While You Were Busy

...this Congress, led by this White House has been even busier making a lot of decisions that basically amount to one big FUCK YOU to the American people.

Notably:

* You're going to have to prove you're a citizen now... in your own country.

* Your rights to sue corporations who damage you are effectively cut off at the knees.

* The above extends to asbestos litigation in the same week when it was determined that an entire community in the midwest has been contaminated by a company called WR Grace. Want to bet they probably contributed mightily to Bush's campaign?

* The new fascist director of Homeland Insecurity - who's starting to make Tom Ridge look good - now operates without any laws to protect anyone including you.

* The president - upon discovery that his Medicare drug plan is a big shill that's going to cost a LOT more than planned - told Congress he would VETO (he's vetoed nothing before) any change in law that allowed American citizens to try to get their drugs at more affordable prices.

* Congress with the WH is intent on passing changes to SS that pretty much guarantee big fees to Wall Street and no security for you. Oh, and those "personal" accounts Bush talks about? They will be owned by Washington. You're just funding them.

* It looks like your sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters will be going to war with Iran. Hope you're prepared. You might be next.

And that's just the start of what they've done this week.

Wake up. Stop drinking the "free" Koolaid. Get involved. Say NO loudly and often.

Oliver Willis Nails It

From Oliver:

The only logical outcome of Bush's poll dip is that Iran is in material breach of UN 11269 and as such we must invade and liberate the crap out of them.

(Insert bit here about Iran's involvement in The West Wing's plot this week and how President Bartlett opted in to... diplomacy. What a concept.)

Particularly telling this week was how, when former Bush crony and WMD chief weapons hunter David Kay said of the Iran talk, "It's deja vu all over again", the right wing jumped all over him. One wingnut even called Kay "no friend of this Administration."

See, that's where we're down to. The best for the military, the American people, and the world does not matter anymore. All that matters is whether someone is a friend to the Bushies. If they're not, they're eaten alive.

So yes, I'm afraid Oliver has nailed this one perfectly. The more I've heard the last few days, the more certain I am that by summer, we'll be all over Iran like a bad case of fleas. A draft seems inevitable.

A Belated Wedding Blessing

I was pleased to see a very old friend drop by the blog - which I don't recall pointing him toward - in the last couple of days. "AndrewJBorden", as he posts, has been a friend since childhood and a very dear one at that (even if I'm not always so good at keeping in touch).

Hopefully, he won't be too upset that I mention he was one of the couples who had the good fortune to wed his long-time partner when the brave mayor of New Paltz felt it was only just that same sex partners have the opportunity to marry. While I have not told my friend how pleased I am for him (I suck sometimes), I've been very happy for him.

It's an insane system that likes to lambast gays at being "promiscuous" only then to do everything in its power to keep these same people from entering into committed unions or accept the families they form together. What the hell is wrong with two people coming together, making a commitment to one another, and getting the same privileges (and perils) as everyone else?

So to you, "AndrewJ", my best wishes for a long and happy marriage. My only regret is that I wasn't there to give away the bride. (grin)

Latest Bush Poll Hopelessly Skewed

Chris Bowers at MyDD - quoting another piece - gives the low-down on why the new Bush poll that shows his approval numbers improving is hopelessly skewed and why it just may not matter much.

Hint: It helps for Bush's approval ratings if you purposely accept a) small poll population and b) far more Reps responding.

Blogger is Eating Posts

It must be hungry.

What CNN Considers Hot, Breaking News

Unable to sleep at all last night (wired in all the wrong ways), I sat up watching TV - what 7 channels came in on satellite during our not-quite-blizzard-conditions snowstorm - when CNN starts up its fancy music, puts up a BREAKING NEWS banner, cuts to London and....

(trumpeting horn)

Prince Charles will announce his impending marriage to Camilla Parker Bowels er... Bowles.

And they stayed with this for 90 minutes while super-queen Richard Quest interviews all these really "doggie" ladies in France (all with Lady in their title) about how absolutely scandalous it's been to have the heir to the Brit throne living in sin with a divorced woman and would this - oh God! - mean he would give up his line to the throne (not to be confused possibly with line to the womens' bathroom at a sporting event).

CNN could have monkeys typing news overnight and do better.

GOP Bill Gives Homeland Security Right to Ignore ALL Laws

From Raw Story (and extremely scary):

House expected to pass conservative immigration bill Thursday

By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor

The House Democratic staff of the Judiciary Committee is preparing an extensive rebuke to a Republican immigration bill which would allow the Homeland Security Secretary to waive all laws in the construction of immigration barriers, RAW STORY has learned.

Among other provisions, the bill put forth by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner would give the Homeland Security Secretary “the authority to waive… all laws such Secretary, in such Secretary’s sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section.”

The bill also seeks to strip courts from being able to challenge any of the Secretary’s decisions.

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law… no court shall have jurisdiction,” the Republican bill asserts.

North Korea Acknowledges it Has Nuclear Weapons

That's the story breaking on the MSNBC news alert right now.

Well, Dubya, you going to take them on? Or - more accurately - kill the rest of our weary Armed Forces trying?

Times Killed The Battle of the Bush Bulge Story

From Editor and Publisher:

"It's just as important a story after the election, and they've dropped it," says freelance writer David Lindorff, referring to the alleged bulge under President Bush’s suit jacket during the first presidential debate late fall. Lindorff’s take on how, and why, The New York Times killed a story on the controversy just before the November election gained wide attention this week after it was published in Extra!, a magazine produced by the media watchdog group Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting.

It's True: Gay Male Prostitutes LOVE Mr. Bush

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Was Rehnquist "Deep Throat"?

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Iran

The footsteps are getting louder. More little threats are getting lobbed in Iran's direction.

Ready to give your loved ones to another war without obvious enemy?

If you say, "Well, Iran may get nuclear", understand that we're nuclear. Tiny Israel is nuclear. Lots of places we don't like are nuclear. Russia and Putin - who we've screwed over so many times now - remain our greatest nuclear threat.

Goodbye, Ossie Davis

His passing last week stunned and depressed me. I loved that man long before I realized that he and Miss Ruby had been involved mightily in civil rights.

The timbre of his voice, that great face, the way he delivered his lines and held his shoulders won me as a kid watching him in films. While an impatient person, I could sit and listen to Ossie forever.

In honor of Ossie, I recommend Eyes on the Screen, a project meant to protect and distribute copies of the legendary documentary, "Eyes on the Prize" about the civil rights struggles for African Americans.

God bless you, Ossie. May He keep and hold your loved ones in the knowledge that you've gone to a better place having made this world a better one.

Haughty All the Time

Did you find Condi as conciliatory in her France speech as the media did? I did not.

Deep Throat

My apologies. I'm not referring to the poor budget porn movie with Linda Lovelace.

I've been trying to figure out who in the cast of characters who might be Woodward and Bernstein's "Deep Throat" is ill, thus sparking the debate about revealing who it was.

But even more I wonder:

Where is our Woodward and Bernstein, our Deep Throat, and our courageous Katherine Graham and the WaPo in this time, in this Administration?