Oust Gonzales (But Don't Stop There)

I agree, but I feel that signing the petition is not enough. What more can I do?

re thanks catharine at the blog-

big ver. of above

Any normal, reflective man would recognize that Gonzales ia a liability to the continued functioning of the system of Justice in the nation, and ask that he resign. However, Bush can't do that.

On an inner level, he's incapiable. His world is essentially Nixonian -- it isn't a nice or cooperative, collborative place. It's combattive, confrontational, and threatening. In that world, there are servants (whom he uses, but despises as weak, and cannot fully trust), and there are Enemies.

This is a good reason why Bush seemed to 'come awake' after September 11th -- why he would mention (and apparently, he told quite a few people) that god had chosen him to lead The Nations To Democracy and Righteousness. Suddenly, he was presented with real enemies, terrible assaults, a 'global' threat -- a situation which mirrored his own inner life.

The political world is a theatre where he can get others to do as he says -- to be powerful, feared. His weak personality needs people like Gonzales, who are subservient and will do as he orders. Getting rid of Gonzales would be another blow to his ability to pretend he is the all-powerful but benevolent leader, humbly doing god's will. It's a classic.

On a practical level, if he fires Gonzales or allows him to leave, it's a show of weakness to his enemies. It would embolden them (so he thinks), and next they might go after Cheney, or Rove... or, himself. And all of them have done so many things wrong, or illegal, or unethical, that Gonzales's fall would mean that More Will Be Revealed, and not in the AA sense of that term.

Bush has spent a lifetime trying to escape his self-image -- as weak, a no-account loser, despised and powerless; people like Cheney and Rove understand that about him and have manipulated those weaknesses in his personality for their own ends.

Bush believes with a perfect faith that he has done no wrong. It has all been for good, and is god's purpose and for his glory: This is the ultimate foundation for all Bush has done and continues to do, and abandoning one degree of that belief cannot be allowed. Gonzales must stay, whether he likes it or not.

Cogent analysis, John. Thanks

You know, your cries for impeachment might not be such a joke if you hadn't tried the exact same tactic on every swinging dick that came down the road for the last 6 years.

There was once a shepherd-boy who kept his flock at a little distance from the village. Once he thought he would play a trick on the villagers and have some fun at their expense.

So he ran toward the village crying out, with all his might,--

"Wolf! Wolf! Come and help! The wolves are at my lambs!"

Everyone has heard it all before.

New Documents Confirm Gonzales Lied To Senator About Plan To Install Rove Protege As U.S. Attorney

On Dec. 15, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) had their second phone conversation regarding the appointment of Karl Rove-protege Tim Griffin as the new U.S. attorney in Arkansas. In April 19 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales said that when Pryor objected to Griffin’s appointment, Gonzales promised to find a different candidate:

But I had told Senator Pryor: I wanted Mr. Griffin in for a period of time. Let’s see how he does.

And then in subsequent conversation with Mr. Pryor, I asked him: Can you support Mr. Griffin as the nominee?

And you know, he made it clear to me that he would not support him, by not giving me a yes answer, and so I said: Well, then I cannot recommend him to the White House, because if you don’t support him, I know he will not be confirmed. We’ll look for someone else, and give me names that we ought to consider.

Yet a newly released Feb. 8 e-mail by Assistant Attorney General William Moschella shows that Gonzales made the decision to appoint Griffin “on or about December 15, 2006, after the second of the Attorney General’s telephone conversations with Sen. Pryor”:

Therefore, despite assuring Pryor that he would “look for someone else,” Gonzales went ahead and appointed Griffin anyway. Additionally, four days after the meeting between Gonzales and Pryor, Sampson sent out an e-mail recommending that they “gum this [Griffin’s nomination] to death.” Sampson told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Gonzales did not object to this plan at the time.

Griffin continues to serve indefinitely as an “interim” U.S. attorney, even though the traditional 120-day term limit for interim prosecutors expired on April 20.

UPDATE: Emtywheel at The Next Hurrah points out that Gonzales signed Griffin’s appointment “on December 18 … but it was dated December 15,” the same day as his second conversation with Pryor.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/22/gonzales-lie-pryor/

White House considers making war czar a “staff job.” The White House Bulletin (sub. req.) reports:

Confirmation hearings for Lute could easily turn into a high-volume, sustained attack on the Administration and the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq. Republicans who might otherwise provide some political cover at those hearings are growing increasingly impatient with the war as well, and the appointment of a ‘czar’ at this point in the war and the Administration’s tenure is widely viewed as too little, too late. Indeed, the confirmation hearings could provide the first public forum for Republicans to express their disillusionment with the war and the President. As a result, there has been some quiet talk about considering making the position a White House staff job that would not require Senate confirmation, though it would likely require Lute to give up his military career.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/22/white-house-considering-making-war-c...

Ya know it's bad when the Mafia says that the

"Bush Family Gives Organized Crime A Bad Name"

http://tinyurl.com/2ft8ok

it looks like a troll to me.

wolf my ass
new
Submitted by dan on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 14:58.
it looks like a troll to me.

»

Smells like one too!!

I dunno ... Don't go all KOS on us Sam.

So now, I am on this thread again, but I kinda liked the other thread. I guess we should stick to topic here. hmmm...

Well, this sucks. What more can we do collectively. I say make massive calls, which requires Sam making it a priority and getting the word out on his show, a la Howard and American Idol/Sanjaya. We all call at a certain time during the day and flood them with Impeach Gonzo calls. Then they will finally ask him to step down.

Pelosi to Greenland for global warming mission. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is leading a bipartisan delegation to Greenland and Europe next week to tour a glacier and “hold talks with English and European Union leaders on the issue of global warming and what needs to be done, or even can be done, to counter it.”

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0507/Global_warming_tour_Pelosi_d...

They are compromising.

The Dems caved but are saying they are including bench marks.

Big f-ing deal!!

Did everyone here call?

I hope so.

Breaking: No withdrawal timetable in Congressional Dems' Iraq bill.

Late Update: Harry Reid explains why this wasn't a defeat for Dems.

-- Greg Sargent

Is The New York Times giving short shrift to the Edwards campaign?

Our survey shows that in the last three months, Hillary and Obama have each earned mentions in nearly twice as many Times articles as Edwards has.

-- Greg Sargent

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/014264.php

is anyone surprised? Caved my ass.They just did what they are so capable of doing. Count me out.
Vote Green!

WTF?

"We now have the timeline that the Republicans have set" -- oh, dear.

Even if you accept that the Republicans will actually begin bailing on the President in September -- which is a pretty big If -- the political perils for Dems are clear here. If Republicans, eyeing 2008, do end up bailing, they will try to be seen as the ones who finally forced the President's hand -- as the ones who set the timeline, as Reid generously put it. And everyone will forget that it's the Dems who forced the foot-dragging, Bush-shilling, head-in-the-sand Republicans into coming around in the first place.

A vigorous effort will be required to prevent everyone from agreeing to forget this.

****

I'm calling Reid's office and bitching.

Washington
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343) -Restricted to calls originating from area codes 775 and 702

could find the silver lining in a mushroom cloud...

accept it, the dems caved. with public sentiment overwhelmingly for getting out, its not clear why they caved.

what a great idea. look at how successful it was for nader.

once you press '1' to speak to his staff memebers about an issue..

Fucker.

Third time calling.

Given her latest- let the bitch stay in greenland. No Timeline my ass.
Vote Green!

CNN: Dems to give Bush blank check on Iraq
by John Aravosis (DC) · 5/22/2007 02:32:00 PM ET

UPDATE: The latest from the Dems: Sure, this time we caved, but next time boy that President Bush better watch out.
Maryland Democrat [Steny Hoyer] said the next step for his party will be to insist on tougher language in the 2008 military spending bill to be debated this summer.
Uh huh. Whatever.

Sorry, but that's exactly what it is - a blank check. More from CNN. In my view, they blustered and they blinked. Yeah, it's nice that the Dems attached the minimum wage, and I'm happy about that, but that's not really the point is it? We're in a war that is destroying our country. $7.25 an hour isn't going to fix that. It's also not why the Democrats were elected.

More from AP:
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., co-founder of the liberal Out of Iraq Caucus, said she will vote against the new measure and predicted that many of colleagues will join her.

"Every time we negotiate, it (the bill) becomes weaker," said Woolsey, D-Calif. "This is a Republican bill, so it better be Republican votes that pass it."

Hoyer said the new bill, despite its lack of a timetable on troop withdrawals, is still a victory for Democrats.

"There's not a rubber stamp or blank check here. . . . And we believe the net result here will be a significant change in direction," said Hoyer.
Woolsey's right, no one should vote for this thing. It's a Republican bill, let them pass it. As for this not being a blank check, please. We caved, 100%, to a guy at 28% in the polls. That's pitiful.

http://www.americablog.com/2007/05/cnn-dems-to-give-bush-blank-check-on....

now just on hold ....

fucker.

Sorry kid, but ...

I told him that the Democrats are pathetic. Millions of us fought long and hard to get them the majority this last election based largely on the Iraq issue! And what do the Dems do?! Hand over authority to the Republicans on setting the timetable.

I told him it was all over the internet and progressive talk radio about Reid and the Dems caving and we are all thoroughly disgusted at how pathetic you are.

I even quoted him the MSNBC quote, and TPM's analysis of how lame they are!

He said "Thanks for your comment" after my tirade. And I said, you are going to be getting a lot of them. Your phone lines have been busy, and people are really pissed off and disgusted.

Now I'm calling Pelosi...

(202) 225-4965

I'm on hold now!!!

Americablog
new
Submitted by toniD on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 14:12.

Leona taught him well. Congress is submissive.

her office just transferred me to phone mail.

Left a long tirade with her too.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., co-founder of the liberal Out of Iraq Caucus, said she will vote against the new measure and predicted that many of colleagues will join her.

"Every time we negotiate, it (the bill) becomes weaker," said Woolsey, D-Calif. "This is a Republican bill, so it better be Republican votes that pass it."

The only thing is the crossover votes from the repubs on this one. That's the problem! Damn, Damn, Damn!!!

Told him there were alot of pissed off people out here. Do they realize what they've done?

It's moving through the tubes (internets) like crazy right now!

Told him that the Pres is tanking in the polls and the Dems just gave him what he wanted. And in essence, it is a blank check.

September is too late nad Bush is planning a huge escalation.

We're not really happy with the Dems right now and the appeasements aren't working!!

Tell your boss there will be problems!

Got a young voice on the phone
new
Submitted by toniD on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 16:29.

Told him there were alot of pissed off people out here. Do they realize what they've done?

***

Yay!

I'm calling Lynn Woolsey to thank her and see who else I can call regarding this:

Lynn Woolsey

Washington DC Office:
2263 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Ph.: 202-225-5161
Fax: 202-225-5163

Anyone have a handy list?

Everyone should call their representative. Pronto. Give them a piece of your mind. In your style. Whatever that may be. In your own words.

Just speak out.

(Ho Hum @ 15:54)
what a dumbass

bush & co could be held impeachable for a number of offences

how does this preclude this call for impeachment...

i repeat, what a dumbass

"the system is working"

You can call your members of Congress right now on one of these toll-free numbers, 800-828-0498, 800-459-1887 or 800-614-2803. There are operators on duty 24 hours a day. Just ask to be connected to one of your senators or your house representative and they'll put you through.

I've been calling too! I certainly hope throwing a match into a puddle of gasoline was the Democrats' intention! Now it looks like they'll get their answer.

If adding to the incompetence and sharing the blame for the Iraq debacle is what these marshmallows want then we need to let them have it! ALL OF THEM!

to Bush's Dumbest Utterance

"the system is working"

And you can also ask them to impeach Gonzales while you're at it.

Man! I am pissed!

Submitted by 60th Street on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 16:43.

***

It feels good to give them a piece of your mind ...!

Oh yeah ... !

Dial away!

you still believe that bushie is a goodly man

a sincere man...

the picture you paint is erroneous

~he's a vicious punk~

(fuck your pretty psycho-analysis)

"the system is working"

That number again?

800-614-2803

He was easier to get hold off.

Now Obama!!

Edwards has been telling the Dems to keep sending back the same bill until the money really ran out and Bush will sign what we want.

This is just beyond belief.!!

SAMMER!!

SEPERATE EACH THREAD VIA THE AUSPICES OF A CLEAR LINE

"the system is working"

"the system is working" //

I agree the system is working. No one at all is paying any attention to your foolish antics. Someone always establishes the out-of-bounds line. They do so by radical actions that the majority find unacceptable. You have establish a political position across that line, you too are considered out-of-bounds and no longer politically reliant.

But the system works quite well. That is why the far right and the far left are aways ignored, just as they are today. Doesn't mean you can't act the clown, the system allows for the clowns. They are always on the sidelines not in the action.

Kick Gonzo's hiney out!

Bush is a radical and is not on the sidelines.

That of course does not preclude him from simultaneously being an ass clown.

Laura Flanders free form blog:
http://web.mac.com/maggies_boy/iWeb/Laura%20Flanders%20BlogNation/Welcom...

Sen. Russ Feingold put this diary up at DKos:

I wanted to link to a couple really good posts that I've seen in the past few days about the Democrats' strategy on the Iraq supplemental spending bill. They drive home what a mistake it is to just give up and pass a supplemental that doesn't include language to stop the war:

http://www.dailykos.com/…

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/…

This situation is a collapse for Democrats. We had a strong start, pushed back against the President's failed policy and held our ground that the supplemental should include binding language to end the war. But now, as Congress gets ready to send the President a bill that does nothing to get our troops out of Iraq, we are just folding our cards. As one person commented under Greg Sargent's great post at TPM cafe, "Send the Congressional Dems over to my place for some poker - I could use a windfall right now."

This is no time to back down.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Congress will heed Feingold's suggestion. Reports are out that Democratic leaders are dropping deadlines from the spending bill (although they are leaving in "benchmarks"). I'd say it's time to contact your representatives to let them know that cowing to Bush's demands and ignoring their constituents' desires is not politically expedient for them.

From Crooks & Liars

CATEGORIZE THE OPEN MICS

e.g. one for music videos
(why folk want to put these up is beyond my intellect as a trained psychologist -- i'd have to confer with my eminent colleague, prof. m the ac -- he real smart, him)

another for blog improvements...

(etc)

"the system is working"

The system is working. Although a majority want us to withdraw from Iraq, and have expressed this desire to elected officials, nothing is happening. National interests demand we control Iraq's oil supplies. It is written. Constitution, baby!

dumbass

"the system is working"

Well, at least the Iraqi Government is preparing for an imminent American troop pullout I wish I could say the same for ours.

Just called Durbin

Submitted by toniD on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 16:51.

He was easier to get hold off.

Now Obama!!

Edwards has been telling the Dems to keep sending back the same bill until the money really ran out and Bush will sign what we want.

This is just beyond belief.!!

****

Crazy shit!

"the system is working"

is sarcasm

it's taken from Lawrence O'Donnell's appearance on seder's inaugural sunday show, when he said that the blow torch being applied to gonzo's tummy is proof positive that...

"the system is working"

of course the system isn't working when seder has dipshits like o'donnell on, and allows you here

Now those jackals(Repubs)in the House are trying to Hassel Murtha over that dust-up with a Repub.congressman the other day.God,they love to Waste time.Where were they when Cheney told Sen.Leahy to F--k off!?Demo's cave in to Repubs.and War funding!Typical BS!!Now,I'll have to email their asses all over again!!We need to give these clowns some Backbone!!And no,voteing Green won't help.Not,on a National level yet!The Greens need to get their local shit together,than they can go national.Voting for them nationally,is just a waste of a vote.Look at Nader!!Now,we need to keep trying to stop this sickening War!! :)

What are we describing here? Robbery, Assault? Rape? Were they using harsh language on the lambs, Clarisse?

Oh, sorry; I forgot -- This is how the story goes:

Once, a shepherd boy was trying to warn his village about a threat from a pack of wolves, living right inside the village. The villagers listened.

When night came, the wolves inside the village attacked and killed the lambs -- and, they gave the troll his share, since he had been with them from the beginning. And the troll laughed at how stupid and gullible the villagers were.

800-614-2803

Calling Clinton again for the halibut....

air-ono: Boy, did you miss my point.

And, the psychoanalysis was pretty, wasn't it? Thanks.

//Bush believes with a perfect faith that he has done no wrong.//

(lol)

"the system is working"

got burgers to flip

"the system is working"

Snow Slams Gore’s Book, Suggests It Should Be ‘Reprinted’ Because It Calls Out Bush’s ‘Deception’ »
In his new book The Assault on Reason, Al Gore wrote that Bush’s efforts to connect Iraq to 9/11 were an example of the administration’s willful “deception” of the public:

When the administration is told specifically and repeatedly by the most authoritative sources that there is no linkage, but then in spite of the best evidence continues to make bold and confident assertions to the American people that leave the impression with 70 percent of the country that Saddam Hussein was linked to al-Qaeda and was primarily responsible for the 9/11 attack, this can only be labeled deception. [p.108]

This afternoon, White House press secretary Tony Snow took issue with this passage. “[Bush] has never tried to make” the connection between Iraq and 9/11, Snow said. “And what [Gore] is doing, it’s been tried by a lot of other people, which is to take something the president hasn’t said, expose it as a, quote, lie, and then beat him up for it. … The president’s been straight about the intel.”

Snow attacked Gore’s book, saying, “I don’t know if they’re going to do a reprinting of the book to try to get the facts straight. The fact-checkers may have to take a look at it.” He added, “These are highly complex publishing issues and I can’t be an expert on them.” Watch it:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/22/snow-on-gore-book/

To justify the war, Bush informed Congress on March 19, 2003 that acting against Iraq was consistent with “continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.”

As ThinkProgress has repeatedly documented, Vice President Cheney cited “evidence” cooked up by Douglas Feith and others to claim it was “pretty well confirmed” that Iraq had contacts with 9/11 hijackers.

More generally, in the lead-up to the war in Iraq, the administration encouraged the false impression that Saddam had a role in 9/11. Bush never stated then, as he does now, that Iraq had “nothing” to do with 9/11. Only after the Iraq war began did Bush candidly acknowledge that Iraq was not operationally linked to 9/11.

Got a 2 fer: Gonzo and Iraq.

Mostly a tirade on Iraq and the weakness of the Dems.

The person answering the phone said that Clinton did express her disapproval at Bush vetoing the last bill, and while she can't comment on the pending legislation she can tell me that Sen Clinton is working with Sen Byrd on some legislation of her own.

Then I threw in Gonzo. I threw around Chuck Schumer's name - thinking she is somewhat competitive with Shumer.

At C&L: This situation is a collapse for Democrats. We had a strong start, pushed back against the President's failed policy and held our ground that the supplemental should include binding language to end the war. But now, as Congress gets ready to send the President a bill that does nothing to get our troops out of Iraq, we are just folding our cards. As one person commented under Greg Sargent's great post at TPM cafe, "Send the Congressional Dems over to my place for some poker - I could use a windfall right now."

Did I mention....?

You can call your members of Congress right now on one of these toll-free numbers, 800-828-0498, 800-459-1887 or 800-614-2803. There are operators on duty 24 hours a day. Just ask to be connected to one of your senators or your house representative and they'll put you through.

In case you missed it....

I just called the Edwards campaign [ (919) 636-3131 ] to tell them what I thought about this and that they should tell the policy people there to have Edwards immediately go public and speak at length about his opposition to this decision. After all, he called for Congress to keep re-sending the initial bill and forcing Bush to repeatedly veto it, so he should be decrying this the loudest. He is the one most likely to ratchet up the pressure on the frontrunners and which could have a domino affect on the rest of Congress if they address it enough in the MSM. This is a perfect time for Edwards to do it and really set himself apart from the wafflers.

Call the people most apt to be in the spotlight and therefore, under the pressure to answer for this: the presidential candidates and any politicians who regularly make the rounds as Sunday bobbleheads like Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Biden, etc.

Read the story, it has a twist to it...

Student Arrested With Homemade Bombs, Three Other Suspects Sought

May 22, 2007 —

Even in death, the Rev. Jerry Falwell rouses the most volatile of emotions.

Authorities arrested a Liberty University student for having several homemade bombs in his car.

The student, 19-year-old Mark Ewell of Amissville, Va., reportedly told authorities that he was making the bombs to stop protesters from disrupting the funeral service. The devices were made of a combination of gasoline and detergent, a law enforcement official told ABC News' Pierre Thomas. They were "slow burn," according to the official, and would not have been very destructive.

Three other suspects are being sought, one of whom is a soldier from Fort Benning, Ga., and another is a high school student. No information was available on the third suspect.

Authorities were alerted to the potential bomb plot by a concerned relative of Ewell.

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3201543

Bush believes with a perfect faith that he has done no wrong.

...and he absolutely does. That's how divorced from reality the guy is.

Go well & Flip yer burgers...

http://www.counterpunch.org/kolakowski05222007.html

Retired General: 'War Czar' position proves Cheney has been 'ineffective' David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2007

In 2003, Major General Paul Eaton was put in charge of training the new Iraqi army and police force. He retired from the military in 2006 and has now done a political ad for VoteVets.org in which he tells President Bush, "I was one of those commanders, and you weren't listening when we warned you of the dangers we'd face invading Iraq."

In this interview with PBS's Tavis Smiley, Easton, now retired, explains that it was because the president has not listened to his commanders that VoteVets embarked on its unprecedented series of television ads. He says the decision to do so was not taken lightly, but the military is not being properly maintained by the current administration and even active duty military personnel are aware of this.

When asked by Smiley about Bush's decision to appoint a "war czar," Eaton says that the appointing of any "czar" by an administration indicates a "last ditch effort." He calls Lt. General Douglas Lute "a wonderful soldier" but says the function is "really the job of the vice president of the United States."

According to Eaton, the hiring of a "war czar" "is a demonstration that this office of the vice president has been ineffective in achieving the coordination necessary in the interagency process to get this administration – to get this cabinet – focused on solving the crisis that we've got right now in Iraq and in Afghanistan."

"The War Czar is a last ditch effort to make responsible government happen in Washington DC," Eaton added.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Gen._Eaton_War_Czar_job_of_0522.html

Call the Ones in the Spotlight
new
Submitted by 60th Street on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 17:30.

I just called the Edwards campaign [ (919) 636-3131 ]

***

Doing it.

“And what [Gore] is doing, it’s been tried by a lot of other people, which is to take something the president hasn’t said, expose it as a, quote, lie, and then beat him up for it. … The president’s been straight about the intel.”

he's using ho-hum's logic: because //it’s been tried// before it somehow by magic negates the verifiable deception

the issue isn't //it’s been tried//

the issue is the continued denial of the deception

WHY ISN'T THIS SPLASHED ON THE FRONTPAGES...

continued denial!!
continued denial!!!

(how about repeating the big truth)

"the system is working"

oh, please...

(do you want fries with that, jack)

"the system is working"

They lie alot alike. Same cadence, same eye trail.

did say that on the dawning of the recent emergency government plan.

I totally agree...

and "Stay tuned. I think you'll be hearing something about it from him soon."

a clean bomb?

regarding ousting Gonzo, but it wanted money to back that up. I want to call the DNC and tell them how disgusted I am with them backing down on Iraq, that I won't be giving money until they get a spine.

I called the number:

Mailing Address:
Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003

Main Phone Number:
202-863-8000

Unfortunately, they close at 5:30pm

isn't gasoline and detergent poor mans napalm?

Here's the link:

http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues

Tell them you worked hard to give them the majority and you are very disappointed and very angry that they are caving into Bush and the Republicans on Iraq!

And you will not be giving another dime until they get with the program - the single most important issue to voters in the last election: Iraq!

Nice Catherine! It looks like Feingold is on it! I just read Toni's post about his post on Kos. I hope the blowback is huge on this!

I hope the blowback is huge on this!

***

Me too!

Hersh: Bush administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon
David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2007

In an interview on CNN International's Your World Today, veteran journalist Seymour Hersh explains that the current violence in Lebanon is the result of an attempt by the Lebanese government to crack down on a militant Sunni group, Fatah al-Islam, that it formerly supported.

Last March, Hersh reported that American policy in the Middle East had shifted to opposing Iran, Syria, and their Shia allies at any cost, even if it meant backing hardline Sunni jihadists.

A key element of this policy shift was an agreement among Vice President Dick Cheney, Deputy National Security Advisor Elliot Abrams, and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi national security adviser, whereby the Saudis would covertly fund the Sunni Farah al-Islam in Lebanon as a counterweight to the Shia Hezbollah.

Hersh points out that the current situation is much like that during the conflict in Afghanistan in the 1980's – which gave rise to al Qaeda – with the same people involved in both the US and Saudi Arabia and the "same pattern" of the US using jihadists that the Saudis assure us they can control.

When asked why the administration would be acting in a way that appears to run counter to US interests, Hersh says that, since the Israelis lost to them last summer, "the fear of Hezbollah in Washington, particularly in the White House, is acute."

As a result, Hersh implies, the Bush administration is no longer acting rationally in its policy. "We're in the business of supporting the Sunnis anywhere we can against the Shia. ... "We're in the business of creating ... sectarian violence." And he describes the scheme of funding Fatah al-Islam as "a covert program we joined in with the Saudis as part of a bigger, broader program of doing everything we could to stop the spread of the Shia world, and it just simply -- it bit us in the rear."

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hersh_Bush_arranged_support_for_militants_...

Here's the DCCC's contact email also!!

http://www.dccc.org/action_center/contact/

By the way, just sent the DNC an email!

Tue May 22, 2007 at 01:28:12 PM PDT
The only people who actually know what’s going on regarding the supplemental appropriations bill on Iraq are insiders and those with a good connection to a few of them. The rest of us can only guess based on what we’re reading from suspect sources. And, because coming up with a supplemental bill is a process until it becomes a product, the situation can change from morning to afternoon, if not hour to hour. What may have been true yesterday, or at noon today, may not be the case at the moment.

Here’s what being said right now by MSNBC:

Con't

Feingold can't support 'toothless benchmarks' Nick Juliano
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2007

One of the Democrats leading anti-war voices accused his party of abandoning its priorities and ignoring the will of the American people in preparing to send the president a bill that would fund the Iraq war without requiring any consequences for a continued lack of progress there.

"I cannot support a bill that contains nothing more than toothless benchmarks and that allows the President to continue what may be the greatest foreign policy blunder in our nation's history," Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., said in a statement released Tuesday. "There has been a lot of tough talk from members of Congress about wanting to end this war, but it looks like the desire for political comfort won out over real action."

Feingold sponsored a measure last week that would have begun bringing troops home from Iraq within three months. Only 29 senators supported the withdrawal bill, and Congressional leaders are negotiating with the White House on a measure to provide more than $90 billion to fund the war effort through September.

The White House has said any bill that includes a timetable will be vetoed by the president. Negotiators say the measure is likely to call for benchmarks on progress in Iraq, which could trigger cuts in aid to the country if they are not met, but the president is expected to have the right to waive compliance with the requirements.

The compromise legislation is expected to mirror an amendment introduced last week by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that would have imposed the same stipulations, as RAW STORY reported last week.

In a diary posted Tuesday on the Democratic community blog Daily Kos, Feingold called the negotiations "a collapse for Democrats." He has vowed not to support a bill that does not include a timetable for withdrawal.

"This is no time to back down," Feingold wrote. "This fight to end the war isn’t something that we can just put off or kick down the road."

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Feingold_cant_support_toothless_benchmarks...

His remarks are moving through the blogosphere!!

As a result, Hersh implies, the Bush administration is no longer acting rationally in its policy. "We're in the business of supporting the Sunnis anywhere we can against the Shia. ... "We're in the business of creating ... sectarian violence."

***

Wow.

Thanks for the post, Toni.

Hersh: Bush administration arranged support for militants attacking Lebanon

Jesus -- our own ass-clowns funded this??

Submitted by toniD on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 18:04.

Here's the DCCC's contact email also!!

http://www.dccc.org/action_center/contact/

By the way, just sent the DNC an email!
***

I emailed the DCCC as well, Toni!

Thanks for that!

Former Rove aide pleads the Fifth on White House contacts with convicted lobbyist Abramoff

Susan Ralston, the former executive assistant to top White House adviser Karl Rove, invoked her rights against self-incrimination while she was being asked to answer questions by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Committee's Chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, announced in a memo Tuesday. The deposition for which she sat concerned contacts between convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Rove, as well as the White House more broadly.

"The subjects this morning that she will be unable to testify to...are the subjects of the relationship between Jack Abramoff and his associates and White House officials, including Ms. Ralston, and the subject of the use by White House officials of political e-mail accounts at the RNC," Ralston's lawyer, Bradford Berenson said, during the May 10 deposition. "She has material, useful information about both of those subjects."

According to Waxman's memo, which was sent to Oversight Committee members, Ralston is seeking immunity from prosecution.

"She is more than willing to provide it to the committee. However, she will, as we have previously discussed, require a grant of immunity before she is comfortable going forward," Berenson also said in the deposition.

A spokeswoman for the Committee would not say whether or not immunity would be granted to the former Rove aide.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Former_Rove_aide_pleads_Fifth_on_0522.html

and it feels better when others participate as well...

[Take that any way you like, but I was referring to voicing my opinion]

Doc: An $880,000 Lawsuit Between Congressmen
May 21, 2007 | 1:51 PM ET | Permanent Link
Note: This article ran on May 21, and was updated with a response from McDermott, below, on May 22 at 10:45 a.m. ET

A legal battle between two longtime congressmen has cost the winner $880,000, according to the winner's lawyer.

A federal court ruled earlier this month in favor of House GOP leader John Boehner of Ohio against Rep. Jim McDermott, a veteran Democratic member from Washington State. The case is very much inside-the-beltway stuff. As News Desk explained earlier this month, the dispute was over a tape McDermott had obtained of Boehner discussing an ethics ruling with then Speaker Newt Gingrich and several other members of the Republican leadership. Boehner's complaint alleged that McDermott violated federal law when he disclosed the tape of an "illegally intercepted conversation."

The court ruled on May 1 that there was no First Amendment right "to disclose the tape to the media," a victory for Boehner.

In a letter obtained today by U.S. News, Michael Carvin, a lawyer for Boehner, discloses the fees. (Letter: Page One, Page Two.)

"I think we need to move forward with the determination of attorney's fees and costs," Carvin wrote on May 15. "We believe that the fee issue should be capable of prompt resolution."

In a brief interview, Carvin said: "I don't comment on communications between counsel, but obviously we are entitled to the attorneys' fees. That amount would not be uncommon for a case like this."

Mike DeCesare, McDermott's spokesman, said the office was taking a look at the letter regarding the fees. In a statement, when the federal court ruled on May 1, McDermott said: "Legal counsel will continue to review today's decision. It is premature to speculate on a course of action. We have 90 days to decide whether to appeal this important and unfortunate First Amendment ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court."

Update:In response to the letter from Boehner's lawyer, McDermott's office issued this statement:

"The letter sent by Rep. Boehner's attorney was unexpected, unsolicited and premature. This is a very important case, with significant constitutional issues involved, and for the attorney to the plaintiff to act otherwise is impertinent and unwarranted. We are considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and there are over two months remaining before a decision is required."

--Silla Brush

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/blogs/news_blog/070521/doc_an_880000_lawsui...

I hate phones.My old job,long story!I've emailed Hillary,Boxer,Feinstein,dccc.org,CA-Susan Davis,and democrats.org.I'm tracking down Reid next..This is what I wrote.I stole from 60th St.,and somebody else.Sorry,but I was In a big hurry!

This situation is a collapse for Democrats. We had a strong start, pushed back against the President's failed policy and held our ground that the supplemental should include binding language to end the war. But now, as Congress gets ready to send the President a bill that does nothing to get our troops out of Iraq, we are just folding our cards. As one person commented under Greg Sargent's great post at TPM cafe, "Send the Congressional Dems over to my place for some poker - I could use a windfall right now."
Well, at least the Iraqi Government is preparing for an imminent American troop pullout I wish I could say the same for ours.
Where is Your BackBone Democrats?All of US That Voted For You are Very Disappointed!No More Excuse!Get To Work.Keep sending The Bill Back Until Bush Gives In.Not you!Hang in There,and Show Us Some Backbone!!His approval rating is now about 33%.If Not Now When??Wake up!Please.Thank you,Michael.

I would think they'd wait on granting her immunity until they see how cooperative Goodling is tomorrow. I hope she spills it to compensate for the bad news today.

CBS Radio crowing on about how Bush WON!!!! How he showed those Dems whats what...then when I turned on my TV, the top of the news was saying the same thing. Bush is the big bad winner against the PUSSY DEMS!

I am so ashamed. I really am. I have started the emails and I'm getting ready to start the calls.

Gina

I've e-mail just about everyone.Who's Next!

Submitted by MMRules on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 18:31.

***

I dunno... have you covered all of your reps? Have you covered the DNC?

Good letter!

Actually, it's good that we're all consistent with the message anyway, but it's different enough that it counts more than a form letter/email.

I am so ashamed. I really am. I have started the emails and I'm getting ready to start the calls.

Gina

***

It's not over yet, Gina.

Get mad at the Dems! You got them where they are. Remember that.

Don't bother with the news... they're irrelevant.

I passed several Gas Stations. The Citgo (Oil from Venesuela) was the cheapest at $3.51.9. The others were $3.55 +. The most was $3.59.9.

This means it's going to be less driving for me and it means that whatever I buy will be more costly.

I don't drive that much as it is. I fill up once a month and my car gets a good 28 miles per gallon and that is city type driving. But it will still hurt.

Tucker just said that Bush was less popular than venerial(sp) desease right now.

"Another one wanting to invoke the Fifth..."
new
Submitted by 60th Street on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 17:33.
I would think they'd wait on granting her immunity until they see how cooperative Goodling is tomorrow. I hope she spills it to compensate for the bad news today.

Read this 60th Street...Monica is being difficult

Thanks....Oh yea,I emailed Boxer,Feinstein,and CA-Susan Davis first!This might help people here too.

Senate Democratic Members/Leaders

I've called Menendez(I'm in NJ) and left a message telling him how I feel and I am going to keep going.

Thanks to you all for posting the numbers...you'd think I'd have them memorized by now.

I know I need to ignore the news...but it's hard!

Gina

LONDON (AFP) - A pair of gay flamingos have adopted an abandoned chick, becoming parents after being together for six years, a British conservation organisation said Monday.

Carlos and Fernando had been desperate to start a family, even chasing other flamingos from their nests to take over their eggs at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge near Bristol.

But their egg-sitting prowess made them the top choice for taking an unhatched egg under their wings when one of the Greater Flamingo nests was abandoned.

The couple, together for six years, can feed chicks by producing milk in their throats.

"Fernando and Carlos are a same sex couple who have been known to steal other flamingos' eggs by chasing them off their nest because they wanted to rear them themselves," said WWT spokeswoman Jane Waghorn.

"They were rather good at sitting on eggs and hatching them so last week, when a nest was abandoned, it seemed like a good idea to make them surrogate parents."

Gay flamingos are not uncommon, she added.

"If there aren't enough females or they don't hit it off with them, they will pair off with other males," she said.

Kucinich blasts 'minimum wage for maximum blood' report Ron Brynaert
Published: Tuesday May 22, 2007

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) delivered a blistering speech on the House floor today in response to an Associated Press report that "the latest Iraq Supplemental funding plan, incredibly, will tie an increase in the minimum wage to funding the war through October."

Earlier today, Anne Flaherty reported for the AP that "the next war spending bill most likely will fund military operations and not demand a timeline to bring troops home, although it will contain other restrictions on Bush's Iraq policies," including so-called "benchmarks" that the Iraqi government will be expected to reach.

"The Democrats' new bill also was expected to include the first federal minimum wage increase in more than a decade, a top priority for the Democrats who took control of Congress in January," Flaherty continued. "White House officials have said Bush was amenable to accepting an increase in the minimum wage, although they and key GOP lawmakers favor larger tax cuts to accompany the measure."

Kucinich said in response, "If this is true, and I hope it is not, it tells American workers that the only way they will get an increase in wages is to continue to support funding the war which is taking the lives of their sons and daughters."

"First blood for oil," Kucinich continued. "Now a minimum wage for maximum blood. Aren't the American people giving enough blood for this war without having to give more to have a wage increase?"

Kucinich asked, "What's happened to our country? We are losing our moral compass. We're losing our sense of justice. We're losing touch with the difference between right and wrong."

"We do not have to fund this war," the 2008 Democratic presidential candidate added. "We must leave Iraq now. Support our troops and bring them home. HR 1234 is a plan to end the war and stabilize Iraq and give Iraqis control of their oil. We must take a new path. We must take a path of truth and justice."

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Kucinich_blasts_minimum_wage_for_maximum_0...

Check out the real facts on the situation in Zimbabwe and their background, in this article from Brendan Stone.
http://www.raceandhistory.com/Zimbabwe/2007/2205.html

Pinkos!

May 22, 3:32 PM (ET)

By JIM ABRAMS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House passed legislation Tuesday to combat the criminal use of Internet spyware and scams aimed at stealing personal information from computer users.

Spyware, said bill sponsor Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., "is one of the biggest threats to consumers on the Internet." She and other lawmakers cited estimates that up to 90 percent of computers in this country are infected with some form of spyware.

Spyware is software that secretly collects information about a person or organization and sends it to another entity without the user's consent.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., cosponsor of the bill, said it had been written so that it "protects consumers by imposing stiff penalties on the truly bad actors" while protecting legitimate online businesses that are developing new services to keep track of user preferences.

The bill makes it a criminal offense, subject to a prison term of up to five years, to access a computer without authorization to further another federal criminal offense. Obtaining or transmitting personal information with the intent of injuring or defrauding a person or damaging a computer is punishable by up to two years in prison.

The measure approves $10 million a year over the next four years to help the Justice Department fight other computer scams such as "phishing" - the use of fake e-mails or Web sites to trick consumers into providing bank account, credit card or other personal information - and "pharming," where hackers redirect Internet traffic to fake sites in order to steal personal information.

Similar bills have been approved by the House in past sessions of Congress, but have yet to clear the Senate.

http://www.rawstory.com/showoutarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fapnews.myway...

Submitted by Sunshine Jim on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 16:45.

I'm just glad they aren't stealing eggs anymore.

Democrats have a lot of explaining to do after backing down
After weeks of refusing to back down to President Bush on setting a timetable on Iraq, House Democratic leaders face having to explain to their party's rank and file why they've now relented.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=ArleW7CX7iL...

had no idear what that was about last night!

Maybe they'll (d's) will say, 'shut up about the war...look what we can do...give you a peanut that you've deserved for the last ten years instead...'

THE END....

E Mail addresses.

Speaker.Gov

Senate Democrats

Backlash has already started...
Submitted by toniD on Tue, 05/22/2007 - 18:54.

Democrats have a lot of explaining to do after backing down
After weeks of refusing to back down to President Bush on setting a timetable on Iraq, House Democratic leaders face having to explain to their party's rank and file why they've now relented.

******

Keep it up!

ABC News: Bush Authorizes New Covert Action Against Iran
This evening, ABC’s World News Tonight reported that the “United States has opened a new front in its showdown with Iran.” According to the report, President Bush has directed the CIA to carry out covert operations both inside and outside Iran “aimed directly at weakening the Iranian regime.”

ABC’s investigative correspondent Brian Ross said the CIA’s “non-lethal” program had received “secret presidential approval.” Officials told ABC the CIA plan “takes the place of proposed U.S. military action against Iran, reportedly advocated by Vice President Cheney.” Watch it:

The Blotter has more coverage:

The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a “nonlethal presidential finding” that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran’s currency and international financial transactions.

[…]

“Vice President Cheney helped to lead the side favoring a military strike,” said former CIA official Riedel, “but I think they have come to the conclusion that a military strike has more downsides than upsides.”

The covert action plan comes as U.S. officials have confirmed Iran had dramatically increased its ability to produce nuclear weapons material, at a pace that experts said would give them the ability to build a nuclear bomb in two years.

Vali Nasr, an Iran expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, said “I think everybody in the region knows that there is a proxy war already afoot with the United States supporting anti-Iranian elements in the region as well as opposition groups within Iran. And this covert action is now being escalated by the new U.S. directive, and that can very quickly lead to Iranian retaliation and a cycle of escalation can follow.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/22/abc-iran-covert/

Thanks, Toni! (posted in a comment on your blog, also)

I have had a feeling that this is just another dirty play by another loyal Bushie. Get immunity and then lose your memory.

I have a feeling, though, that this one is too young to pull a Gonzalez and that the Committee members are going to be able to craft their questions to force her to admit something and that being under oath will be added pressure to get her to slip up.

UPDATE III: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will reportedly oppose the funding bill:

It will split the Democratic caucus in half, with as many as 120 Democrats voting no. Among the nays, I’m told, will be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who will have negotiated a bill that she thinks is the best option for House Democrats but which she personally can’t support. Most other Democratic leaders are expected to vote in favor. Still, if only 100 Democrats vote yes, the amendment will require at least 118 Republicans in order to pass.

“Some will say no, some will say yes,” the official involved in the negotiations said of rank and file Democrats. “It’s not a perfect bill. Nobody got what they wanted. But it is the beginning of the end of George W. Bush’s policy in Iraq.”

Also, the House leadership is promising “to return to the timelines — and other measures designed to pressure Bush to withdraw from Iraq — in the Defense appropriations bill for the next fiscal year. ‘We’ll be able to write a lot of policy in appropriations that Bush won’t be able to veto,’ says the official.”

http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/05/iraq_funding_democrats_will_sp.ht...

I was so f---ing angry and depressed after hearing what the f---ing Dems are doing again.
I'm still angry but reading your posts has pushed me to get going with the calls and emails again.
Jeez, I mean how many times have the Dems gotten some scandal or impeachable offense handed to them on a silver platter by the republicans? All they had to do is run with one or two of them and they would be way ahead of where they are now.
They just keep letting this s--t fly. ARRRRGH!
Anyway, thanks...
Doris

democrats.org

and set up alerts.

This tells those organizations what you are interested in hearing about.

Set it up for Iraq if you haven't already.

I followed Toni's story link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070522/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=ArleW7CX7iL...
»