« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 29, 2005

Schwarzenegger came through the rural counties, north of Sacramento, on Thursday with a vacuum cleaner (i.e. fundraising), but turnouts and money were below his expectations.

Interesting was that Schwarzenegger was only doing fundraising and events with a few people. I guess his rallies just don’t attract the crowds anymore.

Even more interesting was Schwarzenegger’s staff made another mistake – this time by sending him to the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico to highlight a hydrogen fuel cell facility that is a joint project of PG&E and Sierra Nevada.

The irony of it – this successful program (Self-Generation Incentive Program) was created by Democratic Gov. Gray Davis when he signed the bill in 2000 authorizing the PUC to set this up.

As we told the press in Chico, Schwarzenegger was there to praise a Gov. Gray Davis Project.

Schwarzenegger had a fake "red ink" event in Sacramento, followed by his "dig a pothole" fiasco in San Jose, before he finally got down to more serious (and real) business – praising a Gov. Davis project.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 28, 2005

MR RUSSERT: "Do you believe Clarence Thomas was the most qualified man in the country for the Supreme Court?"

GOVERNOR BUSH: "I do. And I think he’s proven my dad correct."

[NBC News Transcript: Meet the Press, 11/21/1999]

Any questions about who Judge John Roberts is?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Sir Richard Doll died last weekend at the age of 92 in Oxford, England.

In 1950, Doll published a study (the first one) which said that smoking was a "major cause" of lung cancer – not appreciated by the tobacco companies. He had been smoking for 19 years at that point, but he immediately stopped.

And 55 years later, tobacco companies (who contribute millions to Republicans and paid $1 million a year to Ken Starr as "legal counsel" while he was going after President Clinton), are still peddling their lung cancer sticks all over the world.

However, because of the efforts of Sir Richard Doll, millions of lives were saved. May he rest in peace.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 27, 2005

While Schwarzenegger is under investigation by the FPPC for the $8 million magazine deal and his propositions are being eaten up by the courts, due to his incompetent staff, Schwarzenegger has said California will have the November 8, 2005 election.

"I’m very happy to move forward with our reforms" – that’s what he told the press on Monday.

Just another script for Arnold to read.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

After days of Republicans saying that U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts has a great legal mind, and graduated at the top of his Harvard law class (i.e. a Harvard trial lawyer), Roberts all of a sudden has a bad memory and can’t recall if he was a member of the Federalist Society seven years ago.

Not so bright after all - or could it be that Roberts is taking the Fifth Amendment on the question, since he is embarrassed by the organization or by what he did there?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

In a new annual report from the California Attorney General, it shows that in 2004 hate crimes against African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans increased.

While anti-white hate crimes decreased, anti-African-American hate crimes increased, to represent about 35 percent of the total.

There is much more work to do, but you will not see the Republican Legislative Caucus do anything – they take their lead from Bush Jr. who continues to say all crime is hate crime, and in fact as governor, he vetoed anti-hate crime legislation in Texas.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 26, 2005

We have all read the stories of Bush Jr. not having a plan going into Iraq or having a plan to get out.

In another example of just how incompetent Bush Jr. is, his own Veterans Administration (VA) has just acknowledged only Bush Jr. had predicted (and budgeted for) that about 23,000 of the veterans who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan would need VA health services afterwards.

The actual number so far is 103,000 – over four times the number Bush Jr. had predicted.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Bush Jr. keeps talking about the war on terrorism, but even his own daughters and Karl Rove’s son refuse to join the military.

The Army and National Guard units are not meeting their recruitment goals. Only 9 percent of soldiers in Iraq believe their units have high or very high morale. Tragically, 53 percent say they have low or very low morale.

Their Commander-in-Chief is failing our nation – our own young people are not even inspired to help in the war on terror – they see Bush Jr. as a serial liar. What else could explain the shortage of young people joining the military?

So instead of looking at the big picture and coming up with bold new policies to inspire Americans to want to serve their country, Bush Jr. fiddles with the military rules by promising bigger bonuses, guaranteed assignment for extending your enlistment, and now raising the age limit to join from 39 to 42.

Gatorade is provided in the military. The only question now is will Cheney’s Halliburton get the Geritol contract?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 25, 2005

The news is out – U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts was in Tallahassee, Florida as part of the Republican team in November 2000 to put the fix in on the presidential race for Bush Jr.

You scratch my back Bush Jr. said, and I’ll nominate you for the U.S. Supreme Court someday.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Schwarzenegger praises the minutemen, but Bush Jr. calls them vigilantes.

The vigilante group has now set up shop along the California-Mexico border. The leader has told everyone to bring their guns.

RVs, a six pack and a six shooter don’t mix. It is Bush Jr. that has failed the California border.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

In a new internal Pentagon report to Congress, they decided not to lie like Bush Jr. Only a "small number" of Iraqi security forces are capable of fighting the insurgency without American help says the Pentagon.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 23, 2005

In the latest Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) poll, Schwarzenegger continues to decline in the polls.

In this poll (7/21/05) it has only 34 percent of Californians approving of Schwarzenegger’s job performance against 51 percent who disapprove.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Halliburton’s Dick Cheney, several weeks ago, predicted the war with insurgents would be over soon – said the insurgents were in their "last throes."

Evidently someone must have briefed Cheney, so on Thursday, Cheney said "we cannot predict the length of the course of the war on terror."

Cheney is really confusing our troops and hurting morale (only 9 percent in Iraq say their unit has high morale).

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Bush Jr. keeps talking about the upcoming election in Afghanistan as a sign of hope, despite all of the killings by the Taliban and others and while opium exports are at record levels.

But a new report concludes many of the candidates are criminals – they have committed the worst atrocities of the last two decades in Afghanistan.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 22, 2005

In a country of 280 million people, including 37 million in California (over half minorities), Bush Jr. decided on nominating an Anglo male for the U.S. Supreme Court.

After O’Connor leaves the court there will be only one woman, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, out of the nine justices. I guess one woman on the Supreme Court is enough for the Republicans.

And John Roberts is not only IN his 50’s, but his attitudes towards civil rights and women’s rights are FROM the 1950’s.

But that’s Bush Jr. and the Republicans.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Recently RNC Chair Ken Mehlman said Republicans were wrong to use race baiting (Willie Horton, poll guards, etc.) for their political campaigns and he was sure the Republicans would change.

Well, the Republicans just passed a new law in Georgia prohibiting anyone (i.e. African-Americans) from voting if they don’t have a government issued photo ID. How many elderly African-Americans in Georgia have driver licenses – very few.

And one of Mehlman’s friends, Congressman Tom Tancredo, has just called for the bombing of Muslim holy sites, including Mecca.

I wonder how many of our troops would get out of Iraq alive after Mecca was bombed?

Has Bush Jr. or Mehlman condemned these policies – no, of course not!

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

The U.S. Army surgeon general in a new study of troops in Iraq said that 54 percent report low or very low unit morale in Iraq, versus only 9 percent report high or very high morale.

This is an indictment of their Commander-in-Chief, Bush Jr.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 21, 2005

Last year Schwarzenegger said about nurses – "I kick their butts.”

On Wednesday a judge ruled that Schwarzenegger must show up in court on August 17 where the judge may hold Schwarzenegger in contempt of court for his failure to implement California’s law on nurse-to- patient ratios (signed by Gov. Gray Davis).

California nurses took Schwarzenegger to court and have won.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Schwarzenegger’s spokesperson Margita Thompson, when asked about the $8 million cash deal that Schwarenegger had under the table with pre-steriod drug manufacturers, said "He did nothing wrong."

Reminds me of Richard Nixon’s remark – "I am not a crook."

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

New York Times reporter Judith Miller went to jail on July 6, 2005 and remains there. Meanwhile, Karl Rove is still free.

I thought Bush Jr. said he wanted those who committed treason to go to jail? Judith Miller never even wrote an article identifying the CIA agent.

A new story out of Washington now has Rove in more trouble. In his first interview with the FBI, Rove never disclosed (i.e. denied) that he had discussed the CIA agent with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper. But the emails - and Cooper - confirm that he did.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 20, 2005

Last year Schwarzenegger claimed when it came to his personal money he was "a hands-on guy." Now that he’s up to his knee caps in an $8 million pill magazine scandal, Schwarzenegger is claiming that he doesn’t know all the details of his money deals.

And according to the Sacramento Bee there are a lot of them.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Lee Iacocca, the former CEO of Chrysler Corporation, is now back in ads for Chrysler.

But in a New Times Times (7/19/05) interview, Iacocca blasts the U.S. car industry for falling behind.

Iacocca pointed out that GM (the world’s number one car manufacturer for decades but now about to fall to number two) should have invested in hybrid cars instead of buying the Hummer brand (which Schwarzenegger suggested to GM years ago).

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

In the latest ABC News nationwide poll, 75 percent of Americans (71 percent of Republicans) believe Karl Rove should be fired if he leaked classified information.

Bush Jr. continues to allow Rove to take the Fifth Amendment with the press and the American public.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 19, 2005

Two Republican press secretaries over the last two weeks have come across as liars or idiots or both.

Scott McClellan looks like a fool, trying to claim that Karl Rove was not involved in treason.

And Schwarzenegger’s Communications’ Director Rob Stutzman, when asked about the $8 million cash deal from magazines filled with "scam" nutritional pill ads (i.e. add 20 pounds of muscle in six weeks), said "it was much ado about nothing."

If it was "about nothing," then why did Schwarzenegger hide the $8 million cash deal for 16 months, and only after being caught, announce within 24 hours that he would sever his relationship to the drug magazines?

Is Rob Stutzman out of the loop or just being made to look like a fool by Schwarzenegger?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

For months, Bush Jr. claimed if anyone was involved in the treason of leaking the name of a CIA agent, they would be fired.

Then on Monday, July 18th, Bush Jr. basically admitted someone on his staff was involved, but had a new line – if they were involved in a crime, they would be fired.

Next it will be "only if convicted." So much for concern about national security.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

For the last week, RNC Chair Ken Mehlman has been on the airwaves stating the facts about Karl Rove and the leaking of the name of a CIA agent.

Since Mehlman’s remarks indicate he has been briefed by Rove on the "facts," the special prosecutor should subpoena Ken to get those facts.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 18, 2005

Evidently with Schwarzenegger it does -- so far.

Schwarzenegger gets $8 million plus in cash sent to his personal account and then vetoes a bill that would regulate the "nutrition pill" industry, which are really highly questionable drugs.

Schwarzenegger rescinded the $8 million deal on Friday, even before the criminal investigation got started.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

I doubt it. Even though Karl Rove committed a crime, you know the legal fix is in for him. Rove operates like the mob – they get rid of the problem – maybe someone gets a briefcase fill of cash.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Republican Congressman Duke Cunningham of San Diego is under so many investigations you can’t keep track.

Which agency indicts him first is anyone’s guess.

Duke, also known as the "Duke Stir," had a yacht named after him (Duke Stir), and he was living rent free on the yacht in D.C. He got money for the yacht, even though he didn’t own it and also sold a house for an inflated price of $700,000, which some see as a bribe, and it goes on and on.

The "Duke Stir" announced last week he would not seek reelection (i.e. his candidacy won’t float). This makes sense – it’s hard to run for office from jail.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 15, 2005

It was night in Vietnam when I got a call on my radio – there had been a serious accident on base in a barracks.

When I got there, I knew immediately we had a big problem. One of the guys, a fellow paratrooper, cleaning his M79 grenade launcher had accidentally hit the trigger with a round in it.

An M79 round is about 3 inches long and one and a half inches in diameter. An M79 looks like a sawed-off shotgun that fires grenades. The round went right into the mouth of a fellow paratrooper several feet away (taking a lot of his teeth) and then lodged in his throat. It didn’t explode.

I carried an M79 myself and had been told the round will not explode upon impact if it was closer than 40 feet (using centrifugal force to arm itself), which always seemed hard to believe, but was true.

Now we had a guy laying there with an M79 round in his mouth in serious shock – he knew it could explode any minute and take out everyone around him.

I saw courage that night, far beyond the call of duty.

An Army doctor (a male) and a nurse, who was a woman (there were very few male nurses in those days), volunteered to extract the round.

The paratrooper was surrounded by sandbags to protect everyone but the solider, while the doctor and the nurse operated (cutting open one side of his face), and knew if the round exploded, all three of them would be killed.

The courage and the medical skills of that doctor and nurse got the M79 round out with no explosion.

The injured paratrooper was medevaced out soon afterwards and I doubt if his jaw and mouth ever fully recovered, but he lived to go home – because of the swift action and bravery of that Army doctor and nurse.

When I heard Schwarzenegger, months ago, as he pointed at nurses (some of whom may have served in the military) and boast that he “kicks their butts,” I thought back to that nurse in Vietnam who knew any second she could die in an explosion trying to save the life of an American paratrooper.

I don’t recall their names but I assume both the nurse and the doctor were awarded medals.

Would Schwarzenegger in that situation have volunteered like that nurse? Hardly!

But for those of us who served in Vietnam and were wounded-like myself- the nurses became life savers and much more. After all, we had no family members or friends from home visiting us in those “hospitals,” and no phone or e-mails, so the nurses were our family. About 7,500 nurses served in Vietnam and eight of them paid the ultimate price – they died serving their country.

I’m sure most Californians have very good feelings and fond memories of the times they have depended on nurses. There are many other “nurse” stories to tell from Vietnam, and now Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bob Mulholland
101st Airborne
(Vietnam 1967-68)

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 14, 2005

New York Times reporter Judith Cooper remains in jail for following a practice of the New York Times – protect their source.

Karl Rove continues to be free and attend parties on the D.C. night circuit.

On Wednesday, Bush Jr. was asked about Karl Rove – he answered by saying, "This is a serious investigation." On Tuesday, his White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan called it a "criminal investigation."

Bush Jr. is spending his "capital" to defend a traitor.

Within a few days of the train and bus attacks, Britain has identified the four suicide bombers, hauled in others and are making swift progress in their investigation.

Meanwhile, we read that you can be on the FBI Wanted List and still get a U.S. passport because Bush Jr. has not yet figured out that the FBI and the State Department should coordinate their files.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

The RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization that does work for the Pentagon and Congress, published a report on Wednesday that basically indicts Bush Jr. as a Commander-in-Chief.

The RAND report states that Bush Jr. has put the U.S. Army in such a stretched situation that the Army will have serious problems keeping enough soldiers trained and ready.

Since Bush Jr. doesn’t read newspapers or intelligence memos, he won’t know about the RAND report, unless Karl Rove tells him.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

For the ninth month in a row, the Army National Guard under the "leadership" of Bush Jr. has missed its recruiting goals.

It is now 10,000 below its goal for the year-to-date and 19,000 below its goal for authorized strength.

And Karl Rove’s son and Bush Jr.’s daughters still refuse to join the military. Republicans talk out of both sides of their mouths regarding patriotism and meanwhile the U.S. is getting weaker militarily.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 13, 2005

To recognize the terror that hit London last Thursday and to show all of our concern for the British people, the California Democratic Party has placed both the American and British (Union Jack) flags outside of our second floor windows at the corner of 21st St. & N St., downtown Sacramento.

The flags will be up during the daylight hours and remain through this Thursday to mark the one-week since those horrific attacks.

I have many friends in Britain especially with the Labour Party

I have gone through the King’s Cross train station over 50 times so my heart is with those affected there.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

A week ago London was bombed. Last year it was Madrid, and everyone remembers 9/11.

The Republicans are spinning that Karl Rove "technically" didn’t commit treason. We have a war on terrorism, and Rove has become a distraction.

For the good of the country (and our troops’ morale), Karl Rove should resign, turn in his White House pass and drive in his Jaguar to his lawyer’s office.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Several Republican radio shock jocks have just spent three days in Baghdad to get the "real" story out.

What America doesn’t need is journalists "working" for the incumbent government of Bush Jr. One of the radio jocks said before leaving, that the U.S. military would take really good care of them.

In other words, rather than experiencing what the American troops have really dealt with the last two years -- no body armor, no armored vehicles and shortages of water -- these Republicans talk show hosts had armed guards, the best vehicles to travel in, and air conditioned buildings.

If the radio boys and girls wanted to get the real story out, they should have gone by taxi from the airport to visit troops in the field.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 12, 2005

Unfortunately, like Richard Nixon, Bush Jr. is stonewalling on which one of his staff committed treason and leaked the name of a CIA agent (Karl Rove is the lead suspect).

In the interest of national security and to find the traitor in the White House, Bush Jr. has been urged to force his top staff to take a lie detector test, but he has refused to do that. Instead, Bush Jr. has let New York Times reporter Judith Miller go to jail.

The New York Times, which played a significant role in publishing the Pentagon Papers as Nixon went to Court to shut the newspaper down, has decided to protect sources and not disclose Karl Rove’s name.

On Monday, Bush Jr. ordered his Press Secretary to stop defending Karl Rove and just say “no comment.”

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

The Associated Press reported, "British Prime Minister Tony Blair said it is crucial to address terrorism's underlying causes, which he identified as deprivation, lack of democracy and ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Thursday's bomb attacks on London demonstrate the pressing need for world leaders to tackle problems like poverty, he told BBC radio. …

'I think this type of terrorism has very deep roots,' Blair said. 'As well as dealing with the consequences of this -- trying to protect ourselves as much as any civil society can -- you have to try to pull it up by its roots,' he said.

That meant boosting understanding between people of different religions, helping people in the Middle East see a path to democracy and easing the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, he said."

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Cheney told me the insurgents were in their last throes!

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 11, 2005

Americans need over 300,000 new jobs a month to make up for all the jobs Bush Jr. lost in his first four years, and for meeting the needs of youth entering the job market.

Bush Jr. just released the job numbers for June – sadly it was only 146,000 new jobs. And May was only 104,000. So in just two months Bush Jr.’s economic policies have fallen short by 350,000 jobs.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Alaa Mahmoud al-Tamimi, the Mayor of Baghdad, is threatening to quit because of Bush Jr.’s incompetence.

Despite the smiling faces from Bush Jr. about all the "good" things going on in Baghdad, the reality on the streets is just the opposite.

The Mayor is trying to build and rebuild Baghdad, but Bush Jr. (Commander-in-Chief) just cancelled a $15 million project to build a sanitary landfill – a key element of any city.

So, the Mayor got stiffed by Bush Jr. Most likely the $15 million went to Cheney’s Halliburton – perhaps another "bonus" for showing up to a meeting or something.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Bush Jr. has been lobbying Arab nations to send diplomats to Iraq and set up an office in Baghdad. Only Jordan and Egypt did.

The Egyptian Ambassador was kidnapped and then murdered and now Jordan is pulling their envoy. How incompetent can Bush Jr. be?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 08, 2005

In another example of how weak Schwarzenegger is, there were 13 Republicans in the California State Assembly and four Republicans in the State Senate who voted "no" on Schwarzenegger’s state budget on Thursday. Schwarzenegger had ordered them, then begged them, to vote "yes" and 17 basically told Arnie, "you’re in such bad shape in the polls, we don’t need to deal with you."

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Schwarzenegger took another political hit in the latest poll from San Jose State University–Survey and Policy Research Institute.

Fifty-three percent of voters see California, under little Arnold, going in the wrong direction.

Fifty-five percent of Californians disapprove of the job little Arnold is doing.

And 60 percent of voters side with teachers on education issues, versus only 31 percent who side with little Arnold.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 07, 2005

Our prayers and concerns are with the people of Great Britain, especially London.

Bob Mulholland
California Democratic Party

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Eddie Gillespie, RNC Chair last year and lobbyist for the French company Airbus, is now in charge of the campaign to steer Bush Jr.’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

And Eddie has another agenda – he has a lot of other clients who have business before the Supreme Court.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Bush Jr., who is too incompetent to balance the national budget, is now trying to force states to help pay for the massive subsidies of international drug companies involved in the new Bush Jr. Medicare prescription drug plan.

Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry vetoed a $444 million appropriation and in a letter he said he objected to Bush Jr.'s demands for states to pay money to the federal government for a federal program.

And this is a friend of Bush Jr.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

The International Olympics Committee chose London over Paris, New York City, and others.

Given how Bush Jr. has treated and made fun of so many other countries, New York City never had a chance.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 06, 2005

I’m old enough to remember American presidents (Democrats and Republicans) visiting countries and having tens of thousands of people in the streets cheering for our president.

Unfortunately, Bush Jr. and the Republicans have antagonized so many foreign leaders and their citizens that everywhere Bush Jr. travels, he’s under tight control, and the only people showing up are there to yell at him.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

With the war on terrorism, many more CIA and FBI agents are voluntarily asked to take a lie detector test.

In the interests of national security and to clear the issue up of who leaked the name of a CIA agent (an act of treason), Karl Rove should take a lie detector test. Why won’t Rove take it?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Another tragic story out of Iraq, and another example of Bush Jr. having no plan for Iraq.

An Iraqi oil ministry spokesperson estimates that due to the lack of security for the oil industry infrastructure, which continues to get attacked, the people of Iraq have lost $11.3 billion in oil revenues since June 2003.

And let’s remember 40 percent of the Iraqi kids are suffering from malnutrition.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 05, 2005

Air quality has been a big problem in California for decades.

But due to tough regulations backed by Democrats and environmental groups (but mostly opposed by the Republicans), air quality has improved or at least not worsened. Now we find out that the big oil companies and power plant industries, who complain about improved air quality regulations for kids, got Schwarzenegger to appoint one of their lobbyists to chair California’s Air Resource Board.

Like the fox guarding the hen house. Democrats say they will block Cindy Tuck’s confirmation.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Justice O’Connor announced her retirement and Bush Jr. immediately announced that his staff and the Justice Department will oversee the process of choosing a nominee to recommend to him.

In 2000, Dick Cheney was in charge of the vice presidential selection process. Halliburton saw a money opportunity with that, and lo and behold Cheney ended up discrediting everyone on his list and Cheney became vice president.

Will Attorney General Alberto Gonzales use the same process – find dirt on everyone but himself?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

Several former American hostages from the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy swear that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the new president of Iran, was one of their hostage-takers.

The Bush Jr. staff say they are looking into it.

Mr. Ahmadinejad has been mayor of Tehran for years, and Bush Jr. doesn’t know who he is? They are looking into it? Where does the $30 billion a year go in intelligence gathering? How incompetent is Bush Jr.?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 03, 2005

I spent a 4th of July in Vietnam, so I will be thinking this weekend of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I’m sure we’ll see some news coverage of some of them eating hot dogs, but I doubt that Bush Jr. had many sent there.

Let’s also think of what occurred in 1776, two-hundred and twenty-nine years ago, just at the start of a new nation with individual freedoms and protections. For example, here is Abigail Adam’s letter to her husband, John Adams, sent in 1776 as he and others were meeting to sign the Declaration of Independence!

"Remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors! Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention it not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation."

In 1797, John Adams became the second president of the United States.

As we know, that letter had no impact. In fact, when the 15th Amendment was passed in 1870 granting all "citizens" the right to vote, the boys of that time meant "citizens, not women." It took the 19th Amendment passed in 1920 to add women to the definition of "citizen," but there are many struggles still being waged today by minorities, the disabled, gay, low income people and others.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 02, 2005

The drinks and the food were plenty, even enough for Republicans, at a November 2000 election night party.

The polls had closed and the exit polls had just declared Al Gore the winner in Florida, which meant Gore would be the next president. Just then Sandra Day O’Connor yelled, "This is terrible!" She then walked over to the food table.

Her husband explained to the guests that if Gore was president, Sandra wouldn’t be able to retire. Exactly 35 days later on December 12, 2000, O’Connor voted with the 5-4 majority to make Bush Jr. the president, and they did it without legal justification. (Newsweek 12/25/00)

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

On Friday, July 1, 2005, Antonio Villaraigosa was sworn in as mayor of America’s second biggest city – Los Angeles.

Former Vice President Al Gore was introduced and he heard cheers of "yea!" Schwarzenegger was introduced and he heard a different three letter word – "boo!" Little Arnold was extremely embarrassed.

Antonio Villaraigosa said, "I do" when asked that question about upholding laws, etc.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

I don’t know if Italy’s Prime Minister was using four-letter words in Italian about Bush Jr. regarding the CIA kidnapping in Italy in 2003. The Bush Jr. people have been saying the Italian government was in on the CIA kidnapping.

That was the last straw for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (a person Bush Jr. calls an ally), who demanded that Bush Jr. show "full respect" for Italy’s sovereignty. Once again Bush Jr. makes it less likely that U.S. troops can be replaced by other foreign troops in Iraq.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

July 01, 2005

Bush Jr. is in his fifth year in the White House. It has been almost four years since 9/11, but his incompetence continues.

The New York Times (6/29/05) reports that even now you can be on an FBI "wanted" list and still get a U.S. Passport from the State Department.

Even people on "terrorist suspect" lists can get a U.S. passport because the Bush Jr. team has not ordered the agencies to check with each other’s files.

And Republicans are worried about driver’s licenses. Who needs one, when a terrorist can get a U.S. Passport at Bush Jr.’s State Department?

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

In classic Republican policy (i.e. against Affirmative Action, "pro" family, etc.), Bush Jr. sent a Cuban-American with his Washington State National Guard to Iraq.

Cuban-American Carlos Lazo was just awarded a Bronze Star for caring for his wounded comrades in Iraq.

Now Mr. Lazo wants to visit his ill teenage son in Cuba, but Bush Jr.’s policies allow only one visit every three years, so he is barred from going.

Interesting that Bush Jr. is sending American troops two or three times to Iraq and extending their tours (which is leading to increased divorces in military families).

If Lazo goes to Cuba without a State Department exemption he can be charged with breaking a federal law.

Only the Republicans would have this cruel policy.

« June 2005 | Archives | August 2005 »

California Democratic legislators passed a progressive Domestic Partners bill and Governor Gray Davis signed it. Not surprising, the Republicans took it to the courts.

On June 29, 2005, the California State Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Domestic Partners bill is legal -- a great victory for human rights.

Interesting that Justice Janice Rogers Brown, who left the court the next day to take the Federal Bench (with even more benefits), did not vote on the item.

Thus, Justice Brown did not vote “no” on the case. I wonder - if she had not yet received Senate confirmation, would she have abstained?