ThinkFast: September 29, 2006
ThinkFast: September 29, 2006
“The White House ignored an urgent warning in September 2003 from a top Iraq adviser who said that thousands of additional American troops were desperately needed to quell the insurgency there,” according to Bob Woodward’s new book.
Woodward also claims “Bush’s top advisers were often at odds among themselves, and sometimes were barely on speaking terms,” and that Bush said as recently as November 2003, “I don’t want anyone in the cabinet to say it is an insurgency. I don’t think we are there yet.”
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the authoritarian Central Asian ruler who has cracked down on human rights and quashed other political freedoms in his country, will meet with President Bush at the White House today. Nazarbayev also was hosted at the Kennebunkport estate of former President George H.W. Bush. “Nazarbayev has suffered no consequences for his rejection of the democracy agenda.”
“Under a broad new set of laws criminalizing speech that ridicules the government or its officials, some resurrected verbatim from Saddam Hussein’s penal code, roughly a dozen Iraqi journalists have been charged with offending public officials in the past year.”
$16 billion: The amount Iraq has lost in potential foreign oil sales “over two years to insurgent attacks, criminals and bad equipment.” Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen found “Iraq also is paying billions of dollars to import refined petroleum products it needs.”
“The Belgian-based consortium known as Swift…violated European privacy regulations when it turned over confidential transaction information to the Central Intelligence Agency and other American agencies,” Belgium’s privacy protection commission has concluded.
A federal judge ruled that “Halliburton employees working in Iraq and Kuwait are not entitled to overtime pay, even though a contract between the company and the U.S. Army called for it.” Between 20,000 and 40,000 overseas truck drivers, cooks, mechanics and others were promised the overtime pay. The ruling said “federal wage-and-hour laws don’t extend to work done outside the U.S.”
Forty-one percent of National Guardsmen and reservists “raised concerns about their mental health” three to six months after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, compared to 32 percent of active-duty soldiers. Meanwhile, a new GAO report found the Veteran Affairs Department “failed to fully spend a promised $300 million since 2005 to fill critical gaps in mental health services for returning troops and others.”
“A quarter of a million Iraqis have fled sectarian violence and registered as refugees in the past seven months, data released on Thursday showed, amid an upsurge in attacks that has accompanied the Ramadan holy month.”
And finally: The CIA has launched a wacky new online “personality quiz.”
The site asks you questions “about your favorite leisure activities” and “what super power you’d like to have,” then gives you titles like “Daring Thrill Seeker” or “Impressive Mastermind.” For example, “If you prefer shopping on Rodeo Drive and sunbathing on a yacht, that means you’re a ‘Innovative Pioneer.’” Sounds like a slam-dunk.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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ok, so here’s the big question… what are we going to do NOW…? man our phone banks, canvass the neighborhoods, and hope november 7 is going to work out all right…? even in the best case scenario, is THAT going to stop our quick descent into totalitarianism…? i, for one, will be commemorating 28 september 2006 as the day my country, after clinging to the edge since the scotus decision of 12 december 2000, finally fell off the cliff…
September 29th, 2006 at 9:15 amAnd, yes, I DO take it personally
Well, it’s a good thing that things are going so well in Iraq or I might actually have believed all the bad stuff up here. But if Bush says Iraq is doing a heckuva job, then it must be good. It’s not like the guy’s a liar or anything.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:15 amAmerica’s Least Wanted
Wasn’t the last big lie that we invaded Iraq to get rid of a tyranical dictator and save the Iraqi people? At this point its like the Romans invading Carthage.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:20 am#1 do you think that anything can be gained or accomplished by the October 5th walk-out? I don’t know, but I’m doing it. What can it hurt, other than my being arrested and tortured?
http://www.worlcantwait.net
September 29th, 2006 at 9:21 am“If you prefer shopping on Rodeo Drive and sunbathing on a yacht, that means you’re a ‘Innovative Pioneer.’â€
Weren’t you given the title of Pioneer for giving so much money to the bushie campaign. Some things are so telling.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:25 amForty-one percent of National Guardsmen and reservists “raised concerns about their mental healthâ€.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:26 am60% of Americans have concerns about the Bush regime’s menatl health.
Denial? Hell, they invented the term.
Accountability? Don’t have time; we’re working hard.
Bipartisanship? What’s that mean?
Now NATO will be commandeering our troops in Afghanistan. Bush dropped the ball, plain & simple. This should be an outrage to most true Americans. When the Hell did our mission go from getting Osama Bin Missing to building permanent bases in a country that had nothing to do with 9/11?
The dysfunctionality of this group is beyond description…how do you tell Neo-nazis from Christians, they all look alike.
Thanks, Trent Lott. Everytime you open your mouth it reminds us of why you’re not the majority leader in the Senate anymore.
Trent Lott: “No One Cares About Iraq”
Lott: Bush barely mentioned Iraq in meeting with Senate Republicans
From CNN’s Ted Barrett
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush barely mentioned the war in Iraq when he met with Republican senators behind closed doors in the Capitol Thursday morning and was not asked about the course of the war, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, said.
“No, none of that,” Lott told reporters after the session when asked if the Iraq war was discussed. “You’re the only ones who obsess on that. We don’t and the real people out in the real world don’t for the most part.”
Lott went on to say he has difficulty understanding the motivations behind the violence in Iraq.
“It’s hard for Americans, all of us, including me, to understand what’s wrong with these people,” he said. “Why do they kill people of other religions because of religion? Why do they hate the Israeli’s and despise their right to exist? Why do they hate each other? Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.”
September 29th, 2006 at 9:27 amGreat we have a delusional Secretary of Defense who refused to plan for the occupation(because HE knows more than the uniformed military who have spent decades learning how to win).
So they stoop to listening to a war criminal trying to fight a losing strategy all over again.(Like his total failure in Vietnam was not enough American Soldiers blood on HIS hands).
And the Idiot in Chief is listening to HIS DOG for support.
They are trying to turn George Orwell’s book 1984 into a real live FARCE, and succeeding.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:28 am“Nazarbayev has suffered no consequences for his rejection of the democracy agenda.â€
Birds of a feather repress and torture together.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:29 am“Under a broad new set of laws criminalizing speech that ridicules the government or its officials, ”
Thought that was about the USA for a second.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:29 amMore Bad news for Bush/Cheney/Halli/Parsons co
-Heckuva Job Bushcabal
September 29th, 2006 at 9:30 amWhat did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
How is it “The Path to 9/11″ merited your complete attention for a week, but the passage of this bill doesn’t even make it into Thinkfast?
September 29th, 2006 at 9:33 amThese guys are some greedy greedy bad men, they blow the crap out of a country, and many innocent people, at taxpayer expense then pay their friends billions more taxpayer money, and then shift taxes unto the middle class. This is a war scam…
September 29th, 2006 at 9:34 amHere’s the Vote on S 3930, Bush’s Torture Bill:
YEAs —65
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Carper (D-DE)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
NAYs —34
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Wyden (D-OR)
Not Voting – 1
Snowe (R-ME)
Note: while torture may be legal under a county’s laws, the prohibition of torture is a jus cogens of international law. May all those who voted in favor of this bill stand trial before an International War Crimes Tribunal, after, of course, being interrogated with methods consistent with the law they just passed.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:43 amThe CIA has launched a wacky new online “personality quiz. Sounds like a slam-dunk.
sounds like they’re trying to infiltrate my puter… as if they aren’t already there… can they do that?
September 29th, 2006 at 9:47 amAfter yesterday’s house and senate kiss bush’s ass and give america away stunt the “Do nothing congress” can now be called “The do nothing good” congress…America went down with out a shot being fired, benlauden, bush’s best friend, if alive must be pleased….Be sure and catch you’re daily bull shit speech this morning…Heir dictator is still working on total dictatorship and he can’t be pleased that 68% of those polled will vote dem. because of his Iraq war….
Off topic, sort of…Why do these polaticians continue to play the war on terror and Iraq in the same hand of card’s…..First Iraq was a pre entive war to get Hussaine for his insults to daddy bush and oil. Over 100,000 innocent Iraq ’s have died over that….Next. terrorism is like chasing dust bunnies under a bed with the fan on……Last but not least this entire mess is a evil creation of a few extreme radical reich wingers that have brought their cancer to our government and in their madness have created more hate and rebellion here and over the entire world than I have seen in my entire life time….
Bull shit bush on now repeating ” are you with us or with the terrorests”…..Well folks it look’s like they may arrest me next, I am definately not with bull shit and his madness…….Blessings to all
September 29th, 2006 at 9:49 am“The White House ignored an urgent warning in September 2003 from a top Iraq adviser…
They tend to do that on a consistent basis.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:52 amWoodward also claims “Bush’s top advisers were often at odds among themselves, and sometimes were barely on speaking terms,†and that Bush said as recently as November 2003, “I don’t want anyone in the cabinet to say it is an insurgency. I don’t think we are there yet.â€
When they start blowing each other up, then I’ll start caring.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:52 amWith regards to the torture bill that was just passed, won’t this have to be scrutinized by the Supreme Court at some time to see if it holds legal water?
September 29th, 2006 at 9:54 amThe CIA has launched a wacky new online “personality quiz.â€
The site asks you questions “about your favorite leisure activities†and “what super power you’d like to have,†then gives you titles like “Daring Thrill Seeker†or “Impressive Mastermind.†For example, “If you prefer shopping on Rodeo Drive and sunbathing on a yacht, that means you’re a ‘Innovative Pioneer.’†Sounds like a slam-dunk.
Right. I’m sure all the commenters here at TP will be taking this fun quiz. They should re-name it: The First Step to Winning a Fabulous All Expense Paid Secret Trip to Gitmo.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:56 amHow is it “The Path to 9/11″ merited your complete attention for a week, but the passage of this bill doesn’t even make it into Thinkfast?
Comment by Briseadh+na+Faire
I thought all my bitching last night would have an effect, but apparently not.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:57 amBriseadh
Reading that list, I have to say one person struck me as having courage above all the others.
Chafee (R-RI)
It could not have been easy being the only Republican to actually stick to your guns and say “No, this is wrong.” This is a man of principle, and deserves our respect.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:58 amin September 2003…thousands of additional American troops were desperately needed to quell the insurgency there,†according to Bob Woodward’s new book.
Woodward also claims…that Bush said as recently as November 2003, “I don’t want anyone in the cabinet to say it is an insurgency…â€
woodward needs to be srung up with the rest – he KNEW and kept his mouth shut… creepy bastard…
September 29th, 2006 at 9:58 am…
With regards to the torture bill that was just passed, won’t this have to be scrutinized by the Supreme Court at some time to see if it holds legal water?
Comment by dlet
It’s certainly not automatic, dlet. Briseadh na Faire is more knowledgable in this area.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:59 amfaire, zooey – i can’t figure it out either…
September 29th, 2006 at 10:00 ammaybe look deeper into CAP’s policy for clues… maybe a big story to come?
…
#24 Zooey, look how long it took a US citizen, Jose Padilla to get from his arrest to even a shot at a hearing at the SCOTUS – 3.5 years…. he spent 3.5 years in a navy brig without charge. And that was before this law.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:01 amGreat post, Bnf…….Thank you for posting the list…..Thank you TP for fixing some of the posting problem’s…..I hope it continues… Last but not least, damn I hate these crappy speeches by this idiot in charge…Blessings
September 29th, 2006 at 10:01 amTerry the Turtle,
That should have been our first clue.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:10 amwoodward needs to be srung up with the rest – he KNEW and kept his mouth shut… creepy bastard…
…
Comment by katy
Those were my thoughts, too, katy, when I saw that thread yesterday. such a slimy creep. I didn’t get on that thread, because I was already pissed.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:12 ammaybe look deeper into CAP’s policy for clues… maybe a big story to come?
…
Comment by katy
I can’t see how it would be against their policy since they posted the thread about the House version of the same thing. I hope a story is in the works — it ought to take less time to put together than a Think Fast thread….
September 29th, 2006 at 10:15 am“Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the authoritarian Central Asian ruler who has cracked down on human rights and quashed other political freedoms in his country, will meet with President Bush at the White House today.”
No surprises here — as far as the Bush administration is concerned, this is practically par for the course. This is the same administration, after all, which at one point entered into an agreement with one Islam Karimov (President of Uzbekistan) in order to facilitate the War In Iraq. Karimov has likewise been accused of human rights violations and is reported to have engaged in torture (up to and including boiling people alive).
September 29th, 2006 at 10:20 am#31 – so now you know what ‘advancing the Freedom Agenda(tm)’ actually means….
September 29th, 2006 at 10:23 amI will say this for the regressives:
They’re really good at scaring the American public so much that people are willing to let the President decide (based only on his word, no proof required) to lock anyone up for years without having to charge the person with any crime at all whatsoever.
I guess fear CAN make people hate the US Constitution so much as to cut pieces of it out and crap on it!
Could you imagine how the regressives would feel if a Democratic President decided to lock someone up for no reason except s/he said “Because I want to!” They’d be screaming like. . . . . Well, like people who had their Constitutional rights taken away from them! Go figure. . . . .
September 29th, 2006 at 10:24 amZooey and all. good morning if that is possible….I have been skipping over threads myself for that very reason, ready to riot over many thread’s. Also the impossible task of postinng, untill this morning..
Have you all been listening to our war monger in charge this morning.? He’s sounding like another war on the horrorizon ( spelled wrong on purpose). Of course we have known that all along….Blessings to all as you go on with you’re work…….Impeach, if possible then Peace…Let’s all that can join the “world can’t wait” on Oct.5…..
September 29th, 2006 at 10:25 am#29 – Woodward – there’s a case. The only explanation I can think of is Woodward saw all of this in advance and said to himself: “Jesus, I can write more books on this bunch of bastards than JK Rowling. Every two years a new one…and then afterwards I can cover the trials and the retrospectives or if they win, well I look good in a black shirt, so what? All I have to do is make sure I am just sensational enough each time…be just ahead of the zeitgeist. What a f***ing gold mine!”
September 29th, 2006 at 10:28 amDemocrats sold the people out yesterday with their lack of organization and concern about a filibuster. Obviously, many people who are riding the fence these days were watching their tactics and they failed everyone miserably. We all know about the imbalance in the congress when it comes down to voting; however, what we were watching for was whether any of the Democrats ‘CARED ENOUGH’ to even attempt the facade of “caring about the people” at all. They have failed us miserably and many will go out today and change their party affiliation. After all, if it’s a “done deal” and an “inside job”, why not joint the winning party?
It’s clear that there is no “opposition party” in Washington and, for whatever reason……I can conjure up a few…..(wiretapping skeletons coming out of dems closets, not having the “time” to prepare something at least to assuage concerned citizens about possible complicitousness of the democratic party, etc.) they chose NOT to act yesterday at least as a facade to illustrate that there are two parties alive in our political system at this point, they’ve definitely signed themselves into obscurity….and self-destruction.
At this point, I don’t believe the Dems can win a game of bingo! Sorry! They have failed the american people abysmally……they definitely ARE NOT organized, don’t have a clue about doing their jobs, and should not be in power based on what we all witnessed yesterday.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Sharon,
I am physically incapable of watching Bush on the TV, even if it’s on “mute.” Thanks for taking one for the team!
Terry,
I think you’re right on the money with that idea. Who gives a shit about this country — there’s money to be made! Scratch the surface of that one, and you find a member of BushCo.
Off to work! Remember, the time for playing nicely is over.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:32 amThinkProgress has ignored the bipartisan gutting of Habeas Corpus.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:34 am“Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the authoritarian Central Asian ruler who has cracked down on human rights and quashed other political freedoms in his country, will meet with President Bush at the White House today.”
I guess Bush is looking for some more ideas.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:39 amTrent Lott: “No One Cares About Iraqâ€
Gee, I just can’t figure out why the Iraqis want us out of their country. And I’m just stymied by the poll that says 61% of them say they’re okay with killing Americans. How can they be so ungrateful to the wonderful people of America who don’t give a rat’s ass about them?
September 29th, 2006 at 10:40 amThink Progress, Please give us a thread on the terrible bill that passed the house and senate yesterday…..Also the maniacs in charge are working on another bloated spending for defence bill as I type…..Another 300+ billion of borrow and spend. Maybe it is time to stop paying taxes….Can we do that.?….Blessings
September 29th, 2006 at 10:42 am#38, ditto #41 ditto.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:46 amAnother 300+ billion of borrow and spend. Maybe it is time to stop paying taxes….Can we do that.?….Blessings
Comment by Sharon Cox — September 29, 2006 @ 10:42 am
Only if you’re in the top racket, errr, I mean bracket Sharon.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:51 am…maybe a big story to come?…
Comment by katy — September 29, 2006 @ 10:00 am
i come back to check and see:
>Sen. James Inhofe Lashes Out At CNN…
so, maybe not…
September 29th, 2006 at 10:52 amHey I was wondering about that vote in the Senate yesterday. Did Diebold fix that vote as well? I would have thought from the rancor that this was a slam dunk nay vote or a filibuster at the very least. Why not filibuster this bill if it is counter to “International law†and perceived sooooo unpopular? Imagine how the voters would rally to the Democratic banner because they are on the side of good and “International Lawâ€. And you would get bonus points because Bush is very unpopular, unlike Nancy Pelosi or John Murtha who have throngs of adoring fans. Life must be a real bitch to the Progressive Liberals Whackos. Oh and good luck at the polls next month.
September 29th, 2006 at 10:54 am#45 – “Oh and good luck at the polls next month. ”
Don’t worry RPS, we will be here with a shoulder on which you can cry when you complain about how fewer Republicans are in office. We all know you’re all proud about them screwing the country and the Constitution, so it’ll hurt when there are fewer of them in office.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:02 am#45 – “international law”? How about your Constitution? You know, the “damn piece of paper” you took an oath to defend?
Article I Section 9:
And yesterday’s bill (from the WaPo):
Welcome to the new Soviet Union.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:12 am4 Republicans crossed over to guarantee Habeas Corpus and a the Democrats still couldn’t save the constitution.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:18 am#47 – “How about your Constitution? You know, the “damn piece of paper†you took an oath to defend?”
Hey, now! RPS is “Retired”! That oath he took to protect the Constitution against enemies, both foreign and domestic? It doesn’t mean crap anymore to RPS. Remember, he’s “retired”.
Since the Republicans support our troops so much, but not so much the retired service members, I’m sure RPS will be quite proud to say “See! I voted for the people who intentionally underfunded the VA by $3.7 billion dollars.
I’m quite sure that RPS is more than happy to stand by Pres. Bush and the Republicans, even though they have repeatedly refused Democratic efforts to increase funding for veterans’ medical care and armour for troops in the field. It’s not like RPS is going to have to worry about him being killed because he had insufficient body armor.
Now, he might have to worry if he needs any kind of medical trreatment, but hey, he’s chosen who he wants to support, and dang it, he’s not going to “cut & run” no matter how much the Republicans screw him! It’s just a screwing!!!!
September 29th, 2006 at 11:23 amAnyone else pining for the good old days, when you could build a barracks that didn’t have urine raining from the ceiling?
September 29th, 2006 at 11:26 amAnd a good morning to you Reich winged distroy the constitution retired soldier….Rather we win or loose at the next election or the one after that let me bring up a very compelling thought to you’re demented mind….Imagine if that is possible for you, for one moment. if the populas votes in and extreme radical on the left and these terrible law’s are in place. Let you’re mind wrap around this scenario….You are still holding onto you’re beliefs and the new administration decides you, yes you, are now the terrorest supporter….Jail time, no representation for year’s, torture and a death penelty because the person in power doesn’t want any dissent..
It is hard for me to understand how you could of been a soldier and taken the oaths to protect our constitution Sir, and now you go along with a dictatorship and total distruction of our country…….Shame on you and shame on all who go along with this madness……Some of us look beyond this administration and their coutinious march for war and total power here and around the world….Think before you post Sir, you have become what you use to fight against.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:30 amNEVER FORGET
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/
September 29th, 2006 at 11:34 amlistening to sam… getting some insight… there is no joy there either, but… some points:
.there could be no fillibuster unless there were 40 votes… they knew they didn’t have those votes… a damn shame, but…
.the dems who voted for this thing, most were from red states… and lieberman is no dem…
.could be they knew they couldn’t stand up against it without being “backed into a corner” and look “weak on terror”…
BUT, and this is the most important thing, to paraphrase sam:
September 29th, 2006 at 11:36 amif you think it would be a good idea to not stand together and back your democratic candidates, to punish the dems, maybe think it doesn’t matter anymore -
YOU’RE BITING OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE.
…
The more our country embraces Nazi tactics the more it scares me. Will other countries finally develop the guts to take out Bush and his Nazi government or will they continue to appease him?
September 29th, 2006 at 11:40 amvery good message, sharon… bravo…
September 29th, 2006 at 11:49 amWasn’t everyone crapping all over Woodward before for “being Bush’s lapdog? What happened to all that? Now, you believe him when before you didn’t?
September 29th, 2006 at 11:53 amYou’re correct Katy, and like it or not I will vote Dem, but and this a big but, I am going to go kicking and screaming at the weak dem’s and hope new faces show up to replace the spinless or AWOL dem’s…..Our party is almost as much at fault as these evil in power. Please note I said almost……Work for taking back our country and restoring our constitution has to be the number one issue along with ending all these miserable war’s……Blessings all
September 29th, 2006 at 11:53 amPlease do not worry about me I don’t cry over elections. Yes I was disappointed when Clinton was re-elected but not like you guys when Bush won a second term. Are you betting on the Donks taking the house or the Senate? Frankly I just don’t see it, but I don’t have the vast Left-Wing resources from which to draw. Just the other day Dean said he was taking back Texas, reality is a different matter. If the most extreme comes to pass and the Democrats take every race what would that mean to me? Not all that much, sorry but I don’t lay awake at night worrying what the Democrats are up to. I do worry if the Raiders will ever win another game, or if the A’s have enough talent to take another world series.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:55 amSince the 48/48 survey from USA Today/Gallup
here’s the next four polls available
FOX/Opinion Dynamics LV 9/26-27/06
Rep 38
Dem 49
Other/Unsure 14
Diff 11 D
.
Diageo/Hotline RV 9/24-26/06
Rep 33
Dem 43
Other/Unsure 24
Diff 10 D
.
CNN LV 9/22-24/06
Rep 42
Dem 55
Other/Unsure 3
Diff 13 D
.
CBS/New York Times RV 9/15-19/06
Rep 35
Dem 50
Other/Unsure 15
Diff 15 D
Come on, November…
September 29th, 2006 at 12:04 pmOh, yeah, the polls were about
September 29th, 2006 at 12:07 pmGENERIC BALLOT – U.S. House of Representatives
#57, nope didn’t say that. My position on Woodward is #35. Woodward gets a rap here because most posters here think he doesn’t tell all of what he sees.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:07 pmWell RRS, while you concentrate on games many of us are concerned about the terrible loss of our soldiers lives, continued medical benefits you’r party are eliminating for our vet’s, the distruction of our constitution, total dictatorship by a drunk druggie pupett and his evil handlers for profit, total abandament of home land security, stagering debt, on and on…..
Injoy you silly games, maybe it is a good thing that is all you can do along with you’re mindless posting here…….
September 29th, 2006 at 12:09 pmComment by Retired+Republican+Soldier — September 29, 2006 @ 10:54 am
I am so glad to hear that you support the right of our enemies to detain our troops or innocent Americans indefinitely, without trial, and without revealing why they are being detained. Bush was asked about a week ago by David Gregory if he was concerned about our enemies doing this, and Bush replied that it would make the world a better place.
From the press conference:
DAVID GREGORY: And that test is this: If a CIA officer, paramilitary or special operations soldier from the United States were captured in Iran or North Korea and they were roughed up and those governments said, “Well, they were interrogated in accordance with our interpretation of the Geneva Conventions,” and then they were put on trial and they were convicted based on secret evidence that they were not able to see, how would you react to that as commander in chief?
BUSH: My reaction is, is that if the nations such as those you name adopted the standards within the Detainee Detention Act, the world would be better. That’s my reaction.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:11 pmIn other words, Mr. Retired Republican Soldier, Bush doesn’t give a damn about the men and women of our military and what harm they may experience.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:13 pm#64 – lucky this law was not in effect in 2001, WC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1425318.stm
September 29th, 2006 at 12:32 pmOh, and to TP on what you missed, CNN is reporting that the House passed Heather Wilson’s warrantless wiretapping bill yesterday. The vote passed 232-191.
So how about it, Retired Republican Soldier? Bush has assured Americans that his warrantless wiretapping program is completely legal.
So why must Congress pass legislation on it?
Time for a little class review:
There has been no oversight on the NSA program. And no, RRS, informing 8 members of Congress about your intentions is not oversight. The select few in Congress were then sworn to secrecy. They could not discuss it with anyone. Bush has blocked any and all attempts at oversight. Rockefeller sent a letter to Cheney with concerns about the program. He was ignored.
Bush personally blocked an investigation by the Justice Department into the NSA warrantless wiretapping program. They couldn’t get security clearance when other groups did.
(And speaking of oversight, there will be none regarding contractor abuses in Iraq, including the millions of dollars wasted and Halliburton delivering tainted water to our troops. Your wonderful Republicans made sure of that.)
The administration threatened Republicans in Congress if they took any action against the warrantless wiretapping program.
Bush says he is concerned about the amount of time it takes to go to FISA for a warrant when wiretapping involves a foreign call. That’s why he has to act fast in case we need to prevent an attack. Yet it’s not a problem when it’s a purely domestic call; he still goes to FISA for those. People like Retired Republican Soldier are either too damn ignorant to see a problem with this, or either they don’t want to admit there is a contradiction because they would also have to admit the President’s explanations about this program is faulty.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:38 pmOoops…”explanations…are faulty.”
I hate it when I do that.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:43 pmGreat post’s WC…….Blessings
September 29th, 2006 at 12:44 pm#66 – Nice job WC. Retired republican gave himself up as a 30%er in post #58 above, where he tells us he spends his time worrying about the outcomes for professional sports teams. Clearly more important than trivial issues like abuse of power, war, torture, ect.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:55 pm12 Democrat Senators Voted For Torture
Friday 29th of September 2006
by Jay Randal
Yesterday 12 Democrat Senators lost their minds, and caved to Bush Regime on torture, so Democrat voters are feeling betrayed and many may refuse to vote now?
List of 12: Sen. Carper, Sen. Johnson, Sen. Landrieu, Sen. Lautenberg, Sen. Lieberman, Sen. Menendez, Sen. Bill Nelson, Sen. Ben Nelson, Sen. Pryor, Sen. Rockefeller, Sen. Salazar, and Sen. Stabenow all boneheads!
Those 12 have seriously eroded any chance Democrats taking back the Senate, this next November election, and the 34 Democrat Representatives have degraded the chance to take back the House from Republicans!
Apparently Karl Rove set a trap for the Democrats, to fool some into voting for a bill that President Bush intends to interpret as he chooses, so the 12 got fooled and have given Bush Regime a license to torture people!
Foolishness never wins elections for Democrats, since it embarrasses the core/base into staying home on election day, which plays into Republican hands and enables them to cheat more subtly/craftily as well!
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
PS: If any of those 12 are your Senator, then contact them and bitch!
September 29th, 2006 at 1:15 pmIf the most extreme comes to pass and the Democrats take every race what would that mean to me? Not all that much, sorry but I don’t lay awake at night worrying what the Democrats are up to.
Comment by Retired+Republican+Soldier — September 29, 2006 @ 11:55
Last time I looked, Democrats weren’t responsible for shredding habeaus corpus (Bush), prisoner torture (Bush), arming terrorists (Reagan) and dictators (Reagan), and using the same “interrogation techniques” employed by the Khmer Rouge (Bush). Further, the last time I looked, democrats didn’t start a war that costs us $2 billion A WEEK for bogus reasons.
September 29th, 2006 at 1:32 pmIf you’re so jake with the state of affairs, why are you here?
Those 12 have seriously eroded any chance Democrats taking back the Senate, this next November election, and the 34 Democrat Representatives have degraded the chance to take back the House from Republicans!
Comment by Jay Randal — September 29, 2006 @ 1:15 pm
curious, jay … why?… how do you figure?
September 29th, 2006 at 1:43 pmLetter to Richard Lugar sent today.
September 29th, 2006 at 1:54 pmDear sir,
I am deeply saddened by your vote in favor of the recent tortue bill, hopefully, the Supreme Court will right your wrong. In the future please attempt to better represent the majority of people in this fine state of Indiana.
#73, seems to be the Democrats spineless roll over and die attitude to the shredding of the Constitution might dissuade voters from going to the polls: “Why should I vote for them, if they never stand up for what they say they believe in?” In other news, I noted that Arlen Specter, despite being so opposed to the bill brought an amendment to protect habeas corpus which was shot down, then voted for the bill anyway….
September 29th, 2006 at 1:54 pmkaty > because it causes voters to become cynical about even voting! It makes people believe that NO real difference exists between Republicans and Democrats!
If Democrats in the Senate had been smart, then they would have all voted together as a team against torture, and let Lieberman vote with the GOP! The result would have been 43 Democrats against, one Independent, and 2 Republicans too > adds up to 46, so bill would have passed by 54 Republican fools! Democrats could then claim a reason WHY they need to be in power > to stop torture and other Bush Regime crap!
September 29th, 2006 at 2:05 pmWhy does the Dems let Bushit lable them easy on terror when the oppisite is true? It’s not the war but the method Bushit has used in conducting the war. Where is thier backbone, I don’t hear anything about what is wrong with this picture. Just BLA BLA BLA
September 29th, 2006 at 2:06 pm…might dissuade voters from going to the polls – terrytheturtle
…because it causes voters to become cynical about even voting! -jay
ok… i see… and point taken… but i don’t agree so much… anyone with that attitude would probably be too lazy to vote anyway…
BUT, now it’s your/our job to convince the people otherwise…
September 29th, 2006 at 2:52 pmat this point, it’s about getting back OVERSIGHT…
any rep knows they only have 2 years to get it right, THEN they are out…
i have a feeling those running are aware of this and plan to do the right thing, by and for the people…
…
so, i just heard that the spending bill passed today DID include the clause that no permanent bases would be built in iraq…
the repugs finally agreed with the dems and let that provision in…
it’s the principle, at least… look for a signing statement now…
September 29th, 2006 at 3:05 pm…
i know… they’re not building an amusement park the size of vatican city… i know…
…
Why does the Dems let Bushit lable them easy on terror when the oppisite is true? It’s not the war but the method Bushit has used in conducting the war. Where is thier backbone, I don’t hear anything about what is wrong with this picture. Just BLA BLA BLA
Comment by Navy+Vet
Why do the Repubs say that terrorists hate our freedom and let bush take away your rights then say why didn’t the Dems do anythiing, maybe its because you guys are DOING nothing.
Osama is free and Bush doesn’t care but this big bad navy vet would sign all his freedom away for a dying or dead terrorist?
What kind of Patriot are you? The only people fighting for your rights are the very people you morons have been calling communists.
Why are republicans so damn stupid? A communist leftist socialist as you idiots say, wouldn’t be fighting for your rights now would they?
OSAMA hates you because your free -Bush
So we are gonna take your rights away before those damn socialist obstructionist liberals..
You Republicans don’t even know how backwards you have become because of that GD TV. Wake up moron.
September 29th, 2006 at 3:37 pma must read:
CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS CONDEMNS DEFEAT OF SPECTER AMENDMENT TO PRESERVE HABEAS
Synopsis
On September 28, the Senate voted 51-48 against an amendment proposed by Senator Arlen Specter to the Military Commissions Act which would have preserved the right of habeas corpus. Center for Constitutional Rights Executive Director Vincent Warren issued the following statement in response:
…
http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/reports/report.asp?ObjID=3in4Yl9iUG&Content=848
randi was talking with the new director of ccr… affirmed, not a good thing…
September 29th, 2006 at 4:06 pmgreenwald:
Beltway Democrats are seriously flawed, but the election is still critically important
(updated below)
Now that the torture and detention bill will become law, it is necessary to focus on the political implications of what happened yesterday and, more broadly, what has been done to our country by the Bush administration and the blindly loyal Congress for the last five years. It goes without saying that the conduct of Democrats generally (meaning their collective behavior) was far, far short of anything noble, courageous or principled. And one could, if one were so inclined, spend every day from now until November 7 criticizing the strategic mistakes and lack of principle of Beltway Democrats and still not exhaust the list.
But that’s all besides the point at the moment, because — right now — everyone has to answer for themselves these questions:
September 29th, 2006 at 4:29 pm…
But a desire to see the Democrats take over Congress — even a strong desire for that outcome and willingness to work for it — does not have to be, and at least for me is not, driven by a belief that Washington Democrats are commendable or praiseworthy and deserve to be put into power. Instead, a Democratic victory is an instrument — an indispensable weapon — in battling the growing excesses and profound abuses and indescribably destructive behavior of the Bush administration and their increasingly authoritarian followers. A Democratic victory does not have to be seen as being anything more than that in order to realize how critically important it is.
…
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/09/beltway-democrats-are-seriously-flawed.html
…
Isn’t it curious that previous books by Woodward which were favorable to Bush (recall that Woodward was even given special privy info) the White House said Woodward is a fair reporter. Today, when the book is less than favorable, they are quick to cast aspersions on his reporting.
September 29th, 2006 at 5:20 pm