Major Political Changes in the USA

[slum_goddess]

'Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick paid a surprise visit Wednesday to this former insurgent stronghold to view the pace of reconstruction and meet with local officials. He was greeted with an earful of complaints. Zoellick is the most senior U.S. official to venture inside the city since it was retaken by U.S. and Iraqi forces in November, and his trip appeared intended to demonstrate that normality was returning to what was once a symbol of the Sunni Muslim resistance.

'Yet Zoellick, who wore body armor under his suit jacket, was told by military commanders that he could not leave his armored Humvee because of security concerns during the lightning tour of the shattered downtown...' from here

freedom is so not on the march, not w/only 23 (right now) different sources for the above bullshit, totally refuting bushCo's smug propaganda.

[DudeAsInCool]

Here's a look at the fluctuating all-mighty dollar:

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?050...talk_surowiecki

[DudeAsInCool]

President Bush said on Monday proposals to raise the retirement age for Social Security benefits and restructuring those benefits to be more generous to low-income workers are among possibilities for overhauling the country's largest entitlement program.

Bush mentioned the possible ways to preserve Social Security's solvency and called for Congress to come together to make the tough choices in an address before a joint session of South Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature.

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050418/...NT-BUSH-DC.html

Sounds like he's been talking to Clinton

[DudeAsInCool]

Today is the 60th anniversary of FDR's death. As the NYTime's Bob Herbert points out, we've come a long way from "the egalitarian ideals championed by F.D.R" to the "...wholesale transfer of wealth via tax cuts from working people to the very rich."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/18/opinion/...ticle_popular_4

[DudeAsInCool]

  Roosevelt referred to his proposals in that speech as "a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all regardless of station, race or creed."

Among these rights, he said, are:

"The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation.

"The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation.

"The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living.

"The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad.

"The right of every family to a decent home.

"The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.

"The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment.

Can you believe GWB or anyone in his administration supporting any of these goals today?

[slum_goddess]

yeah right...like we have any rights left (especially the right to adequate medical care--sounds very socialistic).

[DudeAsInCool]

PBS Scrutiny Raises Political Antennas

Liberal commentator Bill Moyers is out on PBS stations. Buster the animated rabbit is under a cloud of suspicion. And right-wing yakkers from the Wall Street Journal editorial page have been handed their own public-television chat show.

Some observers, including people inside the Public Broadcasting Service, see these recent developments as troubling. PBS, they say, is being forced to toe a more conservative line in its programming by the Republican-dominated agency that provides about $30 million in federal funds to the Alexandria-based service.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2005Apr21.html

[slum_goddess]

PBS, they say, is being forced to toe a more conservative line in its programming by the Republican-dominated agency that provides about $30 million in federal funds to the Alexandria-based service.

and there you have it--forget talk of 'fairness' cause that's all bullshit. follow the money.

[Kooperman]

PBS Scrutiny Raises Political Antennas

Liberal commentator Bill Moyers is out on PBS stations. Buster the animated rabbit is under a cloud of suspicion. And right-wing yakkers from the Wall Street Journal editorial page have been handed their own public-television chat show.

Some observers, including people inside the Public Broadcasting Service, see these recent developments as troubling. PBS, they say, is being forced to toe a more conservative line in its programming by the Republican-dominated agency that provides about $30 million in federal funds to the Alexandria-based service.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2005Apr21.html

The conservative pressure was very evident in the last few months before the Presidential election. It was absolutely disgusting to hear the Swift Boat crazies being virtually unchallenged on PBS, and wingnut conservative voices swamping the few liberal guests allowed to air their thoughts.

[slum_goddess]

more reason it's good i'm not there--if i'd have heard that, i would've gone off the deep end, prolly in public, raving and all. :(

[DudeAsInCool]

The conservative pressure was very evident in the last few months before the Presidential election. It was absolutely disgusting to hear the Swift Boat crazies being virtually unchallenged on PBS, and wingnut conservative voices swamping the few liberal guests allowed to air their thoughts.

Thank god for NPR...

[DudeAsInCool]

Report Finds No Evidence Syria Hid Iraqi Arms

U.S. investigators hunting for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq have found no evidence that such material was moved to Syria for safekeeping before the war, according to a final report of the investigation released yesterday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5042501554.html

More lies exposed. I bet there will be no repercussions either <_>

[DudeAsInCool]

Anybody else following the religious right's quest to knock out the fillibuster. It's all part of their plan to put more conservative judges in place and to knock out abortion, gay rights, etc, etc, etc.

[slum_goddess]

i have only a vague idea about what's going on w/that; since i think last june, i've been overloaded on outrage. i wish i had just kept a damn list of things as they happened, assualts on our rights and the outright orwellian shit &c.

[DudeAsInCool]

i wish i had just kept a damn list of things as they happened, assualts on our rights and the outright orwellian shit &c.

This (and the North vs South thread) is the list...

[DudeAsInCool]

Anybody else following the religious right's quest to knock out the fillibuster. It's all part of their plan to put more conservative judges in place and to knock out abortion, gay rights, etc, etc, etc.

Ok, here is the lowdown, courtesy of Salon.com:

  "There is no justification for allowing the blocking of nominees who are well qualified and broadly supported," Cheney told the Republican National Lawyers Association. "These nominations were held up strictly for partisan political reasons, in an astounding departure from historical precedent."

"Let me emphasize, the decision about how to proceed will be made by the Republican leadership in the Senate," he added. "But if the Senate majority decides to move forward and if the issue is presented to me in my elected office as president of the Senate and presiding officer, I will support bringing those nominations to the floor for an up or down vote." 

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, fired off astatement in response, ripping into President Bush.

"In the span of three minutes, the vice president managed to reinvent 200 years of Senate history and ignore the fact that Congress has already approved 205 of this administration's nominees. Apparently, a 95 percent confirmation rate is not enough for this president. He wants it all, even if it means shattering the checks and balances in our government in order to put radical judges on the bench.

"Last week, I met with the president and was encouraged when he told me he would not become involved in Republican efforts to break the Senate rules. Now, it appears he was not being honest, and that the White House is encouraging this raw abuse of power.

"It is disturbing that Republicans have so little respect for the separation of powers established by our founding fathers. Based on his comments last week, I had hoped that the president was prepared to join Democrats in taking up the work of the American people, but it is clear this is no longer the case. If the White House and Congress insists on proceeding down this road, Democrats will do all we can to ensure that Congress pursues an agenda the American people can be proud of."

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/ind...eney/index.html

[DudeAsInCool]

The Prez Asks About Splash Day!

http://www.drudgereport.com/mattspl.htm

[Wolfie]

[slum_goddess]

BUSH: I'm not saying whether I came or not on Splash Day. I'm just saying, Do you have Splash Day?

(LAUGHTER)

Bush was unaware "Splash Day" is now a fully gay and lesbian event on the beaches.

he was 'just sayin,'

[DudeAsInCool]

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER NEW ELEMENT

A major research institution has just announced the discovery of the

heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named

"Governmentium". Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75

deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic

mass of 311. These 311 particles are held together by forces called

morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles

called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert.

However, it can be detected, as it impedes every reaction with which it

comes into contact.

A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over 4 days to

complete, when it would normally take less than a second.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 4 years; it does not decay, but,

instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant

neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each

reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe

that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in

concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical

Morass". When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium,

an element which radiates just as much energy, since it has 1/2 as many

peons but twice as many morons.

[slum_goddess]

PBS, they say, is being forced to toe a more conservative line in its programming by the Republican-dominated agency that provides about $30 million in federal funds to the Alexandria-based service

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's 'far-right-wing majority directors' have reportedly 'deep-sixed' two opinion surveys which, says the Center for Digital Democracy, failed to find evidence that the American people are "fed up" with liberal programming on PBS and NPR.

keep changing your reality, assholes...more reason i'm so pleased i don't see this shit firsthand.

[DudeAsInCool]

But Did He Inhale? Anti-Castro Majority Leader Tom DeLay enjoys a fine Cuban cigar 

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes, according to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a cigar is an economic prop to a brutal totalitarian regime. Arguing against loosening sanctions against Cuba last year, DeLay warned that Fidel Castro "will take the money. Every dime that finds its way into Cuba first finds its way into Fidel Castro's blood-thirsty hands.... American consumers will get their fine cigars and their cheap sugar, but at the cost of our national honor."

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,...?cnn=yes#busted

[DudeAsInCool]

Wiretaps in U.S. jump 19 percent in 2004. No request was turned by judges, records show

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of secret court-authorized wiretaps across the country surged by 19 percent last year, according to court records which also showed that not a single application was denied.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/04/28/increase...s.ap/index.html

[slum_goddess]

interrogations faked at gitmo

'Authorities at Guantanamo Bay staged interrogations of detainees for visiting politicians and generals to give the impression that valuable intelligence was regularly being gathered, according to a former Army translator at the camp.

Former Army Sgt. Erik Saar told CBS television show 60 Minutes that he believes "only a few dozen" of the 600 detainees at the camp were terrorists and that little information was obtained from them.

"Interrogations were set up so the VIPs could come and witness an interrogation ... a mock interrogation, basically," Saar told the program, to air on Sunday...'

[Kooperman]

Teachers sue over arrest at Bush rally

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Two teachers arrested at a 2004 campaign rally for President Bush and strip-searched at a county jail have filed a lawsuit alleging law officers conspired to violate their constitutional rights.

Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both in their 50s, were among five protesters arrested at the Sept. 3 rally. The pair were handcuffed, taken to the county jail, strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass. The charges were dropped months later.

For the complete story click here:

http://www.fresnobee.com/24hour/nation/sto...-10588490c.html