Indict. Impeach. Imprison.

I like this motto (Indict. Impeach. Imprison.), seen on a t-shirt at Blah3.

More on Impeachment

From Carl Sheeler, the RI senatorial candidate trying to spearhead impeachment (whose phone number I omitted because some nut cases don't need help:

February 24, 2006
Honorable Members of the RI General Assembly,

Approximately ten days ago, I called upon the Democratic Members of the RI General Assembly to support an impeachment initiative to prepare a resolution to be forwarded to the US House of Representatives.

This occurred after no response form Congressmen Langevin and Kennedy to join Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) in his efforts. I sent each of you a letter making this request as well as a draft of articles outlining the reasons for impeachment. I also called on my US Senate opponents Shedon Whitehouse and Matt Brown to join me in this effort.

There has also been no response.This most recent effort was covered by the local media, Fox News and the Associated Press as well as dozens, if not hundreds of blogsites.

I hope you agree leadership is not achieved by entering political office, but by applying the simple principal of doing the right thing on behalf of the public and the citizens of Rhode Island. This places public interest before personal and political agendas.

I believe Rhode Island and our nation deserve nothing less. It is not a partisan issue.

Let me call your attention to Daily Kos, the largest political website in the United States, and the conservative Magazine Harpers - March 2006 edition.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/19/1730/42036

I have not yet heard from any member from the State Senate or House. This is disappointing. It would be embarrasing if either another state precedes us or impeachment proceedings occur in Congress due to US Representative Conyer's efforts. It is a reasonable to state your reasons for not supporting this request in writing in the next 10 working days, if your unable to concur with this patriotic effort.

With Respect,

Carl L. Sheeler
Sheeler for US Senate http://www.carlsheeler.com

For equal time, a Vermont REPUBLICAN (yes, you read the color correctly) candidate is also trying to get 100 like-minded people together to launch an impeachment effort against Smirk Truly (Bush - I can't call him a chimp because a chimp knows what to do with his opposable thumbs AND can probably, if trained, pronounce nuclear correctly). If you're interested, I'll dig up the candidate's name.

South Dakota Works Overtime to Turn Back Time, Make Women Third Class Citizens Again (Men First, Unborn Cells Second)

Apparently South Dakota - which makes no real provision for the health of the mother since, their legislators say, would mean that if a woman sniffed, she could "kill" the baby - not only wants to give the Kansas School Board a run for its devolution money, but they want to test what good players new Supremes John (my wife is against abortion) Roberts and Sam (my wife CRIES strategically!) Alito are for the Bushie nutcases.

Feel Good Story: Autistic Teen's Hoop Dreams Come True

Sent by Barb (aka Goddess with the Electric Cattle Prodess):

Senior Jason McElwain had been the manager of the varsity basketball team of Greece Athena High School in Rochester, N.Y.

McElwain, who's autistic, was added to the roster by coach Jim Johnson so he could be given a jersey and get to sit on the bench in the team's last game of the year. Johnson hoped the situation would even enable him to get McElwain onto the floor a little playing time.

He got the chance, with Greece Athena up by double-digits with four minutes go to. And, in his first action of the year, McElwain missed his first two shots, but then sank six three-pointers and another shot (video), for a total of 20 points in three minutes.

Selective Scrutiny: Venezuelan Crude Oil and the Bushies

Anyone else finding it just incredibly convenient - not to mention brashly, really quite brazenly - that Condi Rice came out today to say we need to scrutinize Venezuelan oil imports and Citgo?

Condi, who has a major oil tanker named for her because of the "great assistance" she gave oil bigwigs during the Bush I administration, is amazingly selective in her scrutiny.

Do I think Hugo Chavez is some angel? No. But with what I know of the Bushies, I'm very suspicious of the efforts to eliminate him as a player, given what the Bushies tell us.

It was Chavez - albeit it with a big finger aimed at the Bushies - who came through for many of the poor this winter with budget oil, not Exxon, not the Texans, not the other pieces of manure that pass for America's energy companies and drive up prices like crazy.

And one more thing. Before you blame the new spike in prices just on the attack on the world's largest oil refinery (we're told al Qaeda is claiming responsibility but who knows?), consider that the price jumped right after Condi's big announcement of an investigation into Venezuelan fuel imports.

The stink you smell comes from those two Texas oil men in the White House. Impeach 'em.

So What's Your Take on Iraq?

Are they finally in a civil war (with help from the Bushies) or were they two years ago, when our (cough) intrepid media began mentioning the term?

"Corruption Comes at a Cost"

From Jesse at DCCC:

Corruption Has a CostFebruary 24, 2006
• Corruption Comes at a Cost• The Pombo Whirlwind Continues - With Your Help• The Republican Pre-9/11 Mindset• News From the Blog
Corruption Comes at a Cost
A new report released this week from Democrats on the House Rules Committee, led by Rep. Louise Slaughter, hits the nail on the head.

Entitled "America for Sale: The Cost of Republican Corruption," examines the real world implications of the Republican scandals unfolding every day. The report documents the ways in which Republican corruption has infiltrated a multitude of political arenas ranging from healthcare to education to national security.

Republican members of Congress are reaping the benefits that their special-interest friends have to offer while simultaneously putting the American people at a loss. Rather than representing their constituents, they are instead representing the "highest bidder."

Despite billions of dollars that have thus far been spent on Homeland Security, the 9/11 Commission repeatedly questions the utility of these funds. Airport security is deemed insufficient, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction has not been stymied, and the United States government has been given a failing grade for its overall security by the Commission. As the report documents, the Republicans seem to have been cherry picking national defense contractors with one standard - will this contractor support the Republican Party?

The Government Accountability Office has questioned whether the 250 billion dollars for the Iraq war has been put to its best use. Despite this astronomical amount, there is a lack of sufficient, safe supplies. Among other problems, military Humvees do not offer adequate means of transportation, and the drinking water delivered to the soldiers is grossly contaminated

Another pressing issue is America's source of energy. The rising energy costs are putting a great amount of stress on American families across the nation, but energy companies have racked up excessive profits. And we're to believe that the millions of dollars in campaign contributions given to Republicans are a mere coincidence.

There are other salient issues that are affecting Americans on a day-to-day basis. Millions of Americans have essentially been left to fend for themselves after the passage of Medicare Part D. By intertwining private insurance companies with red tape, the federal government has once again chosen its own best interest - political support from large private insurance companies - over the basic needs of its citizens.

Lastly, the circumstance surrounding America's higher education is dismal. It too is entangled with the Republican's special interests. The Republicans are vehemently fighting against direct loans because it eliminates the need for financial institutions that offer a great amount of political support from this organization. Overall, if the Republicans are able to continue their pay-to-play gambit, the constituents' interests will be represented less and less. More and more, only lobbyists and wealthy special interest groups are being represented in what is supposed to be "the People's House." As long as the Republican culture of corruption continues, the remedies to the problems facing American families.

The American Chronicle published the key specific findings of the report...

No, I am not a Democrat. ;)

The Dubai and US Ports Debacle

Just to be clear, I'm not unilaterally opposed to the operation of certain US ports by the UAE just because Arabs are part of the UAE. These days, I suspect I'd be much happier to allow moderate Muslims to operate something than any of our nutso fascist Christian idealogues.

In fact, I wasn't opposed to the whole ports thing at all until President (man, it still hurts to type his name six-plus years later) Bush told us we WERE going to have UAE control of U.S. ports NO MATTER WHAT.

His reticence to hear any dissenting opinions on this - no surprise from this administration - bothers the hell out of me. Which makes me wonder who the fuck is behind all this.

27 Members of the House Support This: Impeach the Bum (Bush)

From Impeach.org:

There are now 27 members of the House of Representatives, including John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee who are supporting a bill, H. Res 635, calling for "a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before Congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment."

"Our principles are enshrined in our Constitution and a system of duly enacted laws, and in a government where all are accountable and no one is above the law," stated Rep. Barbara Lee of California, one of the co-sponsors of the impeachment inquiry. "Our Constitution gives us a system of checks and balances and divided power because our founders were bitterly familiar with dealing with an unaccountable executive and were determined that our nation should not have a king," said Congresswoman Lee.

At the same time the Congressional inquiry moves forward, recent polls reveal that the majority of the country now favors impeachment if the President either lied about the reasons for going to war or broke federal law with his illegal wire-tapping program. This is a clear-cut sign that the impeachment movement is becoming a decisive factor in U.S. politics.

Help place the next major impeachment ad by clicking here.

We have exciting new opportunities for the impeachment movement to grow to new heights. It would be a monumental mistake to sit back and assume that Congressional representatives or other politicians will proceed with the impeachment campaign without grassroots pressure and community support. Impeachment will only become a reality if the people lead this movement.

Of course, with our luck, we'd get President Denny Hastert. Urm.

The President, the Arabs, and the Port Security Debacle

You know, considering how completely unprotected our ports ARE under Bush and in the wake of 9/11, it's very hard to entitle this post "port security". But just as I was about to post to ask WHY Mr. Bush - besides his great financial ties to the bin Ladens and the Saud Royal Family - would boldly promise to veto any attempts to quash the deal, comes this from David Sirota at Working for Change:

Politicians and the media are loudly decrying the Bush administration's proposal to turn over port security to a firm owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - a country with ties to terrorists. They are talking tough about national security - but almost no one is talking about what may have fueled the administration's decision to push forward with this deal: the desire to move forward Big Money's "free" trade agenda. That's not conspiracy theory - the administration is pushing this deal at the very same time it is trying to finalize a corporate-written "free" trade agreement with the UAE.

Sanctimonious Rick Santorum: Czar of Ethics or Con Man on the Take?

American Prospect has done some homework, starting with:

Exclusive: An investigation into the private and public finances of Rick Santorum suggests that the Senate GOP might want to reconsider making him its ethics czar.

“In far too many families with young children, both parents are working, when, if they really took an honest look at the budget, they might find they don’t both need to.”
-- U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, in his 2005 book, It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good

And then:

Initially, according to Loudoun County property records, the purchase was financed with a $405,000 mortgage from a conventional lender, Westminster Mortgage Company. But a year later, the couple refinanced for $500,000. That was not unusual in the fall of 2002, when many homeowners were refinancing to take advantage of plunging interest rates, while also cashing in on the rising equity in their homes. What was curious was the source of the increased mortgage. It was a new private bank catering to “affluent investors and institutions” -- whose officers have contributed $24,000 to Santorum’s political action committees and re-election campaign -- called Philadelphia Trust Company.

Rick and Karen Santorum do not appear to fit the profile of customers to whom the financial institution would normally issue a loan of any kind. According to information currently posted on Philadelphia Trust’s Web site, banking services “are offered at no additional charge to our clients” and “are available only to investment advisory clients whose portfolios we manage, oversee or administer. Interest rates on loans and deposits are competitive. Loan payments will be customized to match each client’s specific needs. Approved loans will be collateralized by your investment portfolio.”

Santorum’s financial disclosure forms filed with the clerk of the Senate show that he has never maintained an investment portfolio with Philadelphia Trust. For that matter, the senator would hardly fit the profile of the “affluent investor” that the Philadelphia bank seeks -- namely, people with investment assets of at least $250,000. On his 2002 disclosure form, Santorum listed liquid assets, primarily retirement accounts and life insurance, in a range no greater than $140,000.

Santorum’s campaign refused to disclose any specific information about the loan, and neither would officials from Philadelphia Trust. Bank Chairman George Marlin claimed that discussing any customer’s transaction would violate not only banking privacy laws but also, curiously, the USA PATRIOT Act. A bank director, Karen Iacovelli, who has a background in public relations, also refused to answer any questions in detail. Asked whether Philadelphia Trust does any loan business with non-investment clients, she said, “Yes and no -- it’s a judgment call.” Michael Crofton, the ceo of Philadelphia Trust, did not return three phone messages.

You remember Ricky, don't you? The one who told The Times last spring he lives paycheck to paycheck and relies on checks sent by his retired Mom and Dad to support his SIX kids? The one who travels everywhere in Wal-Mart jets but is just loved by Hispanics for understanding where they are coming from (Rick probably thinks it's Hispanics who CLEAN the Wal-Mart corporate jets).

Kansas is Getting Sick of Pat Roberts' Constant Kiss Up to the Bushies

Good for Kansas:

Many Kansans, including members of The Eagle editorial board, have long admired Sen. Pat Roberts for his plainspokenness and reputation for fair brokering of issues.

So it's troubling that Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is fast gaining the reputation in Washington, D.C., as a reliable partisan apologist for the Bush administration on intelligence and security controversies.

We hope that's not true. But Roberts' credibility is on the line.

From Abu Ghraib abuses to secret CIA detainee prisons to the Valerie Plame affair, critics say, Roberts has become a dependable shill for the White House, ever ready to shield Bush policy from criticism and ever willing to compromise Congress' legitimate oversight role.

A prime example: He has dragged his feet on a promised but long-delayed Senate investigation into whether the White House cherry-picked and amplified prewar intelligence to fit its preconceived goal of invading Iraq.

This week, Roberts sidetracked a Senate Intelligence Committee inquiry into the possibly illegal National Security Agency wiretap program, saying the White House had agreed to brief lawmakers more regularly and to work with him on a behind-the-scenes "fix" of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

That prompted a scathing New York Times editorial Friday headlined "Doing the President's Dirty Work," which opined: "Is there any aspect of President Bush's miserable record on intelligence that Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is not willing to excuse and help to cover up?"

Roberts' complete falldown on the wiretap issue, Abu Ghraib and more is deplorable. Oust the bastard.

Uh... How Long Has My Blogroll(s) Been Missing?

That's a rhetorical question. They're in the template, but they aren't showing up.

I'll tinker ASAPwhich may be as soon as hell freezes over

But really, with the Bushies' initiative to kill the biocycle with more coal and nukular (who knew a cell had both a nucleus AND a nukulus???), this could happen anytime between now and say... April Fool's Day.

Hell freezing over, I mean... not when I fix the template.

Civil Liberties and Privacy Board: If Only They Did Any Work

From today's LA Times:

WASHINGTON — For Americans troubled by the prospect of federal agents eavesdropping on their phone conversations or combing through their Internet records, there is good news: A little-known board exists in the White House whose purpose is to ensure that privacy and civil liberties are protected in the fight against terrorism.

Someday, it might actually meet.

Initially proposed by the bipartisan commission that investigated the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board was created by the intelligence overhaul that President Bush signed into law in December 2004.

More than a year later, it exists only on paper.Foot-dragging, debate over its budget and powers, and concern over the qualifications of some of its members — one was treasurer of Bush's first campaign for Texas governor — has kept the board from doing a single day of work.

$500 Million for WHAT?

A faith-based, bigot-based initiative for Mr. Bush's purile pals.

Say Hello to...

Rational Resistance, and thanks to Odum at Green Mountain Daily for the link.

"They're From the Government and They're Here to Preach to You"

From Friday's WaPo - and speaking of the Department of Homeland Suckurity under the Bushies:

Two uniformed men strolled into the main room of the Little Falls library in Bethesda one day last week and demanded the attention of all patrons using the computers. Then they made their announcement: The viewing of Internet pornography was forbidden.

The men looked stern and wore baseball caps emblazoned with the words "Homeland Security." The bizarre scene unfolded Feb. 9, leaving some residents confused and forcing county officials to explain how employees assigned to protect county buildings against terrorists came to see it as their job to police the viewing of pornography.

After the two men made their announcement, one of them challenged an Internet user's choice of viewing material and asked him to step outside, according to a witness. A librarian intervened, and the two men went into the library's work area to discuss the matter. A police officer arrived. In the end, no one had to step outside except the uniformed men.

Rhode Island Doesn't Seem to Enjoy Mr. Bush's (Cough) Leadership Either

From the folks at Daily Kos:

Little Rhode Island may have the loudest voice!

There is a movement to begin the impeachment of the President and it may just work!

Articles of Impeachment for President George W. Bush for High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Rhode Island's Carl Sheeler is leading the charge for Impeachment

Perhaps the backer will beat our Newfane, VT at Town Meeting Day.

It's worth a read. Whether it will amount to a tinker's dam... well, we'll see.

We could impeach every politician in Washington (with good cause, I might add) and the Bushies would just declare marshal law and stay. They've proven 2 or 3 times now how easy it is to steal elections with jerry-rigged electronic machines. And we keep letting them.

In other words, we as a voting populace need to grow a pair and stop handing them over to the Department of Homeland Sweetheart Deals for Security Companies"We Put the Suck in" SUCKurity.

Bush Really HAS Made America Poorer

For those of you who don't catch the press across the pond, it's often a bit more insightful than what passes for media whores here.

From the UK Observer:

Americans have always believed that hard work will bring rewards, but vast numbers now cannot meet their bills even with two or three jobs. More than one in 10 citizens live below the poverty line, and the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening...

A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. They are found from the hills of Kentucky to Detroit's streets, from the Deep South of Louisiana to the heartland of Oklahoma. Each year since 2001 their number has grown.

Under President George W Bush an extra 5.4 million have slipped below the poverty line. Yet they are not a story of the unemployed or the destitute. Most have jobs. Many have two. Amos Lumpkins has work and his children go to school. But the economy, stripped of worker benefits like healthcare, is having trouble providing good wages.

Even families with two working parents are often one slice of bad luck - a medical bill or factory closure - away from disaster. The minimum wage of $5.15 (£2.95) an hour has not risen since 1997 and, adjusted for inflation, is at its lowest since 1956. The gap between the haves and the have-nots looms wider than ever. Faced with rising poverty rates, Bush's trillion-dollar federal budget recently raised massive amounts of defence spending for the war in Iraq and slashed billions from welfare programmes...

During the 2004 election the only politician to address poverty directly was John Edwards, whose campaign theme was 'Two Americas'. He was derided by Republicans for doing down the country and - after John Kerry picked him as his Democratic running mate - the rhetoric softened in the heat of the campaign.

37 million poor hidden in the land of plenty Americans have always believed that hard work will bring rewards, but vast numbers now cannot meet their bills even with two or three jobs. More than one in 10 citizens live below the poverty line, and the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening...

A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. They are found from the hills of Kentucky to Detroit's streets, from the Deep South of Louisiana to the heartland of Oklahoma. Each year since 2001 their number has grown.

Under President George W Bush an extra 5.4 million have slipped below the poverty line. Yet they are not a story of the unemployed or the destitute. Most have jobs. Many have two. Amos Lumpkins has work and his children go to school. But the economy, stripped of worker benefits like healthcare, is having trouble providing good wages.

Even families with two working parents are often one slice of bad luck - a medical bill or factory closure - away from disaster. The minimum wage of $5.15 (£2.95) an hour has not risen since 1997 and, adjusted for inflation, is at its lowest since 1956. The gap between the haves and the have-nots looms wider than ever. Faced with rising poverty rates, Bush's trillion-dollar federal budget recently raised massive amounts of defence spending for the war in Iraq and slashed billions from welfare programmes...
During the 2004 election the only politician to address poverty directly was John Edwards, whose campaign theme was 'Two Americas'. He was derided by Republicans for doing down the country and - after John Kerry picked him as his Democratic running mate - the rhetoric softened in the heat of the campaign.

But, in fact, Edwards was right. While 45.8 million Americans lack any health insurance, the top 20 per cent of earners take over half the national income. At the same time the bottom 20 per cent took home just 3.4 per cent. Whitaker put the figures into simple English. 'The poor have got poorer and the rich have got richer,' he said.

Dealing with poverty is not a viable political issue in America. It jars with a cultural sense that the poor bring things upon themselves and that every American is born with the same chances in life. It also runs counter to the strong anti-government current in modern American politics. Yet the problem will not disappear. 'There is a real sense of impending crisis, but political leaders have little motivation to address this growing divide,' Cynthia Duncan says.

Is Cheney an Asset or a Liability

Well, yeah, you have to compare him TO the rest of this piss poor, corrupted beyond all comprehension administration BUT....

CNN wants your opinion in the poll. You know what to do.

Right now, Duck! It's Dick! is not doing well.