« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 29, 2005

The Bush Jr. Republicans in the U.S. House are doing everything they can to protect their boy Tom DeLay. Not much different than a mob’s legal defense team. But after hundreds of newspaper editorials denouncing their cover-up, Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert has said maybe the House will go back to the old rules for the House Ethics Committee.

They should, so DeLay can get a proper hearing and then be sentenced.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Thirty years ago this weekend (April 30, 1975) the last U.S. Marine left Saigon, thus ending three decades of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.

Republican and Democratic Presidents got caught in this Black Widow trap -- over 58,000 Americans and well over three million Southeastern Asians died in Vietnam.

When Nixon ran for President in 1968, he said he had a secret plan to end the war in Vietnam. That "plan" remained a secret and during Nixon’s time in the White House 40 percent (almost 24,000) of the 58,000 died. Nixon had us in Vietnam longer than the U.S. involvement in WWII.

The tragedy is that it all was avoidable. The French were in Vietnam for 100 years, then the Japanese in World War II. After that war ended the French returned back to Vietnam as colonists, but in 1954 they were beaten militarily at Dien Bien Phu.

The West (the U.S., Great Britain, France and others) agreed to the Geneva Accord that called for a national election in Vietnam (South & North) in 1955.

But Republican President Eisenhower realized in 1955 that Ho Chi Minh would win the election and thus cancelled the election! What kind of a message was that to the Vietnamese from Eisenhower?

If the democratic election had been held in 1955, Americans would never have heard of Vietnam again. Instead the Vietnam Wall has over 58,000 names on it, which I will visit this weekend in Washington D.C.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 28, 2005

Schwarzenegger is continuing to drop like a lead balloon in approval polls. In today’s PPIC (Public Policy Institute of California) poll, it shows a shift of 33 points away from Schwarzenegger’s January numbers.

In the January 27 PPIC poll, Schwarzenegger had a job performance approval rating of 63 percent vs. a 32 percent disapproval amongst likely voters.

In today’s poll Schwarzenegger’s approval has dropped to 45 percent, a drop of 18 points, and the disapproval went up by 15 points to 47 percent.

This is a shift to 33 points away from Schwarzenegger in just 91 days -- or about one point every three days.

Someone needs to send Schwarzenegger a lifejacket, then he needs to fire his campaign team.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

In Bill Frist’s latest filing with the Federal Elections Commission, Frist reports that his campaign committee lost more than $16,000 in the stock market in the first three months of 2005.

Bush Jr.’s butler, U.S. Senator Bill Frist, decided several years ago to invest in the stock market using part of his campaign committee funds.

Just like Bush Jr., Frist has been proposing to privatize Social Security.

Frist has put his political money where his mouth is.

Unfortunately for Frist, since 2000 he has lost nearly $500,000 in his privatizing scheme of his campaign committee funds.

Frist had to put $60,000 into his political committee to cover a bank loan which he was forced to take out because he lost so much money in stocks.

Frist is a licensed medical doctor and he had his clock cleaned out on Wall Street.

Sure, let’s tell a 19 year-old to trust an “investment counselor” with his future live savings.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Bush Jr. became a butler for a day to ethically challenged Tom DeLay.

On Tuesday, Bush Jr. gave DeLay a ride in his limo, then on the Marine One helicopter, then on Air Force One from Texas to Washington D.C.

Who says crime doesn’t pay?

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 27, 2005

Seventeen American troops were held as POW’s in the 1991 Iraq war. They were tortured, a fact that no one disputes. These 17 American ex-POW’s went to court to get some financial compensation from the Iraq government for being tortured

Bush Jr. went to the American courts against the 17 Americans. That’s right, Bush Jr. was on the side of Saddam Hussein’s torturers.

And this week the U.S. Supreme Court (the same court that voted 5-4 in December 2000 to install Bush Jr. in the White House) sided with Bush Jr. and against the 17 Americans.

Cheney’s Halliburton has been stealing millions from U.S. taxpayers and no one has been indicted or put in jail. At the same time, Americans serving Bush Sr. in the first Gulf War were captured and beaten, and now these former POW's and their families are “tortured” by Bush Jr.

Maybe Bush Jr. thinks the torture of Americans is no big deal, just like the torture he authorized at Abu Ghraib.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Arizona’s Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed a legislative bill that would have allowed people to take weapons into bars.

Republicans are mad because they “believe” that all law biding people should be allowed to carry a gun into bars, something that only makes sense to Republicans.

When Bush Jr. was governor of Texas he signed a bill that allowed people to carry guns into bars and religious buildings.

As Zell Miller said last September – he wished people could their settle differences with guns.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Senator Bill Frist is supposed to be the Leader of the U.S. Senate in Congress, which is a separate branch of government from the Courts and the White House.

Instead, Frist is acting like a White House employee with his gung ho stance on what is now being called the “nuclear option” – eliminating the 200-year old practice of the filibuster.

Our Founding Fathers feared too much power in the hands of the Executive Branch, which is why the filibuster was created.

If Bill Frist wants to be Bush Jr.’s butler he should resign from the U.S. Senate and apply for the job.

Frist is an embarrassment to the principles of the Founding Fathers.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 26, 2005

Company E, based out of Camp Pendleton, has returned from Iraq and have chosen to break an institutional code of silence to tell their story.

The same happened in the final years of the Vietnam war.

In 2004, Company E had one–third of their 185 marines killed or wounded in Ramadi. This is the highest causality rate of any company in the Iraq war.

The biggest complaint from the marines about Bush Jr. and Rumsfeld – not having enough equipment, which led to a lot of marines killed.

Most likely some of these marines will catch hell now, on orders from Bush Jr.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The “Green Line” held fast when the military decided a few days ago that no big shots had any responsibility or knowledge of torture at Abu Ghraib prison.

Can anyone recall a big military power being held responsible for criminal activities?

In this case, Rumsfeld and Bush Jr. ordered the cover up – blame it on corporals. Sure!

Bush Jr. and Rumsfeld should be court-martialed.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The lackluster press is reporting that Bush Jr. was putting the arm squeeze on Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah (at the "southern White House" in Crawford, Texas) regarding the high price of oil.

If anyone believes this, then I have a London bridge to sell you. The only arm twisting that went on at that meeting was their toasting with French champagne about how happy the oil industry is with having Bush Jr. and Cheney in office.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 25, 2005

President Lyndon Johnson use to tell his staff not to send him suggestions of people for jobs by saying – “don’t send me somebody who nobody sent.” In other words, Johnson didn’t want people who just lost an election.

Former Congressman Tom Campbell lost by 20 points to Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2000. Schwarzenegger ignored the Johnson rule last year and appointed Tom Campbell to be his Department of Finance Director.

Now, in a very damaging article about Schwarzenegger’s political operation, the Los Angeles Times reported that Campbell may be Director of Finance but Schwarzenegger is ignoring him.

“One lawmaker, who would not be identified, said Schwarzenegger's top staff made clear that they, and not Finance Director Tom Campbell, should be consulted on budget policy.”

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, former Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, always followed orders even when he knew Bush Jr. was lying.

But now that he’s retired, Powell is making phone calls to Republican Senators and lobbying against Bush Jr.’s nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations – the unstable John Bolton.

Bolton has not only been a big critic of our allies, but now we are learning that he is unstable, even chasing a woman down the halls of a hotel and banging on her door.

So finally Colin Powell becomes an American Patriot – standing up for what is best for America.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The former Chair of the House Judiciary Committee who led the impeachment effort against President Clinton is retiring (not soon enough) next year.

In an interview, Hyde now admits that part of the reason the Republicans went after Clinton was to get even for what happened to their President Richard Nixon.

Nixon, who broke numerous laws and was about to be impeached, resigned the Presidency in August of 1974.

Schwarzenegger has mentioned on many occasions that Richard Nixon is his hero.

Let’s see -- Nixon was defeated by John Kennedy in 1960 but was elected President in 1968 and went on to become the most corrupt politician of the 20th century, and yet he is still the hero of the Republican leadership – no surprise!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

In 1992, Perot ran for president with his strong convictions about the national budget deficits. Perot attacked Bush Sr. and all politicians for racking up huge budget deficits. He got about 19 percent of the national vote and 20.6 percent in California.

No one has heard from Perot since Bush Jr. got into the White House. I guess his concern for the budget deficits weren’t real convictions, evidently just a gimmick to run for president.

Bush Jr. has added trillions to the debt and not a word out of Perot. Maybe like with the journalists who got jobs on government payrolls, Bush Jr. gave a big government contract to Perot to buy his silence.

Too bad for America!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 23, 2005

Bush Jr. is seen more and more by the American voters as a president who has misled the American people (on a number of issues) and our troops.

In a match-up that the American people are denied, President Bill Clinton beats Bush Jr. by 9 points (52 percent to 43 percent) in the latest Democracy Corps national poll.

Bush Jr. got his second term with only a 2.5 percent margin which is the smallest margin in the history of the U.S. for any incumbent president elected to a second term. Now Bush Jr. has the lowest approval ratings (in the low 40’s) of any president in their first few months of a second term.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 22, 2005

Friday, April 22, 2005 marks the 35th Annual Earth Day. This year’s theme is “For our children, for our future.”

California and Democrats nationally have fought hard and implemented many strong environmental regulations.

But now Bush Jr. and his Republican Party are working to turn the clock back on protecting our environment.

What a sad day this 35th anniversary is!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

After several years of Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan just reading his talking points from Karl Rove, a “new” Greenspan testified before Congress on Thursday.

This new Greenspan, sans the Rove talking points, said that the Federal Budget (i.e. Bush Jr.) is on an “unsustainable path” that if left alone will cause the economy “to stagnate or worsen.” He just noticed, I guess!

Maybe Greenspan is drinking a new brand of coffee, but history will remind us that he and Bush Jr. were completely irresponsible in letting the U.S. budget deficit go up by trillions.

Greenspan also commented to Congress that the U.S. economy may not be able to handle all the medical and Social Security needs of the Baby Boomers in the future.

What about all this Bush Jr. debt? Who gets stuck with that bill, since Bush Jr. and the Republicans refuse to pay for it now.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Bodies floating everywhere and the U.S. military leaders in Iraq initially responded when asked by saying, “they don’t know anything about it.”

Let’s see -- almost $300 billion into Iraq with 150,000 troops and Bush Jr.'s people "know nothing," just like pre-9/11.

Bush Jr. continues to say that things are going well in Iraq, just like Nixon did during the Vietnam War.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 21, 2005

On April 21, 1905 in the City of San Francisco a boy was born to Edmund and Schuckman Brown. He later became known as Pat Brown. His grandfather was born in Ireland but his ancestors had moved to California.

Pat ran for 10 offices while attending Lowell High School in San Francisco and actually won some. He also met his future wife, Bernice, there.

Pat served eight years as D.A. for San Francisco, then served eight years as Attorney General. In 1958 he was elected Governor, leading Democrats to a near sweep of almost all the statewide offices.

In 1962 Pat defeated Republican Richard Nixon (who had lost to JFK in 1960 - his second loss in two years but he came back in 1968 and was elected President).

Then in 1966, an actor named Ronald Reagan defeated Pat, who was trying for a third term.

But as Jerry Brown (his only son) said Wednesday night in Sacramento, Pat did substantive things as Governor. Pat built the California aqueduct and statewide water system, the U.C. and the California State University systems, as well as our freeway systems -- making California the greatest state in the nation with the greatest schools and highways.

It was Pat’s friend, President John F. Kennedy, who decided that the U.S. would go to the moon. Both were great Democrats and both were great visionaries.

Today all you hear from Republicans is what can’t be done as we fall behind in construction of schools, highways, and so many other items critical to our state’s economy and quality of life.

We lost Pat in 1996 at the age of 90 but his contributions to California will be remembered for another 100 years.

Thanks Pat!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Schwarzenegger, who during the recall campaign bragged that he voted and campaigned in the 1994 election for Pete Wilson and his Latino-bashing Proposition 187, continues to bash Latinos.

On Tuesday, Schwarzenegger told newspaper publishers that we should close our borders with Mexico.

As the world has been thinking about Pope John Paul II we have been reminded of the Pope's role in Poland, working with the trade union Solidarity and their leader Lech Walesa (who later served as President of Poland), which played a significant role in the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union.

Schwarzenegger himself came to the U.S. on a bodybuilding visa which prevented him from working. But two San Jose Mercury News stories (9/15/2003 & 9/21/2003) both documented that Schwarzenegger did indeed work here, breaking U.S. immigration laws.

That’s right – “tourist visa” Schwarzenegger was a criminal.

Late Wednesday, Schwarzenegger said he didn’t exactly mean "close" the borders.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

G.M. reported a loss of $1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2005, blaming skyrocketing health care costs.

G.M. can certainly be blamed for spending the last few decades fighting change while Japanese auto manufacturers embraced change, but health care costs are a problem for all companies and Americans.

Bush Jr. and HMO’s have decided to let health care costs rise like gasoline prices. There will be no solution to either problem until we get a Democrat in the White House and Democrats in control of the Congress.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

We all know Bush Jr. had no plan for Iraq, and evidently he has none for the last U.S. dollar, with billions being sent aboard.

Another month and another revised U.S. trade deficit - this time it hit $61 billion in February.

The Chinese Communist government, which has 1.3 billion people under a dictatorship, continues to do well under Bush Jr. Basically Bush Jr. allows the Chinese Communist factories to sell directly to their mall outlets in the U.S. for cash. Then the Communists buy weapons to threaten Japan, Taiwan, and many of their other neighbors.

Meanwhile, Bush Jr. is stuck in Iraq.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 20, 2005

California Democrats are united in their opposition to Bush Jr.’s choices (incompetent as usual) for Ambassador to the United Nations (Bolton) and Director of National Intelligence (Negroponte).

Over the weekend, a Resolution was unanimously passed calling upon U.S. Senators to do their duty and oppose the nominations of John Bolton and John Negroponte.

These two Johns had no business being nominated - let alone being confirmed - for positions that are so instrumental to the U.S. repairing and rebuilding relationships with our allies that were so damaged under Bush Jr.

Another Bush Jr. irony – he destroys something and then makes it worse when he tries to “fix it.”

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

I woke up slowly very groggy and it took several minutes for my eyes to focus on all the bandages and dried blood all over me.

Then I remembered I had been wounded the night before (during the 1968 Tet Offensive) and I realized I was in a M.A.S.H. Unit somewhere in Vietnam after being medivaced from my base.

A few hours later a military officer came in the building and gave me and others Purple Hearts.

Now I read a story about a gay Army Sergeant who was wounded in Iraq and was awarded a Purple Heart.

But Bush Jr. will order him discharged because he’s gay. How ironic - Bush Jr. himself was so scared of the Vietnam War that he hid (actually AWOL in Alabama) behind his mom’s skirt to avoid being sent to Vietnam and being hurt, but Bush Jr. now wants a gay soldier who was wounded in Iraq discharged for being a “disloyal” American (i.e. gay).

It would be a big morale booster for all of America if Bush Jr.’s daughters joined the military and fight like their dad never did, just like gays and heterosexuals alike are doing.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Dick Cheney’s Halliburton is being questioned about another $122 million in bills.

How come none of Cheney’s people at Halliburton are ever indicted?

How corrupt can the Bush Jr. administration be – they stop stealing?

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 19, 2005

Click here to view webcasts from Convention. Choose from the following:

2005 Convention Dinner Honoring DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean
-- John F. Kennedy, Jr. Award Presentation
-- DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean Speech

Saturday, April 16 General Session
-- Introduction and Welcome from Mayor James Hahn
-- “Budget” Town Hall
-- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
-- U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
-- “Education” Town Hall
-- “Health Care” Town Hall
-- “Social Security” Town Hall

Legislative Leadership Luncheon with Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, State Senate pro Tempore Don Perata, Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez

Sunday, April 17 General Session
-- Opening Remarks from Chairman Art Torres and Los Angeles City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa
-- “Communicate the Message” Town Hall
-- “Environmental, Consumer, and Civil Rights Town Hall”

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

On April 19, 1995 an Anglo male with a lot of hate parked a truck with 4,800 pounds of explosives. Tim McVeigh (now deceased due to his conviction) walked away from the truck and the explosion that killed 168 people, including 19 children in a daycare center.

Among those killed were secret service agents, FBI and other Americans working to serve the public. In other words, public employees like our troops all over the world.

Prior to the bombing, McVeigh had visited white supremacist militia camps, I guess for inspiration from other people with similar hatred toward Jews, Catholics, minorities, etc.

But President Clinton didn’t order that all those camps be raided and the people sent to Guantanamo Bay.

Let’s have a moment of silence for those who died in Oklahoma City on April 19 and their families, who like the families of 9/11 victims will bear the brunt of these tragedies all their lives.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 18, 2005

I intended to write a convention wrap up both here and in the "On the Floor" section of our special convention coverage. But our plane was delayed and I didn't get home until after 11pm last night and the energy to do anything (except sleep) just wasn't there today.

Thanks to CDP Chairman Art Torres and Exec. Director Kathy Bowler, who gave us all the day off today! No one worked harder than they did, so I hope they managed to get some rest today as well.

But I've read all of your comments and will respond to them tomorrow, especially about the ADA aspects of the convention center. Until then . . .

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 17, 2005

Staff is here packing up while General Session continues. I'll write more later to wrap up the convention, and give you a report on the health care workshop I attended yesterday.

Needless the say, I didn't make it to the hospitality suites last night. I was still working at midnight, and was just too tired to make it. I'll see if I can get something from other staffers, but I know a lot of us chose sleep over parties last night.

But just to answer to a couple of comments -- the posts about the slippers didn't come from Bob -- he's been running around all weekend (in regular shoes) and hasn't had a chance to write anything. I hope to get something from him later today. And the hospitality suites / parties I've been referring are far from "opulent." To give you a visual: think high school dance coupled with a community meet and greet. Honestly, I was wearing slippers -- and I fit right in.

And for those who are wondering who I am - my name is Kim, I'm the Web site editor and I work in the Sacramento office. And I can't wait to get home to my husband Ed (who braved Chuckie Cheese yesterday) and our 7-year old son Emmitt, who wants to be a teacher and loves to sing along with Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire." Nice to meet you.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 16, 2005

DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean made two appearances tonight at Convention. One was planned (he was the featured speaker at the dinner), the other a surprise visit to the crowd gathered to watch a screening of "Outfoxed." More on Dean in tomorrow's convention wrap-up. And FYI - Dean's dinner speech will be available for viewing on our Web site tomorrow morning.

I have to say that this was one of the best days I have experienced at Convention, and this is my tenth one as a CDP staffer. It wasn't just about Dean -- it was more about the people and the message.

This is a fired-up crowd, this is a group made up of dedicated and diverse individuals who mean business.

I know this isn't one of his movie tag lines, but if I was Arnold, I'd "be afraid; I'd be very, very afraid."

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Friday night's hospitality suites, all eight of them, ranged from dessert bars to martini bars. I made it to all of them, even after putting in an 18-hour day, but I might have to find some "stringers" to cover the nine parties scheduled for tonight. Even in slippers, I think my feet might give out after tonight's dinner.

The dinner tonight with DNC Chairman Howard Dean is a hot ticket - it's been sold out for at least a week -- if we could expand the room we could easily sell hundreds more tickets. Glad the speech will be here on our Web site later tonight. The next best thing to being here!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 15, 2005

We made it through the six hour rush of registration. Most Delegates come Friday night to register and tonight we had a really high turnout. It was non-stop work with over 70 volunteers helping to process about 1,800 Delegates.

The night is not over yet. Remember all those hospitality suites? There are eight scheduled for tonight and I'm determined to make a stop in each one of them. I've already had to change from my comfortable shoes to . . . well, ok, technically I am now wearing slippers.

We have a 6:00 a.m. call for tomorrow morning, so I am not sure if I'll be staying too long at Councilwoman Janice Hahn's "Martinis & Dancing" event. Although with these slippers, I'm sure I'd be sliding easy on the dance floor.

I'd say tonight was a pretty smooth start to what's sure to be a great Convention.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

From blowing up balloons, to counting out meal tickets, to directing traffic, everyone around here is busy at work. The staff room is buzzing with activity - every computer is in use, the copier is running full steam, and we have lost count on the number of times the coffee pot has been refilled.

By the way, this staff room gets a big thumbs up from everyone -- it overlooks general session, and for some staff and volunteers who never get a chance to see "the show," that's a real bonus.

In just about an hour registration will open - the official start of the convention. The registration room set up looks great -- large banners grace the curtained walls -- "Democrats Protect Real People," beneath large photos of people from our communities and our neighborhoods.

We'll keep them in mind as we go about our business throughout the weekend.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Well, we made it. Most of the CDP staff is now here at the LA Convention Center, getting ready for the "big show." No, I'm not talking about the Kings-Lakers game that will be going on tonight next door at the Staples Center. Just about the same time Chairman Torres steps up to the mike at this evening's welcome reception, Mike Bibby and Kobe Bryant will be center court dueling for the ball.

But those cheering basketball fans will have plenty of competition from our Democrats because you haven't seen anything until you've experienced nearly 3,000 Democrats all coming together.

Ok, so about the stuffing. Even as I write, about 100 volunteers are across the hall stuffing 3,000 packets that will be handed out in registration beginning Friday afternoon. Round and round they go, picking up item after item after item that will be stuffed into neat little packets, that will be placed into bags, that will be handed to delegates, their guests, and other attendees as they register.

And that . . . means “the show” has begun.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 14, 2005

In addition to Bob's entries, we will be posting other Blogs from CDP staffers all weekend. There will be lots going on -- general session, town hall meetings, hospitality suites. Did I mention hospitality suites?

Keep checking back - we are going to try and cover them all!

And anyone attending convention, or watching the live feed from general session -- feel free to post -- we want to hear from you!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

This weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the California Democratic Party is holding their annual Convention.

All of the state’s elected Democrats (eight of 10 offices are held by Democrats) will speak, as well as House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and legislative leaders.

Saturday night’s speaker will be Governor Howard Dean – giving his first major speech in California since being elected DNC Chair last February. For more details go to www.cadem.org/convention.

You can follow the Convention live this weekend on our Web site.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

We all know that the Bush Jr. administration is one of the most incompetent in decades – Iraq, no real job creation, deficit spending, deficit trading, war on terrorism, etc.

But how does Bush Jr. explain the nomination of John Bolton as Ambassador to the United Nations? Bolton has attacked the UN for years. With all the trouble Bush Jr. has with allies, why appoint a skunk for the meeting with allies?

And John Negroponte being in charge of U.S. intelligence – what a joke.

As Ambassador to Honduras in the 1980’s, death squads trained and run by the CIA were killing hundreds of people. Negroponte now claims he didn’t know anything about the death squads - the CIA was running the operation out of Negroponte’s office.

So, is Negroponte a liar or just incompetent and completely out of the loop. How can Negroponte be in charge of intelligence when death squads were being run out of his office, yet he knew nothing about it?

My guess – Negroponte has blood on his hands with the death squads.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The British magazine “Hello” is reporting that if Schwarzenegger finds his children’s clothes on the floor, he burns them.

This behavior obviously stems from the way his father treated him.

Where does he burn the clothes – out back? Is that even legal?

And I guess millionaires can afford to burn their children’s clothes and don’t give it a second thought that millions of kids in the U.S. live below the poverty line.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 13, 2005

Well, not exactly but close. A big firm, AIG, has been under investigation for months for financial fraud, which has cost California pensions several hundred millions of dollars.

And what has Schwarzenegger been doing – going after widows and public employees who deserve a pension or death benefits.

At the same time Schwarzenegger has been drinking French wine at fundraisers with - you guessed it – AIG officials who in return for Schwarzenegger’s silence have contributed thousands of dollars to Arnold.

The AIG officer who is close to Schwarzenegger took the Fifth Amendment on Tuesday.

Not a word of criticism from Schwarzenegger – he’s too busy writing a new initiative to go after the legitimate recipients of pensions.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

I was touched immensely greatly by an article in the Sunday New York Times. It was about two women -- both played basketball in college, both ended up in the military and in Iraq.

But the similarities don’t end there – both lost an arm in Iraq.

It made me to think of this philosophical question.

When politicians sent my generation to Vietnam and lied about it for years, it was almost all males who paid the ultimate price of death (over 58,000) or being wounded (over 250,000), although eight American women did die in Vietnam.

Today, when new idiot politicians (i.e. Bush Jr.) make similar mistakes of going to war with no plan and few allies and at great expense, should women pay the same price as men? The answer evidently is yes.

Last November, the American people – both men and women alike -- voted for Bush Jr. and his Iraq War of Folly, so both males and females should face the consequences. Tragically women are doing just that in record numbers in Iraq.

Too bad Bush Jr.’s daughters don’t believe their dad in the need for the war on terrorism and join the military themselves. But like their dad they are not patriotic. Indeed, they’re too busy partying while other women lose arms due to their dad’s ill conceived war.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 12, 2005

Two Congressional Republicans attacked Bush Jr.’s good friend Congressmen Tom DeLay. One of the Republicans, Christopher Shays, called for DeLay to step down from his Republican leadership position for his corruption.

What cowards! These Republicans chose DeLay for the job and they should stick by their man until he is convicted and sentenced.

At least Bush Jr. is sticking by DeLay – White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said “Majority Leader Tom DeLay is someone the president considers a friend.”

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Besides the price of gasoline going through the SUV roof, a new report shows that for the first time in 14 years, American wages are falling behind inflation, all under Bush Jr.

Both Schwarzenegger and Bush Jr. believe that the Federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is too high and now their policies are putting America’s middle class even further behind.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

That’s the question raised by many in Northern Ireland – does Bush Jr. know where Belfast is?

In 1998 President Clinton, after several years and many hours of phone calls got the warring parties in Northern Ireland to agree to the Good Friday Agreement in Belfast.

Prior to that agreement a few hundred people were killed each year, but since this agreement it’s now less than a dozen each year.

I recently spent a couple of days in Belfast and went on the “terrorist tour” where you don’t have to go very far before another site is pointed out where a Catholic or Protestant was killed.

I walked near the Peace Walls (some 25 feet high) that separate Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods.

The Good Friday Agreement has been on hold for a year due to differences, but killings are still rare.

I met many people who still have hope, but they wish Bill Clinton was still President. They told me Bush Jr. spends no time on the issue -- they call him the St. Patty’s Day President – that is the one day a year he even mentions Ireland.

Tragic – a 30-year war almost brought to an end by President Clinton, then almost completely neglected by Bush Jr.

When it comes to foreign policy Bush Jr. (like his staff) is incompetent.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 11, 2005

New poll numbers show the American people are tired of the gimmicks and shenanigans by the Bush Jr. - Schwarzenegger team.

Bush Jr. now has a job disapproval of 54 percent nationwide and his buddies in Congress have only 37 percent approval rate.

It looks like the Republican’s lifeboat has lot of holes.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Most Americans have never heard of Andy Card. His official title is “White House Chief of Staff” but he actually is a deputy to Karl Rove, who really runs the White House, the Pentagon, etc.

In reality, Card handles the paperwork.

Evidently though, when Card looks in the mirror he sees something else – President.

While Jimmy Carter was given mixed messages by Andy Card about attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II and ultimately did not go, who ended up joing the American delegation President Bush Sr. and Jr. and Clinton – that’s right - Andy Card!

What a jerk and an egomaniac.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 08, 2005

The Third District Court of Appeals sided with nurses and did the right thing for Californians by rejecting Schwarzenegger’s petition to overturn the lower court ruling that had upheld the one-to-five nurse to patient ratio. The safer standard for patient care had been signed into law by former Governor Gray Davis, but Schwarzenegger had sought to have it delayed for three years.

California Nurses Association President Deborah Burger, RN commented, that Schwarzenegger had “lost today in the court of appeals, just as he has been losing in the court of public opinion, as more and more Californians recognize that his policies only benefit his corporate sponsors while undermining health and living standard for everyday Californians.”

I couldn’t have said it any better.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

After stating for months that he would not back off on any of the Bush-Schwarzenegger initiatives, Schwarzenegger has backed-off on the pension one.

This initiative being pushed by Schwarzenegger would have taken away pensions for spouses of those killed in the line of duty. How cold can Schwarzenegger be?

Evidently Schwarzenegger must have gotten his latest poll numbers and the numbers on his pension initiative -- the numbers weren’t good so Schwarzenegger ordered a retreat.

From what I hear, Schwarzenegger is livid with his political consultants, who he is paying millions of dollars to, for putting him in this embarrassing situation.

Credit goes to the nurses, teachers, law enforcements, firefighters, Democratic Party activists and others for dogging Schwarzenegger from California to New York.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 07, 2005

Illegal fundraising in Texas led to three of his staff being indicted, illegal trips paid by corporate lobbyists and now new reports that DeLay has his family members in on the cash. It’s kind of fun to watch!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The U.S. Army recruitment efforts in March were 32 percent below their goal. And the Army Reserve was 50 percent short.

Bush Jr., like with Iraq, has no plans to rebuild our military.

Under Bush Jr., America is getting weaker and weaker by the month and military morale is hurting.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 06, 2005

As the months go by since the election more and more news comes out about the incompetence of the Bush Jr. intelligence apparatus pre- and post-9/11.

An informant by the name of “Curveball” told the Bush Jr. people that Saddam Hussein was building a network of mobile biological weapons.

“Curveball” was so named because the informant was actually a curveball thrown at Bush Jr., most likely by Iran.

The information was completely false, but Bush Jr., Cheney, Powell, Rice, Wolfowitz, and CIA Director George Tenent all bought into it.

Now the news surfaces that the CIA was warned by a foreign intelligence contact that “Curveball” was crazy. Tenent denies ever being told of this. Are there any adults in this administration?

Meanwhile almost 1,550 Americans in Iraq are dead.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

Whatever happened to Osama bin Laden, the real guy behind the 9/11 attacks?

Bush Jr. never mentions him.

Could it be that since the majority of the Bush Jr. voters believe it was Saddam Hussein who was behind 9/11, that Osama bin Laden is on a low-level list of wanted people?

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 05, 2005

Wall Street expected over 200,000 new jobs in February but once again Americans were disappointed with only 110,000 new jobs. Bush Jr. has the worst job creation record since his mentor Hebert Hoover served in the White House (1929-33).

When people can’t find a job it means families break up and that’s the Bush Jr. legacy.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

The latest pay reports are out for America’s chief executives. Their annual salary went up 12 percent in 2004 over 2003.

While Schwarzenegger and Bush Jr. continue to say that America’s minimum wage of $5.25 an hour ($6.75 in California) is too high and if it was to be raised it would hurt the U.S. economy not a peep out of the Republicans about the $9.8 million annual salary for CEO’s!

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 04, 2005

As one who grew up a Catholic and a political activist, I followed the activities of Popes, especially the life of Pope John II since he was chosen back in 1978.

John Kennedy was the first Democratic winner for President who understood the power and value of television. John Paul II was the first Pope to also understand what TV could do for the Catholic Church.

He traveled the world over knowing the TV cameras would follow and indeed they did.

Only time will tell if Pope John Paul II was able to stop the decline of the Catholic Church or just able to slow it up.

And the Polish people lost more than a Pope – they lost their Father.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

April 01, 2005

It looks like the more that Schwarzenegger exposes himself to the public, the less they like him. In the latest poll, Schwarzenegger’s favorable ratings are now dipping even further, with 46 percent unhappy with the governor to a 46 percent favorable rating. Just a few months ago, Schwarzenegger had a 65 percent approval rate.

That’s a lot of unhappy Californians.

« March 2005 | Archives | May 2005 »

As we marked Cesar Chavez Day it occurred to me, what if Schwarzenegger was sent a bill to honor as a state holiday both of these men for their civil and human rights work.

Schwarzenegger would veto the bill. Besides his hostility to state employees having holidays to be with their families, I believe Schwarzenegger just generally despises people who are not millionaires. Notice how he attacks teachers, nurses, law enforcement, the California Indian Tribes, etc.

Or to use Schwarzenegger’s own words, he probably thinks Chavez and King, Jr. as “losers” – people who spent decades working hard but remained poor.