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May 31, 2005

How many potholes are in California? Millions! How many miles of roads need repairs? Hundreds!

Last Thursday (5/26) Schwarzenegger ordered a City of San Jose road crew to dig a big pothole.

Then Schwarzenegger showed up with TV news cameras and ordered the road crew to now fill in that same pothole to serve as his backdrop as he announced he was giving more money for road repairs.

Schwarzenegger has done this sort of stunt several times – it’s all Hollywood to him but politically he’s just digging himself into a bigger hole.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

In a new national poll, six in ten Americans say Bush Jr. does not share their priorities.

And on Social Security, only 26 percent approve of his handling of this issue.

Only 38 percent approve of how Bush Jr. has handled the economy; on Iraq, again he received only a 38 percent approval.

And 60 percent say America under Bush Jr. is on the wrong track.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Bush Jr. refuses to release some documents on John Bolton. The U.S. Senate wants them before they vote on the unstable Bolton for UN Ambassador. Ultimately cover-ups didn’t work for Richard Nixon (Schwarzenegger’s hero!)

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 28, 2005

As we mark Memorial Day, to thank and honor all those who died in an American military uniform (some not U.S. citizens), let’s also remember the families left behind.

Sometimes it is a spouse and kids, but also it is a mother and father who wonder what might have been, if their child had survived a war.

But one item that I will remember for a long time is a story out of Holland on May 8th (the 60th anniversary of the surrender of the Nazis) about one cemetery with over 8,300 graves of Americans who died in WWII.

There are over 40 sets of brothers buried there, the reporter stated. How tragic that must have been for those families getting the knock on the door not once, but twice.

And unlike in Vietnam and subsequent wars, the bodies were not returned to America (i.e. to Arlington or to a cemetery) where a family could pay their respects. For most of those families they never had the opportunity to bury their loves ones killed in the world’s biggest war.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 27, 2005

After Bush Jr. and his incompetent staff browbeat Newsweek for reporting that a Koran was flushed down a toilet in Guantanamo Bay, Bush Jr. is now eating crow.

The FBI has released an internal memo dated August 1, 2002 stating "About five months ago, the guards [at Guantanamo Bay] beat the detainees. They flushed a Koran in the toilet."

Bush Jr. needs to hold a news conference and admit the truth or denounce the FBI report as false, as he was so quick to do about Newsweek.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

In the latest (5/26/05) Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll, Schwarzenegger’s numbers are going down the toilet.

In a period of just 119 days (Jan. 27 – May 26) Schwarzenegger's job approval among Californians has shifted against him by 36 points. His approval rating of 60 percent in January is now at 40 percent and his disapproval has gone from 33 percent to 49 percent.

And Schwarzenegger's buddy, Bush Jr., now has a whopping 56 percent disapproval rating in California.

Republican millionaires continue to give Schwarzenegger high marks on job approval.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

A Texas state judge ruled that DeLay’s Texas campaign committee broke laws (yes, ruled that the "lawmaker" DeLay was a lawbreaker) and that he had to pay $200,000 to Democratic candidates.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 26, 2005

On Saturday May 21, 2005, well known and highly successful actor Warren Beatty gave a Commencement speech at UC Berkeley.

The speech was highly critical of Schwarzenegger. Here's one paragraph:

"And you might cut down the photo-ops, the fake events, the fake issues, the fake crowds, the backdrops, the signs, the distractions, the scapegoats, the ‘language problems,' the broken promises, the minutemen, the prevarications and put some sunlight on taxes."

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

California’s Senator Dianne Feinstein is leading the way in the U.S. Senate to demand credit card companies actually tell individuals how much interest they will end paying over the years when they send in only the minimum monthly payments.

Seems like a good idea but the credit card companies are resisting it - the same companies that got through the recent change in law to restrict an individual's ability, after being squeezed financially, to file for protection under bankruptcy.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Once again, Bush Jr. is blaming someone else for his failures – this time it’s for the record amounts of heroin coming into the U.S. Bush Jr.'s staff put out a report blaming Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, but everyone knows that Karzai is basically the Mayor of Kabul who can’t go anywhere.

This problem in Afghanistan is Bush Jr.’s responsibility – the heroin flowing into the U.S. right the arms of our kids is because of Bush Jr.’s incompetence.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 25, 2005

Schwarzenegger, who is the most AWOL governor California has ever had, just completed an out of state fundraising tour raising millions of dollars for his campaign committees from, as Mike Murphy calls them, "A-1 Republican finance states" Florida and Texas.

Murphy is a paid advisor to Schwarzenegger and claims he speaks for Schwarzenegger. Last week Schwarzenegger said Murphy doesn’t speak for him. It’s very confusing, but that’s always the case with Schwarzenegger.

But Californians, who voted for John Kerry over Bush Jr. by a 1.2 million vote margin, should remember Murphy’s quote:

"People [Republican millionaires] haven't forgotten that in a very tough presidential campaign, who was in Ohio on that critical day in that critical state."

Yes that was Schwarzenegger in Ohio helping Bush Jr. in those last days in November. And this week, Arnold went and collected some of his payback.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Grover Norquist, who claims he controls the right-wing agenda in D.C. and is a frequent visitor to the White House, is now caught up in "Lobbyist-gate."

As the legal system goes after Tom DeLay and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Grover Norquist’s name keeps popping up like an annoying ad on the web.

And you know Norquist is sweating when he’s quoted in the New York Times saying, "I haven't seen that much of him [Abramoff] recently."

That’s the typical line a suspect tells police when asked about their "known associates." Abramoff and Norquist have been business associates for decades.

Some admire Norquist – he has managed to live high off the hog of K Street for years, never having to work a day in his life.

No calluses on Norquist’s hands.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

There have been numerous articles about military recruitments being way down and the National Guard and Reserves losing people in big numbers, all due to the Iraq mess.

Now comes another damaging story – military officers, some graduates of West Point, are returning from Iraq and looking for an exit strategy for themselves.

One officer said he did not want to commit to a future of "repeated deployment for the next 13 years."

Bush Jr. is decimating the American military.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 24, 2005

Over 40,000 foreigners who are not U.S. citizens are serving the United States of America in our military. About a third are Latinos and about 8,500 of those Latinos are from California.

Where are the Republican patriots who attacked immigrants? Why aren’t they joining the military?

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Several days ago Bush Jr. gave the commencement speech to graduates at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Bush Jr. urged the students to consider community service and commitment to our nation but never once urged them join the military. It would have helped morale for Bush Jr. to ask those grads who are planning on going into the military to raise their hands.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

As First Lady, Senator Hillary Clinton traveled the world advocating that governments should change their policies to fully embrace women and girls, especially giving them full access to education.

Clinton understood cultural taboos had to be changed in many countries but also argued that a country would be better off economically if the "forgotten" half of its population was educated.

Now Laura Bush has decided to take the baton that Hillary Clinton left her in the First Lady’s office.

Laura Bush was basically wallpaper in the first term of Bush Jr., but now is speaking out. What’s next for the First Lady? How about announcing she’s pro-choice, like her mother-in-law? (or as some might call her, "monster-in-law").

Most likely this was a deliberate move by Karl Rove to have Laura Bush do nothing in the first term, but now Laura is advocating the Hillary Clinton policies and that’s good for all.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 23, 2005

Schwarzenegger often says he’s doing the people’s business.

Over the weekend and continuing this week, Schwarzenegger visits Florida, Texas and Illinois to raise millions of dollars from special interests for his campaign committees.

The "people’s business" – ha! He’s just working hard for money for himself.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Bush Jr., who has taxpayer-paid health care and the best doctors in the world, said he will veto the stem cell bill in Congress that would ease some of his restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.

This veto threat comes out at the same time South Korea announced great strides in stem cell research.

In other words, medical research may find some cures but Republicans and Bush Jr. will do everything they can to stop it.

How cruel can these Republicans get – cut Social Security, reduce health care for kids and slow up the research leading to cures for some diseases and save some lives.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 20, 2005

Earlier this year, Schwarzenegger announced a number of initiatives that would be financed by special interests. He’s had a number of problems with them, even having to drop the one that would have cut pensions for widows and widowers of public safety officials.

Schwarzenegger is still pushing a reapportionment/redistricting measure. The country is at war and Schwarzenegger is working on an initiative to change precinct lines!

Schwarzenegger has been claiming if his reapportionment initiative passes, it will create new district lines for the 2006 elections for Congress and the state legislature.

Well, Republican Secretary of State Bruce McPherson told the Sacramento Press Club on Tuesday that it would be impossible to have new district lines in place for the 2006 election.

Off to the woodshed for Bruce – after all, it was Schwarzenegger who appointed him to be Secretary of State.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

After months of spinning by Bush Jr. and his incompetent staff that roses are everywhere in Iraq, here comes another flip flop.

Now Bush Jr.'s Generals acknowledge things are not going as well as Bush Jr. claimed, and as far as withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq – well, not exactly. They say military involvement could last "many years."

Next door, Iran has Bush Jr. exactly where they want him – in quicksand as they proceed on their nuclear weapons plans.

Bush Jr.’s overachieves on just one thing -- flips flops! Who can keep up with just his flip flops on Iraq!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 19, 2005

There’s an old saying that when a Republican politician lies so much, they soon can't remember what lie they told to whom. Over a year ago, Schwarzenegger told the California education community if they would take a financial cut in the 2004-05 state budget he would add $2 billion to the 05-06 budget.

Last January when Schwarzenegger released his state budget, the $2 billion wasn't in it. Schwarzenegger and his press cronies said he couldn’t keep his promise because there wasn't enough money.

Then on Tuesday (May 17) Schwarzenegger had a new twist, claiming he never made the promise. Ultimately liars and double crossers are exposed for what they are and that's why Schwarzenegger’s favorable ratings are now in the low 40's.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

In Iowa pushing his latest book, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (who left Congress in 1999 due to a scandal) said leaders (i.e. Bush Jr.) must look at transforming the national health care system, improving our education system and returning the nation to the days of a balanced budget.

Sounds like Gingrich is talking about the good old days of President Clinton’s two terms in office.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

One of Bush Jr.'s favorite spins is that he wants to bring democracy to all parts of the world, evidently at any cost in lives and American dollars. Tragically, while more than 1,600 American troops have been killed in Iraq for "democracy," turnout for the Los Angeles mayor’s election was just 30 percent.

While Bush Jr. is still trying to find Africa on a map, the genocide continues in Darfur. And the world, led by Bush Jr. and the Republicans, are deaf mutes.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 18, 2005

We all know Bush Jr. brags about not reading newspapers (depending instead on his staff to tell him what’s going on in the world) so I doubt he saw the article this week about the 401(k) consultants taking "money under the table" to give the "right" advice.

That's right, the consultants were recommending their clients invest in firms that were paying them cash under the table!

These are the people that Bush Jr. wants 21-year olds to take advice from.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

General William Westmoreland commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam (1964-68). History tells us, and most Americans agree, that the United States should never have gone to Vietnam – it was a Fool's Fiasco!

Regardless, General Westmoreland was in over his head – he kept asking for more and more troops, saying the war was "almost" won.

After the Tet Offensive of 1968, Westmoreland (with already 550,000 American troops in Vietnam) asked for another 200,000, but did not get them.

Instead, Westmoreland was ordered home and subsequently was promoted to Army Chief of Staff (sounds like how Bush Jr. promotes his incompetent staff).

General Richard Myers has been the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs for the last two years, and all the mistakes in Iraq have happened on his watch.

The ghost of Westmoreland is surely over Myers' head.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Way and Means Committee Chairman Thomas: Bush’s Private Accounts Not Necessary. "The California Republican said a broad bill that would make Americans secure in retirement is more important than any particular provision, even the investment accounts Bush wants." (USA Today, 5/17/05)

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 17, 2005

Yes, Halliburton's Dick Cheney, Bush Jr.'s co-conspirator in dismantling a guaranteed pension (Social Security) for the elderly, like Bill Frist, got snookered on Wall Street.

In Cheney’s annual filing of assets and income, he reported that he has $5 million (hey, it pays to be a CEO of Halliburton) in a tax-exempt fund and that it lost .8 percent in 2004.

So, the Vice President of the United States and the Republican Senate Leader, even with access to the best and the brightest financial advisors, both got taken on Wall Street

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

It was sad to read that John McCain is basically calling the Blair team liars about the fix being put in by the Bush Jr. people on intelligence regarding Iraq. (London Sunday Times, 5/1/05)

Since McCain is on the wrong side of Bush Jr. on the filibuster issue, I guess he felt he needed to attack what most Americans believe – Bush Jr. lied to get our military into Iraq.

Say it ain’t so, John!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

On Monday, Army Specialist Joseph Darby received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for exposing Bush Jr.’s policy of torture in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Hundreds of people knew about the illegal torture, but only Spec. Darby stepped forward.

I doubt he will be getting any awards in the military under Rumsfeld and Bush Jr. who most likely blame Darby for their torture policies being uncovered.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 16, 2005

We all knew the truth, and now former Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge finally admits the color warning system was controlled by politics.

Ridge at a Washington D.C. forum finally admitted that on several occasions he did not want to raise the terror threat level to orange ("high") but he was overruled (i.e. by Karl Rove).

Right before the Republican National Convention in New York City the country was put on high alert – "our financial institution were about to be attacked," we were told.

Obviously, this was done by Rove for political gain. The polls showed Bush Jr.'s approval ratings gaining a couple of points every time Rove raised the level to high.

No surprise that Bush Jr. and Rove, who started the Iraq war to benefit Republican political campaigns, would also abuse our alert system.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

As Bush Jr. and his clowns continue their attempts to dismantle Social Security with his foolish privatization plan, the Los Angeles Times interviewed some very smart people.

"I think very little about my retirement savings, because I know that thinking could make me poorer or more miserable or both." Daniel Kahneman, 2002 Nobel Prize winner

"We have a lot of people out there with 401(k)s who have never managed an investment in their lives and are just trying to keep themselves from drowning." William F. Sharpe, 1990 Nobel Prize winner.

And Bush Jr. wants 21-year olds to trust an "investment counselor" who calls them from some boiler room operation!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Ahmad Chalabi is wanted for money fraud in Jordan. But even in exile from Iraq, Chalabi was Bush Jr.’s boy for a top job in the Iraq government. But then last year the news broke out that Chalabi had been leaking critical intelligence information to Iran (soon to be the ones with nuclear weapons) so Bush Jr. cut off the millions of dollars going to Chalabi.

Lo and behold -- Chalabi just got a Deputy Prime Minister slot in Iraq, and Condi Rice and Halliburton’s Dick Cheney called Chalabi to congratulate him.

Let’s see, Chalabi has a warrant out for his arrest, is talking to Iran and now Bush Jr. has him back in the fold.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 14, 2005

The dirty little secret about Schwarzenegger and Republicans is -- they keep lowering taxes for millionaires but raising them on the middle-class.

A new report out shows that half of California State university students rely on loans to finance their undergraduate degrees and on average they end up $13,000 in debt by graduation.

For some, it will take up to 15 years to pay off the debt.

Schwarzenegger continues to demand that college tuition will go up by 8 to 10 percent or more a year.

Why are students are being hit with such high taxes by Schwarzenegger, who allegedly got a college degree through the mail?

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

As most Americans have known for a while, Bush Jr. lied to get the American military and Cheney’s Halliburton ($7 billion, so far) into Iraq.

But the London Sunday Times (May 1, 2005) released a bombshell about an internal British memo (like the Pentagon Papers that exposed the lies of the Vietnam war).

The memo was from a meeting in London with Blair’s top people, of a report from someone just back from a meeting with the Bush Jr. people in Washington D.C. The British memo said, "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to support an invasion of Iraq.

There it is, in black and white – Bush Jr. decided to lie to the American people and the world.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

We all know Bush Jr. abandoned Afghanistan soon after the Taliban government collapsed and that Afghanistan is in chaos and has tripled their heroin exports to the United States.

A new report concludes there is a new and easier route from Afghanistan for heroin to the youth of America – it’s Iraq, with no security!

That’s right – Iraq is the "donkey" speeding up the heroin to America.

The cost of Bush Jr.’s mess in Iraq goes over $300 billion, but more American kids at home will become heroin addicts.

Is there no limit to the incompetence of Bush Jr.?

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 13, 2005

Berkeley students have joined students across the country and have been rallying for hours on campus to stand up for the Democrats and America’s right to the use of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate to check excessive power by a President.

Good for them!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

A poll conducted by Iraq and the U.N. of 22,000 households has one basic conclusion – they are suffering.

“These data depict a very tragic picture of the quality of life” said Iraqi Transitional Planning Minister Barham Salih.

About 43 percent of kids between six months and five years suffer some form of malnutrition.

So under Bush Jr.’s occupation of Iraq, almost half of all young children are suffering from malnourishment.

This is a sin!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Bush Jr. has been claiming that Americans privatizing their Social Security accounts would allow them to pass their accounts on to their children.

And Bush Jr. also says that survivor benefits would not be cut.

Well, Bush Jr.’s National Economic Council Chairman Glen Hubbard now admits neither claim by Bush Jr. is true.

No one should be surprised – Bush Jr. hasn’t told America the truth about Iraq either.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 12, 2005

Cheney’s Halliburton is under investigation for giving a bribe of $160 million (most likely through a Swiss back account) in Nigeria, and it happened when Cheney was CEO.

In America, it would take a 32-page tabloid to list all the scams Cheney’s Halliburton has been involved in: overcharges, false work reports, and lobster and steak at practically every meal, while our troops are struggling for the basics.

On Tuesday, Republican Cheney did his job for Halliburton and made sure the U.S. Army awarded them a whopping $72 million bonus! Yeah – a bonus!

We don’t see Bush Jr. and Cheney giving bonuses to the grunts for doing without proper equipment, but they don’t hesitate to hand over big bucks bonuses to Halliburton, who I’m sure gives very generous campaign contributions to Republicans.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

After spending $4.5 billion on screening devices for ports, airports, etc., the Bush Jr. administration now admit they were snookered on the equipment. It doesn’t work!

So has Bush Jr. fired anyone for the security breach and waste of $4.5 billion? No! Will any of the Bush Jr. staff be indicted for criminal misbehavior? No!

Bush Jr. has decided to spend billions more on new equipment to replace the ineffective equipment. I wonder how many of those vendors who provided faulty equipment contributed to the Bush Jr. campaign?

There is no limit to the incompetence of Bush Jr.!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Halliburton, which succeeded in putting their CEO Dick Cheney in the White House as Vice President (boy has that paid off for Halliburton), has to be a little embarrassed about their boy Cheney pleading the “Fifth” -- but I doubt it.

We all know that Cheney met with and allowed big energy companies to write the Bush Jr./Cheney energy plan.

In fact, Cheney met with Ken Lay (now indicted!) and – surprise! – the very next day the Cheney people announced an energy policy for California that benefited Enron and cost California billions of dollars.

When Cheney was asked what energy company officials were in the meeting with him at the White House, Cheney’s response was - I have the right to remain silent on the grounds it may incriminate me.

Tragically, the federal courts have ruled that even someone as corrupt as Cheney has the right to take the “Fifth.”

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

The hypocritical Republicans who criticized President Clinton for having his friends overnight at the White House haven’t made a peep about Bush Jr.’s big donors having their own little presidential slumber parties. Imagine that.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 11, 2005

Twenty-three years ago, the "Day of the Teacher" was established to honor California’s dedicated teachers and the teaching profession, a profession which deserves our respect -- something Schwarzenegger needs to be reminded of.

This year’s theme is "California Teachers: Where Excellence Begins."

Take the time to thank one of California’s 335,000 teachers today – and show your support by attending one of the events planned around the state, many of them in protest of Schwarzenegger’s shameful treatment of teachers and his broken promises to California’s kids and our education system.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

In an interesting "60 Minutes" episode (5/8/2005), Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about Bush Jr.’s criticism of Russia sliding back into democracy.

"In the United States, you first elect the electors and then they vote for the presidential candidates. In Russia, the president is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might be even more democratic," says Putin.

"And you have other problems in your elections," he tells Wallace. "Four years ago, your presidential election was decided by the court. The judicial system was brought into it. But we're not going to poke our noses into your democratic system because that's up to the American people."

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

On Sunday, U.S. deaths in Iraq went over the 1,600 mark. Eight Americans were killed over the weekend.

It was May 1, 2003, when Bush Jr. declared "Mission Accomplished." At that point only 140 troops had died but since that irresponsible and idiotic statement, by Bush Jr., over 1,400 more have been killed.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

The U.S. military recorded 1,275 reports of alleged cases of sexual assaults on our female troops in 2004 – a 25 percent increase in reports compared to 2003.

A female in the U.S. military is more likely to be assaulted by a fellow trooper than by an enemy combatant.

And U.S. military academies, where our country’s future military leaders are being trained, are one of the more dangerous places for women.

Has Bush Jr. done anything to crack down on these assaults? No, like with Iraq – he has no plan and is clueless.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 10, 2005

In 1988 with the support of Democrats and despite the opposition of the Republicans and the tobacco industry, Californians voted for Proposition 99 which added a 25 cent tax to a pack of cigarettes.

In 1988, Californians on average purchased 120 packs a year. Now that average is only 45 packs a year.

Today Californians are second (after Utah residents) in the lowest use of cigarettes per capita. With this lower tobacco usage - health care costs go down and people live longer.

Congratulations California!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May is the month that Americans honor and celebrate those Americans who are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. These 14 million Americans’ contributions are wide and deep.

For example, despite the U.S. government putting tens of thousands of Japanese- Americans in prison camps, during WWII, a Japanese-American company of troops became one of the most decorated in Europe.

Today the vast majority of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are Democrats and many have been elected to public office.

And millions of others are leading very productive lives, despite still facing some discrimination.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

But Bush Jr. now has a plan – cut the payments for 70 percent of Social Security recipients.

In California, if Bush Jr.’s plan was in force now, 3,051,000 people would see a cut of an average of $259 per month. That’s some great plan!

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Retired Army Colonel David Hackworth served four tours in Vietnam and survived, and was highly decorated.

He recently passed away at the age of 74. But like John Kerry he spoke out afterwards against Nixon’s Vietnam War, so he was often attacked and branded “unpatriotic” by a lot of Republican “armchair” generals.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 09, 2005

Bush Jr. and the Republicans continue to hold rallies in support of our troops, waving small American flags (no doubt “Made in China” due to Republican outsourcing of jobs) -- but Americans really need to look at the small print.

The Philadelphia Inquirer had a sad story about 6,000 homeless American female veterans (some just back from Iraq and Afghanistan) while the Bush Jr. administration continues to cut back on veterans’ programs.

Apparently, that Republican small print – right below the “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS” -- reads “support to expire after military service.”

Bush Jr. and his administration should be condemned for their treatment of America’s veterans.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Just a few days after the Pentagon stated that North Korea has the potential to launch a nuclear missile, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs acknowledged that Bush Jr. has stretched our military so thin that the United States lacks the ability or the resources to deal with another crisis.

What a great message the Bush Jr. team just sent to North Korea!

But that’s how the Republicans do business. It sounds like they may be looking to start yet another war, just in time for the 2006 political campaigns.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 07, 2005

Sunday May 8, marks the 60th anniversary of the surrender of the Nazis, ending the European part of WWII.

All those Americans born after WWII (i.e. the Baby Boomers plus) owe a deep debt of gratitude to the "Greatest Generation" of people the world has ever seen.

The tyrants of Germany, Italy and Japan were defeated by Presidents and Prime Ministers who understood what it took to win a war and to ensure a lasting peace.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 06, 2005

Friday, May 6 is Nurses Day, kicking off National Nurses Week which ends May 12 – Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

Whether in combat zones or in local hospitals a patient has more contact with nurses that anyone.

Nurses work holidays and at 3 a.m. They are the heart of our health care system, so take the time to thank a nurse.

Schwarzenegger and the Republicans have spent the last several months bashing nurses.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

Mental or drug or educational problems – the military recruiters are under so much pressure to sign people up, that the rules are being broken.

One recruiter was told by a young man that he dropped out of high school. The recruiter said no problem -- we’ll print up a fake high school diploma for you.

A 21 year-old man just got out of three weeks in a psychiatric ward and the recruiter still signed him up, even after the man’s parents told him their son had mental problems.

Bush Jr. has mishandled the Iraq war and the deployment of American troops so badly, especially the National Guard and Reserves, that recruiters are being yelled at to meet their goals.

As one recruiter said, "The problem is that no one wants to join. We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."

Why doesn’t Bush Jr. send the recruiters to Republican meetings and conventions – there are a lot of patriotic people there waving American flags.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

I almost fell out of my chair when I read Ed Gillespie’s (Bush Jr. 2004 RNC Chair) quote – "I never set out to be a lobbyist and I don’t know anybody who did."

Gillespie’s firm, Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC, are registered as foreign lobbyists. Gillespie has represented the French Airbus company against the American Boeing company, all while running the RNC for Bush Jr. in 2003-04.

Sure Ed, you didn’t go to Washington D.C. to hustle the system at the expense of American workers.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

May 05, 2005

Last week in a phone call to a radio station, Schwarzenegger told the radio audience: "I think they’ve [Arizona Minuteman Project] done a terrific job."

Bush Jr. has called the Minutemen vigilantes. But Schwarzenegger disagrees and has denounced the job that Bush Jr. has done at the border. Geez Arnold, you went to Ohio last October for Bush Jr. and just half a year later you’re "dissing" him?

Law enforcement has denounced the Minuteman Project because these vigilantes are roaming the desert with "six guns" on their hips and six-packs in their R.V.’s

Bring together a bunch of "angry" men, mix in guns and alcohol and you know at some point there will be a tragic accident.

Schwarzenegger’s comments will only encourage more people, including some crackpots, to head to the Mexican border with guns.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

"George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you’re going to have to stay up later." (Laura Bush at a dinner for reporters, Washington D.C. 4/30/2005)

Almost 2,000 Americans dead and about 15,000 wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting tyrants.

And Laura Bush sitting at the head table gets up and makes this outrageous remark.

Laura and George ought to spend a few late nights in a foxhole in Iraq to get a feel for what our troops are going through.

« April 2005 | Archives | June 2005 »

One of the most Republican (i.e. red) states in the country, Utah has come out in a big way against Bush Jr.’s so-called "No Child Left Behind."

Bush Jr. has threatened to withhold millions of dollars from Utah but their Republican governor is basically saying to Bush Jr. – see you in Court!

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May 04, 2005

California law allows only two four-year terms for governor.

Pete Wilson (the Republican governor behind the Latino-bashing Proposition 187 in 1994) served two terms (1991-1999).

But evidently Wilson is so involved in the Schwarzenegger administration’s public policy and financial deals that the talk is that Wilson is really the one in the governor’s chair – back for his “third term.”

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Last Saturday night Laura Bush in a speech to reporters at their annual dinner in Washington D.C., once again slammed Bush Jr.’ s mother – and former First Lady - Barbara Bush:

“People often wonder what my mother-in-law’s really like. People think she’s a sweet grandmotherly, Aunt Bea type. She’s actually more like, mmm, Don Corleone.”

From my sources in D.C., Laura was telling the truth – Barbara Bush is the real “Monster-in Law.”

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In last November’s San Diego mayoral race, Democratic San Diego City Councilmember Donna Frye got the most votes -- as a write-in candidate. But the Courts ruled that since 5,300 of Frye’s voters didn’t check off the “write-in” bubble, the Republican incumbent Mayor Dick Murphy was declared the “winner.”

Republican Murphy has been embroiled in so many scandals that he will resign in a few months. Another special election is now set for July 26th with a runoff on September 13th.

Can’t the Republicans stop wasting taxpayers’ money?

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May 03, 2005

This sounds more like a movie script – but it only gets worse for Bush Jr.’s close Texan friend Tom DeLay.

Everyone knows that DeLay is the most corrupt Republican in Washington D.C. – staff members indicted, money laundering, and illegal trips paid by lobbyists, but this latest article detailing a murder tops them all.

The Washington Post (5/1/2005) reported that Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist behind DeLay’s illegal trips, was also involved in a partnership that purchased a fleet of casino ships from a man in Florida in 2000.

DeLay’s lobbyist friend Abramoff and his deal ran aground a few months later ending with a fistfight between two of the partners and allegations of mob influence.

Then on Feb 2, 2001, the Florida man who sold the casino ships to Abramoff and his partners was murdered in his car in a drive-by shooting – he was boxed in by two cars, while someone in a third car drove up along side and put three bullets into him. The case is unsolved.

These are the kind of friends DeLay has – yet Bush Jr. is still standing by him.

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In 1991, the U.S. led coalition went into Kuwait and pushed the Iraq army back to Iraq, where Bush Sr. decided to leave the murderer Saddam Hussein in power.

This week the Kuwait Parliament failed to pass a new law which would have given women the right to vote - for the first time.

Hasn't Bush Jr. been saying all along that our American troops dying is worth the cost to establish democracy in the Middle East?

So why hasn’t Bush Jr. condemned the Kuwait Parliament? Didn’t we "save" them too?

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May 02, 2005

For the last couple of months Bush Jr. and his team of morons running Iraq (Rice, Rumsfeld, military spokespersons, etc.) have told the American people that we have the insurgents in Iraq "on the run."

Now Bush Jr. has flip-flopped again by having General Richard Myers announce that the “ability” of Iraqi guerillas to launch attacks “remained constant over the last year.”

Huh? That’s not what Bush Jr. said a month ago.

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In the latest Gallup poll, 50 percent of Americans now say that Bush Jr. deliberately lied to them about WMDs in Iraq.

In May 2003 only 31 percent believed that, but Bush Jr. has so badly mishandled the Iraq war and now the Social Security issue, more and more Americans just see Bush Jr. as a serial liar.

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How else does one explain Bush Jr.’s U.N. Ambassador nominee John Bolton’s erratic behavior other than to say he’s unstable!