ThinkFast: April 26, 2006
ThinkFast: April 26, 2006
Early yesterday, it was reported that a “coalition of industry groups [was] mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign” to persuade conservatives on the House Homeland Security Committee “to oppose an amendment that would require all cargo to be scanned at foreign ports before being shipped to the United States.” By yesterday afternoon, conservatives had fallen in line and announced their opposition to 100 percent screening.
European Parliament investigators report that the CIA has conducted more than 1,000 undeclared flights over European territory since 2001 — a clear violation of an international treaty. Media reports have claimed that the CIA has used international flights to transport terror suspects.
The AFL-CIO’s annual “Death On The Job” report shows that the number who died from workplace injuries increased for the first time in 10 years last year.
Days before Cover the Uninsured Week begins, a new report from the Commonwealth Fund finds that our broken health care system “is increasingly becoming an all-American problem.†According to the report, “the percentage of working-age Americans with moderate to middle incomes who lacked health insurance for at least part of the year rose to 41 percent in 2005, a dramatic increase from the 28 percent in 2001 without coverage.â€
President Bush’s latest efforts to lower gas prices “at best are likely to shave a few cents per gallon off the cost of gasoline,” administration officials admit. Said one oil consultant, Bush’s proposals are “more or less like prescribing aspirin to take care of prostate cancer.”
Meanwhile, “GOP negotiators have decided to knock out provisions in a major tax bill that would force the oil companies to pay” some $5 billion in taxes over five years “primarily by changing arcane accounting rules that have allowed oil companies to substantially lower their tax bills.”
Action, finally, on genocide: The U.N. Security Council yesterday imposed travel and financial sanctions against four Sudanese accused of coordinating the mass murder in Darfur. Thanks to U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, the list was whittled down to four from eight, only one of whom “is a Sudanese government official, and a mid-level official at that.”
Army officials will file criminal charges against Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan, the military intelligence officer “who was the second-in-charge of interrogation operations” at Abu Ghraib prison. Jordan will be highest-ranking Army officer tried thus far over the abuses.
A sign of the times: “Some California drivers are resorting to desperate measures to beat the surge in gas prices at the pump – deliberately running dry on the state’s freeways and simply waiting for rescue.”
Hector Barreto resigned from the Small Business Administration after a tenure which included distributing 9/11 economic disaster recovery loans to businesses that said “they neither wanted nor knew they were receiving money earmarked for terror victims.†SBA also came under fire for its slow response to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
And finally, Sports Club/LA fitness instructor Glenn Makl, who famously “put his foot in his mouth†by reciting Bushisms to a spin class taken by First Twins Jenna and Barbara, will be back on the job at 6:15 am tomorrow. “It’s a safe bet that Jenna and Barbara Bush won’t be there,” Roll Call reports.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Illegal alien is now racist
“Appearing on KLIF Radio’s Gregg Knapp show, attorney Domingo Garcia said that using the terms illegal alien or illegal immigrant is a “racial slurâ€. Garcia said that those who use it, in reference to Hispanics, are racist.
Knapp advised Garcia that using the term “illegal aliens†or “illegal immigrants†is an accurate term applied to [their] legal vs. illegal status in the country and a true depiction of the fact that they are illegal. Garcia said: “Using words like illegal alien is like calling people derogatory names…like calling people n****!—
April 26th, 2006 at 10:08 amThe Shrub said in 2000 that the way to reduce the cost of gasoline
April 26th, 2006 at 10:08 amwas to be ‘jawboning with the Oil Companies’.
WELL?…how ’bout talking to them under oath? Bushie, it’s time to
jawbone. You’re the decider, get to work!
Againt %100 percent screening? Wow. What happened to the conservative motto “if you have nothing to hide then you shouldn’t worry”? I guess that only applies to those who aren’t wealthy contributors.
April 26th, 2006 at 10:09 amJawboning with the oil companies? Well he’s jawing and we’re getting boned.
April 26th, 2006 at 10:15 amSnow will now continue Scotty’s work of speaking yet saying nothing…
http://blogdebogs.blogspot.com/2006/04/snow-job-fox-news-now-unequivocally.html
April 26th, 2006 at 10:18 amThis is a lost economic system spinning out of control. You cannot have a stable economic system with fiat money that has no end.
It doesn’t work, it never has worked, and it never will work. Prepare for the crash.
There ain’t no fixin’ it and there ain’t no savin’ it.
Go further into debt, it has become the only way to survive.
Your gas dollar is worth about 1/3 of what it was during the Clinton years, the ‘good old days.’
The Republicans have accomplished in five short years a complete snafu. Herbert Hoover looks like a piker compared to these nitwits.
In 1979, I purchased three months worth of health insurance for 79 dollars.
Do yourself a favor and stop buying the stuff. It’s worthless. You pay for coverage and get nothing.
Be like the Mexicans and let the government pay for it all. They’re not that dumb, you know.
April 26th, 2006 at 10:20 amnot everyday, but often, i listen to c-span with my morning coffee, and leave it on to listen to the 1-minute messages of the house … since they are back in session today, i’m listenig…
April 26th, 2006 at 10:31 amthis may not be a first, but it’s a first for me to hear the guest chaplain begin the prayer with:
“lord, god, father, allah, higher power…”
it made me smile…
“lord, god, father, allah, higher power… .spaghetti monster?
April 26th, 2006 at 10:58 amIn my opinion the tax breaks to the oil companies are ridiculous and should be swept away. On the other hand as our country has one of the lowest prices for gas in the world, I say complaining about the prices is useless. The price of gas will never go down. It can only go up as demand goes up and supply goes down. Do something about it and reduce consumption. Everyone knows how to reduce their use…just do it.
April 26th, 2006 at 11:00 am# 7 katy: Were you agua fiero [fierce water] when watching c-span this morning?
April 26th, 2006 at 11:05 amThe Bush Regime is spinning more LIES about everything today! Pathological lying is the worst kind because it is a mental condition or malady! Bush himself needs therapy to stop lying to everybody daily!
April 26th, 2006 at 11:07 amWhat makes me the most upset about the president’s proposals for reducing the prices of gasoline is that the suspension of shipments to the National Strategic Oil Reserve is exactly what Kerry proposed during the 2004 election campaign, and at the time Bush accused him of “playing politics.” Now he’s suddenly reversed his position, but I don’t see anyone yelling “flip flopper” here.
http://www.insightmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=5D3B38F8A2584DB5A77BA05660C6045C&nm=Free+Access&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=3C98A0D902474937B47D51D93C813EFD
April 26th, 2006 at 11:10 am“Early yesterday, it was reported that a “coalition of industry groups [was] mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign†to persuade conservatives on the House Homeland Security Committee “to oppose an amendment that would require all cargo to be scanned at foreign ports before being shipped to the United States.†By yesterday afternoon, conservatives had fallen in line and announced their opposition to 100 percent screening.”
This is the same way the attempts to interdict drug smuggling went off the rails in the 90s. If cargo ships get held up for lengthy customs inspections, it costs the owners of the cargo big bucks — so, one complaining phone call to the right politician, and suddenly the entire ship has been cleared for customs. You can’t buy service like that! Well , actually, you can, unfortunately.
April 26th, 2006 at 11:14 amHere’s our national energy strategy: Buy gas guzzlers and then blame environmentalists for the consequences.
April 26th, 2006 at 12:17 pmi’m listenig…
this may not be a first, but it’s a first for me to hear the guest chaplain begin the prayer with:
“lord, god, father, allah, higher power…â€
it made me smile…
Comment by katy
Why?
April 26th, 2006 at 12:44 pmWhy aren’t they talking about putting the sensors inside each cargo container?
April 26th, 2006 at 12:57 pmI will bet anyone, anything, that Bush was contacted last night by telephone, or maybe even in person, by the head of the each of the big oil companies telling him to lay off.
Any takers?
April 26th, 2006 at 1:09 pmAfter 4 1/2 years since 9/11 Bushiva has hoodwinked his inbred al Cracker base into believing that HE alone could protect them…
…the Democrats and the MSM have done absolutely NOTHING to make serious efforts to dispel this lie…
…If they (Dems and the MSM) REALLY wanted to wake these ignorant, imbecilic a*swipes (like IRI, puny hermaphrodite, and their inbred ilk) up they would point this fact out…
…the fact that fully 4 1/2 years after 9/11 the borders and ports are wide open…
…given that fact, the probability that terrorist cells have infiltrated America is 100%…
…and attacks on american infrastructure are probably imminent…
…Bushiva has screwed us up royally…
…the gas prices are up because speculators believe that a major oil pipeline will be attacked and oil flow disrupted in the near future…
April 26th, 2006 at 1:10 pm#10, guru – huh? not sure what you mean…not sure if i want to know…
#15, iris – why the hell do you think??? ’cause that inclusion is just what our founding fathers and subsequent leaders of the people had in mind – read your history…
and feel honored that i even responded to you, against my better judgement, i’m sure…
but thank you for the simple question without the usual repulsive derogatory remarks…
excuse the delay – beautiful day here – sunny and cool – had to mowe anyway!
April 26th, 2006 at 2:50 pmoh and #8 bhealy – the chaplain of the day would be excused for not calling up the flying spaghetti monster as i’m guessing that movement is so new as to be unknown to him … but “higher power” covered it, after all…
April 26th, 2006 at 2:54 pmTrying to find more information about this:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_steven_l_060422_bush_impeachment___t.htm
Made me blink, and then grin in amusement.
April 26th, 2006 at 3:10 pmW’s move on the Oil Industry is nothing less than an indirect campaign contribution. He’s hoping that a relaxation in prices at the pump will serve to maintain the GOP’s control of the legislative branch. Wait to see what happens on November 2nd.
April 26th, 2006 at 3:59 pm# 19,katy:
April 26th, 2006 at 4:31 pm”Some people never come clean
I think you know what I mean”
# 18 if terrorist cells were in America now wouldnt they do something now to make bush look bad
April 26th, 2006 at 5:04 pm21 sunhawak – start here:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=taxonomy/term/17
April 26th, 2006 at 5:15 pmand http://www.impeachpac.org/resolutions
gee guru – you should try your own words… but i still don’t know what you’re getting at…
April 26th, 2006 at 5:46 pmi mean – c-span, “agua fiero”, “victime of love”…whaa???
Don’t act dumb,Ditz,you’re posting under multiple names and reinforcing your own arguments.You know the Henley quote hit the mark;that’s why you’re ‘acting’offended.Like I posted somewhere else;pick a name and go with it.How’s that for my ‘own words’?
April 27th, 2006 at 1:42 amON GAS PRICES:
Personally, I think the Dems should just talk about how Bush and the GOP’s lack of forethought and planning brought this about–six years w/o fuel efficiency standards, six years w/o an alternative energy program, etc.
Then, they can tie that in to the lack of forethought and planning for the Iraq war, budget mess, social security, emergency management, 2004’s flu outbreak, etc.
Bush is just going from crisis to crisis without any plans to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Gas prices are a symptom of the whole thing, and the Dems need to bring that home.
And, they also need to bring home the fact that today, it’s fuel prices; tomorrow, it could be your health care or retirement that’s in trouble because of this short-sightedness.
April 27th, 2006 at 8:08 amread your history…
and feel honored that i even responded to you, against my better judgement, i’m sure…
but thank you for the simple question without the usual repulsive derogatory remarks…
excuse the delay – beautiful day here – sunny and cool – had to mowe anyway!
Comment by katy
One problem with your assessment of the Founder’s guiding principles concerning faith; f that’s what they intended why doesn’t the congressional record reveal more prayers to the moon god and some unrecognizable higher power? You see, that’s not at all what they had in mind. You know that. You’re just pleased that some fake Christian liberal shaman is up there praying instead of someone with some faith and conviction. The Walking Dead hate real prayer.
I should be honored because you condescend to type a few words in my direction? No, not honored I think you hold yourself in too high esteem, let’s just say I’m pleased that you worked up the nerve to take a chance on getting my usual repulsive derogatory remark in reply.
It’s a beautiful day here today too. I’m thinking about blowing this pop stand and going fishing. Evil Dick and I will discuss it later over lunch.
April 27th, 2006 at 9:28 amI-RIGHT-I does not sign i R i. Bitch,you need a Doctor.
April 27th, 2006 at 11:15 am# 18 if terrorist cells were in America now wouldnt they do something now to make bush look bad
Comment by Flipn1 #24
Flipn1,
the criminal TRAITOR Bushiva has been the terrorists dream…
…they don’t have to do anything to make him look “bad”…
…he’s doing just fine in that department…
…the terrorists are looking to pull off something even MORE spectacular (and destructive to America and its interests worldwide”…
…than they did with 9/11…
…these are patient, devious, deadly and devoted people…
…instant gratification isn’t their mantra…
April 27th, 2006 at 12:49 pm[...] Blog Name: Think Progress Article Title: ThinkFast: April 26, 2006 Early yesterday, it was reported that a “coalition of industry groups [was] mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign” to persuade conservatives on the House Homeland Security Committee “to oppose an amendment that would require all … [...]
July 7th, 2006 at 6:23 am