Quote of the Day

From Simon Owens:

When a couple went to Bush rally wearing anti-Bush t-shirts, they got arrested. Guys at Obama rallies openly carry guns and get interviews.

Nah Nah Nah Hey Hey Goodbye

Shamefully stolen from the Unruly Mob: Bush' FINAL departure from the White House. Don't miss the crowd's 2 million-strong chant.

KO's Bush Round-Up

Keith Olbermann does in eight minutes what I've been blogging about for 3 years--a Bush's Greatest Hits compilation. With luck this list won't get any longer. In the immortal words of Dubya's favorite band, The Dixie Chicks, "Cowboy Take Me Away." Thanks for putting most of it in one place K.O. Two days and counting...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Inconvenience of Posse Comitatus

Enacted after Civil War Reconstruction in 1878, Posse Comitatus (U.S.C. 18-13850) has always been a double-edged sword. The compromise of the North with the South which withdrew Federal troops from former Confederate states and allowed racism and the general disenfranchisement of former slaves to flourish, was also intended to end the federal military from taking part in police actions. Yet once again, the Bush administration stretches law to it breaking point, while pushing our over-burdened military ever closer to the precipice.

News out today from the US Northern Command that the Army's 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team will be the nation's 'new police'. The 3rd ID is the most rotated combat component in Iraq and now they're home to do the same duty as part of the newest permanent part of the Army -- CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force.

The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.

Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.

What is played down in the articles out of NORCOM, Ft. Stewart and the Dept. of Homeland Security is the element of CCMRF (sea-smurf) being implemented to 'deal with' protesters and civil disturbances.

Posse Comitatus became law for a number of reasons but first and foremost was so American servicepersons would not be put in the position of turning weapons on the American public. It seems we creep ever-closer to martial law as the reins of power slip from the GOP's fascist grip. As the divides in American ideology deepen, the political landscape of the presidential race features McCain mobs yelling, "kill him...terrorist" and worse, while my beloved military is put in the untenable position of having to defend not the Constitution, but the ideologic policies of a rogue government.

This election can not end soon enough for me.

Incurious George and His Imperial Presidency

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia hosted political writer and former Clinton administration senior advisor, Sidney Blumenthal just before the last midterm election. His talk recounts the content of his book, How Bush Rules, and is both prescient and insightful, speaking to the radical departure from constitutional protections and and precedent as exercised by the Bush administration. This 50 minute presentation is extraordinary documentation of the unprecedented attempt of the Bush administration to undermine our democracy and recent-history revisited that should be required listening for any American who cares about our country. Listen. Please. This segment appears about a quarter of the way down the page.

The Uncounted

News Release from Bethesda Naval Hospital: Post-War Suicides May Exceed Combat Deaths

These deaths are not part of the "official" casualty count, and have not surpassed those of Vietnam veterans, but are near-to-topping the current official combat death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every death connected to the illegal occupation of Iraq and the poorly-directed fight in Afghanistan, is tragic. The Bush administrations 'new math' method of counting which obfuscates the true death and injury toll, is criminal. The American people are far too disconnected from the effects of these conflicts, and the cooked accounting of the true human toll only adds to the lack of attention paid by the 99% of Americans who don't have a dog in this fight.

In all past wars, Americans shared the burdens of war. During the draft, most people had or knew someone serving. During other conflicts, there was rationing, war industry staffed by American women, sacrifices being shared. At the very least, everyone saw the coffins coming home which this administration forbids. BushCo keeps the impact as far away from the public as possible; their idea of support:go shopping.

With the economy being front and center of most American's attention, the chances of this story seeing any light of day or stirring public outcry is negligible.

Exceptionally American

My pal SadButTrue, part of the Unruly Mob over at Les Enragés.org, has a truly exceptional post up about the harm "American Exceptionalism," via Bush's criminal policies worldwide, have wrought upon international peace and justice. Here's a bit of the post, then get over there and read the rest.

...from the point of view of someone who isn't an American (I'm proudly Canadian, eh?) - is that this is just another example of the idea of American Exceptionalism that has been accepted and even nurtured under the good old Stars and Stripes for far too long.

Ah yes, American Exceptionalism - the bastard child of Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine. The not-quite-so-evil twin of Might Makes Right. Nurtured and fed on a falsehood that is older than the country itself - the idea that the US is so morally superior to everyone else that it can be described as The City on the Hill, The Beacon of Democracy, the Font of Everything That is Good in The World.

And the reason that the world doesn't have to be concerned about the actions of America or its leaders? - because they're just so darned peachy-keen, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed gee whiz golly gosh dripping with good intentions. And if those good intentions turn out to make some US businesses a tidy profit? Well all the better! We'll throw in a slice of hot apple pie, and teach your folks how to play baseball.

And if those good intentions lead to us backing a coup against your democratically elected leader and installing a business-friendly tinpot dictator who starts murdering the opposition? Well shucks, dang, and whoa there Bessie. That never happens! Except for a few times in Guatemala, Iran, Chile, Nicaragua, Panama, and enough places that it's hard to remember them all. But you can rest assured it will never happen again anyway. Trust us.

And not to seem too critical of our well-armed neighbour to the south, I'd like to add that this principle of Exceptionalism is running afoul of another principle that originated in the US, in fact the very principle that the ICC is based on. Yes, that's right, it's called the Nuremberg principle. The idea is that entire countries are not responsible for wars, their LEADERS are. Especially when the leaders in question have been caught in so many lies that no-one can even keep track anymore. And let's not forget that indispensable adjunct to the Nuremberg principle, that the leaders must be held accountable for their actions. Please let's not forget that.

If Bush and his gang of criminals are not held accountable, and significantly if that accounting is not spearheaded by America herself, any credibility you have internationally will be lost forever. Because in Bush's eye's it's not the country as a whole that benefits from this status of City on A Hill, it's himself personally. And that's just not right. As important as it is for the world that Bush be brought to justice it is equally important to America that they take an active role. Else you'll be painted with the brush of complicity in his crimes.

The eyes of all people are upon you.

Double Plus Good

In news today, a new phrase has been given us by BushCo: Aspirational Time Horizon This new-speak nonsense is Chimpy's sycophantic cohorts way of finally agreeing to a timeline for troop withdrawal from Iraq. Admittedly, I have doubleplusgood bellyfeel about what I hope is not just another good duckspeaker from Oceania, er, I mean the White House.
Interestingly enough, notice how "new-speak" is a frighteningly accurate commentary on what the MSM dishes out daily as 'news.'

GWB’s lie-berry

Found this over at friend Lotus' place (and what a place it is...), folo:

GWB’s liberry

The George W Bush
Presiden-
tial
Library
is now in
the planning stages.
The Library will include:

The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.

The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won’t be able to remember anything.

The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don’t even have to show up.

The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don’t let you in.

The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don’t let you out.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.

The National Debt Room which is huge and has no ceiling.

The ‘Tax Cut’ Room with entry only to the wealthy.

The ‘Economy Room’ which is in the toilet.

The Iraq War Room. After you complete your first tour, they make you go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour.

The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.

The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.

The Airport Men’s Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.

The ‘Decider Room’ complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, pretzels, and straws.

The museum will have an electron microscope to help you locate the President’s accomplishments.

Admission: Republicans free; Democrats - $1,000 or three Euros

And just to compare and contrast for the New Yorker, the above is satire.

Update on USAF Firings, Lost Nukes

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.




Mr. Nobody, meet Mr. Lonely.

Serial Killers

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 "detainment camps," 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?

Don't Let Them Get Away With It

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

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.

Will We Do Anything? At Long Last?

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

Wherefore Motherfucker

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.

Bushed Again, 'New Rules'

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?

Chimpy Rambles On

At the Paris talks on Climate Change, Jr's U.S. plan was deemed "disastrous," and "Neanderthal" by other world leaders. From the Australian Broadcasting Corp.:

A new plan from US President George Bush which aims to cap greenhouse gases by 2025 has been dismissed as "disastrous" and "Neanderthal" by a group of ministers at a climate change meeting in Paris.
[ ]
In a statement called "Bush's Neanderthal speech," German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said: "His speech showed not leadership but losership. We are glad that there are also other voices in the United States."

Excellent example of that clever German engineering.

Pop Quiz

What are the I.Q. test results of modern day American Presidents you ask? Just so happens I have that information here, via the Lovenstein Institute:

The Presidential IQ Report

WASHINGTON --In a published report, the Lovenstein Institute of Scranton, Pennsylvania has detailed findings of a four month study of the intelligence quotient of President George W. Bush. Since 1973, the Lovenstein Institute has published its research to the education community on each new president, which includes the famous "IQ" report among others.

According to statements in the report, there have been twelve presidents over the past 60 years, from F. D. Roosevelt to G. W. Bush who were all rated based on scholarly achievements, writings that they alone produced without aid of staff, their ability to speak with clarity, and several other psychological factors which were then scored in the Swanson/Crain system of intelligence ranking. The study determined the following IQs of each president as accurate to within five percentage points:

147 Franklin D. Roosevelt (D)
132 Harry Truman (D)
122 Dwight D. Eisenhower (R)
174 John F. Kennedy (D)
126 Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
155 Richard M. Nixon (R)
121 Gerald R. Ford (R)
176 James E. Carter (D)
105 Ronald W. Reagan (R)
98 George H. W. Bush (R)
182 William J. Clinton (D)
91 George W. Bush (R)


The six Republican presidents of the past 60 years had an average IQ of 115.5, with President Nixon having the highest IQ, at 155. President G. W. Bush was rated the lowest of all the Republicans with an IQ of 91.

The six Democrat presidents had IQs with an average of 156, with President Clinton having the highest IQ, at 182. President Lyndon B. Johnson was rated the lowest of all the Democrats with an IQ of 126.

No president other than Carter (D) has released his actual IQ, 176. Among comments made concerning the specific testing of President GW Bush, his low ratings were due to his apparent difficulty to command the English language in public statements, his limited use of vocabulary (6,500 words for Bush versus an average of 11,000 words for other presidents), his lack of scholarly achievements other than a basic MBA, and an absence of any body of work which could be studied on an intellectual basis.

The complete report documents the methods and procedures used to arrive at these ratings, including depth of sentence structure and voice stress confidence analysis. "All the Presidents prior to George W. Bush had a least one book under their belt, and most had written several white papers during their education or early careers.

Not so with President Bush," Dr. Lovenstein said. "He has no published works or writings, so in many ways that made it more difficult to arrive at an assessment. We had to rely more heavily on transcripts of his unscripted public speaking."

The Lovenstein Institute of Scranton Pennsylvania think tank includes high caliber historians, psychiatrists, sociologists, scientists in human behavior, and psychologists. Among their ranks are Dr. Werner R. Lovenstein, world-renowned sociologist, and Professor Patricia F. Dilliams, a world-respected psychiatrist. This study was commissioned on February 13, 2001, and released on July 9, 2001, to subscribing member universities and organizations within the education community.

Not sure the above numbers are right, 'cause I think Jr. is actually retarded.

Intelligence Quotient Test Ratings Source: The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale:
Score Classification
132 and above Very superior
121-131 Superior
111-120 High average
89-110 Average
79-88 Low average
68-78 Slow learner
67 or below Mentally retarded

Best.Magazine.Cover.Ever.

As seen at American Progress

The Audacity of Government

This American Life, Ira Glass' always touching National Public Radio show, last week tackled stories of the blatant tyranny exhibited by BushCo. So very worth a listen.

Stories of the Bush Administration, its unique style of asserting presidential authority, and its quest to redefine the limits of presidential power.

Concern Over Country’s Direction at Highest Level Ever Recorded

NYT reports the findings of the latest poll--81% think the country is going in the wrong direction. Way to go Dubya.

Although the public mood has been darkening since the early days of the war in Iraq, it has taken a new turn for the worse in the last few months, as the economy has seemed to slip into recession. There is now nearly a national consensus that the country faces significant problems.

What clued you in America? The wasteful, horrific war? The loss of our civil rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution? Oh, it took getting hit in the pocketbook, of course. I notice BushCo seems to be doing jus'fine.