ThinkFast: May 1, 2007
ThinkFast: May 1, 2007
The number of terrorist attacks worldwide rose by 20,000 (40 percent) last year, “mostly due to greater violence in Iraq. … Iraq alone accounts for nearly two-thirds of all terrorism-related deaths last year.”
“Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a measure Monday to force the Pentagon to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and move the trials of Al Qaeda suspects to the United States.”
“Paul D. Wolfowitz defended himself vigorously on Monday, declaring that it would be ‘unjust and frankly hypocritical’ for the World Bank’s board to find him guilty of ethical lapses. But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct.”
In states across the country, “local lawyers, politicians, editorial writers, members of Congress and defendants are questioning what they say is a pattern of investigating Democrats. They point to inquiries that drag on for years but end with no charges, an acquittal or convictions for relatively modest infractions.”
Scott Bloch “has demonstrated a willingness to go after [Karl] Rove, at least on the small stuff: The [LAT] has learned that Bloch investigated complaints that Rove’s politically related travel had been improperly billed to the government. Bloch’s action resulted in a reimbursement to the Treasury Department for what some described as a bookkeeping error.”
“The Senate homeland security committee plans to hold hearings this summer on the Bush administration’s handling of offers of foreign aid after Hurricane Katrina… Of $854 million offered after the storm — in cash and oil that was to be sold for cash — only $44 million has gone to disaster victims or reconstruction so far.”
“The largest bloc of Sunni Arabs in the Iraqi Parliament threatened to withdraw its ministers from the Shiite-dominated cabinet on Monday in frustration over the government’s failure to deal with Sunni concerns. President Bush stepped in to forestall the move.”
A study ordered by the Pentagon “concludes that all four branches of the military must ‘fundamentally transform‘ their assumptions about energy, including taking immediate steps toward fielding weapons systems and aircraft that run on alternative and renewable fuels.”
And finally: According to an AP survey on what presidential candidates like to cook, “Republican presidential candidates are literally red-meat conservatives.” Mitt Romney makes good hot dogs and Sam Brownback replied that he likes “beef.” On the Democratic side, Bill Richardson said he makes a mean “diet milkshake” and Chris Dodd’s favorite meal is an “August New England dinner: Lobster, corn and tomatoes.”
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Pentagon Contractors Owe $7.7 Billion in Unpaid Taxes
By Thomas D. Williams, Monday 30 April 30, 2007
A federal watchdog agency insists that its investigations clearly show…federal contractors, doctors and medical suppliers, regularly receiving federal Medicare money, owe billions in unpaid taxes.
Within the past six years the government’s long-term financial exposures in debt, health and Social Security have jumped 147 percent to $50.5 trillion. If this trend continues, said the GAO report, federal spending will need to be cut by 60 percent and taxes will have to double to balance the budget in the year 2040. To close off this sweeping gap, the economy would demand double-digit growth for every single year for 75 years, he said.
Meanwhile, a recent GAO inquiry reveals that about 113,800 contractors working for a variety of federal agencies, including the Pentagon and the General Services Administration, have built up $7.7 billion in unpaid taxes.
This matches untidily with a March GAO report saying that more than 21,000 doctors, health professionals or medical suppliers, collecting billions in federal Medicare dollars, simultaneously owed more than $1 billion in federal income taxes…It goes on to explain that the IRS does not file public liens on the property of all tax debtors, nor does it have a central file where federal agencies can obtain those liens.
….”It certainly was shocking that the GAO continues to report the IRS’s inability to collect back taxes from government contractors,” said Peter Sepp, the National Taxpayers Union’s vice president. “…these taxes are right under the government’s nose. And, it should be no harder than sending a notice and docking the contractor. But, that’s the federal government for you.”
May 1st, 2007 at 9:06 amhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6610209.stm
Turns out Briton’s spooks knew the 7-7 bombers but ignored them. And did you know that Special Branch and the Metropolitan Police were running a mock terrorist attack drill on the morning of 7-7? That is an amazing coincidence when you consider that the US government was also running a mock terrorism drill on the morning of 9-11. Just saying.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am“Paul D. Wolfowitz defended himself vigorously on Monday, declaring that it would be ‘unjust and frankly hypocritical’ for the World Bank’s board to find him guilty of ethical lapses. But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct.â€
Hey, now that I am caught, I am going to tell you what you are going to do to punish me. Nothing. I am the President of the World Bank, you know. Bwahahah
May 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am-Wolfowitz
Kurds To Oppose Draft Oil Law
In a surprise move, Kurdish lawmakers have announced that they plan to oppose Iraq’s controversial US-backed oil law.
Back in February, the Kurds had agreed to support the draft law, which has been heavily criticised as giving too much control to foreign oil companies.
Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani had predicted the draft law would be approved by parliament in April, but it has yet to be debated.
Kurds hold 58 of the 275 parliament seats _ not enough to defeat the measure on their own. But Kurdish objections could delay passage of the bill, whose ratification has been strongly urged by the White House.
But Kurdish spokesman Khalid Saleh has said: “We are not going to support†the provisions in the bill. Some Sunni legislators have also raised now objections, saying the oil law would give foreign oil companies too much power.
So the draft oil law could be in for a tough time before it becomes law. They will be sweating in Houston.
http://www.priceofoil.org/
May 1st, 2007 at 9:19 am#1
Come on now. It’s so unpatriotic to pay taxes. Why does the IRS hate our freedoms. (sarcasm on) The neocons, bankrupting America in only 8 short years. Mission Accomplished Chimpy!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:21 amScott Bloch lives up to his name: Truth Blocker! He’s a human smokescreen for the criminal activities of Karl Rove.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:25 amspeaking of iraq, the u.s. is still trying to lay the blame for iraq on iran…
you gotta wonder about the timing of releasing the annual state department global survey of terrorism right before condi’s trip…
what’s truly ironic is the hypocrisy of the u.s. issuing a global survey of terrorism and judging other countries on their support or non-support of terrorism when the u.s. itself is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism by a large margin… and don’t think for one second that a large chunk of the rest of the world doesn’t just cluck their tongues and shake their heads when a report like this comes out…
May 1st, 2007 at 9:26 amAnd, yes, I DO take it personally
Larry from C,
The situation you describe is by design. Republic666ans want to wage war for oil and they want to do away with “entitlement” programs. Running this country into the ground economically through war serves both purposes.
I remember a documentary I watched where President Clinton was talking about his first 100 days in office and what he hoped to accomplish and that he realized that his hands were tied by the enormity of our deficit.
This is by design and has been practiced with new relish for the last six years with the Republic666an majority, their friends get rich and the next administration gets the tab. They even understand that the next administration will probably be Democratic, so much the better.
The American people should be OUTRAGED!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:29 amOops, incorrectly typed handle before.
Should obviously be “Republic666ans are evil”
May 1st, 2007 at 9:30 amTold ya. Iraqi oil is being siphoned off, stolen:
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/51218/
Secret base for Iraq War started before 9/11:
May 1st, 2007 at 9:30 amhttp://www.uruknet.info/?p=m32504&hd=&size=1&l=e
And oh by the way, Republic666ans are evil
May 1st, 2007 at 9:30 amForgive my ignorance of the subject, but can’t Wolfowitz just be fired or removed by the board at the World Bank?
May 1st, 2007 at 9:32 am“…But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct…â€
Another way of saying the same thing:
If you let me keep the money, and if I don’t get punished, I’ll confess to the crime.
Right.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:33 amScott Bloch “has demonstrated a willingness to go after [Karl] Rove, at least on the small stuff: The [LAT] has learned that Bloch investigated complaints that Rove’s politically related travel had been improperly billed to the government. Bloch’s action resulted in a reimbursement to the Treasury Department for what some described as a bookkeeping error.â€
That is what is known as a “token gesture”.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:33 amSen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a measure Monday to force the Pentagon to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and move the trials of Al Qaeda suspects to the United States.
Go Dianne! I want to see those trials moved right into Georgie’s back yard — with Fox “News” camped in front of the courthouse.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:33 amPaul D. Wolfowitz defended himself vigorously on Monday, declaring that it would be ‘unjust and frankly hypocritical’ for the World Bank’s board to find him guilty of ethical lapses. But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct.
Just fire him. There’s always a first for everything…
May 1st, 2007 at 9:34 amIn states across the country, “local lawyers, politicians, editorial writers, members of Congress and defendants are questioning what they say is a pattern of investigating Democrats. They point to inquiries that drag on for years but end with no charges, an acquittal or convictions for relatively modest infractions.
In other words, if it were happening to Republicans we’d be hearing no end of whining, i.e. Tom DeLay.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:36 amScott Bloch “has demonstrated a willingness to go after [Karl] Rove, at least on the small stuff: The [LAT] has learned that Bloch investigated complaints that Rove’s politically related travel had been improperly billed to the government. Bloch’s action resulted in a reimbursement to the Treasury Department for what some described as a bookkeeping error.
Hey, better clamp down on those travel expense errors — the greater good, and all….
May 1st, 2007 at 9:37 amThe Senate homeland security committee plans to hold hearings this summer on the Bush administration’s handling of offers of foreign aid after Hurricane Katrina… Of $854 million offered after the storm — in cash and oil that was to be sold for cash — only $44 million has gone to disaster victims or reconstruction so far.
Hmmmmm, let’s play “Find the Missing $810 million.”
Mr Rove, would you like to go first….?
May 1st, 2007 at 9:40 am“Paul D. Wolfowitz defended himself vigorously on Monday, declaring that it would be ‘unjust and frankly hypocritical’ for the World Bank’s board to find him guilty of ethical lapses. But he also hinted that he would discuss whether to resign as bank president if the board cleared him of misconduct.â€
These people have no shame. In previous administrations, when people got caught doing something clearly unethical, something that would cast doubt on their trustworthiness and their ability to be at all productive, they would resign, with the exception of presidents (Nixon, Clinton). The Bushies have a common trait: no matter how big the crime, they won’t budge. You have to get a crowbar to pry them out of their office. Either they have an inflated image of their own importance or they really are integral to some Rovian scheme and can’t be replaced without foiling the whole plot.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:42 am“Republican presidential candidates are literally red-meat conservatives.†Mitt Romney makes good hot dogs and Sam Brownback replied that he likes “beef.†On the Democratic side, Bill Richardson said he makes a mean “diet milkshake†and Chris Dodd’s favorite meal is an “August New England dinner: Lobster, corn and tomatoes.â€
And there was one mystery entry, “I enjoy baking children into pies.”
May 1st, 2007 at 9:43 amYum!
Good morning, Zooey, all.
Remember to give a moment of silence today, “Law Day,” in rememberance of our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Rule of Law.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:43 am
#22 BnF
Remember to give a moment of silence today, “Law Day,†in rememberance of our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Rule of Law.
RIP: October 17, 2006.
I was going to go put flowers on the grave during my lunch break.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:45 amScott Bloch lives up to his name: Truth Blocker! He’s a human smokescreen for the criminal activities of Karl Rove.
Comment by veritas — May 1, 2007 @ 9:25 am
veritas, but it is good that ROve now feels compelled to have to use a personal blanket to cover himself. The use of the neo-con, traitor, scumshit, group Rethugnikkkan treason blanket will no longer suffice to cover for Rove’s evil nefarious doings. That group blanket is spread WAAAYYYY too thinly over the masses of Rethugnikkkans attacking our country daily.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:48 amARREST, TRY, HANG.
The only question is:
NYLON or HEMP?
Remember to give a moment of silence today, “Law Day,†in rememberance of our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Rule of Law.
RIP: October 17, 2006.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
Good morning, Briseadh na Faire.
A truly sad day: Unlawful Day & Clusterf*ck in Iraq Day.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:48 am#8 Republic666…Yes, they’re gonna blow up the Federal Debt so all Social Programs will have to be eradicated (sorry, no more money for social security, medicare etc. They’ll have to be privatized). There’ll only be enough money to fight whatever wars they have planned.
Its the war on the New Deal!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:52 amLarry from C,
Exactly right.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:54 am#4, Tobey…Great find. That’s the grand tamale, the reason for the Iraq war. I’m sure a truckload of laundered money will find its way to influential Kurds and the outcome of the vote will change. The neocons haven’t come this far to let the oilfields slip from their control.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:55 amHere’s a VERY interesting accusation by a VERY important man….
hope the link comes through…
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/01/ray-mcgovern-cheney-had-niger-documents-farmed-out/
May 1st, 2007 at 10:08 amFrankenfoods on the Dinner Table
April 26, 2007 By Elizabeth DiNovella
Ready to eat cloned beef? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on the verge of approving food from cloned animals to be sold in grocery stores. These products would not have to carry an identifying label.
According to its Draft Animal Cloning Risk Assessment report, the FDA says meat and other products from cloned animals are as safe to eat as other food.
Consumer groups are making an uproar. One concern is that enough research into the possible risks for human consumption has not been done. And, as the Cornucopia Institute points out, the FDA reached its conclusion based upon the work of two companies that would financially benefit from approval of cloned food.
The FDA is not looking good these days. The Washington Post reports that the agency “has known for years about contamination problems at a Georgia peanut butter plan and on California spinach farms that led to disease outbreaks that killed three people.†The FDA relied upon producers to police themselves, and it led to disastrous consequences.
The FDA is seeking comments about the cloned food proposal from the public until May 3.
Email comments may be sent to: clones@cvm.fda.gov.
Docket No. 2003N-0573 must be referenced in e-mail comments.
The FDA will also accept telephone messages of up to three minutes (240) 453-6842
The American Public is being used as a giant McExperiment!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:14 am#29 – Thanks whitey, I’ll read that a little closer when I get back.
:-)
May 1st, 2007 at 10:17 amTP missed this one.
AL-MASRI JOINS ZARQAWI. And there’s some interesting history on when he entered Iraq: “He probably entered Iraq in 2002, before al-Zarqawi, and may have helped establish the first al-Qaida cell in the Baghdad area.” Pre-invasion? But I thought Saddam and Al Qaeda had nothing to do with each other. . . .
May 1st, 2007 at 10:27 amI know that talking about Iraq and Iran and w are important, but we also need to talk about our food chain. I see that the melamine problem may very well be much more widely distributed than previously thought and both humans and animals may be affected. This should certainly affect our relations with China. We should be demanding that the problem cease or shut off the trade pipeline. We don’t have enough officials to check all of the food, and those that we do have either do not have the will or the authority to check the imports. Enemies don’t have to come into the country or do some huge act. All that has to be done is quietly poison the food supply.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:39 amhttp://news.findlaw.com/ap/i/629/04-27-2007/7df5002b134a7abc.html
Missed this one.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:46 am#33…A couple months ago I posted quotes from leading scientists explaining how potentially dangerous Genetically Modified Food is. There has NEVER been tests to prove it safe for human consumption. We are ALL eating GM foodright now TODAY. It is NOT labeled. Never before in history has food been changed at the cellular level. We could potentially be destroying the entire world food supply. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REPORTING IN THE USA on this subject. It is more of a danger then Global Warming because the danger is RIGHT NOW! The entire food supply is now controlled by several multi-national corporations. This is more insidious then oil being controlled by a few companies or media being controlled by a few voices…this is our food!
Combine GM issues with cloned beef and bacteria infested food and FOOD SAFETY should be the #1 issue in the upcoming election…but what candidate is addressing it?
May 1st, 2007 at 10:51 am#34 klyde,
May 1st, 2007 at 10:55 amThanks, I like hearing from/about the international community. Doesn’t seem like we get too many from prespectives other than the US here. Good article.
Naomi Klein suggested the private donations raised for the victims of Katrina should have been given directly to the victims. They’d be leading normal lives again. Even better. And their purchases would have helped rebuild New Orleans. Instead, the money was stolen or squandered and the victims are still mostly without.
Patrick1trickpony, what kind of news story are you peddling? “Probably” & “may have”? What kind of weasel words are these? And if these hypotheticals have any foundation, how do you make the leap to his work being approved by Saddam? We already know Iraq’s borders had become a sieve in the time leading up to the invasion; Kurdistan was practically an autonomous state. It’s ‘probable’ that you’ve been drinking too much of something that ‘may have’ been kool-aid.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:58 amWhere have all the honey bees gone? Without the bees we will all die of hunger in four years. For all the high tech gadgetry and GM food crops, it’s the humble honey bee that pollinates 80% of our agriculture.
First the frogs vanish, then the bees, soon the dolphins will go. And thanks for all the fish! Make way for the Vogon hyper-pass.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:02 amTP missed this one.
AL-MASRI JOINS ZARQAWI. And there’s some interesting history on when he entered Iraq: “He probably entered Iraq in 2002, before al-Zarqawi, and may have helped establish the first al-Qaida cell in the Baghdad area.†Pre-invasion? But I thought Saddam and Al Qaeda had nothing to do with each other. . . .
Comment by Patrick1
______________________
Probably and may. OK, how about this definite: a group of terrorists entered the U.S. on September 11, 2001 and flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Therefore, (by YOUR logic), these terrorists and George Bush must have had something to do with each other.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:06 amVenezuela exits IMF and World Bank
“I want to formalise our exit from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,†Chavez said, issuing an order for Rodrigo Cabezas, Venezuela’s finance minister, to begin proceedings to withdraw from the organisations.
“We are going to withdraw before they go and rob us.â€
May 1st, 2007 at 11:06 amI agree with Rep. Kucinich about VP Cheney
Tuesday 1st of May 2007
by Jay Randal
Ironic on anniversary day of President Bush declaring “Mission Accomplished,” in Iraq, the Congress gives Dubya the funding bill that he intends to veto: period.
Bizarre game of Backgammon is being played in DC, by Bush versus Congress, so we are all watching to see who caves first to give Bush the funding he demands.
House and Senate are teetering on a tightrope, while Bush and Cheney should be sizzling on hot seats over their fiasco in Iraq, but they are not held accountable.
Playing games in Washington does not end the debacle in Iraq, nor does it rectify out-of-control chaos there, nor does it cut-off the funding of horrid misadventure.
Most Americans want the Iraq occupation ended now, and NOT prolonged for presidential electioneering till summer of 2008, because more US soldiers are dying.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich understands that Iraq quagmire must be ended ASAP, and existing funds used to bring the troops home, plus he desires to impeach Cheney.
(Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Georgia, USA.)
PS: Contact Reps and Senators in DC to demand end to Iraq fiasco!
May 1st, 2007 at 11:14 amhttp://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2069518,00.html
World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz attempted to fight his way out of trouble last night – but hinted that he may be prepared to resign if the charges against him of breaking the bank’s rules were dropped.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:27 amHmm, how about this?
So much for consensus, huh?
May 1st, 2007 at 11:37 amGreat post’s and link’s all…Seems to me wolfie should be fired and then arrested….
Our food chain should be a major concern and our water sources as well…Did you all know the gov. and home land security still has not put protection into effect for our major resovors..Any one can walk up to most of them and drop in a few ounces of any icky deadly poison and entire cities will be killed.Yep! BBC had a lengthy story on it last year. We are protected less with this bunch in office than ever before..Now if they continue with the import of poison’s and cloned food it’s an instant kill off here…We have ton’s of work to do now that we are being assaulted on all front’s..I for one intend to raise hell over all the above and the ongoing impeachment’s that need to be done.
Jphn Edward’s to be in Washington State today for those interested.
A moment of silence for our constitutional losses today.
Happy Beltane to all and an attitude of gratitude from me that our poster RUCerious has returned and doing well…..Blessings all
May 1st, 2007 at 11:38 amDale sez:
Gray debunked.
Any others?
May 1st, 2007 at 11:44 amNot allowed to mention Kucinich filing impeachment charges against Cheney on TP threads. Criticism of Democrat leadership being jelly fish
May 1st, 2007 at 11:47 amabout impeachment is censured.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2007/ 05/ 01/ ray-mcgovern-cheney-had-niger-documents-farmed-out/
Comment by whiteyfresh — May 1, 2007 @ 10:08 am
I’ve always had the feeling that Bush’s reaction to the August 6, ‘01 daily briefing mentioning bin Laden – dismissing it, saying you’ve done your job, thank you, now go about your business, could be explained if that briefing merely confirmed that information planted by the Administration to frame bin Laden was being circulated in intelligence circles and coming back through those channels.
Under that theory, the Daily Briefing served to signal that the frame-up was in place, and things could move on as planned.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:52 amWolfowitz would like the World Bank to drop the charges, then he can say no charges means no resignation. Wolfie is a crafty corrupt snake, so bank board must fire him today.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:57 amNow my post appears at 41. Infamous ghost posting again that appears, then vanishes, then appears again.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:59 amThen post vanishes again.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:02 pmLAT article on Bloch:
Hired friends and political allies? LAT runs a detailed character assessment on Bloch but glosses over this detail. This Katz lawsuit seems much more relevant to Bloch’s qualifications to investigate Rove than his alleged homophobia, which was covered in detail.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:17 pmI see that Patrick1trickpony’s post of weasel worded “news” has already been exposed as false and disinformation. Dear me, it’s a bad time for trolls and spinmeisters when their infotainment is shot down withing 45 minutes. Makes it hard to distort, distract, and disgust when the very lies they spit are blown back into their eyes by the winds of change.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:51 pm