Breaking:
By on Mar 8th, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Breaking:
The House Appropriations Committee “has voted to block a Dubai company from taking control of some U.S. port operations, defying a veto threat by President Bush,” CBS News reports.
UPDATE: AP has details, and adds that Senate conservatives led by Majority Leader Frist blocked a Senate vote “on a proposal that would prevent the company from owning or operating U.S. ports.”
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It will be interesting to see if Bush will veto this as it is part of the appropriations bill funding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. If he does veto it, Dems can turn the tables on Bush questioning HIS patriotism for not supporting the troops.
March 8th, 2006 at 6:05 pmMuch like the Iraq war I am left scratching my head and saying: What’s their angle?
March 8th, 2006 at 6:27 pmThis is headed for a showdown between Bush and Senate Repubs…..
If he vetoes….he risks losing Congress which you bet will begin looking into illegal wiretapping a little bit more carefully…
If he doesnt veto…he pisses off Daddy’s friends and clients…
decisions decsions Georgie…
this will be very interesting….
“Being President is hard work” GWB in 2003
March 8th, 2006 at 6:34 pmNot really sure what to make of this. I would imagine that republicans, worried about getting reelected are going to at least make an attempt to stop the Dubai ports takeover. its kind of a no brianer for dems, they can outflank bush on security issues.
bush on the other hand has a headache on his hands. I am very curious how this will play out.
March 8th, 2006 at 6:35 pmA COUNTRY FOR SALE so much for going to war for the security of our country ,caught in their own lies , the repups. are all about money . I wonder how much james baker got over the deal . I guess the ethics of medecine does not apply to the senate and frist is proud to join the other lackeys of this administration .A victory in congress for the demos will tie up this goverment in invistigation from here to dooms day.
March 8th, 2006 at 6:41 pmDubya is fighting a losing battle and should just give in and listen, which is probably not easy since he’s not deaf.
March 8th, 2006 at 6:53 pm“No brainer for the Dems”? Give me a break. The Democrats aren’t much better then the Republicans. When are you people going to figure this out? It’s two sided of the same coin.
If you want real change, you will need to look elsewhere, to some other parties. People need to get out of this “either or” and “us vs. them” thinking. That only keeps the status quo in power. They have conditioned people to think this way, in order to serve their own interests. Both of the major parties are corrupt beyond redemption.
If you want real change, start with your own thinking.
March 8th, 2006 at 6:58 pmWhere is the Republican’s unity? Going against the Pres. Do they have no shame.
(after all – if it was Democrats in control we would be hearing that right now.)
Jamie
March 8th, 2006 at 6:58 pmhttp://www.intoxination.net
Forget the Democrats.
March 8th, 2006 at 7:00 pm“We have to address the fact that the president has broken the law.†— Senator Russ Feingold
March 8th, 2006 at 7:24 pmI can’t stand that this President has so much influence over Congress.
They are seperate for a reason.
I am so incredibly sick of King George “pitching a fit” and getting his way.
March 8th, 2006 at 7:29 pmWhen are we going to take a stand against this moron?
I have to agree with JPV. Does any one notice when paticularly nasty peice of legislation is about to pass the house, enough dems seem to break away from their party, or enough republicans break away for the bill to be signed into law.
On the other hand, there is a complete absence of any strong third party right now. I will vote dem not because I agree with everything they do, no I will vote dem becauset they are not nearly as batshit insane as the republicans.
March 8th, 2006 at 7:32 pmJPV, the boneheads who voted for Nader are the reason Bush is president right now.
March 8th, 2006 at 7:32 pmThe Dems are just as guilty as the Repugs for the current state of the union. Although they do not actively support the president’s agenda, they do passively support it by sitting back and doing little more than complaining.
It is time to take action!
It is time to shut both houses of congress down!
It is time to storm the imperial castle!
March 8th, 2006 at 7:40 pmThis kind of vote is why the House is always viewed as the loonier of the 2 houses.
Get out the check book.
Don’t you just love it when a rep says that the people running the ports should be American? Has he looked at how many aren’t? Of course not,but it will play well at home.
Oh and Jimbo,could you fix the double negative in #6?
March 8th, 2006 at 8:19 pm#13~
March 8th, 2006 at 8:20 pmI respectfully disagree…everyone who voted for democrat, denied the country an opportunity for a true advocate for the people…Ralph Nader. I honestly don’t think there’s 2 dems who would qualify in comparison to the integrity, devotion to work, intellectual empathy, and has the personality that would make ya want to have a beer with ‘im.
The problem with the “forget the democrats” angle is that is ensures republicans being voted into office. Right now, we can’t forget the democrats because we don’t have any viable options (anyone who can actually get elected) in the other parties. We have got to get the republicans out of office in order to get this country back to a bit of sanity. Therefore, we need the democrats. Then, hopefully, someone who truly loves this country in one of the other parties can work their way up and into the public consciousness so they can get elected.
March 8th, 2006 at 8:28 pmThis whole thing smells like a Karl Rove ploy.
March 8th, 2006 at 8:30 pmHas anyone seen the legislation that will be attached to the spending bill? Is it worded to prohibit DPW from owning an asset it already owns? Or is it worded to have only American companies leasing the terminals?
March 8th, 2006 at 8:39 pmDoes this legislation unapprove the approval granted by CFIUS? Does it appropriate funds,since it is a spending bill,to buy the leases back from DPW?
Anybody?
Yeah We gotta stop the bleeding! The Rethugs have been steamrollin us since 2000! I still think he is gonna push for this ports deal and that should be the beginning of the end for this god-forsaken mis-administration!
March 8th, 2006 at 8:41 pmDems should be hammering this home. “We aren’t selling our ports to people who are or have been sympathetic to terrorist period”. This pussy footing is absoultely sending the wrong message. France announced that if any terrorist strikes France and its concluded that the attacker are from a certain country that allows this bullshit to be taught (i.e. Saudi Arabia,UAE,Yemen etc…}… They are getting a nuclear weapon up thier ass period. God are we so lame?.
March 8th, 2006 at 8:59 pmI feel the same frustration as everyone who wants bush/repubs. out. But to be real, It would take years and years to get a 3rd party going, repubs and dems alike stomping on it all the way. Nader has spoke of this many times. We’re stuck with the democrats as the only hope to oust the crooks in the white house. Of course we need to vote out the bad democrats, but first we must put out the forrest fire, then work on rebuilding the forrest. Clark,Feingold and Murtha and some others, are making sense to me,I hope other democrats see this and get to work on it.
March 8th, 2006 at 9:30 pmOK, so the port deal is interesting, but please people: Congress just gave Bush a pass for spying on us. This means they have NO intentions of impeaching him. Sure pissing off the president is a start, but think about the big picture: Do the Republican Congress want to be remembered as the WORST congress in history? The one that ignored presidential abuses of power? Have some pride in your job people.
March 8th, 2006 at 10:49 pm“JPV, the boneheads who voted for Nader are the reason Bush is president right now.”
oh god I HATE that BS line! Bush is pres for SEVERAL reasons and voting for Nader isn’t 1 of them. try
1. Kerry and the Dems ran a shitty campaign.
2. Diebold
3. FEAR
4. The crappy media
5. Brilliant Rethug tactics (not saying I agree AT ALL but it was brilliant)
6. Lots o’ lies
7. An uninformed, apathetic public
Don’t say we are a democracy on 1 hand and then tell people “don’t vote for so & so or you’ll split the vote.” NO! tell the Dems to HAVE a clear agenda people can follow and stop being pussies!
There TRULY is no better time than the present to start supporting a 3rd party. I can no longer call myself a Dem cuz they are WEAK and that is not who I want speaking for me.
Bring on the strong 3rd, 4th and 5th party. I’m ready for it and the change. Are you?
March 8th, 2006 at 11:12 pm#15
What I meant was that although Bush listens to the RebubliKKKans in his CASTLE, I mean White House, he’s deaf when it comes to listening to reasonable folks like those who think his ideas stink.
March 8th, 2006 at 11:12 pmI’m enjoying all the Finger Pointing….
Heres some more for ya notice that its spun against the Democrats except the Brain Dead Bloggers are Gonna SPIN it UNTO the Lobbyists.
WoOOoOOOoo!!
The Snippet;
Lobbyist Breaks into Car of Democrat Writes Threat Letter
N.J. Governor Bailed Out Lobbyist
By ANGELA DELLI SANTI
Associated Press Writer
March 8, 2006, 6:24 PM EST
TRENTON, N.J. — In his first political firestorm since taking office in January, Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Wednesday that he provided $5,000 in bail money to a lobbyist accused of stalking a state assemblyman.
“I reacted as a human being responding to someone in need,” the multimillionaire Democrat said. “However, in light of my position as governor, I realize this was a mistake.”
Karen Golding, a government relations manager for insurance giant Prudential Financial, is accused of breaking into the government-issued car of Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, a Democrat, and of writing threatening letters and making threatening calls to Cryan and others. Authorities have not discussed a motive.
Corzine said Golding, 36, requested money after her Feb. 6 arrest and he complied because she worked for his 2000 Senate campaign and he remains friendly with her family. He said he did not ask questions about her situation beyond making sure Golding was not a danger to herself or others. He characterized the money as a loan but did not say when it would be repaid.
The bail payment, first reported Wednesday by The Star-Ledger of Newark, drew heated criticism from Republicans.
“Jon Corzine’s payment of bail money for Karen Golding doesn’t just reek of bad judgment and conflicts of interest but raises the specter that Gov. Corzine’s actions were intended to prevent something more damaging from coming to light. Why else would a sitting governor bail out a lobbyist,” said Tom Wilson, chairman of the Republican State Committee.
March 8th, 2006 at 11:55 pmCan you Believe those Lobbyists would STOOP so low as to BREAK and ENTER?
WOW those LOBBYISTS sure a CRIMINALS to do something so
March 8th, 2006 at 11:58 pmUNAMERICAN. Those Lobbyists are acting like Terrorists!
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March 9th, 2006 at 12:00 amRove must sacrifice Bush on the ports deal in order to save him. Sticking close to Bush will hurt Republicans in the midterm elections. If the Republicans lose enough seats in 2006, Bush could face investigations, hearings, and maybe impeachment. By sticking to his guns on the port deal, Bush creates an opportunity for Republicans in Congress to distance themselves from him and look strong on security. By taking the beating on this one from his own party, Bush helps Republican candidates in the midterms, and helps himself avoid a hostile legislative branch in his final two years in office.
March 9th, 2006 at 12:51 amGotta say, Sister, (17), I agree with you. They may not be perfect,but it’s my opinion that the Dems are the best chance we have of taking our country back. Hell, I’d vote for an honest Republican who cares about America, if such an animal existed, but they’re extinct. Let’s take back the country, then we can clean up the party, or start our own, but not voting, or supporting a third party candidate won’t do the job right now.
March 9th, 2006 at 12:52 amWhatever happend to “an up or down vote”???? Sorry, forgot! Black is white. Up is down. Good is Bad.
March 9th, 2006 at 1:19 am“Bring on the strong 3rd, 4th and 5th party. I’m ready for it and the change. Are you?”
Sure am….AFTER the monolythic Rpublican Syndicate implodes itself. Until then, I’ll be voting Democrat.
March 9th, 2006 at 2:48 amConcerned Conservative
Now, replace all of the “lobbyists” with “republicans” and you got Nixon and company. Wasn’t he a republican? Yep!
March 9th, 2006 at 3:09 amYeah, I agree that the whole idea of a third party coming into power is a long shot. The true “powers that be”, corporate America, just exert too much control. They will never finance any 3rd, 4th or 5th party. But there is now more opportunity, than ever before, for “grass roots” movements to flourish. It may not happen in the next couple of years but I think people need to start using tools, like the internet, to build a future movement in order to take the fucking country back.
Either way, the system, as it now stands, is broken.
March 9th, 2006 at 3:15 amI think this looks like you have your ports back under your control ?????? or maybe somebody is using this as a get out of Iraq clause ………so Bush can start probably on Iran …..which there is no need for ….
March 9th, 2006 at 5:13 amGood for them!
R2K
March 9th, 2006 at 7:36 am#25- Thanks for the info. Well, well, well. Careful Mr. Tom Wilson, those words can and should be used against you, and the entire Republican party. Wasn’t it the Republican party that footed the bill for that fellow who was convicted of “jamming” the phone lines on election day, so that democrats were unable to use the phones for “don’t forget to vote” calls that are common on election day. The National Republican Party spent about $750,000 on his “defense”,which was, “did not!” So if Corzine’s $5,000 is SO suspect, what does that say about the other case ? But the “raptor-like” pouncing, with an indignant “Ah-Ha!” self-righteousness, while displaying the typical Republican tactic of ignoring their own misdeeds, is just business as usual. And these are the people claiming the moral high ground ?
March 9th, 2006 at 7:43 amyes get a third party
The Liberals exist to build and safeguard a fair,free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity
Preamble to the Federal Constitution
March 9th, 2006 at 7:58 amThis ports “deal†is a little too curious to me. The only “solution†presented thus far is to have an American company be involved. How convenient is it that Halliburton is the only company mentioned? We are told that they are the only ones with the capabilities. That’s BS & nonsense. Halliburtons only concerns are oil and energy. Compare the these two websites then try to convince me that only Cheneys profit machine can handle the ports- or anything else Halliburton does for that matter.
http://www.halliburton.com/
http://www.wgint.com/about_us.html
I’m thinking that Halliburton wants to diversify and get into the portin’ business (bid-less). The ports were a major concern before the Dubai “scamâ€. I’m sure lots of capital is/was targeted for port security and Halliburton wants a piece of it-if not all. Follow the money.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:38 amWhere is Ross Perot and the Reform Party when you need him?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that “crazy aunt” he always talked about that was locked in the basement is the problem. I mean, the Republicans let her out, cut her hair, dressed her up as Bush’s vice president. Next thing you know they’ll be giving her a gun to shoot.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:38 amPerhaps we could let PNAC run the ports. Then they could have everything in place for another “New Pearl Harbor” as a sequel to their first “Reichstag Fire” in 2001.
Sometimes a Conspiracy Theory can be a Theory of Gravity.
Goper’s Lament
March 9th, 2006 at 8:51 amPNAC and Halliburton seem to have a lot in common. PNACs profit arm.
Among other issues, PNAC HATES labor unions in part because united people scares the crap out of them. KBR is the biggest union busting contractor on the planet- bar none.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:59 am#38- In the movie “Demolition Man”, Sandra Bullock’s character is attempting to explain how, after “the big one” all restaurants became “Taco Bell’s”. I see the same thing happening with Halliburton. Life imitating art. Cue “Twilight Zone” theme…
March 9th, 2006 at 9:07 amFor better or worse, our political system is set up to operate as a two party system. We don’t have run off voting & we don’t have a proportional method of forming the government like many other “democracies” do. So we’re kind of stuck with the two party setup. Unfortunately, the two parties seem to be becoming more alike as time goes on. As they court the center (which has apparently moved to the right over the years), the democrats have adopted the motto of “We re just like the republicans, only less so”. Both parties seem to be hell-bent on enabling the corporatization of all aspects of public life in this country–though I think there are still some democrats who are trying to resist it (Feingold, Conyers, Harkin and a few others). Of course, this is an obvious result of the way campaigns are financed.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:44 amCOAL TRAIN
You got it right!The commenters here are not noticing that the dems are not the heroes here – the pukes are. The dems, as usual, are left sucking hind tit.
And the big vote in the house, some 61 – 2. Forget it. When the time comes the pukes will line up with the brain dead prez, despite hacking off their legs at the knees. They are that stupid.
This is nothing more than a ROVIAN deal to try and make the pukes seem the only people on earth who can provide us with security.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:04 am#23
“NO! tell the Dems to HAVE a clear agenda people can follow and stop being pussies!”
That would require them to run on their ideological
convictions and a LIBERAL agenda. If they were to follow that direction they would lose even more seats in the U.S. House and Senate.
8. The MAJORITY of American people wern’t going to vote for a far left liberal wacko like Kucinich.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:10 am#45 Tracy, the first step to regaining America’s integrity is to stop the bleeding. Conservatives like to say that all the Dems stand for is going against Bush; well, that’s fine, because (as the saying goes), in order to get out of a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging. The entire conservative establishment is infected with an ideological sanctimoniuousness that allows them to rationalize corruption, cronyism, and malfeasance in office, all supposedly in the name of national security first, and against (the horror!) liberalism second.
The idea that someone like you, who(m?) I assume is an otherwise stand-up person, would support a corrupt conservative over even a “whacko” liberal shows how bent out of shape our ethics have become in mainstream poilitical society. I guess lying about an extramarital affair under oath (even though it had NOTHING to do with the actual investigation, a land deal) is impeachable but lying to the American people and sending thousands of Americans to their deaths and spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in an effort that will, in the end, only serve Iran, is somehow OK because a liberal didn’t do it.
#11″I can’t stand that this President has so much influence over Congress.
They are seperate for a reason.
I am so incredibly sick of King George “pitching a fit†and getting his way.
When are we going to take a stand against this moron?
Comment by trueblue — March 8, 2006 @ 7:29 pm”
It’s because liberalism, which gave us so many real improvements in the average person’s every day life, has been successfully branded as bad. This has been so successful that the Republicans were willing to sell their souls and trust George W. Bush and give him powers no president was ever meant to have. This is almost an article of faith with them. Bush has proven several times over to his own Party (and dozens of times to those who aren’t in his Party) that he doesn’t have the capacity or character to deserve that faith, but conservatives are blindly obedient to him as a person, as an idol.
They worship Bush as they worship their God. They follow him more than Jesus, more than the Constitution. They defend him, make excuses for him, attack others for him, and idolize him.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:29 amtracy you asshole. Democrats allow independent thought, unlike the republicans. That’s one reason you can’t corral them so easily. You idiots love to paint ‘em all as liberal, but that’s your only gameplan.
As far as Nader is concerned. He didn’t effect Kerry’s race. He definitely SANK Gore’s. If you think that was a good thing, well, welcome to the last 6 years of bushland and thank you very much for your holier than though opinions. Honestly, as much as I like Nader, I couldn’t vote for him. Government would’ve imploded just like Jesse Ventura’s Montana experiment. In the US, government is supposed to be a joint affair with all the groups cajolling and pushing each other. No group would’ve listened to Nader let alone let him lead them anywhere. So, my opionon of Nader is significantly less than it was prior to ‘00 because he let his ego get in the way of our lives.
Now, unfortunately with bushco’s government, both the counterbalancing parties (House and Senate) have abandoned their rolls and are jsut rubber stamps to the Executive. Dumb shits.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:34 amThis “no agenda” thing is stupid but it’s obviously effective. The rethug “think tanks” are already working overtime to defeat dems.
Tracy- Could you please give me brief overview of what the republican “agenda” is? Please include how the Bush admn. is following that “agenda”.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:49 amBecause this administration has caused me to no longer trust my government, I worry this port deal is a smoke screen for something bigger? or some hidden agenda? Is this a con job to get Repub. re-elected, by showing the american people how great republicans are by going against the president (one who doesn’t need to run again, so better to sacrifice him, then the majority?) The CEO of DP, on TV, was very emphatic, that this deal would go through, as promised by the president. I think, it was Wolfe Blitzer, on CNN, last night, after his return from Dubai, who said DP World executives were almost arrogant, in their belief, the deal will go forward. Are we being conned again?
March 9th, 2006 at 10:51 amIt probably will…with the assistance of an American company. That would be who?
March 9th, 2006 at 11:01 am#38 – First, allow me to state that this is in NO WAY any kind of endorsement of Halliburton in any way, shape or form. I thought you should have the facts though.
Halliburton has been in the “portin business”, as you put it, since they aquired Kellog Brown and Root in the 1990s. KBR is a logistics support company. They move/process cargo in ports and air terminals all over the world (predominantly for the DoD). They got their start as a trucking company but have since branched out into air and maritime freight as well. Although I agree with you that this is about money, there is more to it. Someone above mentioned what this is really about (above and beyond money). It’s about giving Congressional Republicans a way to distance themselves from the President without it hurting the GOP in any real tangible way. If Bush’s cronies and buddies make a buttload of money in the process, well, that’s just icing on the cake.
March 9th, 2006 at 11:56 am#51
KBR is primarily construction company that has diversified into other profitable ventures presented through thier mother company. I have actually worked for them as an engeneer. (Don’t need a lecture about those pricks…especially when it comes to there being more to it. No offense.)
March 9th, 2006 at 12:17 pmBTW- thats engineer- excuse the typo’s
March 9th, 2006 at 12:33 pmI was related at one time, by marriage, to a high muckety muck of KBR. He was my wifes brother. They were never involved in ports in any shape, form or fashion.
They did build all the pipelines and facilities in Alaska and this is their primary mission.
After our divorce my wifes brother gave her a job on an Alaskan project as an “on site timekeeper”, whatever the hell that is. Salary was a whopping 10 grand a week, and everything was furnished, food, clothing, cigarettes and booze.
March 9th, 2006 at 5:24 pm