Blue Moon

Happy Blue Moon.

Ode to Junior

Or, 'late night semi-drunk blogging':

The Smiths from the album "Meat is Murder" as interpreted by those cute, little Russian minxes, t.A.T.uI am the son (yes you are)
and the heir (yes you are)
of a shyness (Valium?) that is criminally vulgar(too obvious...)
I am the son and heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth(or what, Gitmo?)
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way? (ummm...)
I am human and I need to be loved (as if)
just like everybody else does

I am the son
and the heir
of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and the heir
of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

There's a club (Exxon) if you'd like to go (it's in Iraq)
you could meet somebody (Dick) who really loves you (well not really...)
so you go, and you stand on your own
and you leave on your own
and you go home, and you cry
and you want to die (ah)

When you say it's gonna happen "now"
well, when exactly do you mean? (September?)
see I've already waited too long (since it began...)
and all my hope is gone (ain't that the truth?)

You shut your mouth
how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
just like everybody else does

WTF USAF?

Who's business is it? Just wondering why the USAF with its readiness issues and a "war"/occupation on, a severely strained military, why they would care what someone does in the privacy of one's bedroom. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

From Military.Com:
Female Airman Punished for Threesome

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany - A Spangdahlem-based airman was sentenced Monday to four months confinement for her part in a sexual act with two other airmen. [ ] She faced a maximum sentence that included as many as 10 years in a military prison, but Air Force prosecutors argued for a lighter sentence of two years. read the rest...

Freeway Blogger speaks for Cindy...and Me

In honor of Cindy Sheehan, Freeway Blogger has some choice words to share with the 2 million people that see his sign.

Congressman tells truth, is completely ignored.

By SoccerDad the LeftCoaster...via Avedon Carol.

Make Gonzo Gone-o

Go see Water Tiger the Dependable Renegade and sign the petition to impeach Gonzo.

Why do 28% of the American people still approve?

That bastion of free-thinking liberalism, the Wall Street Journal tells of chimpy's approval rating holding at a limp 28%.

Pravda, Da!

Well it would appear that I am a communist...I agree wholeheartedly with this OpEd from the English language edition of Pravda.

Memorial Day speech 29.05.2007

Ladies and gentlemen:

During the Memorial Day Holiday, it is customary to honor those courageous individuals who lost their lives in the numerous wars America has fought during its two hundred and thirty years of existence. But it goes without saying that nobody questions the bravery, the commitment and the sacrifice made by those intrepid men and women.

So, in today’s world, it is perhaps more fitting to devote a Memorial Day Speech to the cowards, the liars, the hypocrites and the exploiters who made many of these wars, including the current Iraqi war, possible.

First and foremost, we must thank George W. Bush, a “pro-life” warmonger who instigated the Iraqi war based upon nothing but outright lies, and who then “intrepidly” challenged Iraqi insurgents to “bring it on” from the safety of the White House in Washington D.C., one of the most fortified buildings in the world, located in one of the most fortified cities in the world.

Americans should not forget that, when the time came for Bush to serve his country during the Vietnam War, he did not hesitate to use his family’s wealth and influence to avoid combat duty, instead performing some National Guard duties, the nature of which remains nebulous to this day.

Soldiers wounded in Iraq should also remember that even though their conditions could potentially be improved through advancements in stem-cell research, Bush opposes such research, thus ensuring that such advancements will never be made.

Americans should also not forget the “heroism” of the venal Dick Cheney, who received five separate deferments to avoid combat duty in Vietnam. When asked why he took such extraordinary measures to avoid military service, Cheney replied that he had “other priorities.” Well, I’m sure that many of those who did serve in Vietnam (or who are currently serving in Iraq) had (and have) other priorities as well.

We must also not forget that paradigm of cowardice and hypocrisy, Tom Delay. Delay’s cowardice was shown by the lame excuse he gave for his failure to serve in Vietnam: That so many “minority youth” had enlisted in the military, there was no room for “patriotic folks” like him.

Delay’s hypocrisy was shown when he proclaimed during the Clinton administration that “bombing a sovereign nation for ill-defined reasons with vague objectives undermines American stature in the world,” yet announced during the Bush dictatorship that “it’s not the time to be questioning this president on how he is carrying out the war.”

Of course, this speech would be remiss if one did not mention how an apparent alliance between “The Swift Boat Veterans” and Sinclair Broadcasting Group, owner of the largest chain of television stations in the United States, resulted in hypocritical attacks on Presidential Candidate John Kerry and his conduct during the Vietnam War, particularly since, by attacking Kerry, these veterans were basically endorsing the candidacy of two cowards who avoided even serving in Vietnam.

And naturally we should not forget all those other politicians who have emulated Bush and Cheney by voting to send young men and women off to wars that neither they nor their loved ones have volunteered to participate in. After all, why demand that Bush’s twin daughters endure the rigors of fighting in a war their father illegally started when they can “productively” spend their time drinking excessively and running nude through hotel hallways in Argentina?

But war would not be war without its legion of fans, particularly the fans of country music. Performers in this genre have made the exploitation of war an art form. So thank you Tim McGraw for performing “If You’re Reading This,” at the Academy of Country Music Awards—a venue much more fitting than singing in combat fatigues from the front lines in Iraq. And thank you Toby Keith for “bravely” volunteering to “kick ass” in Iraq from the safety of the concert stage and recording studio. And we should not forget to thank Kid Rock, that transparent opportunist who suddenly began appearing on country music stations when his support of the Iraqi war lost him fans in the “rock-and-roll” arena. Nor should we forget to thank the equally opportunistic Larry the Cable Guy, who used the comedy stage to praise Toby Keith’s cowardice, while condemning the Dixie Chicks for having the courage to denounce this cowardice.

But these performers would not be possible without all those country music fans who buy their records and attend their concerts or movies, never once asking these performers why, if they are so “patriotic,” they aren’t serving their country in the military, instead of just singing about it.

Next we must thank the stars of television and movies: the Gary Sinises, the Ron Silvers, the Dennis Millers, the Bruce Willis(s), the Elisabeth Hasselbecks, and other such cowards who, like many of their country music counterparts, “fight” the Iraqi war from the safety of television and movie studios. After all, if there weren’t real soldiers actually risking life and limb, people, like Willis and Sinise, could not draw bloated paychecks playing soldiers in the “Hollywoodland” of make believe.

Then we must thank those who “support the troops,” as long as it results in cheap publicity: the Wrestling Federations who film their excursions to Iraq so they can demonstrate their “patriotism” in televised specials back home; the cast of the movie THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, who conveniently visited an army base to tell the troops “thank you,” at the same time their movie was being released; and all those other celebrities who conspicuously make a point of discussing how they’ve gone to Iraq to “entertain” the troops. Whatever happened to entertaining the troops simply for the sake of entertaining the troops, without the need for crass self-promotion?

Nevertheless, it should be remembered that the Iraqi war would not have been complete without the invaluable assistance of the world’s most famous lap dog, the soon-to-be former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who, through his fawning subservience to George W. Bush, proved that Neville Chamberlain was not the only British Prime Minister willing to appease a tyrant. At least Chamberlain was trying to avoid a war, instead of provoking one.

Lastly, Memorial Day would not be Memorial Day unless we thank the pundits, especially those “heroic” neo-conservative warmongers, almost none of whom have ever served in combat, nor even in the military. Thank you Rush Limbaugh for avoiding Vietnam because of an alleged cyst on your posterior; Thank you William Kristol for your Cheshire grin as you promote your warmongering agenda on Rupert Murdoch’s Fox “News” Channel, the network that has apparently been inspired by the Joseph Goebbels “school” of journalism; Thank you Charles Krauthammer for adding your arrogant smirk to Kristol’s grin as you hawk the war you’re too gutless to fight in; Thank you Bill O’Reilly for “courageously” telling documentary filmmaker Michael Moore you would risk your life (though not the lives of your children) “for the defense of Fallujah.” Apparently Fallujah must now be located in the Fox “News” studios, since you certainly have not relocated yourself to the city of Fallujah in Iraq; Let us also thank the Richard Perles, the Ann Coulters, the Sean Hannity(s) and others whose warmongering cowardice is an inspiration to all those people who demand that others do what they will not.

Finally, a big thank you to Rupert Murdoch for opining that the casualty figures in Iraq are “minute.” Regretfully Murdoch and the scum he supports seem inordinately unwilling to risk becoming part of this “minutiae.”

Just think about it America! If the nation had to depend upon those politicians, pundits and celebrities who instigated the Iraqi war to fight the Iraqi war, there would be no war. Strange how those who are quickest to pontificate about sacrifice and courage are the ones least likely to demonstrate these virtues in their personal lives.

This list, however, would not be complete without thanking all the Las Vegas tourists who engaged in a “pro-war” riot, after singer Linda Ronstadt took an anti-war stance during one of her concerts. I wonder how many of you have transformed your willingness to riot into a willingness to perform combat service in Iraq. Thanks to the United States Supreme Court for ignoring all ethical, moral and legal precedent in its corrupt zeal to catapult a war criminal like George W. Bush into the highest office in the land.

But most of all, thank you Americans (you know who you are) who supported, and in some cases continue to support, the Bush dictatorship. Without your short-sightedness, without your slavish obedience and reckless belief that warmongers never lie, without your support of those politicians, pundits, singers and entertainers who expect sacrifices of others they are unwilling to make themselves, many young people would be celebrating Memorial Day at home with their families, instead of risking and losing their lives in Iraq.

So as we close this Memorial Day weekend, America can be assured that many of its people will remain oblivious to the lessons of history; thus liars can still gain power, exploiters can still use war for profit and self-promotion, and Americans can still be duped into supporting unnecessary wars.

Sadly this also means that Memorial Days in the future will continue to be used to eulogize those who didn’t have to die.

David R. Hoffman
Legal Editor of Pravda.Ru

H/T to Rf for the linky

I Lost My Son to a War I Oppose. We Were Both Doing Our Duty.

Andrew J. Bacevich teaches history and international relations at Boston University. His son died May 13 after a suicide bomb explosion in Salah al-Din province. Read his WaPo OpEd:

Parents who lose children, whether through accident or illness, inevitably wonder what they could have done to prevent their loss. When my son was killed in Iraq earlier this month at age 27, I found myself pondering my responsibility for his death.

Among the hundreds of messages that my wife and I have received, two bore directly on this question. Both held me personally culpable, insisting that my public opposition to the war had provided aid and comfort to the enemy. Each said that my son's death came as a direct result of my antiwar writings.

Read the rest.

And the hits just keep on coming

Three thousand, four hundred, sixty-six American Dead. It's only noon.

One more, 4467. It's 2PM.

7 PM, another:4468

Way to go democrats

I have hesitated to comment on the democrats passing the funding for the ongoing Iraq occupation, without benchmarks, until this morning. On the heels of dem senate leader Harry Reid's tepid, whiny announcement that 'they did their best' and had to send the chimp-king everything he wanted, what I heard in Reid's statement was an implicit threat: the dems are our only hope and until they are in power fully, with the White House firmly in tow, they can't do anything to stop this president. The topper for me has been the news that Gold Star Mother, Cindy Sheehan has quit the Peace Movement. From Cindy Sheehan's diary at DKOS:

I have endured a lot of smear and hatred since Casey was killed and especially since I became the so-called "Face" of the American anti-war movement. Especially since I renounced any tie I have remaining with the Democratic Party, I have been further trashed on such "liberal blogs" as the Democratic Underground. Being called an "attention whore" and being told "good riddance" are some of the more milder rebukes

. Read the rest of Cindy's entry. From CNN:

• Sheehan: My son "did indeed die for nothing"
• She is upset that Democrats and anti-war politicians can't end Iraq war
• She is exhausted by the personal, financial and emotional toll
• "I am going to take whatever I have left and go home," she wrote

Apparently, the will of 70% of the American people is meaningless to the people we have elected to execute our will. What next? Martial law? Revolution? Way to go dems, and you wonder why people call you cowardly...and oh yeah, 8 more soldiers dead as of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day

Today is the day of Remembrance for those fallen and those whom have served. Please take a moment in spite of the department store sales, sporting events and BBQ's, to remember the dead and the injured of the less than one percent of Americans making actual sacrifices for the failed policies of the criminal Bush administration, because they have to. The men and women that serve in our military are committed out of contractual obligation and personal integrity to complete the jobs they signed on for. Today's military support for the failed war/occupation strategy closely mirrors that of the American public.

Slate has compiled the timely and important Doonesbury strips that speak to the bush shit of this ongoing Iraqi and American massacre that fuels such unrest in the Middle East.

As of noon today, four thousand, four hundred and fifty five members of the American military have died. Please remember and honor their service today. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Take a moment to remember.

Op-Ed Columnist Paul Krugman puts it like this: Trust and Betrayal

“In this place where valor sleeps, we are reminded why America has always gone to war reluctantly, because we know the costs of war.” That’s what President Bush said last year, in a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Those were fine words, spoken by a man with less right to say them than any president in our nation’s history. For Mr. Bush took us to war not with reluctance, but with unseemly eagerness.

Now that war has turned into an epic disaster, in part because the war’s architects, whom we now know were warned about the risks, didn’t want to hear about them. Yet Congress seems powerless to stop it. How did it all go so wrong? read the rest...

The NYT photo essay of the day.

Promotion

My apologies for not posting in two days. I have been busy with home and family life. Saturday, my husband was promoted. We had the ceremony at our house with members of all branches military in attendance. We were all in uniform, with military brass present. We used the US flag that was draped over the coffin at my husband's Grandfather's military funeral as a backdrop. The flag has not been unfurled until this special event. The ceremony was simple and honorable.

I am proud of my husband's service and accomplishments and honor the service of all in attendance. During my absence from the blog 10 more American service persons died. Godspeed to them and to us all in this dangerous time.

Stop The Occupation

New to the sidebar on DeepCon is another petition to sign in an effort stop the occupation in Iraq. Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriots is gearing up to try and stop the surge. Check it out and please sign it, no matter if it is your first petition or your 50th. Much thanks to reader/sometimes poster Mary, for the heads up and the Progressive Patriots widget.

PFC LaVena Johnson UPDATE

I have posted a number of times on the tragic death of PFC LaVena Johnson and today found a recent news report updating us on the progress of the mounting suspicion and investigation into her death, which I believe was murder. Please watch the video and if you haven't already done so, please sign the petition to put pressure on the pentagon to right this injustice to one of our brave fallen.

KO:Special Comment "Compromised"

Crooks and Liars has it.

Bush grants presidency extraordinary powers

Being reported by The Bill Press Show via World Net Daily News, the preznit has issued and signed a "directive for emergencies" which apparently gives authority without congressional oversight.

The "National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive" was signed May 9, notes Jerome R. Corsi in a WND column.

It was issued with the dual designation of NSPD-51, as a National Security Presidential Directive, and HSPD-20, as a Homeland Security Presidential Directive.

The directive establishes under the office of the president a new national continuity coordinator whose job is to make plans for "National Essential Functions" of all federal, state, local, territorial and tribal governments, as well as private sector organizations to continue functioning under the president's directives in the event of a national emergency.

"Catastrophic emergency" is loosely defined as "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions."

Quote of the Day

Or understatement of the day, whichever you prefer:

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking. -George S. Patton

Goodling goes to the Rodeo

Born-again hole, Monica Goodling testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee today, stating among other things that she, "crossed the line" when it came to partisan hirings of rethuglicans who toed the Bush-line. Think Progress has the video and stories galore on Goodling's testimony.
Read it all.

General Stupidity

Another prick-motherfucker General retires--finally.

Lt.Gen. William Boykin's departure ends a legendary 36 year career, most of it as a special operations warrior and member of the army's elite Delta Force counter-terrorism unit.Boykin oversaw the Pentagon's counter-terrorism operations and the so far unsuccessful search for bin Laden.

A devout evangelical Christian, he gained notoriety for a series of videotaped appearances at churches across the United States in 2003 in which he vividly portrayed the war on terrorism as a fight with Satan. [ ] Details of Boykin's career are shrouded in secrecy but he has been reported to have played a role in some of most dramatic US military engagements of the past three decades.

He is said to have been part of the Delta Force team that made an aborted attempt to rescue US hostages in Tehran in 1980.

He was seriously wounded in Grenada in 1983, was part of the invasion force sent to capture Panamanian strongman General Manuel Noriega in 1989, and led the Delta Force during the "Black Hawk Down" battle in Somalia in 1993.

It would appear from the missions the DOD feels good about releasing information on, the Gen. Boink-in is a bit of a failure in the picking-the right mission department.

Read the rest of Raw Story's account of military mental deficiency

Get Out of Jail Free Card

File under: better late than never department. I am still home in San Francisco soaking up as much of my fair city as possible before the long trek back to Texas, and have found only now, in the wee hours, the time to post for today.

In the meantime, while I was screwing around, Gary Kamiya of Salon, has punched through full-force, with a killer indictment of Bush--and the American people.

The Bush presidency is a lot of things. It's a secretive cabal, a cavalcade of incompetence, a blood-stained Church Militant, a bad rerun of "The Godfather" in which scary men in suits pay ominous visits to hospital rooms. But seen from the point of view of the American people, what it increasingly resembles is a bad marriage. America finds itself married to a guy who has turned out to be a complete dud. Divorce -- which in our nonparliamentary system means impeachment -- is the logical solution. But even though Bush cheated on us, lied, besmirched our family's name and spent all our money, we the people, not to mention our elected representatives and the media, seem content to stick it out to the bitter end.

read the rest...

Greetings from San Francisco

I have to start slowly today as I'm achy and up to my eyeballs in paperwork. Achy from running the San Francisco Bay to Breakers and paperwork for our imminent relocation.

As far as the Bay to Breakers, it was about 60,000 participants strong and one of us got our name in the paper for placing in the first 10,000.

Hope everyone had a stellar weekend. I haven't yet checked the news, but did update the casualty figures from Iraq (22 more dead since Thursday), and caught enough of the talking heads this weekend to see they buried the latest saga of Gonzo-gate on page 27, so to speak. This media malfeasance has got to stop. This administration clearly lobs so many bombs, it's hard to keep up with the damage they inflict much less try to correct it. It is so time to throw the bums out.

Gonzo, meet John Mitchell--Dubya, meet Nixon

In light of the discovery of Gonzo's bedside-burgling of John Ashcroft, and the president's own words in regard to the wiretapping of millions of Americans (without a warrant), Ive dug up a post from last year on the blog Empire Burlesque. This blogger, Chris Floyd, has compiled a brilliant article detailing the chimp-offenses during the time period this story had its first incarnation (which was ignored). I reprise it today (while the MSM continues to ignore it).

In 20004, on April 20th, Junior Bush stood in front of television cameras and apparently unawares of concept of videotape, (scroll down to 'wiretap') made this statement:

"Now, by the way, anytime you hear the government talking about wiretap, it requires--a wiretap requires a court-order. Nothing has changed, by the way. [ ]

It's important for our fellow citizens to understand when you think Patriot Act, Constitution guarantees are in place. When it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our fatherland homeland because we value the constitution."

In the words of the ACLU, "Why did we bother to debate the Patriot Act if Bush could make up his own rules about spying on U.S. citizens?" I would add, and then lie about it...

Truthdig's Marie Cocco brings us the USA-scandal-meets-Watergate and some of the implications.

The most shocking thing to me about this debacle in its entirety, is not the blatant corruption, or even the total disrespect for the law by these criminals, that is to be expected with this gang-that-couldn't-shoot-straight. What rouses my ire is the fluffing-over it gets from the mainstream media, which should really be called, to borrow from a great blog with real news, crooks and liars--corporate style. All I can say is let the impeachment games begin!!

Update 10:45 PM: Still no mention of Comey's testimony on ABC or CBS, imagine that.

All hail the king

Graphic courtesy of Truthdig
Sidney Blumenthal over at Salon, has yet again posted a laser-bright, scathing assessment of Chimpy and his cronies who snub their noses at the rule of law and the Constitution.

Loyalty to Bush is the ultimate royal principle of the imperial presidency. The ruler must be unquestioned and those around him unquestioning. Allegiance to Bush's idea of himself as the "war president," "the decider" and "the commander guy" is paramount. But the notion that the ruler is loyal to those loyal to him is no longer necessarily true. While he must be beheld as the absolute incarnation of kingly virtue, his sense of obligation to those paying homage has become perilously relative. [ ] Those who feel compelled to tell the truth rather than stick to the cover story are cast in the dust, like McNulty. Those Bush defends as an extension of his authority but who become too expensive become expendable, like Wolfowitz. And those who exist solely as Bush's creations and whose survival is crucial to his own are shielded, like Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Read the rest of Sid's Masterblasting.

Gravel: Bush should be jailed

Former Sen. Mike Gravel, the longshot presidential candidate who has generated buzz in the liberal blogosphere following a dramatic and heated performance during the first Democratic presidential debate, reaffirmed his belief that President Bush should be jailed for going to war in Iraq and that all drugs should be legalized during an interview with the Iowa Independent blog.

read the rest at Raw Story

Helicopters hit by mortar rounds at U.S. base in Iraq

Why am I reading this in a small, local paper? Hmmm.

May 17, 2007 7:08 AM

BAGHDAD (AP) - Mortar rounds hit a U.S. Air Force base north of Baghdad on Thursday, destroying one helicopter and damaging nine others, police said.

The attack at Taji, a major Air Force on the northern outskirts of Baghdad, occurred about 2 a.m., the police said.

read the rest...

Attack on Green Zone Kills Two

Not so safe you see...Read it here.

“Troops don’t need bigger pay raises."

So says White House budget officials, Wednesday in a statement of administration policy laying out objections to the House version of the 2008 defense authorization bill. … Bush budget officials said the administration ’strongly opposes’ both the 3.5 percent raise for 2008 and the follow-on increases, calling extra pay increases ‘unnecessary.’

Kiss my ass Bush supporters. This is how your president "supports the troops."

Wiretapping for Dummies

Yesterday's testimony from former Deputy AG James Comey had some bombshells in it. Cryptic, but telling new info about Chimpy&Co's illegal wiretapping free-for-all. (If you didn't see the C-SPAN broadcast, it's linked here.) Josh Marshall of TPM gives great insight and links with additional commentary by Knowledgeable TPM Reader:

Trust the Washington press corps to lunge for the process story, and ignore the substance.

When the warrantless wiretap surveillance program came up for review in March of 2004, it had been running for two and a half years. We still don't know precisely what form the program took in that period, although some details have been leaked. But we now know, courtesy of Comey, that the program was so odious, so thoroughly at odds with any conception of constitutional liberties, that not a single senior official in the Bush administration's own Department of Justice was willing to sign off on it. In fact, Comey reveals, the entire top echelon of the Justice Department was prepared to resign rather than see the program reauthorized, even if its approval wasn't required. They just didn't want to be part of an administration that was running such a program.

This wasn't an emergency program; more than two years had elapsed, ample time to correct any initial deficiencies. It wasn’t a last minute crisis; Ashcroft and Comey had both been saying, for weeks, that they would withhold
approval. But at the eleventh hour, the President made one final push, dispatching his most senior aides to try to secure approval for a continuation of the program, unaltered.

H/T to Lotus for the heads-up.

KagroX of DKOS adds some video and context to the bedside bullying of Ashcroft.

Democrats Drop the Ball--Again

As you know, the Feingold-Reid bill to kill the occupation, didn't make it out of committee. A disappointment to be sure, but more disheartening are the democratic senators that voted against the measure. Most of the dems who've been saying they are "anti-war" walk their talk. Please call the offending senators and tell them what you think.I feel heartsick. Greg Sargent at TPM writes it up and presents us with the hall of shame; the dems that dropped the ball:

Against:
Baucus (MT)
Bayh (IN)
Bingaman (NM)
Carper (DE)
Casey (PA)
Conrad (ND)
Dorgan (ND)
Landrieu (LA)
Levin (MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (AR)
McCaskill (MO)
Bill Nelson (FL)
Ben Nelson (NE)
Pryor (AR)
Reed (RI)
Rockefeller (WV)
Salazar (CO)
Tester (MT)
Webb (VA)

For:
Akaka (HI)
Biden (DE)
Boxer (CA)
Byrd (WV)
Cantwell (WA)
Cardin (MD)
Clinton (NY)
Dodd (CT)
Durbin (IL)
Feingold (WI)
Feinstein (CA)
Harkin (IA)
Inouye (HI)
Kennedy (MA)
Kerry (MA)
Klobuchar (MN)
Kohl (WI)
Lautenberg (NJ)
Leahy (VT)
Menendez (NJ)
Mikulski (MD)
Murray (WA)
Obama (IL)
Reid (NV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (NY)
Stabenow (MI)
Whitehouse (RI)
Wyden (OR)

Not Voting:
Brown (OH)
Johnson (SD)

BTW, why was Sherrod Brown out of commission?

A note to buoy my spirits from reader Nefarious Leslie:Hi Hopey. mcjoan says:

The Feingold-Reid Amendment failed this morning, 29-67. Twenty-nine of our Democratic Senators does comprise a majority of the majority party, and is a significant bump from the 11 senators who are actual cosponsors of the bill. It also sent the strong message that many Dems, including the presidential contenders, endorse the idea of cutting funding in principle.

But the result means that we still have a lot of work to do.

I like to think of it the way she does, only because it’s less depressing and focuses on moving forward.-Nefarious Leslie

Thanks NL, that helps with the sting.

Meet our new ‘war czar’

Carpetbagger has the story.

About five weeks ago, the Washington Post had a fascinating scoop: the White House was looking (unsuccessfully) for a “high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” The person would apparently be the new Commander in Chief — coordinating military policy and having the power to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department, and other agencies. [ ] The good news for the Bush gang is that they finally found a sucker person to take the job. The bad news for the Bush gang is they hired a man who thinks the White House is wrong.

read the rest...

Daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. Dies

Photo Credit:Peter Dejong/Associated Press



The New York Times writes it up. Rest in Peace Yolanda Denise King. We as a people, lose another thread in the fabric designed to evolve the human spirit.

"Sen. Warner: Protect America, Not George Bush"

So says General Wes Clark. Watch his latest from Vote Vets:

Pakistani soldier kills US serviceman at Peace meeting

Times of London reports:

An American soldier was killed inside Pakistan yesterday after an attempted peace meeting on one of the world’s most sensitive borders erupted in gunfire.

read the rest...

Grave Dancing

Shoephone over at Evergreen Politics has eulogized Jerry Falwell's passing. Though it is said one should not speak ill of the dead, I cannot help but feel relief at the passing of one of the most virulent racist, anti-Christians to have walked the earth.

Jerry Falwell was a racist; a bigot extraordinaire. He called the civil rights movement, “the civil wrongs movement.” Said of Desmond Tutu he was "a fake" after he won the Nobel peace prize. Supported Apartheid. Told his supporters to buy Krugerrands in order to support the horror that was Apartheid. Berated his ‘flock’ to give until it hurt, regardless of how poor. Said MLK Jr. was not a real Christian. Covered-up Jim Bakker’s affair, in order to steal the PTL Club.He was the original 'Gay-hater.' He is a piece of human garbage and should be eulogized as such. He was pure evil. Who could hate MLK Jr. but an absolute fuckstick?? Jimmy Carter, the consummate gentleman, said of Falwell, "He can go to hell." That says it all.

From Shoephone's post:

Jerry Falwell's dead. Or "Jimmy Cracked Corn and I Don't Care."

No reports yet on what killed him. Maybe he was struck down by the Lawd for saying all those hideous things about anyone and everyone who didn't follow his strict religious doctrines? Nah, it was probably just your basic heart attack. If only he had used his powers for good, instead of evil...

read the rest...

Thanks to reader Op99, I'm linking the Carpetbagger Report of Jerry Falwells' record of injustice.

One of these things looks like the other...

The brilliant men of Sadly, No have gone to great lengths er, links to provide a shockingly funny and well informed view of the wingnut-o-sphere in all their glorious wingnuttery. Give it a look-see. These boys are on-fire.
Here's my contribution to their fabulous conflagration:

Over The Line: 3,400 deaths in Iraq and it's only 3 PM

How many more Americans, how many more Iraqis, how many more military families must lose a loved one? Today we stand at three thousand, four hundred American military deaths.The politicians in Washington continue to posture as more die and suffer. From the point of view of a soldier that's been there, I've linked the blog "From My Position" Our politics are not in concurrence but there's very little tangling with the facts this war-injured soldier provides. Take a look and then, please contact your representatives in congress and the senate and DEMAND they cut off funding and bring the troops home. Enough is enough.

UPDATE: 3401 Dead, 5:51PM

General Eaton: If Pres. Bush Won't Listen, Congress Must

Former second commander in Iraq, Major General (ret.) Paul D. Eaton declares that the President did not listen to his commanders, and is still not listening, when it comes to the war in Iraq.
Video courtesy of Vote Vets Call your senator now. And keeping calling until the message gets through. No more stalling.

Captured Americans?

Times of London is reporting that the “Islamic State in Iraq,” an insurgent group linked to an al-Qaeda group in Iraq has captured 3 US soldiers outside of Bagdad.

An insurgent group linked to al-Qaeda yesterday claimed to be holding three American soldiers in Iraq who went missing after a dawn attack on their patrol south of Baghdad.

read the rest...

Gasbag

Gas prices on Clinton's watch were significantly lower than during the BushCo's reign of terror. Graphic stolen from All Hat No Cattle, courtesy of Dennis in Colorado.

Dog gets medal for saving kids

We have a Jack Russell named George and while this story isn't about our George, I still wanted to post it, sadness and all.

WELLINGTON (AFP) - Nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier George is being honoured with a posthumous bravery medal for saving five New Zealand children from an attack by two pitbulls.

The medal from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) comes after US Vietnam veteran Jerrell Hudman said he was sending his Purple Heart medal to George's owner after hearing of the dog's bravery.

read the rest

Dreamer

A little Saturday music to get your heart started.
Livin' Joy - Dreamer (Junior Vasquez Sound Factory Mix Edit)

Action Alert

Action Alert from the Free Press:

The U.S. Postal Service is about to implement a massive hike in its rates for magazines that would put diverse and free speech at risk.

Postal regulators have decided to adopt a plan that favors the nation's largest publishers, like Time Warner and Hearst, while unfairly burdening thousands of smaller and independent magazines with much higher postal rates, as high as 20 or 30 percent.

You can help reverse this unfair decision by demanding that the new postal rates do not favor Big Media over small publishers:

Sign Our Letter to Stamp Out the Rate Hikes.

The plan to give Big Media lower rates was submitted by Time Warner, the nation's largest publisher. We were stunned when postal regulators chose the Time Warner plan -- with little apparent hard research on how the plan would affect small publishers -- instead of another proposal made by the Postal Service itself that would have imposed an equal increase on all publishers.

If implemented, the Time Warner plan could push many smaller publications to the brink of bankruptcy.

America's founding fathers understood that the First Amendment would be worth little without a postal system that encouraged broad public participation in America's marketplace of ideas. To ensure that a diversity of viewpoints were available to "the whole mass of the people," they created affordable postal rates that gave smaller political journals a voice.

The rate increase reverses this egalitarian ideal. It threatens the democratic discourse that our founding fathers fostered through the U.S. mail system.

Please join us in urging postal regulators and Congress to convene public hearings, investigate how these rate increases were decided in what seems to be an unfair and unorthodox way, and reverse the ruling.

Take action today:

Act Now: Save Small and Independent Publishers

With your help, we can stop this decision and restore the postal system that has served free speech in America so well.

Thanks for all you do,

Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net

1. To learn more about the campaign visit www.StopPostalRateHikes.com.

2. Read supporting editorials in the New York Times, Seattle Times and the Boston Globe.

I'm glad somebody said it

Courtesy of Tully over at Broadcatching (new on the DeepCon blogroll), we have for your perusal, a video clip from Bill Maher's HBO show "Real Time." Sean Penn, Gary Shandling and former Congressman Harold Ford discuss the evolution of the usage of Chimpy's phrase, " the war on terrah," and the hoped-for disposition of this criminal administration.

Sean Penn says on national television, what I have felt deeply for some time: "Bush, Cheney, Rice, et al should be in fucking jail."

Marine says found live children among Haditha dead

CAMP PENDLETON, California (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine who walked through two houses in Haditha, Iraq minutes after other Marines killed occupants with grenades and guns found two wounded children pretending to be dead next to a deceased woman. Read the rest...

Had enough yet?

Weenie World

A new addition to the blogroll: What a Weenie. Well done gang.

More Bushshit

Retired Major General John Batiste takes President Bush on, directly, when Bush says that he's just "listening to commanders on the ground" in Iraq.

Queen ends visit with a joke

At Chimpy's expense:

WASHINGTON - The queen had the last laugh. Dispensing with protocol briefly at the formal dinner she hosted for President Bush, Queen Elizabeth said, "I wonder whether I should start this toast by saying, 'When I was here in 1776.' " [ ]At one point in the South Lawn ceremony, Bush noted that the queen had dined with 10 U.S. presidents and had helped the United States "celebrate its bicentennial in 17 ... ." Bush caught himself and corrected the date to 1976." This brought loud laughter from many in the invited audience of thousands.

A chagrined Bush deadpanned that the queen just "gave me a look that only a mother could give a child."

He speaks volumes and inadvertently says something honest, like only a child could. Kids do say the darndest things.

The Surge Lurches On

surge
n 1: a sudden forceful flow [syn: rush, spate, upsurge]
2: a sudden or abrupt strong increase: "stimulated a surge of
speculation"; "an upsurge of emotion"; "an upsurge in
violent crime" [syn: upsurge]
3: a large sea wave [syn: billow]
v 1: rise and move, as in waves or billows; "The army surged
forward" [syn: billow, heave]

The Pentagon announced yesterday that 35,000 soldiers in 10 Army combat brigades will begin deploying to Iraq in August as replacements, making it possible to sustain the increase of U.S. troops there until at least the end of this year.

U.S. commanders in Iraq are increasingly convinced that heightened troop levels, announced by President Bush in January, will need to last into the spring of 2008. The military has said it would assess in September how well its counterinsurgency strategy, intended to pacify Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, is working.

"The surge needs to go through the beginning of next year for sure," said Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the day-to-day commander for U.S. military operations in Iraq. The new requirement of up to 15-month tours for active-duty soldiers will allow the troop increase to last until spring, said Odierno, who favors keeping experienced forces in place for now.

Read the rest... And the madness continues.

A Matter of Conscience

This is the first war I know of in our history where you don't just serve your deployment. You serve it knowing you will have to go back, and the whole time you are "home" you are training for more combat for your next deployment, and then you have to go back.

And then you have to go back.

From Deanie Jones blog at TPM cafe

Goin' Down to Bagdad

Antiwar Protest song by the Spicewood Seven of Austin, Texas; Music Video by famed italian post-realist director Antonio Zapanini.

How to play tennis without balls

Gleaned from the blogosphere today in reference to the stymied funding process and the lack of gravitas shown by the democratic majority in regards to the occupation of Iraq:

The Dems won’t do anything meaningful because they’re afraid of being blamed. Even with a majority of Americans behind them, they don’t believe that they can defend themselves against the Right Wing Noise Machine.

GIs risk life and limb and sanity every minute of every day in Iraq. Politicians risk being blamed.

Game, set, match.

Dead-eye Deadline

Chimpy is at it again. Today's Muckraker must-read.

Tiny Little Post

Been away in the South land looking for a new house. The USAF says we have to move, I hate when that happens... It would appear success on the house hunt is imminent. I shall keep you posted. BTW, it's good to be h-o-m-e. I plan on posting later for the DeepCon one year anniversary. Thank you all for being along for the ride.

Calling Madam Speaker

PLEASE CALL Nancy Pelosi’s office right now. Here’s the deal as forwarded to me:

House Speaker Pelosi’s office is taking calls voting
for Impeachment of Bush/Cheney at 202-225-0100.

Folks, each of you who have been wanting Impeachment,
need to commit right now to ask at least 10 others to
call and ask each person to commit to asking 10 others
to call and so on. It needs to happen fast and NOW.
Let’s BLITZKREIG the Speaker’s office with demands for
Impeachment of Bush AND Cheney.

Please make a call, and thanks so very much.

(800)828 - 0498
(800)459 - 1887
(800)614 - 2803
(866)340 - 9281
(866)338 - 1015
(877)851 - 6437

Veto This Be-atch

John Edward's response to the presnit's veto:

Americans United's response:

Senator Jim Webb's response via KOS

Now, what's your response? When is the American appetite for hypocrisy sated? Call your congressperson and senator NOW!! Everyday you wait, people die. Make them listen. Show some courage and integrity. Do it. Now.

The President's Parade of Progress

C&L has posted the video of the presnit's 'moments in progress'2003-2007 edition.

Letter from Joe

Auguste Rodin's Call to Arms

Joe Trippi, political pundit and senior advisor to John Edwards, has issued a call to arms.

It's time for hundreds of thousands and hopefully millions of Americans to act - and as a member of John Edwards One Corps, it's up to you to lead.

Congress has finally passed a binding plan to end the war. Bush is definitely going to veto. What Congress does next is up to us.

So here's what I'm asking. First, if you haven't already signed our petition calling on Congress to stand up to Bush and stick to the plan, please sign it immediately:

Sign the petition

Next, make a commitment to getting 3 friends - just three - to sign on with you. First forward this note, or write your own note and add the link. And then follow up - call them, stop by their cubicle at work - whatever it takes to get their attention.

Why is this petition so important?

Congress is about to enter a world of pain from the Bush administration's spin machine. They'll be called cowards, defeatists, and blamed at every turn for Bush's decision to de-fund the troops.

We've got to raise our voice louder than all of that - showing Congress that the American people see through the spin and we are all counting on them to stick to their plan.

We may not get another chance like this. It's time to act.

Thanks,

Joe Trippi
Senior Advisor
John Edwards for President

P.S. I'm new to the campaign, and I want to talk more to you about why I'm here and the difference we can make together. But right now we're in an emergency situation and we've got to leap straight into action.

Do it. Sign the petition or call your rep. today.

Iraq Accountability Act

Stop calling it the "war-funding bill"!! It's not a war, it's an occupation. And it's not simply a funding bill, it's an attempt to lay down timetables for withdrawal and get the Americans in harm's way some needed equipment. Not to mention adding needed monies to the VA. Which part of 'an exit strategy is essential,' do the American people not get? It's time for the chimp to step up.

The Story of the 'Codpiece'

From Randi Rhodes site: Let us not forget…
- Turning the ship around and heading away from shore in order to get the sun just right for the jet landing photo op.

- Not releasing his flight suit straps in order to get that codpiece effect.

- Blaming the sailors for hanging the Mission Accomplished banner.

- Knocking the Mission Accomplished banner out of frame in the video on the White House site.

Editor and Publisher has a great piece revisting Bush's speech on that day and the lies it contains.

Are We There Yet?

Happy Mr. President? Senators Obama and Edwards wish you a "Happy Mission Accomplished Day!" TPM reports.

Bush's 'Bunker Mentality'

Carpetbagger bags the Boss-Hoggish president in all his whining glory. Think Progress puts the bag in the trash. Best comment:"I knew Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon was my psychotic, yet lucid president. Mr. Bush, you’re no Richard Nixon."

‘Mission Accomplished’ By The Numbers

Thank goodness for Think Progress. Always putting just the right touch on the stories that need telling. Read 'the numbers' for Bush's miserable failure on this, the one thousand, four hundred and sixtieth day since Dubya-the-despicable declared "Mission Accomplished."