A blog for the politically curious, angry American.
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can,
begin it. Boldness has genius,
power and magic in it."
- Goethe
"It's never too late to become the
person you might have been."
- George Elliot
The Financial Times of London in conjunction with the U.S. State Department held a panel discussion with talk radio personalities this morning. Featured on the panel, held at the U.S. Embassy in London, were Stephanie Miller, liberal talks morning queen, Neal Boortz, right-wing blowhard, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, broadcaster, writer & columnist, The Independent & The Evening Standard,and Nick Ferrari, LBC 97.3 Breakfast Show host. The panelist were asked questions submitted by the public and a spicy discussion ensued. Give it a watch. [note: Boortz is such a tool]
I posted on resignation day when the story broke and Air Force Times did an interview with former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne. Wynne, along with Chief of Staff Gen. Michael T. Moseley who were both forced to resign June 5, 2008 under the cloud of the "accidentally" loaded, armed nukes, flown to Barksdale AFB where one bomb subsequently went "missing," and of course the nuclear warhead fuses mistakenly shipped to Taiwan.
When asked by AFT why he was fired, Wynne responded, "...long-standing disputes about the funding for F-22...a dispute as to whether or not you should spend your time worrying about the strategic effects of the future, or you should spend your time on the war as it sits." He goes on to address the airborne nukes and oops, mistaken missile parts, "We moved missiles between Minot and Barksdale. We did. In 2004 began the odyssey of the missile parts to Taiwan, which was not in the watch I was on, but nevertheless the results occurred during the time I was [secretary]. And so ascribing it to my tenure is interesting. ..."
So, to sum up, as with all things Bush, Mr. Nobody did it. Whatever it was, whenever it happened, no one is really responsible except possibly, the democrats.
Jane Mayer (author of The Dark Side) did an interview with Harper's Magazine, published today. Scott Horton Asks Jane six pointed questions further exploring points made in her explosive book exposing the torture of whomever BushCo thinks fit to torment. This information comes on the heels of the payload discoveries in the recent ICRC report, and lends a deeper examination of the apathy and tacit approval given by the American public for the '24' style of "enhanced interrogation" in real-life situations which consistently lowers the very ethical foundation of our Republic, at home and abroad.
Photo courtesy of Clinton Fein from his art exhibit "Torture"
Eyewitnesses describe Mitchell as quoting Seligman’s theories of “Learned Helplessness” as useful in showing how to break the resistance of detainees’ to interrogation. One source recounts Mitchell specifically touting the experiments done on dogs in the context of how to treat detainees.
Good posting in a diary at DKOS and H/T to reader Mary for the heads-up.
The 60 Minutes episode entitled, "Military Soft On Don't Ask, Don't Tell? Is Military More Tolerant Of Gay Members In Wartime?" was a real disappointment. First, in the inimitable words of Stephen Sondheim, "It's intolerable, being tolerated." The U.S.military has become "more tolerant...and...soft," by allowing convicted felons, lowering intelligence standards, increasing age limits (42) and literally paying people to join and stay.
Why? Because George W. Bush and his legions of cronies have broken the military -- not to mention the country as a whole. The military have "relaxed" the witch hunts of previous years precisely because the current servicemembers are overworked with war on two fronts and another one looming.
The 60 Minutes piece was a joke. Representing the government was the infamous tool Duncan Hunter (R-CA). Leslie Stahl doesn't bother to call him on much, most particularly when asked about why Gay persons can't serve and he responds, "It's wartime..."and he goes on to intimate that Gays won't or can't fight. "We need hardened warriors, " says Hunter. Leslie Stahl just lets it go as if it's a given that Gays can't or won't fight.
I am sick to death of listening to Gay-bashers in and out of the service. Others agree. JOHN M. SHALIKASHVILI, former Joint-Chiefs-of-Staff says in a NYT article, "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces." Watch the segment and then let CBS know that 75% of the public do not agree with DADT or the "60 Minute" treatment of such an important topic.
I saw an old friend yesterday and we spent the day together catching up. We went into the USAF on the very same day (900 years ago) and were in BMTS squadrons right next to one another. He turned out to be my Air Force hero in so many ways. He retired 4 years ago and moved with his partner to Lackland AFB with me and my partner. We are now both single.
We had many parallels in life and now we are both back in California. It was great to see him and see him doing so well. I've missed you so much John, I'm glad we got to see each other again. In honor of old friendships and the hope that we can make sense out of the brave new world we seem to be entering, the full story of Christian the Lion (get a tissue).
So much of what's going on in politics right now strikes me as just 'going through the motions.' I have this terrible feeling of impending doom. So much so, that I haven't been blogging. Still reading and listening but not sharing my thoughts until now. I can't imagine that BushCo would go to all this trouble to change the entire government, amass all the "unitary executive" power, subjugate the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights and then just walk away.
I don't understand how McCain, being the complete liar-dud-loser he is, can still be be competitive in the fall, in spite of all the help from the MSM. We already know the depth and breadth of the horrific changes this criminal administration has made: NSPD-51, the "detainmentcamps," the nearly completely corrupt DOJ, the illegal wiretapping; you know the list goes on and on. I repeat: Why go to all that trouble and then just walk away?
Karl Rove is a top level advisor to McCain. Is it a coincidence the "architect" of the GOP election theft is now on the team? How about the complicit congress? Not to mention the hackable voting machines still in use in most of the 50 states. C'mon people this is a big set-up. And I have no idea what to do about it. How about you?
Welcome to the San Francisco GLBT Parade! Well the music anyway. SF celebrates one of the largest Gay events in the world. Say hello to diversity today and kiss a Gay.
Saturday Night Music..Cute, little, unsigned band from 3 different continents. They've never met in person. They recorded this on a Mac, each separately in England, Australia, and the US, mixed it down and poof! YouTube. Here are The Shures Give 'em a listen.
And just for a laugh, local Comic Tim Lee, "Best Dating Secret Ever!"
File under AYFKM: Prostitute-patron David Vitter (R-LA), and Gay-Bathroom-Sex-Perp Larry Craig (R-ID) have authored a new and improved Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution. The `Marriage Protection Amendment’ is such an absurd waste of time and resources only to be topped by the ludicrous couple introducing it. A perfect item for Dan Abrams segement "Why America Hates Washington." From the Carpetbagger Report:
Yes, two of the principal sponsors of a constitutional amendment to “protect” marriage include one far-right Republican who hired prostitutes and another far-right Republican who was arrested for soliciting gay sex an airport men’s room.
As my friend Kyle put it, these two are “not exactly the poster boys of the family values crowd or particularly upstanding examples of the supposed sanctity of the ‘union of a man and a woman.”
Good luck with that one boys, I'd get Glinda the Good Witch to sign on as a co-sponsor. If she's not available, try The Tooth Fairy.
Filmmaker Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed,Iraq for Sale) has produced another winner with the documentary This Brave Nation. This episodic series marries activism with hope and encouragement for those of us who have fallen into the abyss of powerlessness living through what this dangerous time engenders. Give the trailer a look-see and then go to This Brave Nation and watch episodes of this auspicious footage. Make no mistake about it; this nation will become completely fascist if we don't put our collective voices together and say, "No!" Peace takes Courage. I highly recommend Episode 3 Anthony Romero and Ava Lowery in conversation as a starting point.
For the first time in history, a sizable and growing number of U.S. combat troops are taking daily doses of antidepressants to calm nerves strained by repeated and lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report in Time Magazine.
In its June 16 cover story, the magazine reports that the medicines are intended not only to help troops keep their cool but also to enable the already strapped Army to preserve its most precious resource: soldiers on the front lines.
Citing the Army's fifth Mental Health Advisory Team report, using an anonymous survey of U.S. troops taken last fall, Time wrote that about 12 percent of combat troops in Iraq and 17 percent of those in Afghanistan are taking prescription antidepressants or sleeping pills to help them cope.
Escalating violence in Afghanistan and the more isolated mission have driven troops to rely more on medication there than in Iraq, military officials told Time.
The Army estimates that authorized drug use splits roughly fifty-fifty between troops taking antidepressants -- largely the class of drugs that includes Prozac and Zoloft -- and those taking prescription sleeping pills such as Ambien, Time wrote.
The magazine noted that the high number of soldiers on antidepressants is mirrored by that of the general population.
Time also reported that there are sharp divisions among military physicians: Some have said that the effects of using such prescriptions on soldiers in war zones are not adequately understood, while others contend that using prescriptions for mild depression symptoms avoids costly removals of soldiers from the fight.
When you call your congresscritter to complain aboout torture, tell them no immunity for the colluders of BushCo policy. Cujo over at Slobber and Spittle has reminded me that the pesky telecom's immunity bill has reared it's ugly head yet again. He has a great piece on it and is recommended reading.
It would appear that the "American Exceptionalism" image we have held of ourselves as a nation, will finally be put down as the dysfunctional, deceptive, delusional construct that it probably always has been.
Released at midnight last night, the report from Physicians for Human Rights states unequivocally the the U.S. has, and continues to, torture. We torture and render to faraway lands, run by dictators, that bow to our will, people scooped up off the streets, held with out charges for years, unable to have attorneys or access to Red Cross officials, and then torture them--sometimes to death. Not one of these "enemy combatants" in the nearly eight years of war, have been charged with a crime. NOT ONE.
The Physicians for Human Rights report is entitled, "Broken Laws, Broken Lives," and is a telling chronicle of the unspeakable horrors inflicted on people held without charges or proof they have done anything. Nova M Commentator Jeff Farias did today's radio show and blogged on this report. From Jeff's blog:
WAR CRIMES !!!!
That's what Major General Anthony Taguba called it in the just released Physicians for Human Rights report. The report is based on medical examinations of former detainees. Dr Allen Keeler with more than 15 years in treating torture victims around the world says that the torture and abuse inflicted by the US were "second to none". Who is responsible ? Some investigations point to a team of 5 lawyers known as the War Council which acted on direct orders from bush and cheney to re-write our laws on torture. Thus far the only ones charged have been the low level operatives caught on film. I submit that in a country founded by 'We the People', a country that prides itself as a beacon for freedom and liberty and an example of the highest form of representative government, that we all bear responsiblity for the war crimes of our leadership. If we are not actively fighting to stop the abuse we are complicit. We all share the blame.
Finally, there is a compelling compilation video by Billy Vega using the summation speech of the Alan Shore character, from the show Boston Law, that sums up the American nonchalance about the myriad of crimes committed by the most heinous, criminal administration in our country's history. I reprise it for it's content in this dark time of indifference by the American people in regards to our most shameless disregard of the U.S. Constitution at any time in history.
There is apparently nothing this administration, it's minions and collaborators, can do that will spur the American people, much less it's congressional leaders, into action. BUt with enough outcry, someone will listen. And if nothing else, document this shameful period , perhaps our last, in the failed American Experiment, and say, "At least there were some that stood up and said ,'Stop!' ."
Call your people, any people, your senators and congressperson. Tell them you have had enough done in your name.
800 Numbers for Capitol Hill (800)828-0498 (800)459-1887 (800)614-2803 (866)340-9281 (866)338-1015 (877)851-6437
While Barack Obama fills sandbags to help shore up the flooding areas in the Midwest, McLame attempts to fill moneybags in Texas. What a stark contrast between candidates. How the election should turn out seems to be Black and White.
Yet another reason on the long list of why I hate John McCain. In a story from the UK paper The Daily Mail, the truth of McCain's shabby treatment of his first wife Carol, who was seriously injured in an automobile accident while McCain was in Vietnam. The story details his philandering while his wife fought for her life. Also in the article are reports from people he knew 20 years ago, and commentary from Ross Perot (who paid Carol's medical bills after her accident)about McCain's "character."
Photo: McCain in his natural habitat
But Ross Perot, who paid her medical bills all those years ago, now believes that both Carol McCain and the American people have been taken in by a man who is unusually slick and cruel – even by the standards of modern politics.
‘McCain is the classic opportunist. He’s always reaching for attention and glory,’ he said.
‘After he came home, Carol walked with a limp. So he threw her over for a poster girl with big money from Arizona. And the rest is history.’
"No, but that's not too important..." Keith hammers McCain on his comment regarding the troops leaving Iraq. Read full transcript here.
The context of the kaleidoscope of confused rhetoric, and endless non sequitur, and mutually exclusive conclusions—and what they add up to: a veritable tragedy, a microcosm of the American tragedy that is Iraq, a tragedy of a man who himself will never understand… "the context."
They are ten Americans, who have died in Iraq since the first of this month. There are four more. The Defense Department has not yet identified the others.
Full Text of The 35 Articles of Impeachment of George W. Bush
This is an extraordinary document in it's accuracy, acumen, breadth, scope and the time in which it took to compile, so undeserved by the criminal Bush. We can only hope with our emails and calls, we create enough pressure on congress to take action. It would be insult on misery to let the criminal BushCo off the hook for the sake of political expediency and a Democratic 'sweep' in the fall election. That kind of cowardice cannot go unpunished as it is all politics and no principles. If Kucinich's historic documenting of blatant crimes backed up by large volumes of evidence serves only as a congressional 'catch and release' program, let there be a new revolution in America. Bring on the pitchforks. It's encouraging to know someone in power has been watching and keeping score.
Let it be known The Honorable Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), has thrown down the gauntlet. Tonight, (Tuesday) the Clerk of the House is expected to read the 35 articles of impeachment against the president into the record,(I watched most of it last night, but it's worth tuning into again...) at the conclusion of which, Rep. Kucinich will make a motion. Watch C-Span! Below find the list of charges which will be detailed in full at tonight's reading by the clerk.
Also, Rep. Robert Wexler is the first to cosponsor and will be on Keith Olbermann tonight.
CALL THE MEDIA! And call or email Kucinich and Wexler and give 'em a high five. Then, email Your Congress Member - Congress has 72 hours to table it, send it to committee, pass it, or reject it.
800 Numbers for Capitol Hill (800)828-0498 (800)459-1887 (800)614-2803 (866)340-9281 (866)338-1015 (877)851-6437
Congressman Kucinich has laid out an extensive indictment of the president. Here is the index of article titles, read 'em and weep:
Article I Creating a Secret Propaganda Campaign to Manufacture a False Case for War Against Iraq
Article II Falsely, Systematically, and with Criminal Intent Conflating the Attacks of September 11, 2001, With Misrepresentation of Iraq as a Security Threat as Part of Fraudulent Justification for a War of Aggression
Article III Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, to Manufacture a False Case for War
Article IV Misleading the American People and Members of Congress to Believe Iraq Posed an Imminent Threat to the United States
Article V Illegally Misspending Funds to Secretly Begin a War of Aggression
Article VI Invading Iraq in Violation of the Requirements of HJRes114
Article VII Invading Iraq Absent a Declaration of War.
Article VIII Invading Iraq, A Sovereign Nation, in Violation of the UN Charter
Article IX Failing to Provide Troops With Body Armor and Vehicle Armor
Article X Falsifying Accounts of US Troop Deaths and Injuries for Political Purposes
Article XI Establishment of Permanent U.S. Military Bases in Iraq
Article XII Initiating a War Against Iraq for Control of That Nation's Natural Resources
Article XIIII Creating a Secret Task Force to Develop Energy and Military Policies With Respect to Iraq and Other Countries
Article XIV Misprision of a Felony, Misuse and Exposure of Classified Information And Obstruction of Justice in the Matter of Valerie Plame Wilson, Clandestine Agent of the Central Intelligence Agency
Article XV Providing Immunity from Prosecution for Criminal Contractors in Iraq
Article XVI Reckless Misspending and Waste of U.S. Tax Dollars in Connection With Iraq and US Contractors
Article XVII Illegal Detention: Detaining Indefinitely And Without Charge Persons Both U.S. Citizens and Foreign Captives
Article XVIII Torture: Secretly Authorizing, and Encouraging the Use of Torture Against Captives in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Other Places, as a Matter of Official Policy
Article XIX Rendition: Kidnapping People and Taking Them Against Their Will to "Black Sites" Located in Other Nations, Including Nations Known to Practice Torture
Article XX Imprisoning Children
Article XXI Misleading Congress and the American People About Threats from Iran, and Supporting Terrorist Organizations Within Iran, With the Goal of Overthrowing the Iranian Government
Article XXII Creating Secret Laws
Article XXIII Violation of the Posse Comitatus Act
Article XXIV Spying on American Citizens, Without a Court-Ordered Warrant, in Violation of the Law and the Fourth Amendment
Article XXV Directing Telecommunications Companies to Create an Illegal and Unconstitutional Database of the Private Telephone Numbers and Emails of American Citizens
Article XXVI Announcing the Intent to Violate Laws with Signing Statements
Article XXVII Failing to Comply with Congressional Subpoenas and Instructing Former Employees Not to Comply
Article XXVIII Tampering with Free and Fair Elections, Corruption of the Administration of Justice
Article XXIX Conspiracy to Violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Article XXX Misleading Congress and the American People in an Attempt to Destroy Medicare
Article XXXI Katrina: Failure to Plan for the Predicted Disaster of Hurricane Katrina, Failure to Respond to a Civil Emergency
Article XXXII Misleading Congress and the American People, Systematically Undermining Efforts to Address Global Climate Change
Article XXXIII Repeatedly Ignored and Failed to Respond to High Level Intelligence Warnings of Planned Terrorist Attacks in the US, Prior to 911.
Article XXXIV Obstruction of the Investigation into the Attacks of September 11, 2001
Article XXXV Endangering the Health of 911 First Responders
On C-SPAN now...Dennis Kucinich (yea!) is currently reading his 35 articles of impeachment against George W. Bush. Dennis has put together ALL of monkeyboy's known crimes, including the "secret laws" section which is a tell-all regarding NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51. I will link the transcript as soon as it is available. And of course, the MSM is missing in action.
I love Dennis Kucinich.
UPDATE: Still very little word from the MSM. One would think Articles of Impeachment against the President might make the news, but sadly, no. I did find some good info on KOS, with mention of Misprison of Felony which makes me giddy as a schoolgirl. The most significant thing about Dennis' 4 hour reading is how he has detailed and fact-checked all of his charges. He gives example after example detailing what Bush did and when he did it. Give the KOS post a look and I will post transcript when available.
Post this in the 'Like-I-don't-have-enough-to-think-about department.' From SadButTrue, one of the Unruly Mob over at Les Enragés.org, who picked up the story from Crooks and Liars: New and Disturbing Rules Sought--it's looking like telecom immunity may happen afterall. A brief summation from SBT's post:
1) - If you're 'with us', you can get away with whatever the hell you like, including murder. Think of the KBR/Halliburton thugs that gang-raped Jamie Leigh Jones. Or the contractors involved in the black-site interrogation TO DEATH of dozens of alleged terrorists. Or the $10 BILLION in cash that went missing in Iraq under Paul Bremer's watch - and nobody even bothered to look for it. Etc, etc, etc...
2) If you're not 'with us', you are by explicit definition 'with the terrorists', so you are guilty regardless of any evidence that a crime being committed. Think of Don Siegelman, or once again of those dozens of alleged terrorists who've been tortured to death.
Above all think of the appointment of the most partisan group of hacks to ever inhabit the Supreme Court, and the Prosecutors' Purge that has created what amounts to a Department of Injustice in America. The march toward a full-blown fascist state continues unimpeded.
I would add to SBT's #2 that under The Patriot Act, Habeus Corpus has been suspended, so good luck with getting a lawyer and a court appearance or having anyone know where you are. Don Seigelman is a perfect example; he was unable to talk to the public for over a year as he rotted away in jail.
I hate these fucking people. I'm left with the fear that the election won't happen or will be flipped. After all BushCo has accomplished in so far as their power-grab, will these people really turn all that power over to Democrats?
Former DJ, contractor, and USAF officer who grew up in a San Francisco bar, loves music, girls and beer (not necessarily in that order) and looks forward to all that life has to offer.
