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February 28, 2005

"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."

--George W. Bush, Jr. to Sam Donaldson, 8/17/93

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

When few are watching, the U.S. Army announced that it was awarding Cheney’s Halliburton a whopping $9.4 million in bonuses for their work in Iraq.

Bonuses for corruption, tens of millions of dollars unaccounted for, phony convoys, etc.

There’s no end to Republicans stealing the American people blind.

Are there any ex- or present Halliburton employees who want to post some inside tidbits?

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

The British economy is doing better than the U.S. economy, especially in regards to record levels of employment.

Several years ago, Blair’s Labour Party created a minimum wage law that the Tories (the Republican Party’s ally in the UK) predicted would cost one million jobs. Sound familiar?

Now Blair has said the Labour Party will increase the minimum wage from $9.22 an hour to $9.60.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 25, 2005

Bush Jr. got confused a week ago at a White House bill signing.

Bush Jr. beckoned to a Hispanic man in the first row and said “I welcome our new attorney general.”

Actually it was Hector Barreto of the Small Business Administration.

Bush Jr. then realized he was confused by who and where his Attorney General was, and finally realized Alberto Gonzales was on the stage with him.

They are “close friends” – at least that’s what Bush Jr. has been saying over the years.

Maybe the receiver under his jacket wasn’t working. (Seattle-Times, 2/22/05)

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Germany ranks as the world’s third economic force after America and Japan.

America defeated and saved Germany in WWII, followed by the Cold War with the U.S. standing up to the Soviets with the Berlin Air Lift.

President Kennedy gave the famous line in Berlin “I am a Berliner.” President Reagan said “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.”

Bush Jr. in Germany on Wednesday cancelled a Town Hall meeting with Germans after being told he couldn’t “fix” the questions, i.e. like his Talon News “journalist” at the White House.

What a tragedy that Bush Jr. has set back U.S. relations with the German people after 60 years of bi-partisan efforts to rebuild Germany.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

“I’m saying this, any unilateral actions can only make more complicated various problems and issues.”

Did Bush Jr. really warn Putin not to take unilateral actions? Yes, he did.

He said this at a meeting with Putin in Slovenia on June 16, 2001.

No wonder no foreign leader believes Bush Jr. to be a credible person or one who you can take at his word.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 24, 2005

I have been in many Third-World countries where you realize most of the world’s people are not worrying about gasoline prices; they struggle 24/7 just to survive.

So I wanted to recognize Rotary International as they celebrate their 100th anniversary this week.

I’m not a member but I have friends who are. Rotary members raise funds to create parks in communities, provide college scholarships, etc. But they also work on famine relief and polio eradication efforts as well as flying doctors into isolated villages to provide basic health care.

So this week, a salute to their much-needed international work.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

While some in the corporate world are expressing shock that a Boeing official is sentenced to four months in prison, others say, “only four months?!”

If a minority kid is convicted of stealing candy from a store, we typically see the system cracking down on that type of individual.

In this case, a top Boeing official was convicted of illegally recruiting a top Air Force civilian official to work for Boeing after leaving the Air Force.

The Air Force person was still working for the Air Force, working on – you guessed it – Boeing contracts.

So literally millions of taxpayer dollars were at risk – give us the Air Force contracts and in a few months you get a high salary job with Boeing.

The Air Force person got nine months in jail.

The Boeing official’s lawyer argued that he shouldn’t go to jail since he had “suffered” enough by losing $10 million in salary, stock benefits and future compensation.

These boys should try serving in Iraq if they really want to learn about suffering.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Bush Jr. won’t cut his deficits – he’ll continue to break all debt records.

In the 1980 presidential race against President Carter, Reagan said he would balance the budget by 1984. Reagan never once submitted a balanced budget and he spent the U.S. into record debt and it took President Clinton to create jobs and budget surplus.

Republicans have no solution except to drown California and the U.S. in red ink from here to red Beijing, who are “loaning” the money (made from their mall sales in the U.S.) to us.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 23, 2005

The non-partisan California Field Poll has new numbers out on Schwarzenegger.

Among California voters, Schwarzenegger’s job approval rating has lost a combined 23 points since last September.

To use language Arnold can relate to: it’s like a movie with a good opening weekend dropping to 10th place the following weekend.

Schwarzenegger is now at 55 percent to 35 percent disapproval (Gray Davis was in better shape at the same point in his governorship) compared to last September when Schwarzenegger was at 65 percent to 22 percent.

Among Democrats Schwarzenegger has lost a combined 32 points and with Independents, 29 points.

Californians now believe Schwarzenegger has our state going in the wrong direction by 54 percent to 35 percent.

Schwarzenegger, along with his buddy Bush Jr. and his constant attacks on nurses, teachers, law enforcement, “Indians,” etc., has worn thin.

And from what I’m hearing, Schwarzenegger is no longer the happy-go-lucky guy in the office. His staff members are going out of their way to avoid him in one of his “anger” moments.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Just a few years ago Bush Jr. said he looked Russian President Putin in the eye and “found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy.”

Putin had spent his whole life in the KGB, so everyone knew it was just another foolish remark by Bush Jr.

Now in Brussels, Bush Jr. is demanding that Putin “must renew a commitment to democracy.” Who knows what Bush Jr. will say or believe the next time he sees Putin.

And in another flip flop, Bush Jr. is eating french fries again.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

In the latest acknowledgement (NY Times 2/21/05) by the Bush Jr. administration that insurgents are better organized than before, they made an interesting point.

Lt. Colonel Joseph R. Schweitzer (U.S. Army) talked about the insurgents’ surgical attacks by stating “I do think there is a Baghdad regional plan. This is a very smart, adaptive enemy.” A regional plan the insurgents have!

Too bad for America and our troops that Bush Jr. didn’t have a plan going into Iraq, and worse still, that he doesn’t have a plan to get out of Iraq.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 22, 2005

During the 2003 recall campaign Schwarzenegger talked about his political connection to Bush Jr., so he (and not Governor Davis) would collect the billion of dollars that Bush Jr. owed California.

Wyoming and Texas don’t seem to have the problem that California has.

Schwarzenegger made a big production to announce his trip to DC to collect California’s “fair share.” But when he asked for a meeting with Bush Jr., he was stiffed.

Schwarzenegger went to Ohio to campaign with Bush Jr. and in return Schwarzenegger gets the big “no.”

Schwarzenegger’s political muscle is looking weaker and weaker.

California needs a strong Governor not a weak one like Schwarzenegger.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

You don’t hear much anymore from Bush Jr. and Condi Rice about their “Coalition of the Willing.”

A new Associated Press article reports that more and more of Bush Jr. “partners” in Iraq are moving out in the middle of the night.

The last time the site listing the coalition countries involved in Iraq was updated was last October, and now it appears that the site is disabled.

Bush Jr. is so weak in his arguments that even the few remaining friends the U.S. government has are not staying.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

The world stood silent in 1994 when over half a million tutsis were brutally murdered in Rwanda.

Genocide has been going in Darfur in Africa since last year.

Has Bush Jr. (who has been calling for “liberty and freedom” for all) done anything to halt the genocide and rape of girls and women in Darfur?

Well, Bush Jr. announced on Thursday that he watched the movie “Hotel Rwanda” and met the hotel manager who is portrayed in the movie.

Bush Jr. watches a movie about genocide that happened in 1994 and then still does nothing about stopping the murders in Darfur! That’s what you get with a Bush!

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 21, 2005

These three Presidents have one thing in common – wars.

Washington was the Commander during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) that succeeded in creating a United States of America.

President Lincoln went to war to save the United States of America from the traitorous southern states, and to free the slaves.

Bush Jr. went to war in Iraq for political reasons, as Karl Rove told the RNC a few years ago, “use the war in the campaigns.”

So as we observe Presidents’ Day no one should be confused – we are honoring Presidents like Washington and Lincoln.

History will not be kind to Bush Jr.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 18, 2005

His hair may be "perfect," his makeup may be "flawless," but Schwarzenegger’s policies need an “extreme makeover.”

Last week Schwarzenegger fired four of his own appointees.

Earlier this year Schwarzenegger “promised” (he does that a lot) that he would eliminate over 100 Boards and Commissions.

On Wednesday Schwarzenegger announced that he was backing off the attacks, on the consumer boards because he hadn’t really thought it through, or as he told reporters, his proposal needed further review.

Schwarzenegger says a lot of things that really need further review.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

General Richard Myers (retires this year, thank goodness) told Congress on Wednesday that Bush Jr. had the military so decimated that they could not respond effectively to any other crisis (like Iran or North Korea) at this time.

That is one message that our enemies shouldn’t hear -- even though we all know it is true.

I guess Bush Jr. at the next attack could ask for an extension of time to respond since the U.S. is in a quagmire in Iraq.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

As is typical with the “corporate” press, they missed what Greenspan said about Bush Jr.’s proposal to deregulate Social Security.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan was asked by Senator Schumer if Bush Jr.’s private accounts do anything to alleviate the problem (that Social Security in 40 years will be short of money).

Greenspan replied “it surely doesn’t alleviate the current problem.”

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 17, 2005

In another embarrassing episode, Bush Jr. held a news conference on Thursday morning.

As in the past, Bush Jr. mumbled through it, most likely leading his staff to conclude one more time, “we have to keep these news conferences to a minimum.”

One wonders if the receiver under his jacket doesn’t always work properly.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

We all know that Bush Jr. failed to protect America pre-9/11.

And now Americans are asking, how could Bush Jr. let an operator of an escort service into the White House as a “reporter?”

That Jeff Gannon of Talon News is actually James Guckert. So a Republican operative with an escort service on the side uses a fake name to get a White House press pass where Bush Jr. could call on him.

It was a complete set up -- another Nixon-type dirty trick.

Bush Jr. called on this guy using the fake name of “Jeff.” How embarrassing for Bush Jr. if he had said “James,” but most likely the receiver under his jacket had Karl Rove saying “call on Jeff now.”

Will anyone at the White House go to jail for violating Homeland Security rules? No!

This Jeff, I mean, James (and who knows how many other aliases) should have his photo up on post offices walls, and not on a White House pass.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

CIA Director Peter Goss testified before Congress on Wednesday that Iraq has replaced Afghanistan as an international training center for terrorists.

Under Saddam Hussein, a few of those terrorists went in and out of Iraq. Bush Jr. took over Iraq, there are now 170,000 foreign troops there, and now Iraq is a terrorist training camp?

Bush Jr. has made America less safe.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Senate Democrats, without any Republicans and no one from the Bush Jr. administration, held a hearing about the financial rat hole in Iraq.

Witnesses told Senate Democrats that the system that Bush Jr. set up in Iraq led contractors (Cheney’s Halliburton, etc.) to bilk billions of dollars from American taxpayers. And no one can say where it went.

And no one has gone to jail for stealing those billions.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 16, 2005

So far Rove has refused to take a lie detector test on whether he released the name of the CIA agent to Robert Novak – an act of treason in everyone’s opinion.

On Tuesday a Federal Appeals Court ruled that two reporters must give the name of the White House person (Karl Rove?) who gave them the name of the CIA agent.

The irony of this is that it was Robert Novak who published the name of the CIA agent first. The White House and Karl Rove somehow have protected Novak from being thrown in the slammer (maybe at Guantanamo Bay?).

So now the federal government is moving to put two reporters, who got into CIA naming after Novak, in jail for up to 18 months.

Meanwhile Rove continues to drive around Washington DC in a Jaguar and Novak continues to do (paid?) the dirty work for the White House.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

We all know that Bush Jr. has no concern or sympathy for the Iraqis and others who were tortured in violation of international treaties.

What may shock some Americans is that Bush Jr. also has little concern for American POW’s who were tortured in the first Iraq war by Saddam Hussein’s forces.

Fifteen of America’s finest were awarded a billion dollars as compensation for their torture in Iraq. A federal judge ruled under U.S. law ruled that Iraq must pay.

And now Bush Jr. is on the side of Saddam Hussein arguing in Court that these American POW’s should not be paid one dime from Iraq.

Billions of dollars lost in scams to companies like Cheney’s Halliburton, but no money to American POW’s. Iraq has one of the largest oil reserves in the world.

These 15 were sent to war by Bush Sr., tortured by Saddam Hussein and now are being mentally tortured by Bush Jr.

The message – don’t go to war with the Bushes

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Nebraska businessman Duane Acklie, who raised almost a million dollars for Bush Jr. and the Republican Party over the last four years, is very angry at Bush Jr.

In letters obtained by the AP, Acklie writes that he was promised by Bush Jr.’s fundraiser that if he raised big money, Bush Jr. would reward him (like Schwarzenegger’s “Pay to Play” schemes) with an Ambassadorship.

Acklie didn’t get the job and he is mad. Most of the other “Rangers” got their Ambassadorships.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 15, 2005

For the last 20 months, Schwarzenegger has been projecting an image of decisiveness and being "in charge."

The make-up artist with him 24/7, the lifts in the Italian shoes and the rallies added to the image.

Schwarzenegger is now in a legal fight with California’s Fair Political Practices Commission and in Superior Court for possible fundraising corruption. And Schwarzenegger fired four of his own appointees to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System because they voted against Schwarzenegger and in favor of the teachers.

In other words, Schwarzenegger has lost control of the governor’s office as well as his image of leadership.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

The latest reports indicate Bush Jr., Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales were warned 52 times pre-9/11 that terrorists would hijack planes and commit suicides. All three should be court-martialed for dereliction of duty.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 14, 2005

The Sacramento Bee did an extensive piece on Schwarzenegger and his stable of political consultants.

Psychologists will tell you whenever a person is screaming about someone else’s sins it typically means that the screamer is the biggest sinner.

So it comes to no one’s surprise that Schwarzenegger, who constantly screams about special interests in Sacramento, has actually created a cesspool in the governor’s office.

The Sacramento Bee story lists consultant after consultant getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars from Schwarzenegger’s committees who just by coincidence have been hired by the giants of special interests.

The consultants now have one hand in a Schwarzenegger political committee bank account, and the other hand in the state’s bank accounts by helping clients get contracts or get Schwarzenegger to veto bills that benefit consumers.

And like 99% of people arrested, they are all denying corruption.

None of these consultants had contracts with these special interests until Schwarzenegger got into the governor’s office.

The Schwarzenegger stable smells like horse manure and it will be cleaned out by the voters over the next two years, either before or after some of these consultants are indicted for corruption.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

On Saturday, over 400 DNC members voted unanimously for Howard Dean to be the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Dean was the Muhammad Ali in the field of seven candidates for Chair of DNC.

In the end, all six of Dean’s opponents dropped out in favor of Dean.

As Chair, Dean will fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

The final ballots have been counted and the turnout number was only 58 percent in Iraq.

Three hundred billion dollars, 1,500 Americans dead, thousand of others dead, tens of thousands injured, and Bush Jr. claimed it is a success after two years of war.

Let’s see – almost two billion people do not have freedom, and Iraq’s population is less than 25 million. Do the math – Bush Jr.’s “freedom” plan could take 160 years and hundreds of trillions of dollars.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 11, 2005

After months of trying to cover it up, the news breaks that the FAA had numerous warning about terrorists hijacking planes and committing suicide missions.

And now we know the truth: that 9/11 could have been prevented. But Bush Jr.’s administration went fishing instead.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

During Bush Jr.'s January 26, 2005 press conference, ironically just minutes after a real reporter’s question about using government funds to pay commentators to promote his agenda, “Jeff Gannon” posed his ridiculous question (most likely written by the White House) asking the president how he was “going to work with people [Democrats] who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?”

But once again, the mainstream press dropped the ball.

Thankfully some Bloggers followed up on this and exposed the guy as a Bush Jr. operative, working for a Web site owned by delegates to the Republican Convention and connected to the religious right. Just how did this “journalist” get a pass to this extremely rare Bush Jr. press conference?

Thanks to those Bloggers, “Jeff Gannon” has resigned - one less “journalist” to soft pedal for Bush Jr.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 10, 2005

I’m at the DNC meeting in Washington DC.

This Saturday we will elect Howard Dean for a 4-year term as DNC Chair (Dean has already announced he will not run for president in 2008).

I am predicting Howard Dean will do an excellent job and he will surprise a lot of pundits.

Tens of thousand of Americans want to get involved and be a part of the “Dean Team” to help Democrats win elections.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

The jerk who produced the Swift Boat Liars’ TV ads attacking Vietnam Veteran John Kerry will speak Friday afternoon at the California Republican Convention at the Hyatt in downtown Sacramento.

On Saturday night, the dinner speaker will be Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell who promised Bush Jr. he would do "whatever needed to be done" to deliver Ohio to Bush Jr.

The Republicans will not be discussing how to improve California’s education, highways, or how to help veterans. But they will be hosting these campaign scoundrels for drinks (French Champagne) and cheers.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

As the votes continue to be counted, the Bush Jr.-appointed Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s slate is getting only 14 percent of the vote.

That’s right - 87 percent of the Iraqi people did not vote for Allawi.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 09, 2005

Bush Jr. sent our military units into Iraq with no plan and without proper equipment, resulting in many deaths and injuries.

During the campaign Bush Jr. lied about the equipment shortages and praised our military and veterans.

On Monday, Bush Jr. released his budget and once again the “Schwarzenegger-Bush Jr. philosophy” comes through. Is Bush Jr. relying on the wealthiest citizens to pay for the war? No.

Instead, Bush has decided to shaft those coming back from Iraq by doubling their payments for prescription drugs and charging these new veterans $250 a year for the “privilege” of using the VA health care.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

In his upcoming book, Jose Canseco says steroids were being used by several of the Texas Rangers players in 1992.

The Rangers’ managing partner at the time was Bush Jr. who just issued a statement that he was "unaware" of the illegal steroid use.

With Bush Jr.’s background and lack of interest in details this could be true. After all, Bush Jr. didn’t know about what was going on in Iraq but he still sent the military in.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 08, 2005

Many a Californian has joined the National Guard to serve part-time in the military, while continuing to have their civilian life.

But the Republicans and Bush Jr. have wrecked their lives by keeping them in Iraq and Afghanistan longer than they were told and without proper equipment. Under Bush Jr., the National Guard and Reserves have been about 50 percent of those serving in combat areas.

Some families are so stretched due to the incompetence of Bush Jr.’s military policies that they have had to file for bankruptcy in order to keep their homes, etc.

We can help these families by checking off line 63 on your state income tax form. Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante sponsored legislation to create the “California Military Family Relief Fund.”

It’s up to us to help our California National Guard.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Last year when the Cheney’s Halliburton was getting press attention for stealing “too much” from their Army contracts, Bush Jr. ordered a freeze on the payments.

Now that he has been sworn-in, Bush Jr. has flip-flopped and ordered full payment to Cheney’s Halliburton.

I’m sure Cheney simply brought the issue up over breakfast with Bush Jr. See how easy it is to get things done in government?

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 07, 2005

Schwarzenegger’s budgets continue to steal gasoline tax money meant for road and bridge construction, thus much needed road work is delayed for years.

But Schwarzenegger has come up with a typical “Arnie” solution – let some of his friends build toll roads as part of Schwarzenegger’s “Pay-to-Play” operation. The builders will contribute money to Schwarzenegger’s committees and they get to build and own toll roads.

The governor then tells the people that California is building more roads without raising taxes (he wants you to believe toll roads are free).

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Bush Jr. met recently (first time in four years) with the Congressional Black Caucus.

He was asked if he will support the extension of the 1965 Voting Rights Act which comes up for renewal in two years.

According to those in attendances Bush Jr. said he did not know enough about that particular law. [Chicago Tribune 1/30/05]

“Particular” law!? Let’s see, the South was segregated, African-Americans were denied seats in restaurants and the right to vote, etc.

The Civil Rights movement was in full swing in the 1960’s. Most weeks there was TV coverage of marches, police dogs, fire hoses, murders, riots, and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. April 1968).

Bush Jr. was at Yale in those days - what exactly was he paying attention to?

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Bush Jr.’s lawyer Alberto Gonzales was confirmed by a vote of only 60–36, basically an indictment from Democrats of Gonzales, the author of the “don’t ask, don’t tell torture policy.”

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 04, 2005

While teachers are struggling in overcrowded classrooms, while CHP officers are providing service, while Corrections officers are running state prisons, and thousands of others are doing their day-to-day jobs, Schwarzenegger spent Wednesday hanging in “The O.C.”

He had lunch with 120 millionaires at the Pacific Club – most have business with the state of California or could become even wealthier by signing up with the Schwarzenegger “Pay-to-Play Plan.” He told the group he needs to raise $50 million this year and another $50 million next year.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

As Bush Jr. spoke Wednesday night, I imagined a “subliminal” flash across the screen that said, “He’s lying.”

Multi-millionaire Bush Jr. (not earned by his hard work) is proposing those born after 1949 no longer have any guaranteed benefits from Social Security.

As a result of the Depression, where most Americans lost their life savings and 25 percent of all jobs were lost, President Franklin Roosevelt and Democrats created the Social Security Fund.

It was signed by FDR 70 years ago, on August 14, 1935.

Prior to Social Security, about 90 percent of the elderly lived below the poverty rate. Today it is only 10 percent – “mission accomplished,” I would say.

Now Bush Jr. wants to turn over the Social Security fund to firms who could have convicted executives from the Savings & Loan scandals and the Enron schemes who just got out on parole.

Bush Jr. claimed there were WMDs in Iraq. Now he claims there are WMDs in the Social Security system. He was wrong on Iraq and he’s wrong on Social Security.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 03, 2005

But now Bush Jr. admits he was lying when he made that promise, as he is now proposing cutting benefits of all those under the age of 55.

Thus, a 54 year-old person working and paying into the Social Security system for up to 40 years (perhaps including time in the military and serving in Vietnam) will now be cut off at the knees under the Republican proposal.

Bush Jr. said the Social Security system needed to be fixed or benefits would be cut and he is now pushing for benefits to be cut in order to “fix” the system.

Evidently, Bush Jr. sees WMDs in the Social Security system.

This country has an $11 billion annual economy but Bush Jr. is telling middle-class Americans they will need to get a weekend job at McDonald’s because he doesn’t like the Social Security system.

Are Bush Jr. and the Republicans recommending the pensions of all Congressmembers under 55 be cut?

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

After 30 years of street wars and hundreds killed on all sides in Northern Ireland, President Bill Clinton brokered the Good Friday agreement in 1998 which led to years of relative peace since.

But it could unravel as sides argue over everything. And Bush Jr., who has mentioned the issue about two times in the last four years, is AWOL (nothing new with him).

Northern Ireland must not go back to another Thirty-Year War, but it needs a U.S. President with commitment and understanding – something we don’t have with Bush Jr.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 02, 2005

As usual with Bush Jr.’s “Mission Accomplished” events – only after most reporters stopped looking at the Iraq election, the real story is leaking out.

Besides the dismal turnout of only 57% (in Vietnam under threat of VC attack it was 83% in Fall of 1967) it appears that thousands of Iraqis who did want to vote were denied the ballot (sounds like Florida in 2000).

And now we’re told 50 people were killed on Election Day.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

What do G.E. (owners of NBC), Rupert Murdoch (a million dollar contributor to the Republicans and owner of Fox), ABC, and CBS all have in common?

They all said “No.”

The advocacy group USAction wanted to run TV ads this week criticizing Bush Jr.’s proposal to stop victims (or their families) of serious medical malpractice from taking the parties to court.

These networks once again side with the Republicans. They don’t want their little boy Bush Jr. (who gives them passes to the White House) to be criticized.

Apparently, “liberty and freedom” haven’t made it to the airwaves yet.

Funny, I don’t recall these stations saying no to the Swift Boat Liars’ ads.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

February 01, 2005

On Wednesday night, Bush Jr. will give the annual State of the Union speech. Dick Nixon gave six – two short of what he thought he would be doing.

It would be great if Bush Jr. announced that our allies have decided to take over from the U.S. military in Iraq, but I doubt it. We’re more likely to hear the Vietnam line “we won’t stay there one more day than is needed” (that one cost over 58,500 American lives).

It would also be great if Bush Jr. announced that his good friends at Exxon who made $25 billion in net profits last year (on $2.00 plus gallon gas) have decided to be patriotic and contribute half of it to fund the war on terrorism (after all Exxon is making money on oil). But don’t expect to hear that either.

But we should expect Bush Jr. to point to someone in the balcony who just got back from the Iraq elections.

There will be many cheers from the Republicans but meanwhile Iran, which snookered Bush Jr. to invade Iraq in order to oust their old enemy Saddam Hussein, continues on their work to build nuclear weapons.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

Harris, who was a co-conspirator in the 2000 presidential election, is in more legal trouble.

According to the St. Petersburg Times (Florida newspaper) someone in New York City got hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal taxpayer money intended for disabled children (maybe one of those “faith-based” charities).

The person was indicted for diverting the money to other “projects,” including ten $2,000 checks to Katherine Harris in one envelope given to her in New York last December 12.

Harris flew in, got the envelope and other checks and flew out.

The irony – December 12 is exactly four years to the day (Dec. 12, 2000) when Supreme Court Judge Anthony Scalia got a 5-4 vote to give the White House keys to Bush Jr.

Scalia later bragged to friends that he felt so good about what he had pulled off (a coup, I guess) that he went home, smoked a Benson & Hedges and drank two martinis.

« January 2005 | Archives | March 2005 »

History will record Henry Kissinger as a scoundrel, an apologist for Richard Nixon, and as a man who never met a dictator he couldn’t love.

The media still drags out Republican Kissinger as an “expert” on foreign policy, even though as Nixon’s National Security Advisor, Kissinger okayed coups, massive human rights violations and whatever he and Nixon thought helped their objective, including lying to the American people about Vietnam.

A reminder: 40 percent of the 58,500 American deaths in Vietnam happened under Nixon. In fact, the Vietnam War under Nixon was longer than the U.S. involvement in WWII.

The Nixon tapes have plenty of comments by Nixon ridiculing Kissinger to others. The tapes also reveal Kissinger saying things that contradict what he wrote in some of his books. OPEC was formed with Kissinger’s okay and Taiwan being handed over to the Chinese Communists are just two of Kissinger’s “accomplishments.”

Today Kissinger makes millions of dollars as an ”advisor” to governments -- another example of Republican flawed foreign policy: it could be full of mistakes and tragedies but no one gets fired, just rehired for more money.