington Post. Marcus maintains that the real problem with George W. Bush is that he's too focused on being a manly man's man.

Apparently, this violent testosterone-fueled psychological imperitive - not a coherent and just strategy for defending America in response to the first major attack on our soil since Pearl Harbor - is the real reason for our war in Iraq. Oh, and Condi Rice? Don't worry, women can have manly envy, too. Clearly, Maggie Thatcher did.

This post is about the study that posited that whiny children grow up to be Conservative.

From this post, we can conclude that the individual who conducted this study, Jack Block, was actually right. Domenech is doing exactly what Block said a Conservative would do. Whine.

Never mind that Block added the caveat that his study is only valid within the universe of his study, Domenech automatically expands it beyond that small group to include the "manly" George Bush, Condi Rice and Margret Thatcher.

For the second post in a row, Domenech attacks the very same institution he is now a member of: The Mainstream Media

This new blog is shaping up to be a real winner.



Technorati Tags: WATB, Red America

The War on Women

If you think that the anti-choice advocates will be content to stop once the right for a woman to terminate a pregnancy is eliminated, you are sadly mistaken.

After abortion, comes the war on contraception(salon.com, get the daypass):

Ever since she was in her early teens, Mary Worthington has been vehemently opposed to contraception, which she regards as immoral and dangerous. To spread her anti-birth-control gospel, this month she launched No Room for Contraception, a clearinghouse for arguments and personal testimonials on this subject. NRFC joins other anti-contraception Web sites like Quiverfull and One More Soul.

Worthington, who wouldn't reveal where she lives and works, or her exact age, is a recent graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, in Ohio, where she earned a B.A. in theology and a minor in human life studies. She is also opposed to abortion. But NRFC doesn't even address abortion; its sole purpose is to "prove" that the pill and the IUD cause health problems and destroy women's fertility, that condoms lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases by making people believe that sex can be completely safe, that contraception destroys marriages by rendering sex an act of pleasure rather than one of procreation. Emboldened by the fact that the president and the two most recent Supreme Court nominees are anti-choice, a recent antiabortion victory in South Dakota, and legislative success restricting access to emergency contraception, groups like NRFC are shifting their focus and resources away from abortion and putting their energy into restricting birth control.

While this seems like a fringe group that has no influence, note that this group was instrumental in getting insurance companies to not cover contraception, getting the "conscience clause" added to laws that allow a pharmacist to opt out of dispensing emergency contraception with a prescription.

Groups like the NRFC, Quiverfull, and One More Soul are only interested in ensuring that women no longer are permitted to have sex, unless it is for procreation purposes only.

If the anti-choice groups are permitted to win, and get Roe v Wade overturned, then subsequently ban abortion? Contraception is next.

What happens after that?

Tests to ensure that a woman is a virgin before granting a marriage license?
Don't think it could happen?

No one seriously thought that Roe v Wade would ever be seriously challenged either.


Technorati Tags: Abortion Rights, Reproductive Choice, anti-choice

Red America

Sounds like an old commie reference. "The Red Menace"

According to the Fair and Balanced Washington Post, that means increasing their Right-Wing street cred by hiring one of the founders of RedState.org to be their "Conservative Voice".

Right out the gate, Ben Domenech demonstrates that the Washington Post is truly the great organization it strives to be:

Yet even in a climate where Republicans hold command of every branch of government, and advocate views shared by a majority of voters, the mainstream media continues to treat red state Americans as pachyderms in the mist - an alien and off-kilter group of suburbanite churchgoers about which little is known, and whose natural habitat is a discomforting place for even the most hardened reporter from the New York Times.

Wow, this is almost as good as my writing.

And this is supposed to balance Dana Milbank?

Email WashingtonPost.com Executive Editor Jim Brady and ask if he plans on offering a real balance to "Red America".

Technorati Tags: WaPo, Red America, Liberal Media Myth

Thought for the Day

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it."

--Robert E. Lee

Denying What is in Front of Your Face

Bush has repeatedly denied that Iraq is in a civil war.

It that is the case, I would like Bush to explain how this isn't a symptom of a civil war:

"Unseen by the outside world, silent populations are on the move, frightened people fleeing neighborhoods where their community is in a minority for safer districts.

"There is also a growing reliance on militias because of fears that police patrols or checkpoints are in reality death squads hunting for victims.

"Districts where Sunni and Shia lived together for decades if not centuries are being torn apart in a few days. In the al-Amel neighbourhood in west Baghdad, for instance, the two communities lived side by side until a few days ago, though Shias were in the majority. Then the Sunni started receiving envelopes pushed under their doors with a Kalashnikov bullet inside and a letter telling them to leave immediately or be killed. It added that they must take all of their goods which they could carry immediately and only return later to sell their houses.

"The reaction was immediate. The Sunni in al-Amel started barricading their streets. Several Shia families, believed to belong to the Shia party, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), were murdered later the same day the threatening letters were delivered...

Who has the attachments to ask Bush if this constitutes a civil war?

If not, have him define what constitutes a civil war.

I bet no one will.

Technorati Tags: George Bush, Iraq War, Civil War

The Greening of Winter Sports

As a snowboarder, and generally one who really likes snow, I have noticed the impact that Global Warming has had on ski resorts. With that in mind, it is nice to see some ski resorts are beginning to take this issue seriously:

As a result of air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, ski resorts are seeing unseasonably warm temperatures, reduced snow-pack levels and fewer ski days, motivating some resorts to find more environmentally friendly ways to meet their power needs.

Brian Fairbank, CEO of Massachusetts resort Jiminy Peak plans to install a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine to provide clean and cost-effective power to his resort.

"By using wind power we can do something substantial to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and help our own businesses use a renewable energy source that is blowing by every day," says Fairbank. If the resort can keep from using power that adds to the greenhouse gases warming the planet, it might help keep snow on the ground and extend the life of the winter sport.

While I was in Colorado last week, a couple concrete steps that I saw implemented was a mini hydro-electric plant on Snowmass mountain, to capture the running water from snowmelt, presumably to help power generation of resort operations during the spring melts. Additionally, there is good public transportation that runs through the entire Roaring Fork valley with busses running to each town, and to the ski areas, as well as free parking for those people who have 4 or more people in their vehicles, to encourage car pooling.

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) is switching their busses to hybrid vehicles, and there is appears to be a concerted effort on the part of the towns from Glennwood Springs at the bottom of the valley to Aspen at the top to try and reduce the amount of vehicular traffic. The winter sports industry as a whole, has a vested interest in keeping global warming in check, if not leading the charge to reverse this trend. I hope they continue along this path, and increase their efforts to convert to renewable energy sources, and reduce their energy consumption, setting an example for other industries to follow.

Technorati Tags: Skiing, Global Warming, Wind Power

No Permanent Bases in Iraq?

Doesn't look that way to me:

The concrete goes on forever, vanishing into the noonday glare, 2 million cubic feet of it, a mile-long slab that’s now the home of up to 120 U.S. helicopters, a “heli-park” as good as any back in the States.

At another giant base, al-Asad in Iraq’s western desert, the 17,000 troops and workers come and go in a kind of bustling American town, with a Burger King, Pizza Hut and a car dealership, stop signs, traffic regulations and young bikers clogging the roads.

At a third hub down south, Tallil, they’re planning a new mess hall, one that will seat 6,000 hungry airmen and soldiers for chow.

As usual what the Bush administration says is not what they are doing.

We seem to be in the middle of a 8 year long opposite day.


Technorati Tags: George Bush, Iraq Bases

Damn the Torpedoes! Full Speed Ahead!

Josh lays out a pretty convincing argument, that George W. Bush is the worst President this country has ever seen, and probably could be a very dangerous one for America's future:

I don't think there's much question that President Bush is the most conservative president in modern American history. But the issue is not his conservatism; it's his radicalism and destructiveness, his willingness to drive the ship of state right out of the water and into the ditch. 'Worst ever' covers a lot of ground. But I think there's a good argument to be made that he is.

David Farragut's legacy, seems to be the mantra of the Bush administration.

FWIW, I remember a bit of the Reagan era as well. My experience was driven primarily from the Union side of the picture. My Grandfather had been involved heavily in the international Union movement, and was well known inside the Reagan administration as an opponent to the anti-labor policies of the Reagan administration.

From my memories of the 80's Reagan era, versus the anti-worker policies of the Bush administration, Bush is more anti-worker than the worst the Reagan administration dished out. So, indeed, George W. Bush is the Worst. President. Ever.

Technorati Tags: George Bush, Worst President

Bloggers, Conventional Wisdom, Democratic Establishment

Chris Bowers at MyDD.com and Atrios have posts up about Conventional Wisdom as related to by the Democratic Establishment, and the Left blogosphere.

For the time being I will ignore the media aspect of both of these bloggers posts, because ultimately the media is driven by a different agenda than either of these groups. Their narrative, and how the left, in general, reacts to it, ultimately is not really a part of this.

Atrios is worried that the smaller bloggers, such as myself down here at the bottom of the ladder, would use Chris' post as an opportunity to decry the "dominant paradigm", as some like to call it, and trash the top bloggers for drowning out us at the bottom.

First off, that effect cannot be ignored, but to waste many electrons going on about it is rather fruitless. Nothing in that regard is going to change much until we at the bottom get noticed on our own. Secondly, and this is the problem that I have with both Atrios' and Chris' take on this CW line of thought, is that everyone may fall into the "either/or" CW that Chris outlines:

• Long term fifty state strategy versus short term selective targeting;
• Being a partisan Democrat versus an ideological Democrat of some sort;
• Directly challenging Republicans versus letting Republicans self-destruct;
• Changing progressive infrastructure versus changing progressive policy;
• Altering the conventional wisdom versus accepting the conventional wisdom.

But that doesn't automatically create a new CW. If anything it creates a necessary tension between the top bloggers, and the rest. Just because the Establishment Democrats adopt one position, for example, the Republican Party is in self-destruct mode. Democrats really do need to stand back a bit and allow that to happen. On the other hand, Democrats have to be aggressive, so the appeasement stance that Washington Democrats are seemingly adopting is going to be a sure path to failure. Should Liberal Bloggers automatically adopt the be agressive mode, which is in opposition to Washington Democrats? Which is the right answer? According to Chris, it has to be one or the other, when standing back on some issues are appropriate, and going on the offensive on others is the right answer. How do I fit into this either/or paradigm that Chris has constructed?

Small bloggers can either accept this Blogosphere Conventional Wisdom (BCW if you will) and become like the Right-Wing Blogosphere, in which you have a large group of self-congratulatory bloggers, all parroting the same line. Or you can have much the same as what we see today from the left. Where the primary unifying theme amongst the bloggers is that the Democratic Establishment needs to change, and Republicans need to go.

It is great that Chris Bowers, Atrios, and Kos all think alike on issues like Feingold's Censure motion. And at this point (mainly because I was on vacation and not paying attention), I don't know where my feeling lie. But the thrust of Chris' post was that there is almost a universal consensus from the blogosphere on Feingold's resolution. Maybe there is, maybe there isn't, but I, for one, don't like being told what to think, it is why I am a Liberal. This is the underlying theme of both Atrios' and Chris' posts, that the left side of the blogosphere needs a BCW, and the transmitters of this BCW.

If a BCW is needed, who gets to be the arbiters of the narrative? Certainly the largest sites (Atrios, MyDD, dKos) need to be given their due. They didn't become what they are by being wrong. On the contrary, it is their ability to the be right voices at the right time that allowed their rise as the primary voices of the left side of the blogosphere. However, what about the others who have been able to gain a not insignificant following, or the rest, writing in total anonymity? Are we to be subservient to the top three or four? Or should we continue to do what we do, even if it goes against the grain? What makes my opinion less correct, my readership numbers?

Or, am I totally off base here?

This Was Still Going On?

Whitewater appeal rejected:

The seven-year, $70 million Whitewater investigation that toppled an Arkansas governor and dogged Bill Clinton for most of his presidency officially drew to a close Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the last remaining appeal.

Wow. What a good use of taxpayer dollars.



Technorati Tags: Whitewater, Clinton, Starr

WaPo: Republicans v Democrats

Two weeks after the Washington Post hit piece on Democrats, the same paper puts out this article about how Republicans are trying to define their message for the 2006 election season.

The difference between to two articles?

This one actually talks about how Republicans are working to try and form their message rather than try to play up the differences between Washington Democrats and outside the Beltway Democrats.

And Howard Kurtz took exception with the way I classified the first article as a hit piece?

How about some honest reporting on Democrats rather than the "he said-she said" tone of the first, for a change. That would be refreshing.


Technorati Tags: WaPo, GOP Message, 2006

Note To Howard Kurtz

It seems that a couple of weeks back, I irked Howard Kurtz with this post in which I said that the Washington Post is starting to look like Republican stooges for their continued playing up of some sort of discord between Washington Democrats, and outside the Beltway Democrats.

Well, Mr. Kurtz how do you explain the Washington Post continuing to write editorials in which your newspaper is citing debunked information as fact?

To say that the editorial/opinion department is separate from the news department only works as long as the editors aren't openly shilling for the Bush administration. It tends to color the entire ideological slant of the paper.

I look forward to your response.


Technorati Tags: Howard Kurtz, WaPo

Thought for the Day

"Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence."

--Henrik Tikkanen

Geting Their Panties in a Twist

V for Vendetta is raking in the bucks after its opening weekend. NTodd at Dohiyi Mir points us to one Right-Wing "news" site.

Boy howdy! Are they ever flipping out:

A new movie characterized as a "terrorist-supporting, anti-Christian, neo-Marxist, left-wing propaganda" film by one prominent critic led the nation's box-office this weekend.

[...]

Ted Baehr, a columnist for WND and the president of the Christian magazine Movieguide called it "a vile, pro-terrorist piece of neo-Marxist, left-wing propaganda filled with radical sexual politics and nasty attacks on religion and Christianity. "

"The ending of 'V for Vendetta' celebrates terrorism when the movie's three most sympathetic characters carry out an evil plan to blow up England's Parliament building, one of Western Civilization's most enduring symbols of democracy and republican government with a small 'r,'" he wrote.

Baehr also says the whole movie is "a thinly veiled attack on the War on Terror now being waged by Prime Minister Tony Blair in Great Britain and President George W. Bush in the United States."

The final credits include recordings of Malcolm X spewing racial hatred and violence and recordings of Gloria Steinem "spewing her brand of male-hating, Christian-bashing, androgynous sexual politics."

"The rest of 'V for Vendetta' not only depicts Christians as evil people who oppress and torture 'innocent' people, it also depicts homosexuals as a persecuted, harmless minority of 'nice' people," wrote Baehr.

[...]

"Many people around the world actually think the 9-11 terrorists were heroes," he added, "because they think America is evil. 'Vendetta' will push a few more lost souls over the edge, helping them believe the monsters threatening to annihilate multitudes of Americans in future attacks are heroic freedom fighters, not terrorists. The movie intentionally blurs the line between the two."

I was already planning on seeing this movie, but based on the right-wingers reactions, I need to redouble my efforts to go see it.

Maybe more than once.




Technorati Tags: V for Vendetta

Oh, How Funny

How to tell if your child will grow up Republican:

He reasons that insecure kids look for the reassurance provided by tradition and authority, and find it in conservative politics. The more confident kids are eager to explore alternatives to the way things are, and find liberal politics more congenial.

Thanks to Atrios for this funny link.



Technorati Tags: WATB

Snowboarding Vacation

I got home from my snowboarding vacation Saturday night. Of course I took a few pictures of the Aspen area.

Here are a couple:

One morning I woke up to this moonset:




During the day, I would look down the mountain, and it would look like a painting:




Fortunately the mountain was not too crowded. This despite receiving huge amounts of powder:

Bush's Folly

Today was the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq War.

Think Progress shows us just how swimmingly things have gone.




Technorati Tags: Iraq War, Bush

Thought for the Day

"Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance."

--William Shakespeare

"I Don't Want To Sugar Coat It"

So sayeth General George Casey, while dancing around, and denying the fact that Iraq is, by most objective measures, in the midst of a Sunni versus Shiite civil war.

I come back from my vacation and we have this new debate between the realists and those who live in Bush's fantasy world. On one side, we have those in and out of Iraq, in and out of the Federal Government, and all around the world who recognize that when two or more groups of people are engaged in violent conflict, fighting for control of their country, you have a civil war. On the other there are those who like to pretend that Bush's rosy predictions will come true, or are so enamored of their jobs they will say anything to keep them. Then on a third side we have the media.

Today on Press the Meat, Jack Murtha spelled out why he, and most people believe that Iraq is in a civil war. Namely, 25,000+ individuals fighting for their group to gain supremecy of the country. I missed the earlier part of the show in which Gen. Casey made the statement above while talking about the "delicate situation" Iraq is currently in. However, hearing that quote, on MSNBC I am left with the conclusion that the Bush administration is so divorced from reality that they cannot seem to grasp what the actual situation in Iraq is.

I then switched over to CNN to hear what Wolf Blitzer had to say. When I saw he was asking Ahmed Chalabi whether or not Iraq is in a civil war, I didn't have to hear any more. CNN Headline News? Pure propaganda, it really is sick how far CNNHN has sunk. FNC? Skip. MSNBC? They were actually talking about the points that Murtha made on MTP earlier.

It seems that the other things from the past week, include the revelation that Bush had authorized another secret prison for torturing people, this time in Iraq, and the continued justification for Bush's illegal spying on Americans. And finally, Russert read a quote from Ken Mehlman. Talk about divorced from reality.

And on top of this, various members of the media, continue to play along. Faithfully parroting the latest spin from the White House as if it is new, even if the point being spun is 180° from the previous one.

Vacation

I am taking a much needed ski vacation.

I don't know what, if any, internet access I will have while I am away, or how much blogging I will want to do.

While you are here, check out the archives for lots of witty and inciteful posts going back for the year I have been doing this.

I will be back on Sunday 19 March, and back to regular blogging.

Hope to see you then.

Cheers,

David

I'm Personally Worried

about the fool we have for a President, so when he continues to blather on about the Dubai Ports World (DPW) deal that failed, you are left wondering...

Since 9/11 Bush has warned Americans that we need to be vigilant. We need to be on guard for those who may wish us harm. "You are either with us, or against us". Basically trying, for the past 4 year to keep the fear of God in us.

So, when a deal comes along that potentially puts a country in charge of some of the shipping ports in America from the Middle East, what the hell did Bush expect?

For those that worship at the altar of Bush, this is a moot point. Bush supports it, so therefore, it must be good. However, for the somewhat sentient portion of the Republican Party, the fear of Arabs, and the Middle East that Bush and his sycophants have been drilling into Americans since 9/11, the right-wing response to this deal is hardly unsurprising.

When Bush talks about the "broader message" America is sending to the Middle East, he needs only to look in the mirror to understand the xenophobic response most on the right exhibited.



Technorati Tags: Port Security

Thought for the Day

"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish."

--Euripides

Who's the Party of Death Again?

Andrew Sullivan:

In the latest New Yorker, Michael Specter has a positively chilling story on how theoconservatives and Christianists have waged a quiet war against some critical vaccines, especially against Human papillomavirus or HPV. A vaccine exists against this virus that would drastically reduce the numbers of cervix cancer cases. The religious right opposes it as a mandatory childhood vaccination, because it removes a disincentive to having sex

[...]

These people would rather people die of AIDS and cancer than do anything to "encourage" sexuality. And they have the cojones to call the Democrats the "party of death."

These theoconservatives and Christianists go one step further. Not only do they not want to do anything to "encourage" sexuality, they would like to see positive steps taken to prevent sex from occuring unless procreation is the only result.

Up to, and including the continued spreading of preventable, fatal diseases.



Thanks to Atrios for the link.

Technorati Tags: Andrew Sullivan, Religious Right, Christianist, theoconservative, Sexual Politics, HPV

The Republican Culture of Corruption

Extends all the way to Iraq:

In the first action of its kind, a federal jury found Thursday that a private security company bilked the U.S.-led government in Iraq out of millions of dollars.

Custer Battles, which has had offices in Virginia and Rhode Island, was found to have used shell companies, fake invoices and even stolen forklifts in an elaborate scheme to defraud the Coalition Provisional Authority that oversaw Iraq after the invasion.

Though a handful of other contractors involved in the reconstruction face criminal charges, the ruling marks the first time that a federal jury has ordered a contractor in Iraq to pay back purloined funds to the government.

After a three-week trial, the jury found Custer Battles responsible for 37 separate fraudulent acts, meaning that the firm could face payments and penalties totaling more than $10 million.

"There is an orgy of greed among contractors in Iraq, and the Bush administration is for all practical purposes participating in it," said Alan Grayson, lawyer for the whistle-blowers who filed the case. "They have done nothing to get the taxpayers' money back. They've done nothing to punish the wrongdoers."

I seem to recall something about Bush promising to bring honor and integrity back to the federal government.

So, when Repubublicans talk about "freedom ain't free" and such tripe, ask them if they wouldn't mind picking up your portion of the tab these people are stealing from taxpayers.


Thanks to Atrios for the link.


Technorati Tags: Republican, Culture of Corruption, Iraq War, Custer Battles

This. Defies. Explanation.

Via Crooks and Liars we are treated to the most offensive campaign ad I have ever seen.

Just go watch, I cannot even begin to describe it.



Technorati Tags: Vernon+Robinson, Republican, North Carolina

Frist's Temper Tantrum Grows

Rather than allow Bush to face defeat on the DPW ports deal, Bill Frist threatens to stop ethics and lobbying reform.

``We've had a totally unrelated amendment injected, I believe, for partisan purposes,'' Frist said, referring to the ports provision submitted by Schumer, a New York Democrat.

This is, of course, hypocritical on Frist's part. I wonder just how many "partisan" amendments he has allowed for pro-White House issues?

I suspect alot.

Which exposes Frist as a tiny, tiny man.



Technorati Tags: Frist, DPW, Temper Tantrum

Bloggers to Get Federal Protection

CNet News.com:

Bloggers should be treated no different from talk radio," said Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, a California Democrat. "Talk radio hosts have protections under the First Amendment. While I may disagree with their positions on the issues of the day, I will nonetheless fight for their right to speak their mind."

Millender-McDonald said she never intended for her vote in favor of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act, better known as the McCain-Feingold law, to "squeeze out the voices of people expressing themselves on blogs on the Internet." Because the FEC's Democratic commissioners would not appeal a court order, that 2002 law is forcing the agency to act.

Opponents to this have never adequately explained why bloggers should be treated differently from other media when it comes to political advocacy.



Technorati Tags: Blogging, Political Advocacy

Are Frist's Feelings Hurt?

Bill Frist was apparently so incensed over the halting of the Dubai Ports World deal, that he turned his back to reporters

It is hard to be one of the few on the wrong side these days.



Technorati Tags: Frist, DPW

Ports Development

According to Senator John Warner, DPW will give up US port operations to a US company.

I wonder how long before the White House starts to spin this as their idea all along?


Technorati Tags: Port Security, DPW

Thought for the Day

"Blame someone else and get on with your life."

--Alan Woods

Veto, or Empty Threat

It looks like Bush will have to put up or shut up on his threat to veto any legislation that blocks DPW from taking over management of ports.

As usual though, Senate Republicans don't want to be put on the record as they are trying to block Democrats demands for a roll call vote.

Of course, Frist being Bush's lapdog is trying to put a stop to this:

Senate Republican leaders were trying to block a vote on the ports deal through a procedural vote that could occur as early as Thursday. That tactic was likely to fail, which could prompt Republicans to temporarily pull the lobbying reform bill from the floor to avoid an immediate defeat on the ports measure.

At this point the House has already acted to block it, so the last chance for Bush is Frist and the Republicans who refuse to stand up to Bush.

Stay tuned.



Technorati Tags: Port Security, DPW

"We obey the law,"

But not common decency.

The backlash against Fred Phelps and his family church, Westboro Baptist, is growing as people become increasingly disgusted with Phelps' protesting of military funerals.

So much so, that many states are considering laws, or have already passed laws, that would forbid this disgraceful practice from occuring. In response Phelps stops his "God made IED's" nationwide tour of military funerals.

According to Phelps daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper:

She also said the church is considering legal challenges to the laws. "We're waiting until all the legislatures are over to see what tattered shreds they've left the Constitution in," she said.

I think the first stop should be in George W. Bush's office, to ask him why he is shredding the Constitution. After that, I would love to see this play out in the courts.



Technorati Tags: Fred Phelps, Military Funerals

Molly Ivins, Texas Treasure

Molly Ivins on Washington Dems lack of message:

As usual, the Democrats have forty good issues on their side and want to run on thirty-nine of them. Here are three they should stick to:

1) Iraq is making terrorism worse; it’s a breeding ground. We need to extricate ourselves as soon as possible. We are not helping the Iraqis by staying.

2) Full public financing of campaigns so as to drive the moneylenders from the halls of Washington.

3) Single-payer health insurance.

Every Democrat I talk to is appalled at the sheer gutlessness and spinelessness of the Democratic performance. The party is still cringing at the thought of being called, ooh-ooh, “unpatriotic” by a bunch of rightwingers.

Take “unpatriotic” and shove it. How dare they do this to our country? “Unpatriotic”? These people have ruined the American military! Not to mention the economy, the middle class, and our reputation in the world. Everything they touch turns to dirt, including Medicare prescription drugs and hurricane relief.

This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.

Exactly!

I was listening to Jerry Springer's show this morning on AAR, and he made a point that I believe, but not articulated. Heading into the Presidential elections in 2008, Democrats really need to consider looking outside of, not only Washington, but probably outside of the current "establishment". They need someone who is not tainted with a vote for the Iraq War (ie: Clinton, Kerry), doesn't have a track record in Congress that Republicans will do their damnedest to pick apart (Congressional Democrats), and can give it as good as take it (???).

I don't know who that person will be. I know there are a number of very good potential candidates inside the Democratic party establishment, and most will make a good President, but have baggage. However, Bill Clinton was successful in part, because he came from outside the establishment. Maybe we need some like that again.

Technorati Tags: DNC, Molly Ivins

Next on Hardball: More Republicans

Hot on the heels of the Media Matters report: If It's Sunday, It's Conservative, the Media Matters releases it's analysis of Chris Matthews' show, Hardball.

Employing the same methodology, Media Matters tallied all guests who appeared on Hardball during the first two months of 2006 and coded them based on party affiliation and ideology. (A list of the guests is here.) The data reflected in these charts show that the number of Republican/conservative guests has been significantly higher than the number of Democratic/progressive guests. In January, Republicans/conservatives led Democrats/progressives 55 to 38 -- a difference of 59 percent to 41 percent. By February, that advantage had increased: Republican/conservatives outnumbered Democrats/progressives 55 to 34, or 62 percent to 38 percent.

The problem with this, as outlined by Peter Daou is that Matthews, and his employer refuse to acknowledge his Republican bias. Both continue to try and maintain a veneer of neutrality, while pushing Republican spin:

The case against Chris Matthews is simple: he is not neutral. He channels a right-leaning perspective. This wouldn't be an issue if he and his employers acknowledged it, but a viewer who doesn't have the time or resources to analyze Hardball's content may well assimilate the pro-GOP spin unwittingly. As I've written recently, it's the seemingly neutral reporters who do the most insidious damage to our public discourse, augmenting and magnifying the filth spewed by legions of liberal-haters like Limbaugh and Hannity.

When Tim Russert and Chris Matthews and their traditional media ilk peddle pro-GOP and anti-Dem storylines, they are doing so to an unsuspecting audience.

The harm done cannot be overstated.

It most certainly cannot be overstated. In fact, it is people like Tim Russert and Chris Matthews who set the tone for political coverage in other media venues. These political shows set the tone for the coverage of events. From the Plame outing, of which Russert was intimately involved, and covered extensively while not disclosing his involvement, to Matthews continued support for Republican members of Congress and their spin, the coverage of issues like Plame, Abramoff, and Domestic Spying get short shrift on the very programs whose self-defined mandate is to "play hardball" with politicians and government officials to uncover what is happening, reveal biases, and inform the public.

However, when the majority of the officials who appear on these programs have a vested interest in either promoting, or downplaying a particular story, and there is little to no counter to these points of view, then the viewpoint that these shows are actively promoting becomes the media narrative.

This biased media narrative is subsequently delivered to an unsuspecting public.




Technorati Tags: Media Bias, Chris Matthews, Tim Russert, Media Matters

Thought for the Day

"The denunciation of the young is a necessary part of the hygiene of older people, and greatly assists in the circulation of their blood."

--Logan Pearsall Smith

Cuellar v Rodriguez and Open Primaries

With all but one precinct reporting at this time, in Zapata county, it appears that Henry Cuellar will have won the Democratic primary for District 28. With no Republican opponent, Cuellar will win the general election. I'm not going to get into all the analysis of where the votes came from, etc.

However, I do want to respond to the issue of open primaries.

A number of people seem to have a real problem with the fact that Texas has an open primary. Texas does not require one to declare their party affiliation when they register to vote. The problem that many have, is that this system allows Republican supporters to vote for a Democratic candidate in the primaries. The problem with that, as many see it, is that in the case of Cuellar, Republicans have the ability to influence the Democratic party candidate choice for the General election, and vice versa. The theory being that since the primary election is supposed to be representative of the party in a state, it should be limited to those that self identify as a Democrat or Republican. That is all well and good.

Where my feelings start to diverge from those that oppose open primaries, is with voter participation, and voter involvement in the political process. Many people don't want to be associated with a particular party, Republican or Democrat, which you get many potential voters who then register as Independent.

The argument against open primaries, then focuses on those who will vote in one primary for a candidate they wouldn't otherwise vote for, in the hopes of setting up a battle between their preferred candidate, and a candidate who people feel will be the weaker candidate in the general election. Does that happen? Probably.

On the other hand, by not having to declare your party affiliation, and thus being limited to which primary one can vote in, more people can be persuaded to vote in the primaries, thus reducing the likelihood of that happening. It becomes a catch-22.

Which is the preferable solution?

Is it preferable to limit who can vote for a candidate in a primary, by forcing people to declare their party affiliation at registration time?

or

Is it preferable to risk people jumping into one primary to vote for a candidate they wont support in the general election, and get more people to participate in the electoral process earlier on?

Obviously the current system, and Texas is the epitome of how things have gotten out of hand, basically encourages groups like The Club for Growth, to come into an obscure district in South Texas and dump large amounts of cash, and drive Republican party supporters to one Democratic candidate over the other.

At the same time, looking at the Democratic primary votes for District 28:

1998: 37,171 votes cast
2002: 41,152 votes cast
2006: 44,744 votes cast

To me, the increasing participation in mid-term primaries, is a very positive trend.

As a partisan Democrat, the thought of Republicans mucking around with our primaries is certainly not desirable, as is Democrats mucking around with Republican primaries. But, as a Liberal I am heartened by the increasing participation of voters in a majority Hispanic district.

I'm not even going to touch the issue of potential fraud, except to say that the system in place in district 28 is optical scan ballots, according to the Texas Secretary of State. That means there is a paper ballot.

So, which is better?


Technorati Tags: Texas, Ciro Rodriguez, Henry Cuellar, Democratic Primary,

Bush Cultists

How else can you describe the Republican Party's attitude towards Americans?

Yesterday, they are outraged that President Bush ordered spying on Americans.

Today, it's ok that President Bush ordered spying on Americans. And we are supposed to accept that? Republicans are aiding and abeting the White House's law breaking. Why is that acceptable?

The Cult of Bush indeed.



Technorati Tags: Authoritarian Cultists, Domestic Spying

Line Item Veto

Bush has been pushing for Congress to grant him line item veto power for the past couple of days.

I wonder if it is because of things like this?

A U.S. lawmaker said on Tuesday he would try to block a controversial deal for a Dubai company to manage facilities at U.S. ports by attaching an amendment to a must-pass spending bill for the Iraq war and hurricane relief.

The move by House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis, a California Republican, could set up a showdown with President George W. Bush, who has threatened to veto any legislation blocking the ports deal.

Lewis said he was crafting an amendment to be part of an emergency spending package for $70 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and $19.8 billion for Gulf Coast hurricane relief.

I would find it hard to believe that Bush would apply to the line item veto to any of the GOP pet pork items that end up in various budget and spending bills.


Technorati Tags: Line Item Veto

Tweety Goes Deep

Tweety is now channeling Ann Coulter?

You know, one-sided, to some extent liberal propaganda. Because you know there Communists – I’m sorry…there were Communists in the government…I could go through the whole list – Elizabeth Bentley, Harry Dexter White, and of course Alger Hiss – there’s a whole gaggle of them.

And the biggest nonsense of this sort of revisionist history is that there wasn’t a Communist threat and that McCarthy was just a drunken fool. Well, he may have been a drunk – he certainly was – and he may have been unable to shoot straight, but there were lots of targets there. He just didn’t hit any.

Wow, just wow.

Is he going to start advocating a new HUAC to root out "terrorist sympathizers"?


Wait, check that. It may give him ideas.


Thanks to Atrios for the link.



Technorati Tags: Chris Matthews, Joe McCarthy

Primary Results, Part Deux

The link I gave below is for the Cuellar/Rodriguez primary race.

This is the link to the Texas Secretary of State Elections page, in which you can look at the results of all of the primaries in Texas, Republican and Democrat.


Tom DeLay is fighting off 3 challengers. While it is not likely that he will lose this race, it should give a guage as to how strong his support will be going into November against Nick Lampson.


If you haven't voted yet, in the primary, you have until 8:00. For those of you not in Texas who may want to keep an eye on the results, remember that El Paso is in the Mountain time zone.

Primary Results

The polls don't close until 8:00pm, but you can go here to see the results of the Democratic primary.

The hot contested primary is between Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar. There is no Republican contender, so the winner of the primary is the presumtive winner of the general election.

Narrative

Eric Alterman is right:

The power of the consensus narrative in journalism is all but impermeable to reason or evidence. The right understands this and the left does not. That’s why the right worries little about nuance or getting the details straight; it’s the story that matters. Once you’ve defined the story, journalists struggle to make the facts fit the narrative rather than vice-versa.

Although he is referring to the forced resignation of Larry Summers as President of Harvard University, the point applies across a broad spectrum.

Just look through my earlier posts, we have the WaPo's hit piece on Democrats. No matter what Democrats do, the media will find a way to make the fact fit into the Democratic party disunity narrative.

Thanks to Atrios for the link.


Technorati Tags: Liberal Media, Altercation

Thought for the Day

"The world only goes round by misunderstanding."

--Charles Baudelaire

It Must Be Like Crack

Why else would Tom DeLay, who is being investigated for too close ties to lobbyists, be spending primary election day with lobbyists?

Rep. Tom DeLay, whose association with lobbyist Jack Abramoff has left him politically vulnerable, is spending Texas' primary night Tuesday at a fundraiser hosted by two Washington lobbyists.

DeLay faces three opponents in the Republican primary. For the first time in the 22 years he's held office, he is up against a serious challenge after being forced out of his job as House majority leader amid corruption and campaign finance scandals.

The fundraiser is being held by lobbyists Bill Paxon and Susan Molinari, both former members of Congress from New York. The event will raise money for DeLay's re-election campaign.

Technorati Tags: Tom DeLay, Culture of Corruption

I Voted

Did you?


Today, March 7 is primary day here in Texas. If you haven't gone out to vote for your favorite candidates in the primary, what are you waiting for?

The Full Frontal Assault on Abortion has Begun

First it was the bill passed in South Dakota which bans all abortions except where the life of the mother is in danger.

Next, the Mississippi Governor says he wants to follow suit.

Now, Tennessee steps up with a broadside of its own:

House Bill 3199 and its companion Senate Bill 3402 were introduced on 2/16. The text of the bill states: "it is an offense for a physician to knowingly perform an abortion on a woman who is eighteen (18) years of age or older unless the physician has received from the woman a signed statement indicating that the woman has notified the man by whom she is pregnant that she intends to have an abortion."

The bill provides exceptions if the woman signs a statement saying the pregnancy is a result of rape and has been reported to law enforcement, is unable "after diligent effort" to notify or identify the man (in which case she must file written notice with the Department of Children's Services to be placed on the department's putative father registry), and in the case of medical emergencies when the life of the woman is at risk. Penalties are a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a $5,000 fine for the physician and a $2,000 fine for the woman.

Setting aside the ridiculousness of this provision, and the the inability of the state to adequately enforce this law (is the state going to call the person listed? What if the woman isn't sure who the father is?), the anti-abortion crowd is working overtime to try and clog the courts with the challenges to Roe v Wade, thus exacerbating one of the complaints they have about our legal system.

As further proof that this bill is being solely designed to prevent women from being able to terminate her pregnancy, the following provision is in the bill:

A person listed on the registry and entitled to notice of pending adoption or termination proceedings under subdivision (e)(3) shall have thirty (30) days from the receipt of such notice to file a complaint for parentage or to intervene in the adoption proceedings or termination of parental rights proceedings for the purpose of establishing a claim to parentage of the child or to present a defense to the termination or adoption case.

This bill is not about notifying the father, if that is even possible, it is about criminalizing abortion. It is about regulating a woman. It is telling women that they are not permitted to make decisions for themselves, unless they have consulted with their man first, and obtained his permission.



If you live in Tennessee, contact your representatives


Technorati Tags: Abortion Rights, Tennessee

Even Religious Leaders Oppose Mo Resolution

A few right-wing blogs really took offense at my Christ-o-fascism post about the Missouri legislature considering a resolution pushing Christianity as the states "official" majority religion.

I am not going to link to them, let's just say that their entire critique of my statement, was that I, and Liberals in general, wanted to deny Christians their due.

It is odd then that a few religious leaders in Missouri aren't too happy with this plan either:

Some religious leaders on Friday blasted a proposed Missouri House resolution that supports prayer in schools and recognizes a "Christian God," saying legislators are pushing Christianity as a state religion.

"It's an atrocity," said the Rev. Timothy L. Carson, senior minister at Webster Groves Christian Church. "Thomas Jefferson would be rolling in his grave. It's indicative of a movement within one segment of activist Christianity that wants to dominate the rest with their views."

[...]

The Rev. David M. Greenhaw, president of Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, said he found the resolution "offensive as a Christian. I don't want the state defining my Christianity."

Of course, the supporters say that people are over-reacting to the resolution, because it is just a resolution. Why does the majority religion need to have this validation in the states official record? Why must their be a statement that the state of Missouri's official "majority" religion is Chrisitianity?

And it's not even the first attempt to offer such a resolution:

In fact, dozens of resolutions filed in the past two years have died or been withdrawn. At least two of those were similar to this year's religious resolution. One would have supported the motto "In God We Trust" for use in public buildings.

It starts out as a resolution, then after the next perceived "assault" on the states officially recognized religion, there is a proposal to turn the resolution into law.

Think it can't happen?

Let me just reiterate my point from Friday:

It is long past time for the Christians in America who don't wish to see their religion perverted into some sort of Fascist theocracy to stand up and be counted.

Unless of course, that is the desired outcome.

Technorati Tags: Christian Fascists, Missouri

The Compassionate Conservative

Screws the children:

What kind of spending is unnecessary? In Bush’s view, programs that assist disabled children. The President’s budget will eliminate Medicaid reimbursements for schoolchildren with disabilities, denying them “access to medical services they need to fully participate in school and learn to their greatest abilities.” It cuts funding for medical equipment on buses, transportation to medical appointments, and the administrative costs of identifying children with special medical and learning needs.

If schools are no longer able to seek reimbursement for these services, costs will shift to districts and states already grappling with fiscal constraints. But those who will be most affected are the children and students with disabilities who have already been hurt by January’s drastic Medicaid cuts.

How 'bout them apples.



Technorati Tags: Bush, Compassionate Conservative

Democrats v Democrats v WaPo

The Washington Post writes yet another hit piece on Democrats. This time focusing on message planning:

News about GOP political corruption, inept hurricane response and chaos in Iraq has lifted Democrats' hopes of winning control of Congress this fall. But seizing the opportunity has not been easy, as they found when they tried to unveil an agenda of their own.

WaPo staff writers Murray and Babbington push the conventional wisdom that Democrats outside of Washington need to have Democrats inside Washington tell them what to do; reviving the Republican's "Contract with America" that, although none of the points presented were actually accomplished, was used in the 1994 campaign to take over Congress; and general Democratic party disunity.

The entire thrust of this article is to promote the divide between Congressional Democrats and the rest of the party for, what I can only guess is, the purposes of sowing discontent.

Between the previous articles that repeatedly revived the Congressional Dems vs. Howard Dean, and now Congressional Dems vs. all other Dems, we are left with the impression of the Washington Post as Republican stooge (truth be told, we already knew that).

In the end though, this entire anti-Democratic party tome is an amalgam of all of the previous anti-Democratic party tomes by this paper.

Technorati Tags: WaPo, Liberal Media, DNC

More Musgrave

Via Musgrave must go we are pointed to another photograph from the Colorado Republican party even that Rep. Musgrave hosted.

The event was described as a GOP political event, and as has been highlighted, that contravenes federal law, and the UCMJ.

Is the GOP going to start using the military for its own purposes? Do those purposes extend beyond campaigning and fundraising?

Inquiring minds want to know.


Technorati Tags: Marilyn Musgrave,GOP

A Kinky Race

For those not following the Governor's race here in Texas, one of the candidates running is Kinky Friedman.

Today Reuters has an article on his campaign:

The line of well-dressed young executives stretches down a hallway, past a table of Kinky Friedman talking action figures and straight up to the candidate for Texas governor in the black cowboy hat.

"I'll sign anything," country singer and mystery novelist Kinky Friedman assures the crowd arriving for a downtown luncheon speech as they snap up Kinky T-shirts, bumper stickers and posters sold to finance his independent -- and decidedly nontraditional -- bid for governor.

With a blizzard of one-liners, a campaign slogan of "Why the Hell Not?" and an eclectic blend of policy ideas from all sides of the ideological divide, the former frontman for the band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys says he wants to "change the world one governor at a time."

Does Kinky have a shot at winning?

Not likely, but we are looking at a four way race if he gets the signatures he needs to be included on the ballot. The Democratic Primary race will wrap up on Tuesday, 7 March. With four candidates running, it opens up a real opportunity to unseat Perry. Carole Keeton Strayhorn has been drawing support away from Perry, but Kinky could draw enough support from the Democratic candidate (Bob Gammage, Chris Bell) to tip the balance back to Perry. In the end, however, Texas politics make for entertaining times.

As the saying goes, stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: Kinky Friedman, Texas, 2006

Duke-stir

Going to the bighouse:

Former GOP Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham was sentenced Friday to eight years and four months in federal prison for taking $2.4 million in bribes from at least three defense contractors.

The sentence is the highest ever for a former member of Congress, prosecutor Jason Forge said. Cunningham was taken into custody after sentencing, he said.

The fallout from this has spilled into Katherine Harris' campaign:

It's tough to run for the Senate when people think you're running for cover, but that's where the notorious mistress of Florida's 2000 recount finds herself these days.

Rep. Katherine Harris - elected to a House seat two years after overseeing the controversial recount that put President Bush into office - is trying to move up to the Senate and unseat Democrat Bill Nelson.

But her campaign has foundered, most recently amid revelations she unknowingly took $32,000 in illegal donations from a military contractor that bribed former Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-Calif.) Cunningham was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday.

It must be hard being tied to the Republican Culture of Corruption.


Technorati Tags: Cunningham, Harris, Cuture of Corruption

Thought for the Day

"The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well."

--Horace Wapole

Look Into Their Eyes

Do you see anyone that cares?

Atrios points us to this Think Progress post.

To summarize, John Hinderaker of Powerline (a.k.a. Assrocket) posted a list of 5 false claims about the Iraq war, in response to Jack Murtha's appearance on Face the Nation, Sunday.

Think Progress demonstrated how each claim was false.

Hinderaker responded in the only way he knows how, when cornered.

With insults:

One of the dimmest of the dimwitted left-wing web sites has tried to respond to this post… Sadly, I think a great many liberals are this stupid. Worse, I think that many liberals–like the proprietor of the hate site…are so far gone in hatred of President Bush that everything they say and do is said and done in bad faith. Like Jack Murtha, they have lost any ability to distinguish truth from fiction, and any desire to do so.

Then, what is puzzling to Atrios, and me as well, Judd then asks readers to contact other right-wing bloggers, in the hopes of getting them to post a correction.

What?

How likely is that to happen?

Most, if not all of the rightwing bloggers are authoritarian cultists, and there has yet to be a replacement for Bush as their cult figure.



Technorati Tags: Think Progress, Atrios, Authoritarian Cultists

Trashing Dean

In a flashback to last month, the Washington Post repeats the canard that inside the Beltway Dems are opposed to dean:

Democratic congressional leaders aren't happy with the way Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is spending money. At a private meeting last month, they let him know.

Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) challenged the former Vermont governor during a session in Pelosi's office, according to Democratic sources. The leaders complained about Dean's priorities -- funding organizers for state parties in strongly Republican states such as Mississippi -- rather than targeting states with crucial races this fall.

Whether or not those Democrats are gunning for Dean or not really isn't the problem. The fact that the Washington Post continues to repeat this claim is. From all appearances the Post is trying to spark a feud inside the Democratic Party, with Washington Democrats and the rest of the party pointing the finger at each other focused on fundraising issues, rather than setting about winning this November.

Let me just state something for the benefit of the Washinton Post: You know not of what you speak. Whether or not Dean is in the high graces of those in Congress doesn't matter one whit to the rest of us, particularly those of us who want to see Democrats in the majority after November. Dean is trying to rebuild the state party infrastructure in all 50 states. If the Post cannot grasp that, and if Congressional Democrats cannot grasp that, tough titties.

In the end, however, I believe it is the Washington Post that is blowing this story up. Not anyone else.



Technorati Tags: Washington Post, Howard DeanDNC

Silencing the Media

The Bush administration is going on the offensive to try and stop leaks. Not that it is likely to work, as that is generally how things are done in Washington. However, rather than try and seek out the leakers internally, they are attacking journalists:

The Bush administration, seeking to limit leaks of classified information, has launched initiatives targeting journalists and their possible government sources. The efforts include several FBI probes, a polygraph investigation inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws.

All of this pursuit of secrecy by the Bush administration begs the question:

What are they hiding?

Beyond the gross incompetence, total mismanagement of even the most simple of operation, the Bush administration as a whole is the epitome of "shit rising to the top" syndrome.

The most incompetent and unqualified people are promoted to the top positions in the federal government, and then these very same people use their new-found influence to destroy the every agency they were placed in charge of.

Brown was in no way qualified to handle the responsibilities of FEMA, yet his task was to run it. Chertoff is in no way qualified to run DHS, yet is task is to run it.

There have been plenty of these examples throughout the past few years. I just wonder how many more of these ticking timebombs exist throughout the administration. Just waiting for the right set of circumstances to set off yet another chain reaction of foul-ups and missteps that will lead to the next catastrophe. Rather than try to fix the source of the problem, they target those who are fed up with it, and are trying, in the only way they can, to fix it: through exposure.

Expose the emperor as having no clothes on, and feel the retribution of the federal government come crashing down on you like a ton of bricks. Trying to hide gross incompetence, leads to more gross incompetence and exposure. I am reminded of the boy sticking his finger in the dike to stop the flow of water. Only now, for every hole that gets plugged, two or three more open up in its place. This can be an allegory for the leaks that abound in Washington, or the effort to hide the fact that Bush is, in fact, naked.

Technorati Tags: Bush, Incompetence, Miserable Failure

Thought for the Day

"I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on."

--Beryl Pfizer

Bush Visit Offends Hindus

I guess that offending people just comes natural for the Bush Administration:

Hindu priests who look after the memorial of Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi conducted a purification ceremony at the shrine after a visit from President Bush. But it wasn't the president who offended them, it was the sniffer-dogs who scoured the area ahead of his visit.

[...]

Letting dogs into the memorial also drew sharp protest from Hindu politicians and Gandhi's great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, who called the incident a "national shame," the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

*sigh*

At some point Bush needs to have someone who has some compassion for others to sit down with him and explain how that whole compassion thing is supposed to work.



Technorati Tags: Bush, India, Hindu

Is the Military Picking Sides

Notice the person standing next to Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO). Fro those that don't know, that is a Marine uniform, and the individual wearing it is Marine Sergeant Brandon Forsyth.

The event was a Republican Party fundraiser.

As Josh Marshall points out, the fact that Sgt. Forsyth attended in uniform, violates both federal law, and UCMJ regulations. Additionally the regulations state that Sgt. Forsyth is supposed to only attend as a spectator, and not in uniform.

Some might say, Sgt. Forsyth is free to support whomever he wants. And I agree, however, to support Musgrave, and the Colorado GOP as a Marine and not as a citizen, communicates the message that the Military has chosen sides.

As Josh again points out the White House and the RNC have indicated that they will start using uniformed military personnel at event, in violation of both the UCMJ and federal law. That the Bush administration is willing to break the law to further their goals should not be news to anyone, but that the military is allowing itself to be used in this manner is setting a very frightening tone.

Is the White House advocating the military taking over the country? Is the White House encouraging a military coup?

Honestly, I doubt it, but that is the image they want to project.


Technorati Tags: Military, GOP, Musgrave

Koufax Voting

Voting for 2005 Koufax is now open.

I am up for Best New Blog. Go check out each of the blogs in each of the categories, then vote.

Technorati Tags: Koufax Awards

Thought for the Day

"Bureaucrats write memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they were busy."

--Charles Peters

Wal-Mart and Plan-B

Today Wal-Mart gained a bit of sanity, and decided to carry Plan-B at all of its pharmacies:

In a major turnaround, Wal-Mart will begin stocking Plan B contraceptives -- commonly referred to as the "morning-after pill" -- at all of its pharmacies, the company said Friday.

"We expected more states to require us to sell emergency contraceptives in the months ahead," said Ron Chumiuk, vice president of Pharmacy for Wal-Mart, in a statement.

"Because of this, and the fact that this is an FDA-approved product, we feel it is difficult to justify being the country's only major pharmacy chain not selling it."

This will provide a much needed boost to women in areas that are not well served by pharmacies other than Wal-Mart.

However, Wal-Mart will continue to retain is "conscientious objection" policy, which permits pharmacists to not dispense a medication they are morally opposed to, which is a cop-out on their part, but the fact that the medication will be available in their pharmacies is a good first step.


Technorati Tags: Emergency Contraception, Wal-Mart

Lieberman (DINO-Ct)

I haven't written too much about Lieberman, mainly because I live in Texas, which has its own problems. However, it is nice to see that the problem for Democrats that is Joe Lieberman, is getting wider play.

Joe Lieberman is a real issue for Democrats, not the least of which is that Connecticut Republicans are going to endorse Lieberman over his primary opponent, Ned Lamont.

Being in Texas I hear a lot about how if Democrats would field canidates like Lieberman, then Democrats would gain a lot of support from Republicans. The problem with this plan, is that Democrats, on their own, have substantial support across the country. If only they could articulate a coherent plan.

In a few cases, this is actually happening, and with Lieberman's opponent that is happening. What needs to happen, is people taking on Lieberman in effective manner.

When a viable opponent to a DINO such as Lieberman comes along, they need to be supported.


Here's to 2006.



Technorati Tags: Lieberman, Lamont, Ct-Sen

Thought for the Day

"Tradition is what you resort to when you don't have the time or the money to do it right."

--Kurt Herbert Alder

Christ-o-Fascism

Atrios points us to this article (reg. req'd.):

Missouri legislators in Jefferson City considered a bill that would name Christianity the state's official "majority" religion.

House Concurrent Resolution 13 has is pending in the state legislature.

Many Missouri residents had not heard about the bill until Thursday.

Karen Aroesty of the Anti-defamation league, along with other watch-groups, began a letter writing and email campaign to stop the resolution.

The resolution would recognize "a Christian god," and it would not protect minority religions, but "protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs.

The resolution also recognizes that, "a greater power exists," and only Christianity receives what the resolution calls, "justified recognition."

State representative David Sater of Cassville in southwestern Missouri, sponsored the resolution, but he has refused to talk about it on camera or over the phone.

KMOV also contacted Gov. Matt Blunt's office to see where he stands on the resolution, but he has yet to respond.

There is no doubt that the Religious Right, a.k.a. Christ-o-Fascists want to eliminate most, if not all of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

They want to establish America as a Christian Theocracy, in which they can kick-out the non-Chrisitans and revert to some Dark Ages type society. It is long past time for the Christians in America who don't wish to see their religion perverted into some sort of Fascist theocracy to stand up and be counted.

Unless of course, that is the desired outcome.


Technorati Tags: Christian Fascists, Missouri

FOIA Yourself

People For the American Way has set up a FOIA request letter page.

Just go fill out the form, print it off, and mail it in.

And wait.

Since we now know the NSA is spying on Americans, wouldn't it be a good idea to know what they know about you?



Technorati Tags: FOIA, PFAW

Parsing Katrina

Repeatedly we have been told that Bush and his supporters hated the way Clinton and Gore and Kerry parsed. You know, "depends on what the meaning of 'is' is".

Over at Powerline, Assrocket parses so much over the revelations that Bush was made aware of potential problems before Katrina hit, I kept looking for that same quote.

For example:

Let's take that apart. The AP says the transcripts show that Bush was "worried" about the levees failing. But the quote they cite is after Katrina hit, and after levee failures had been reported. This obviously has nothing to do with what was anticipated before the fact. What, then, is the AP's basis for saying that "federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees..."? Here is the only support for that claim in the article:

How about:

But this has nothing to do with the levees breaching; it has to do with them being overtopped--a much less dangerous threat. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there has been endless discussion about the difference between breaching and overtopping. If these AP reporters, Margaret Ebrahim and John Solomon, really don't know the difference, they have no business reporting on Katrina.

I could go on, but what's the point.

Bush is a miserable failure, and those who worship at the altar of Bush won't admit it, even if they have to parse the meaning of the word 'is'.



Technorati Tags: Katrina, Assrocket, Miserable Failure

Thought for the Day

"The truth is always a compound of two half- truths, and you never reach it, because there is always something more to say."

--Tom Stoppard

Thought for the Day

"If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done."

--Peter Ustinov

The Seriousness of Fake News

Today in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the issue of The Daily Show comes to the fore.

When Jon Stewart hosts the Academy Awards on Sunday, he’ll be center stage in front of TV’s most mainstream audience.

No more hiding in the wasteland of late-night cable. No more playing the underdog. After this, he’ll be firmly entrenched as a mainstream name in comedy.

Which is great, of course, for his career as a comedian. But how will it affect his role as a newsman?

Don’t laugh. American culture, it seems, can’t decide whether to classify Stewart as a comedian or a journalist.

Stewart’s late-night newscast parody, The Daily Show, airs four nights a week in a time slot that makes it an alternative to local newscasts. Big-name media figures like Ted Koppel and Bill Moyers have indicated they respect his opinions and take him seriously.

What's really sad about this is that those who watch The Daily Show are more informed than those who rely on traditional newscasts, and newspapers alone for their news. I suspect that the demographic that watches the show regularly actually use the traditional forms of news delivery in conjunction with the Internet and The Daily Show and The Colbert Report to augment the other forms. What it speaks to, more so than the quality of those two shows, is that those who are inclined to watch those shows, actually spend time trying to verify what they see in traditional news outlets.

That says alot about the quality of traditional news outlets.


Technorati Tags: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, News

The War on Women

Frankly what else would you call the anti-abortion movement?

Especially when this happens":

A Suffolk (Virginia) woman who lost her unborn baby after suffering a bullet wound to the abdomen was arrested yesterday and charged with shooting herself to “illegally induce an abortion.”

Frankly, a person who would do that to themselves needs some psychiatric help, but rather than provide her that, the state of Virginia is going to charge her with a felony for trying to "illegally induce an abortion".

Welcome to the America the Religious Right is trying to create.



Technorati Tags: Abortion, Virginia, Religious Right

Impeachment

Glenn Greenwald points us to the Survey-USA 50 state survey on the public's attitude towards the domestic spying scandal.

(1) There is a truly amazing 50-state survey (h/t Markos) on the views of Americans regarding the NSA scandal -- and specifically their beliefs about whether George Bush broke the law. In 37 out of 50 states -- including numerous pure red states -- a plurality believe that it is "clear" that Bush broke the law. The best state for Bush is Oklahoma, where only 42% believe that he clearly did not break the law - the highest number of any state which believes that.

It is clear that America is coming to believe that George W. Bush is and has broken the law (numerous times).

When will our elected representatives begin listening to their consituents?
When will the media?



Technorati Tags: Bush, Impeachment, Glenn Greenwald

Supporting Veterans

1 in 10 have PTSD:

Nearly one in 10 American soldiers who served in Iraq were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, most after witnessing death or participating in combat, a study said on Tuesday.

Mental health screening of veterans showed 21,620 out of 222,620 returning from Iraq and assessed over the year ending April 30, 2004, suffered from post-traumatic stress -- a disorder that can lead to nightmares, flashbacks and delusional thinking.

This is what I was referring to. The Bush administration is ignoring the fundamental responsibilities to our soldiers.

I in no way advocate leaving our soldiers in Iraq, nor do I think we need to "finish the job". I don't even think they should be there. The job they were sent to do was never properly defined. The VA cannot support the soldiers properly when they return from the theater of battle, VA hospital budgets are being cut, services reduced.

That said, that the soldiers don't want to be fighting in Iraq should not be a surprise to anyone. Nor is it a basis for formulating a strategy to deciding how and when to withdraw. What needs to be the basis for formulating a strategy for deciding how to withdraw (the when is moot, as it shouldn't have happened in the first place), needs to be controlled, staged so as to minimize exposure of non-combat personnel to combat. What we cannot allow to happen is helicopters plucking personnel off of rooftops under fire.

Grousing or a Sign of Something More

Think Progress points us to a New York Times poll which shows that 72% of US soldiers want out of Iraq.

I actually don't find this number too surprising. Mainly because most soldiers really don't want to be in a war zone. It is kind of a no brainer there. Secondly, a timetable for withdraw shouldn't be based on troop morale. While it is definitely a concern, troop morale is a strong indicator of their fighting effectiveness, what should be of primary concern is that the leadership, both military and civilian understand what is the drag on morale of the fighting units. Is it lack of equipment, poor condition of equipment, lack of a clear objective or goal, etc. These conditions all contribute to unit cohesiveness, the ability to perform each mission effectively, relations with the civilian population in their area of operations. Battle fatigue is also a genuine concern, and the compressed timetables for rotating in and out of the theater of battle is a huge contributing factor to the fighting effectiveness of the units.

While I believe that the Iraq war is wrong, and the US needs to either withdraw, or redeploy elsewhere, whether or not the soldiers want to be there is a red herring. This is a distraction from the real issue of the Iraq war. Why are we there, and why do we continue to prosecute this war with no clear objective, and no definable goals.

If the leadership were to actually focus on those issues, and ensure that the soldiers are made aware of those goals, then the morale would improve measurably. Ensuring adequate equipment that is in good repair, and of sufficient capability to protect them should also be a priority.

What we need to focus on is ensuring that the leadership does everything that is necessary to a) support the troops in the field (and not empty platitudes), b) figure out how to get them out of there as quickly and safely as possible, c) care for veterans physically, psychologically, and economically when they return.



Technorati Tags: Iraq War, Troop Morale

Thought for the Day

"The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be preserved by quotation."

--Benjamin Disraeli

Oil Politics and Motorsport

Recently I wrote about a proposal by FIA President Max Mosley to change the engine regulations in Formula One racing from a set engine displacement/horsepower rating, to one based on fuel consumption.

Lately Mosley has been making comments about how a possible oil crisis could impact motorsport, and Formula One specifically. First off, it is important to note, that motorsport in general does not consume significan amounts of oil. Certainly one race car does consume more than does the average persons car. However, the number of street cars far out number the number of race cars. However, as Mosley notes, governments can see Formula One as a convenient target.

What this debate can spur, however, is the move to a) even more fuel efficient engines, and even more important b) the development of alternative sources of energy for cars.

The budget of a Formula One team is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, all focused on two or three cars (admittedly cars that get completely rebuilt often), but if some of that money is devoted to those two goals, and the manufacturers who support the teams get behind a program, those advancements would get the needed momentum to be translated into consumer autos. That research has trickled down in the form of composite material use, and increased engine durability and performance without sacrificing fuel efficiency, that is being implemented in the consumer space. It is a small leap to use advancements in alternative fuels, and fuel delivery systems that get developed in the motorsport arena, and pass those down to the consumer space.

It just takes the right incentive to do so.



Technorati Tags: Formula One, F1, Oil

The Rude One

The Rude Pundit speak on the upcoming Right Wing smear attempt of Liberals over the impending Iraq Civil war:

So let's just say it up front here: over here in Liberalburg, we weren't happy when Ronald Reagan was cozying up to Saddam Hussein back in the 1980s. We weren't happy that the United States was backing a brutal, murderous, raping thug, giving him weapons and such. We weren't happy with the first Persian Gulf War. We weren't happy with sanctions that decimated the poorest people in Iraq. We weren't happy that the President wouldn't allow weapons inspectors to finish their work.

We weren't happy with this war to start with, saying, for instance, that a civil war was the inevitable outcome. We're not happy to be proven right. We're not happy, simply, when people are dying for no good cause, with no good outcome on the horizon, and no good way out. Frankly, oh, dear, sweet right wing, on the whole, we'd've rather been wrong and had tens of thousands of people not killed, tens of thousands of America soldiers not wounded. We'd've eaten the crow and, trust us, wonderful, fair right wing, you'd've shoved our faces in the plate of that black bird.

For those of you who haven't read The Rude Pundit before, may not like the images he creates with his writing. However, his is correct.

The coming meme from the right will be that Liberals, and the left in general wanted this all along. Nothing can be further from the truth, the right just doesn't like being told "I told you so".

I was one of the people who, since the war was inevitable, wished fervently that the neo-cons dreams of a new Iraq would have worked out. The last thing the US needs is a protracted war, with no definable outcome, no clearly defined enemy, with an ambiguous goal. However, I knew that exactly what we are seeing today, was going to be the outcome.

We, on the left, need to be prepared for this tactic the right is about to employ. We need to counter it now, while it is just the wankers at Powerline who are breathlessly pronouncing our supposed joy at civil war breaking out in Iraq. Nothing can be further from the truth, but people like that, don't traffic in the truth.




Technorati Tags: Rude Pundit, Iraq War, Powerline

Frivolous Pursuits

I held off on reporting about the DeLay prompted IRS audit of a Texas based non-profit, Texans for Public Justice, until I could see a final report.

Needless to say, what was the anticpated result, was the actual result:

The Internal Revenue Service recently audited the books of a Texas nonprofit group that was critical of campaign spending by former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) after receiving a request for the audit from one of DeLay's political allies in the House.

The lawmaker, House Ways and Means Committee member Sam Johnson (R-Tex.), was in turn responding to a complaint about the group, Texans for Public Justice, from Barnaby W. Zall, a Washington lawyer close to DeLay and his fundraising apparatus, according to IRS documents.

[...]

The IRS sent two auditors last year to comb the 2003 books of Texans for Public Justice and an affiliated foundation that collected donations for the organization. No tax violations were found, according to a letter the IRS sent the group.

Tom DeLay can't stand criticism.

So he sends the IRS on a futile, taxpayer funded investigation of a non-profit to try and intimidate them into silence.

Thanks Tom.

Technorati Tags: Tom DeLay, IRS, Texans for Public Justice

At What Point Will the Media ...

... call him unpopular?

The latest CBS News poll finds President Bush's approval rating has fallen to an all-time low of 34 percent, while pessimism about the Iraq war has risen to a new high.

[...]

In a separate poll, two out of three Americans said they do not think President Bush has responded adequately to the needs of Katrina victims. Only 32 percent approve of the way President Bush is responding to those needs, a drop of 12 points from last September’s poll, taken just two weeks after the storm made landfall.

Is this the most unpopular President in history?

Technorati Tags: George Bush, Unpopular President, Bush Popularity

Sites for Democratic National Convention

Unlike Chicago, which said no to Republicans for the RNC, 11 cities are interested in the DNC:

The DNC initially sent out letters to more than 30 cities, giving them an overview and finding out their level of interest.

The 11 cities that said they were interested: Anaheim, Calif.; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Las Vegas; Minneapolis; New Orleans; New York; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix and San Antonio.

My hope is that Democrats will take the convention into the belly of the beast, and hold it in San Antonio, or Dallas.

Then again, Democrats could show the residents of the Gulf Coast that they haven't forgotten them, and select New Orleans for the convention.

FWIW (since ultimately I have no say), those are the cities I would like to see at the top of the list.


Technorati Tags: DNC, Democratic National Convention

So Who Actually Vetted this Deal?

Apparently not the Coast Guard:

Citing broad gaps in U.S. intelligence, the Coast Guard cautioned the Bush administration that it was unable to determine whether a United Arab Emirates-owned company might support terrorist operations, a Senate panel said Monday.

The surprise disclosure came during a hearing on Dubai-owned DP World's plans to take over significant operations at six leading U.S. ports. The port operations are now handled by London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

"There are many intelligence gaps, concerning the potential for DPW or P&O assets to support terrorist operations, that precludes an overall threat assessment of the potential" merger," an undated Coast Guard intelligence assessment says.

"The breadth of the intelligence gaps also infer potential unknown threats against a large number of potential vulnerabilities," the document says.

I personally am not too keen on going down the "Arabs can't be trusted" line, but the fact that Dubai Ports World is a government owned company, rather than a publicly traded company adds a new dimension to the security angle. One that cannot be casually tossed aside.

Add to that my general unease with foreign owned companies operating America's ports the "warm fuzzies" just aren't there. It is very clear at this point, that there is far more to this deal (Carlyle Group anyone?) than the administration is willing to divulge, even to Congress.



Technorati Tags: Coast Guard, DPW, Port Security

John Carter's Priorities

Mary Beth Harrell is running to unseat John Carter from the 31st Congressional District here in Texas. I have written about her in the past, and she has been using the internet, fairly effectively, to spread the word about her campaign. The Texas Tuesdays project was created to help spread the word about Democratic candidates running in Texas, as well as provide a central location to get information.

Today Harrell has written a post about her visit to the local VA hospital on Valentines day:

Recently, I was privileged to be at our local VA hospital on Valentine’s Day for their annual tribute to our veterans. Carter was also invited but didn’t show.

Carter’s office did send a rep who told us Carter must be real busy because he wouldn't normally miss the chance to spend the afternoon with Miss Texas who was touring the VA hospital.... It seems he missed the point.

As the wife of a veteran, and the mother of two sons currently serving in the Army, she is aware of the ramifications of Bush's disasterous war on individuals serving, and their families. It is obvious that Carter, based on his representatives response, does not. The purpose of the visit was not to spend a day with Miss Texas.

However, it is interesting to note what event John Carter was able to take time out of his apparently busy schedule to attend:

So, I was surprised last Thursday when John Carter managed to make time in his busy schedule to show up at yet another press conference for Travis County Defendant, Tom DeLay, and once again voice his support for his hero and mentor.

Carter actually compared DeLay to a World War I lieutenant fearlessly leading his men in battle.

Maybe if Carter was sent back to private life, he would have more time to spend with Miss Texas, and maybe, just maybe, he could go visit the servicemen and servicewomen who went to fight in the war he supports.


Help Harrell oust Carter


Technorati Tags: Mary Beth Harrell, John Carter, Tx-31

Thought for the Day

"Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing."

--Robert Benchley

The Cult of Bush

E.J. Dionne points out the obvious hypocrisy in the Bush supporters continued claim that a foreign government owned company should manage ports in the US:

Republicans and conservatives would be aghast at the idea of our government owning a company that operated so many of our ports. That would be -- just imagine! -- socialism. But Dubai Ports World is, well, a socialist operation, a state-owned company in the United Arab Emirates. Why is it bad for the federal government to own our port operations, but okay for a foreign government?

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the mantra of Republicans that what the government does, private industry can do better?

Or is it really, that the what the US government does, private industry and foreign governemnts can do better. When Grover Norquist said:

"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."

was he referring only to the American government?

Or is this yet another example of the Cult of Bush?

Because George W. Bush says it is acceptable, Republicans say it is acceptable?


Technorati Tags: Dionne, Republican Hypocrisy

DeLay Woes

Via Holden at First Draft we learn that Tom DeLay ain't doin' so hot:

Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, is trailing his potential Democratic opponent, former Rep. Nick Lampson, in fundraising and cash in the bank, according to new financial reports that covered the first six weeks of the year.

DeLay, who faces three contenders in the March 7 Republican primary for the 22nd Congressional District seat, raised $154,712 and spent $304,795 between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, the time span covered in the reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. The lawmaker reported having about $1.3 million in the bank.

Nick Lampson has $1.4 million in the bank and is spending less money. Tom DeLay's expenditures also include spending on lawyers having to defend his money launering charges. I suspect this is also impacting his fundraising ability significantly.

Poor DeLay.



Technorati Tags: Tom DeLay, Nick Lampson, Tx-22

Continuing the Narrative

We are supposed to believe that DPW actually requested this review?

However, if you rely on the media for information, that is the conclusion you are left with.



Technorati Tags: DPW, Port Security

Texas as the Model

Over the past year, I have been looking at the Republicans in Washington, shaking my head, and wondering what the hell is going on.

Well, February's issue of Texas Monthly (paid sub. req.), we can see by what is playing out in the Texas legislature, in a rather public manner, what is probably happening in Washington, in a more private setting.

AT SOME POINT, YOU’D THINK the state’s Republican leadership would be ashamed of the mess it’s made of things. The laundry list includes the school finance debacle; Tom DeLay’s fund-raising activities in the 2002 election; the midcycle congressional redistricting, another DeLay-inspired adventure, which now faces review by the U.S. Supreme Court amid revelations that the fix was in when the Department of Justice gave the plan its blessing; the continual sniping and snubbing by and among the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the Speaker; and the current campaign by the party hierarchy to defeat legislators who have dared to suggest, by their votes, that the leadership is on the wrong track. The common flaw uniting these embarrassments is a desire for power that exceeds a desire for policy—and a complete lack of shame. There is no sense of restraint. There is no impulse to govern. There is only the desire for more power.

The first clue of what we can see, is "the desire for more power". This desire for more power, exceeds the mandate to implement conservative values.

In Texas Republican Party activist, and those not officially affiliated with the TxGOP, are actively trying to oust and/or undermine solidly conservative members of the Texas senate, which has a long history of treating the minority party, fairly. It all has the same flavor as what we have seen and written about by myself, Glenn Greenwald, and others, about the RNC.

Party ideology trumps governing, a.k.a. Party over country.

It started with Texas Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst. Although he has violated the rule himself, most notably with redistricting, generally he has held to what is called the two-thirds rule. It involves a lot of Senate rules that pretty much ensures that the Lt. Governor can control the legislative calendar, rather than a bunch of over zealous Senators. This rule has been in force for over 50 years, and has ensured that even the minority party has the ability to get legislation introduced and considered. However, these various Republican aligned groups in Texas are pressuring Dewhurst to eliminate this rule, so that their far right Republican Senators can guarantee that their otherwise odious legislation cannot be spiked with these rules. However,

The two-thirds rule may seem like an anachronism in these days of intense partisan politics. But if none of its obvious advantages—civility, consensus, fairness—cut any sway with Republicans, they should consider this: If they continue to govern without shame, they will only hasten the day when they are out of power. Then they will dearly regret that they did away with the minority’s ability to temper the passions of the majority.

It is obvious that the current Republican majority has no plan to relinquish its majority in Congress, both at the state and federal levels, but unless they plan on destroying our government (not outside the realm of possibility), it is highly likely they will, one day, lose their majority.

Watch them howl like a bunch of crybabies when these same partisan rules changes are used against them.

But, getting back to the main topic, what is happening here in Texas, as has probably happened elsewhere, is probably what is happening behind closed doors in Washington. Bill Frist waffles between acting like a real Conservative, and acting like a Republican when his Conservative views come in conflict with his Republican views. It is at these times that there are those, both within Congress, and without, who are quick to remind him that if he wants to remain in power, he will toe the line. And because he wants to remain in power, he does.

This is all the more reason we need to elect a Democratic majority this year, as well as not re-electing people like Henry Cuellar, and Joe Lieberman. People like them, who are more than willing to undercut their own party, and side with Republicans, need to be removed from the party. From the war in Iraq, to the criminalization of abortion, to the privatization of Social Security, etc, etc, the Republican party has made it clear, through words and actions, that they are only interested in dismantling the Constitution, the laws, and the institutions of the United States which have made it a great and strong country. I am afraid to find out what kind of country they would like to see implemented in its stead.



Technorati Tags: Paul Burka, Rebpublican, Democrat, Texas

Blogversary

As of today, I have been doing this for one year.

Interesting.


My first post.

That is all.

Thought for the Day

"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it."

--Voltaire

Well, Duh

Abortion measure could mean big legal battle.

This is exactly what the anti-Abortion crowd wants. They want a big public fight on their hands pitting the abortion rights crowd against the anti-abortion crowd. With a majority of the public nationwide supporting Roe v Wade, and wanting the Supreme Court to uphold it, the only way this issue will be resolved is if this battle goes all the way to the top.

I have no expectation that if Roe is upheld, that the challenges will stop. The justices that vote to uphold will be painted as activist judges who have no respect for the rule of law (this despite Roe being the current law of the land), but it will be a major setback.

If the anti-Abortion crowd prevails then the issue reverts to the state, and a state-by-state battle will ensue.



Technorati Tags: Abortion Rights, South Dakota

"I Was Against the Port Deal ...

... before I was for it:

Frist said Republicans trust the Bush administration and think its determination that the port deal doesn't threaten American security is "in all likelihood absolutely the right one."

The Cult of Bush rears its ugly head yet again.



Technorati Tags: Bush Cultism, Frist