ThinkFast: February 24, 2006
ThinkFast: February 24, 2006
ThinkFast is a new feature of ThinkProgress. Coffee and donuts not included. (It’s still a work in progress – let us know what you think.)
Sen. Rick Santorum’s pet project, the abstinence-only program the Silver Ring Thing, loses government funding for misusing federal dollars for Christian evangelism.
During his Abramoff-organized congressional delegation to the Marshall Islands, “Rep. [Don] Young (R-AK) addressed the Marshallese legislature wearing Bermuda shorts.”
66 percent: Number of Americans who say a major terrorist attack is likely in the next 12 months, up from 55 percent in June 2005.
The ACLU releases new FBI documents “showing that senior Defense Department officials approved aggressive interrogation techniques” that were “abusive, ineffective and unlawful.” “It is entirely unacceptable that no senior official has been held accountable,” said ACLU attorney Jameel Jaffer.
Another crony. This time it’s Kevin Warsh, who was recently appointed to the Federal Reserve Board. His primary qualification appears to be his father’s partisan political contributions.
Starvation looms for tens of thousands of Zambians — a humanitarian crisis that, unlike Darfur, could be prevented “without doing anything other than appropriating a lousy $8.5 million to buy some food for refugees.”
Bush’s proposal to expand health savings accounts would be a windfall for the nation’s rich. The proposal would create the “mother of all tax shelters.â€
Texas lawmakers rally around indicted Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), likening him to Stonewall Jackson, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and a courageous World War I officer.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has launched an investigation into reports that “thousands of declassified documents had been reclassified by executive branch agencies and removed from public access in questionable circumstances.”
And finally: Georgia lawmakers turn their attention to the critical issue of designating an official state dirt.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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I think what I love most about this new feature is that it provides quick, one-stop shopping for the political minded yet busy parent who wants a better world for their child but doesn’t necessarily have the time to track down all the news that really matters to her. In otherwords: THANKS!
February 24th, 2006 at 8:59 amThat grant money should be recovered because of the Constitutional violations…
Sanitary napkin’s organization (or whomever runs it) should be forced to refund the $1 million in taxpayer funds…
Accountability must be the people’s watch word…
February 24th, 2006 at 9:02 amWhat’s to be said about people who “trust Bush on security”, yet believe we’ll be attacked within 12 months?
February 24th, 2006 at 9:05 amabstinence-only has little to do with education and much to do with indoctrination… these programs seek to make the Judeo-Christian ideal of abstinence outside marriage the one and only option… they skip over contraception, abortion and homosexuality because they want them to go away… it’s not going to happen… we’re doing kids a big disservice unless we give them all the facts…
February 24th, 2006 at 9:07 amWhat’s to be said about people who “trust Bush on securityâ€, yet believe we’ll be attacked within 12 months?
I chuckled at this. Great point.
With regards to the abstinence issue, I read a report of a study that found that teenagers that take a vow of abstinence are more likely to engage in oral sex, anal sex, and sex without a condom than those that don’t take the vow.
Seems to have the opposite effect that the conservatives would like, no?
February 24th, 2006 at 9:11 amThe abstinence thing fails in time. Rational people know this. The object is to keep money out of these people’s hands for these bogus philosophies.
As a side note, I’m pretty pumped about the abortion fight taking place in South Dakota. I’m ready for this country to split at the feet of the Catholics on the Supreme Court. There’s going to be fighting in the streets when our government decides to inspect our wives vaginas with the Big Evangelical Speculum in the Sky.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:19 amTerrorists have been attacking US interests for years now. It is a one hundred percent certainty that the US will be attacked in the next twelve months and beyond. What else can the terrorists do besides attack the US? That’s why they do what they do. God forbid that they should want to change; it would hamper their image. They’re in it for the long haul. It is economically beneficial for the terrorists too, ya know.
It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for both parties. Sometimes, humans do the stupidest of things and falsely believe that is they way things are. Content with the status quo; you can’t change those terrorists, and they won’t change. What are you going to do?
The war on terror is profitable for both sides, and both sides will do the stupidest things possible to profit from it all. They’re happy with the way things are going. There ain’t gonna be no truce.
All is fair in love and war.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:19 amHave you read Jane Mayer’s latest report on abbuse in this week’s New Yorker?
I was especially affected by this quote from Alberto J. Mora, the outgoing general counsel of the US Navy:
“To my mind, there’s no moral or practical distinction [between allegations of U.S.-sanctioned torture and the authorization of cruelty],†he told me. “If cruelty is no longer declared unlawful, but instead is applied as a matter of policy, it alters the fundamental relationship of man to government. It destroys the whole notion of individual rights. The Constitution recognizes that man has an inherent right, not bestowed by the state or laws, to personal dignity, including the right to be free of cruelty. It applies to all human beings, not just in America—even those designated as ‘unlawful enemy combatants.’ If you make this exception, the whole Constitution crumbles. It’s a transformative issue.â€
you can find the full text of the article here:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0220-03.htm
February 24th, 2006 at 9:23 amRon,
February 24th, 2006 at 9:26 amAmericans know that relations with Arabs presents liabilities to our safety. Americans voted for Bush to kick Arab ass, not coddle and trade with them. Many Americans don’t know how close Bush is and was to the Bin Laden family. But slowly they figure it out.
Bush thinks giving to Arabs will make them change and like us. This is a lie.
Ron – that’s a very pessimistic view. But I think it’s also more accurate than a lot of people’s.
Bush needs the boogey-men in the closet to distract Americans from all the stuff that’s going wrong at home. Why do you think the words most used in Bush’s speech are ‘terror’ and ‘terrorists’?
Because if he used phrases like ’stagnant economy’, ‘widening gap between rich and poor’, ‘huge trade deficit, and ‘astronomical national debt’ his approval ratings would dip below his current stellar level of 37%
February 24th, 2006 at 9:27 am[...] (via thinkprogress.org) Sen. Rick Santorum’s pet project, the abstinence-only program the Silver Ring Thing, loses government funding for using federal dollars for Christian evangelism. [...]
February 24th, 2006 at 9:28 amSantorum is a nothing more than a charlatan. It’s about time the people of his state recognise him for what he is.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:38 amThe quick increase in people expecting another attack tells me the public is beginning to realize who the ‘terrists’ are.
February 24th, 2006 at 9:45 amBush & Associates, Inc.
“The ACLU releases new FBI documents “showing that senior Defense Department officials approved aggressive interrogation techniques†that were “abusive, ineffective and unlawful.†“It is entirely unacceptable that no senior official has been held accountable,†said ACLU attorney Jameel Jaffer.”
I think someone from the NSA should go have a talk with Jameel use some of those tactics on him and then ask him if they are ineffective. If he says yes….then kick it up a notch.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:16 amIf the Texans are looking for someone with Texas connections to “liken” Delay to I would suggest they look no farther than The Alamo. No, I don’t mean Davey Crockett. I had in mind Santa Anna. What could be more fitting?
February 24th, 2006 at 10:38 amPerhaps the rise in the numbers of Americans expecting another terrorist attack is due to the realization that Bushco is totally inept and incompetent, and that our armed forces and resources have become an arcade in Iraq.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:46 amWhere’s Deadeye lately? I’ll bet he knew about the Port Management transaction…..
Marie the people of PA. do know about little ricky, and he’s not looking good for another six years, he’s the most vulnerable Repug senator up for reelection
February 24th, 2006 at 10:52 amHey I FOR AN I
February 24th, 2006 at 10:53 amno need to keep playing the devil’s advocate,
it’s plain to see the devil doesn’t need any help
I-Right-I,
Typical Republican. Endorsing torture, then making a joke about it.
It’s ineffective because most of the time, the people they are torturing will say whatever the hell will stop the torture.
Let’s say someone is convinced that you have information about the tooth fairy, absolutely convinced you know where the tooth fairy is, but you really don’t. But they torture you until you tell them where the tooth fairy is. How long until you make up a story about the tooth fairy being in Gary, Indiana at a strip joint?
The point is, A LOT OF THE INFORMATION YOU GET FROM TORTURING SOMEONE IS FALSE.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:54 amI support the idea of all Republicans practicing abstinance.
February 24th, 2006 at 11:01 amAll Repugs should practice retroactive miscarriage.
February 24th, 2006 at 11:08 amRelated to the information released by the ACLU, Human Rights First released a report on detainee deaths in US custody. Some of these deaths were the result of torture.
See the HRF home page for the report or exec. summary or overview.
Or, here is the link for the full report.
February 24th, 2006 at 11:14 am
February 24th, 2006 at 11:47 amCrude-oil futures jumped by more than $2 a barrel after an attack on a massive oil facility in Saudi Arabia rattled an oil market already jittery about supply disruptions in Nigeria and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/02/24/ap2551407.html
February 24th, 2006 at 11:48 amBob grat your post #23 shows how dumb, the people who for Fox think the american people must be. They can have two contridictory stories on their web page and they think the americans will believe both but won’t make the connection, unless they are told to.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:11 pm#23, maybe OBL is our friend again? I’m sure he’s got a lot of stuff he’d like to ship to the USA, probably return all those weapons we gave him in the 80s….
February 24th, 2006 at 12:20 pm#6 – …inspect our wives vaginas with the Big Evangelical Speculum in the Sky.
Alright, just make sure it’s not cold.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:26 pmI-Right-I,
Typical Republican. Endorsing torture, then making a joke about it.
It’s ineffective because most of the time, the people they are torturing will say whatever the hell will stop the torture.
Comment by bobcat_grad —
Wrong. Torture works, if it didn’t we wouldn’t do it…for the past 10,000 years. But ACLU lawyers ought to be tortured for the fun of it. Ditto National Lawyers Guild.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:33 pmThe November elections are about 9 months away. The way I figure it the fake alerts will start coming in about 6 months from now.
Our preznit, the biggest terrist of them all, will have the FBI and Homeland Security in front of the news cameras about once a week hailing a notable bust of some people doing paint ball things.
We will also discover more millions laying in banks throught the world, said funds just awaiting transfer to the terrists. We will confiscate the money because we are desperately in need of cash since Bushlandia is going to have to give the UAE back the billions from the sale of our ports.
OFF TOPIC: I watched a little of our dranged presidents speech this morning, given once again to a closed audience. I swear it was a repeat of a 2002 speech. In this one I caught a big lie, but no one will call him on it. In the speech he stated that our troops in Iraq are “facing weapons of mass destruction”.
Man oh man, the guy needs a new speech writer, or needs to come up with some other ideas, dont you think?
February 24th, 2006 at 12:33 pmAll Repugs should practice retroactive miscarriage.
Comment by Clyde the Ripper — #21
Clyde,
Hopefully, soon…
…we’ll be able to help them…
…and IRI should be the test case…
February 24th, 2006 at 12:44 pm#28.
I-Right-I…
Okay, you’ve officially lost any credibility. Calling for the torture of people trying to PROTECT YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES.
You are sad.
February 24th, 2006 at 1:14 pmWrong. Torture works, if it didn’t we wouldn’t do it…for the past 10,000 years. But ACLU lawyers ought to be tortured for the fun of it. Ditto National Lawyers Guild.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I
um, where is your proof, you f*cking moron? just because a bunch of subhuman freaks like yourself practiced it for 10,000 years doesn’t make it right.
people have been murdering, raping and pillaging for thousands of years, but that doesn’t make those acts justified.
torture DOES NOT WORK. no cia agent has ever admitted it works.
what it does is BRING US DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL. our country was supposed to be some beacon of light and righteousness, but all the world is learning from us now is how to kill ruthlessly and without reason.
torturing little boys in front of their fathers – that’s what you are made of, you f*cking PUSSY, iri.
love,
prozacula.
p.s. – go cheney yourself, you lowlife
February 24th, 2006 at 1:24 pmRyan, is that you?
February 24th, 2006 at 1:45 pmA repug was interviewed this week on TV and defended the UAE deal because, among other lame excuses, we are a long way away from 9/11 and Dubai has changed. So we should cut them some slack. So, four years after the event that Bush exploits in his self-appointed status as sheriff of the world, the word is now that we should cut them some slack –something like, “I don’t really think about Osama bin Laden mush any more.”
February 24th, 2006 at 2:56 pmIRI is an expert on torture.
February 24th, 2006 at 2:58 pm#29 Paul, I saw a bit of it before work too and it was an old speech pulled from the file cabinet. Same old trite phrases, same old disinformation — who does write his speeches anyway? Someone as dumb as he or someone who dumbs down the speeches for him to read?
February 24th, 2006 at 3:01 pm-Right-I…
Okay, you’ve officially lost any credibility. Calling for the torture of people trying to PROTECT YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES.
You are sad.
Comment by bobcat_grad
Don’t be stupid. The ACLU began in the 30’s as the legal arm of the American Communist Party and they haven’t changed one bit. The only liberties they protect are uncivil liberties. You must be a homo. Screw the ACLU. The entire nest of vipers should be wiped out.
February 24th, 2006 at 3:01 pmIRI is an expert on torture.
Comment by Marie
Nope, we haven’t had sex.
February 24th, 2006 at 3:03 pmour country was supposed to be some beacon of light and righteousness, but all the world is learning from us now is how to kill ruthlessly and without reason.
Comment by prozacula
Grow up.
February 24th, 2006 at 3:05 pm“Grow up.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — February 24, 2006 @ 3:05 pm”
Isn’t that ironic coming from you :)
I forgive you pumpkin for only being able to hate, fear and make silly comments. It’s what the crippled partisan brain, coupled with religious fantasies, homophobia brought on by the Roy Cohn/Joseph McCarthy syndrome, and racist dogma does. Poor thing, you have my pity.
February 24th, 2006 at 4:14 pmGo Lantos:
http://c-span.org/watch/cspan2_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS2
China Internet discussion panel.
February 24th, 2006 at 4:40 pmRightPunch – agreed.
February 24th, 2006 at 5:02 pmonce again,
go cheney yourself, i-right-i, you boy-raping pussy,
f*ckyou,
February 24th, 2006 at 5:05 pmprozacula
I just noticed the China Internet hearing was on 2/15, I must have missed the discussion on this, it was a great panel. Wexler even brought up a nice point that Congress is blaming the companies, yet Congress gave China most favored status.
February 24th, 2006 at 5:21 pmAPRIL FIRST IS IMPEACH THE FOOL DAY …
get out and get heard, plan a rally or a march, put signs in your yard and on your car…
IMPEACH THE FOOL ON APRIL FOOL’S DAY!
a day of protest and civil disobedience
pass it on!
February 24th, 2006 at 5:25 pmNope, we haven’t had sex.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I #38
…so THAT’S why you’re so bitter…
…you’re still a vagina with an intact hymen…
February 25th, 2006 at 11:45 am