Progress? Bush & Pentagon Win Battle Over Corruption In Iraq

This is one of those rare times when even I must admire how effectively President George W. Bush and the Pentagon/CentCom have found one major and seemingly very successful tactic for combatting the sky-high corruption in Iraq, much of it introduced by the U.S. itself (directly through war profiteers like Bush-friendly private contract companies and indirectly by the way we set up operations in the occupied Iraq.

What's the BIG secret to their success in drastically reducing reports of corrupt in Iraq?

Simple: stomp on any attempts to investigate said corruption.

Gee. Why didn't we think of this before? Silly us!

Quintessentially Bush Administration: Anti-Fraud Fed Under Investigation For Fraud

Ever feel like the federal government - and, while this is certainly not EXCLUSIVE to the Bush Administration, those folks have managed to take this art to lofty heights never before seen on the face of this planet - exists solely to waste our money, give us migraines, and detract from overall quality of life? Well, yeah, me too.

So here we go with the Bushie anti-fraud official who seems to be - heh - six feet over his head involved in defrauding; with any other administration, this fellow might get at least a slap on the wrist. With the Bushies, this guy won't just get promoted, maybe Paul Wolfowitz will volunteer to help buy him a girlfriend. ::shaking head, muttering::

A senior government official is under investigation by a congressional committee for allegations he engaged in "widespread fraud, waste, and abuse" -– the same misbehavior he is supposed to ferret out.

Johnnie Frazier, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is said to have rigged contract bids for cronies, fraudulently charged the government for improper travel, wasted tens of thousands of dollars on an erstwhile office remodeling and may have destroyed files that were proof of his wrongdoing, according to accounts given to lawmakers by current and former employees.

As his department's senior investigator, Frazier is supposed to "detect and prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement" at Commerce, according to his office's Web site.

The Bush Administration: when you care enough to cheat and steal your very best.

Your Kid's Toybox Has Better Security Measures Than The Federal Government in The Bush Era

So what's another loss of the most sensitive financial and other data for 100,000 employees of the Transportation Safety Agency (TSA)? Identity theft makes the world go round, after all.

Putting The Tit In Titillation & The Mad In Madam

Color me both shocked and awed, with today's revelation that the latest outed client of highly successful Washington D.C. Beltway Madam Pamela Martin, aka Jeane Palfrey is the Bush Administration official who takes most credit for the colorful if not humane blitz on Baghdad known as "shock and awe." [The man here is Harlan Ullman, a Washington Times writer and holier-than-thou military analyst.] This comes after last week when an Assistant Secretary of State named Tobias - one quite uniquely charged with trying to end sex slave practices and promote abstinence for the Bush agenda - admitted he had many times paid $300 for 90-minute "innocent" massages (which of his parts was massaged, however, was not divulged). (Secretary of State Condi Rice must be so very proud of him, too!)

Yet far bigger fish may be joining these two in the proverbial frying pan. After the feds and other cops seized her equipment (cough) and froze all her assets which makes it hard (cough, cough) for the madam to secure an attorney since she has no access to money to massage (choke) a lawyer into accepting her case, the madam decided to engineer a unique type of circle jerk (gag). Specifically, Palfrey handed over 47 pounds of telephone records to ABC News to allow them to do the fancy handjob uh.. footwork to take these telephone numbers and reverse lookup them to find the names of some of the agency's clients.

It may be premature ejaculation (head spins), but tonight's ABC News program 20/20 is expected to at least suggest some of the names they milked (uh... am I going to hell for this?) from their deep penetration including cavity search complete with fisting and application of sharply studded riding crop . (yeah, I'm definitely headed to the hot place - no doubt remains!). Expect this on tonight's 20/20 (10 PM ET) with names to include NASA officials, Defense Department and World Bank bigwigs (my goodness but Paul "Wolfie" Wolfowitz seems to have a ravenous sexual appetite!), hotshot CEOs and lobbyists, ultra-righteous types intent on turning the U.S. into a theocracy as well as some recognizable names from Bush's inner circle . (Hey, I said circle this time and not circle jerk! Get your mind - and other parts of your anatomy please, out of the G-spot gutter, people!)

Three curious side notes:

1. The Bush Administration acts like it's on God's speed dial due to their supreme righteousness yet indications suggest it's many of the Bushies who may be revealed to be Debbie-Does-Dominatrix-Dance clients; many of the Republican lobbyists (aka daytime prostitutes) with the greatest access to the Bushies are expected to be named in this scandal
2. The media is certainly treating this story as a silly and stupid bit of fluff, something to fill the gap between the Anna Nicole Bimbo spectacle and the next time Bush gives yet another reason why we went into Iraq and another definition of what success in Iraq will mean; this is a heluva lot different than the way they treated the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky spectacle
3. Rightwinger John Stossel of ABC News, who has been known to badmouth Clinton for his exploits, has jumped forward to insist this is a victimless crime (probably true in such a case) yet sounding very much like he wants to protect the Bushies and Bush-supporters who may be among the madam's clients when his response is and was quite different when Democrats have been involved in Skanky Monkey Spanking

War, Mankind, and John F. Kennedy

Doug at All Things Democrat has added a feature that offers some great quotes (I love quotes; have 'em plastered everywhere) by Democratic presidents. Here's one I have never read before which I think is so apt for today:

Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.

--- John F. Kennedy

When It's Dirty, Deluded, and Downright Despicable, Safely Assume Karl Rove Did It

[Ed. note: Hmmm... rather than the much-used excuse of "the dog ate my homework", perhaps we should just all have t-shirts which read, "Karl Rove ate our democratic government (and then shat it out all over us while ordering us to smile about it)!"]

From my posting at All Things Democrat with details provided at TruthOut:

New evidence is out that Bush's "brain" (or is it balls?), Karl Rove, not only played an already documented heavy role in the firing of federal prosecutors in remote control mode from the White House to the Justice Department (at least in theory) led by U.S. Attorney General Alberto ("I lie at the pleasure of the president") Gonzales.

It looks like Rove, besides trying to hide thousands of emails send illegally from Republican National Committee (RNC) mail servers rather than official federal government ones, also coached witnesses to lie before Congress to protect Gonzo and the Bush White House.

Rescind Bush's Authorization To Wage War In Iraq

Southern Senator Robert Byrd has proposed a bill that would effectively halt and repeal President Bush's authorization to wage war in Iraq, something Bush demanded and got (too easily, IMHO) back in 2002, aided by bunkerfuls of Bush Administration lies and a Congress far too frightened to talk reason.

Now NY Senator (and 2008 Democratic presidential helpful) Hillary Clinton has jumped on the bandwagon.

Yet this legislation is NOT brand spanking new. Senior Virginia Senator John Warner - and a Republican, at that! - first proposed this months ago, although without much attention given.

I very much support a repeal of the president's authority. What say you?

Invasion of the Snotty Bastards

Actually, all humor aside, I highly recommend this piece by Rozius (of Rozius Unbound fame and infamy) available at All Things Democrat. It asks the very serious question: how the hell is it that there remains about a 30% core of Americans in just about every damned poll who still support George W. Bush through every horrific thing he has done (and failed to do) as president-in-cheat.

This 30% figure has stayed almost a constant for the last two-plus years when so very much more awful has happened not just on Bush's watch but directly because of what he does.

(And brownie points to anyone who knows what American "tragedy" is referenced in the book/movie, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers.")

Tonight's GOP Presidential Debate

Soooooo....

• Who is planning to watch?
• Which of the candidates, if any, will make it even somewhat clear he thinks Bush is doing a miserable job, in Iraq if not across the board?
• Who do you think, of the 10 or so Republican candidates, is apt to do best?
• Who will be the greatest assclown (paying my 10-cent royalty to the ever-wonderful Jurassic Pork of Welcome to Pottersville for the use of the term) of tonight?
• Will you be able to keep yourself from breaking a rib laughing too hard when Tommy Thompson, a man for whom multi-syllabic words presents a challenge, tries to answer a tough question?
• Will you need to take a very long and very hot shower afterwards?

Of these folks, the only ones I can possibly take seriously are Chuck Hagel (usually very good and moderate but can easily prostitute himself with some regularity) and Ron Paul, the Texan Libertarian anti-war fellow who doesn't stand a chance. Huckabee isn't too egregious either, but I'm uncertain whether he simply tells us what he thinks we want to hear; this we don't need.

Hearing again and again that Rudy Giuliani is the GOP frontrunner for the Republican Presidential candidate is sickening. What a huge mistake! And with John McCain as the second top-runner.... hoboy.

Soooo White And The Seven Dweebs

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little princess named Sooooo White (in an Ann Coulter kinda way) whose beauty was so very grating... er... glued on... uh... ghoulish.... $@*! great that it completely enraged and made homicidal her evil stepmother, Incompy (short for "incompetent") Rice who spent most of her time standing in front of a mirror admiring herself, shopping, or pushing her nose very, very, very deeply into the manly rump of Soooo White's daddy, King George the Lyin'-Hearted. [George, not exactly the brightest lightbulb in the 7 watt pack, just didn't have quite enough wattage to notice his daughter was gone; if he had, he would, of course, have blamed al Qaeda.]

So raging with jealousy was Incompy that she banished Sooooo White to the forest, where she was fortunate enough to have herself rescued by a compassionately conservative bunch of quasi-men with unusually small er... uh... family jewels.

These men (and we use the term "loosely", much like the way they take their true obligations) were known as the Seven Dweebs, and included (along with the "stars" who portray them in the Disney movie adaptation):

• Sid Vicious (played by "Duck, it's Dick!" Cheney)
• Sleazy (who else but "I'm going to fuck you like you've never been fucked before, even if I have to steal Ann Coulter's strap-on dildo to do so!" Karl Rove?)
• Dopey (the absolute perfect role for Attorney General Alberto ("No, I didn't lie; I just didn't happen to tell the truth. Ever!") Gonzales
• Groupie (this role is now played by Iraq commander of operations David Petraeus who uses his extraordinary military brilliance to do whatever it is King George, with NO military or true leadership experience of his own, tells him to do.)
• Jock (portrayed by no lesser being than the Director of Duct Tape, Michael Chertoff)
• Bashful (after both George Tenet and Porter Goss left this role, it has been assumed by General "I know the U.S. Constitution better than anybody and there ARE NO provisions or liberties afforded American citizens unless King George SAYS there are." Hayden)
• Metrosexual Mel (who else but I. Lewis "Scooter the Hooter" Libby?)
• Wolfie (since the Bush Administration... errr... King George can't count, Paul Wolfowitz plays the eighth seventh dweeb while simultaneously giving his girlfriend a job she is not qualified for at twice the salary of his girlfriend's boss as Wolfie does his utmost to bankrupt third world countries like Ethiopia and the United States; when not busy, Wolfie likes to join his pal, Mr. Morals William "Bill" Bennett at the Dungeon of Whips & Cheesecake operated by the D.C. Madam Dominatrix, Lynne Cheney)

Er.... uh... I'm being told that it is not yet bedtime, so I am not allowed to continue this fairy tale until AFTER all the manure has been cleaned off the stage of the Ronald Reagan Library (heh... imagine either Ronnie Raygun OR King George reading a book!) following tonight's Republican Presidential Debate. [Personally, I can't imagine that cleaning job can be done much before August - or 2057 if King George is in charge.]

What's Your Call on The Iraq Funding Bills And Veto?

Considering Bush and the current White House define "compromise" as complete capitulation from the other party, how do you see the matter resolved re: Monday's Congressional Iraq funding-with-withdrawal-timetable Bush raced to veto?

Even though most Republicans/conservatives/libertarians support getting U.S. troops out of Dodge City East ASAP, Bush has never been inclined to listen to anyone but his strange little circle of neocon nitwits.

Our Own Tough Times: New Orleans

Although it's unlikely you heard about it (since it's no longer "fashionable" to cover New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there was a big demonstration in NOLA over last weekend because these folks are so damned far from being able to call tbeir beloved city worthy of habitation... at least, worthy of habitation outside big and wealthy neighborhoods and major concerns moving in to grab cheapened land.

Let me share a horrific statistic: NOLA was pledged something like $830 million by various countries to provide aid. To date, the Bush Administration's federal government has released no more than $40 million of this to NOLA. We know they have far more sitting there, and other countries keep asking Washington when they can send their money so it can be used.

(facetious mode on) I'm certain keeping the majority low income, people "of color" population from the funds they need, especially in light of a Democratic mayor and a Democratic woman governor, plays no role whatsover.

And if you believe the last paragraph, I've got some lovely "real estate" in the Ninth Ward to show you.

Real, Live, Person-Drive Radio: Go For It!

I'm passing this along because I am a major proponent of this (and frankly, I'm considering doing this on my own, both over the airwaves along with simultaneous Webcast - and yes, I promise NOT to sing).

Have you ever dreamed of running your own radio
station? Here's the chance to make it happen.

The Federal Communications Commission is about to open up the public
airwaves to local communities. The federal agency will open a brief window in
October for issuing full-power, noncommercial radio licenses.

Now may be the last chance for you or your community group to secure a
license. But you have to be ready, organized and committed:
Visit GetRadio.org to Learn More

Free Press is working in partnership with Prometheus Radio
Project, the Future of Music Coalition, and the Radio for People
Coalition to help communities across the country set up their own local,
noncommercial stations.

Here's what you need to do to secure a spot on the dial:

Visit our Web site at www.GetRadio.org

Enter your ZIP code in the "frequency finder" to see if space on the dial
is available near you Answer the GetRadio questionnaire to see if you're
eligible to apply.

This opportunity may be our last chance to reclaim a segment of
the radio spectrum for the public. Over the past several decades, local
radio stations have been bought up and consolidated under a handful of large
commercial conglomerates. The result has been lousy, cookie-cutter formats
that sound the same anywhere you go.

Neighbors: Join Journalist Greg Palast and Ben Cohen On Friday

I encourage everyone who can get to this to attend. And for those too far, please think of pulling together your own program. We NEED a fair and accurate count in November 2008 or we're going to get more of the terrible same! Hopefully, I'll see some of you there Friday night.

We know how much you love Ben Cohen (of Ben & Jerry's),
our founder and creative visionary. Well, Ben and Greg Palast, a
hero of the verified voter movement, will be together in Montpelier,
VT this Friday to talk about voting integrity and the work we have
left to do to secure our elections. And you are invited.

When: Friday, May 4th at 7:00pm
Where: Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 130 Main Street (at School
Street) (map)

Greg was a pioneer journalist who exposed the dirty secrets of
electronic voting, and Ben was the creative spark behind
TrueMajority's famous "Computer Ate My Vote" campaign -- which helped
eliminate paperless voting in states across the country. See them together at
Friday's event which is hosted by Vermont voting activist and WGDR's Jim Hogue.

The Bastard Shot Down Any Timetable For Leaving Iraq

No, President Bush yet again connected Iraq to those who allegedly (I'm still unwilling to trust the intelligence on the 9-11 attacks considering how often we've been lied to) attacked the U.S. on September 11th.

How many times has this link been proven non-existent?

Well, about as many times as we've heard they've killed the "leader of al Qaeda in Iraq" (dozens of false reports on al Zawahiri and now, the first much-unconfirmed report of the death of the new "Iraq #1, al Masri). Also no clarification from Bush, of course, that those they call al Qaeda in Iraq are NOT the al Qaeda floating through Pakistan and other areas.

Lies lies lies. And people die die die.

Immigration Reform

Since I've told the story here in the past, I'll spare regular readers the tale again. But for others, interested in my viewpoint on immigration reform from the standpoint of two of America's first families (Native and English), see my post at All Things Democrat.

And.. btw... many hispanics ARE Native Americans. This fact seems to get lost all too often, except by the jerks in Washington who treat both like shit.

Good Night, Chris Degiovine

Most if not all readers here will not recognize the name of this 25-year-old former Honors student from Essex High School here in Vermont.

But last Thursday, he became a very nasty - and ever growing - statistic: dead in Iraq, one of the more than 100 U.S. soldiers and more than a thousand Iraqi civilians killed there in April thanks to Bush's war and his surge.

Bush's daughters can't serve, of course; after all, there are no big booze parties in Iraq. But Chris did, and his family will get back a flag-draped coffin none of us are allowed to see.

Bush lied. Chris Degiovine died. And Vermont, which has opposed this war from the start, retains its nasty honor of being the state with the highest per capita loss rate of troops in Bush's war; that is, in the United States. The Iraqi civilians have paid orders of magnitude more dearly and without a vote.

People of Conscience: The First Major War Against Fascism

[Ed. note: I posted this elsewhere but I find this just too important to go unnoticed. Those who went from America to fight did so, in part, because they understood that something was happening that would begin World War II. Because of U.S. and much of Europe's refusal to get involved in what often became called "the good fight", World War II DID happen.]

If you get a chance, check out the Webcast from Democracy Now! for today (Monday, April 30) about the Spanish Civil War 70 years ago, the first major war against fascism, pitting the proletariat against the upper classes. More than 3,000 Americans of conscience - including 80 women - went to fight and those who survived (too few) returned to be branded as “bad” by the U.S. government.

If you know Picasso’s painting Guernica, this was iconic of that war (despite endless lies that Guernica was never massacred). It was this painting, which hangs in the United Nations, that the United States ordered “covered” the day then Secretary of State Colin Powell went before the U.N. Security Council to lie about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that never existed.

So April's Become The Deadliest Month For U.S. Troops (Not to Mention Iraqi Civilians) This Year?

Glad to see that Bush surge is working!

And Bush never loses a chance to tell us of his "hard work", this from a man who averages being "on vacation" two of every five business weekdays of his nearly six-and-a-half-years in office.

Funny, troops in Iraq and Afghanistan often have to work multiple weeks without a day off, and standardly work no less than 12 hour days. But Bush is the one "workin' hard"... yup.