Think Progress

Special Counsel Probe Into Rove’s Politicization Of Government Advances»

The Office of Special Counsel, which has already recommended that GSA chief Lurita Doan be suspended or fired for participating in partisan activities while on the job, is now moving forward with its investigation of nearly 20 other administration agencies.

Eighteen agencies have been asked by the Office of Special Counsel to preserve electronic information dating back to January 2001 as part of its governmentwide investigation into alleged violations of the law that limits political activity in federal agencies.

The OSC task force investigating the claims has asked agencies, including the General Services Administration, to preserve all e-mail records, calendar information, phone logs and hard drives going back to the beginning of the Bush administration. The task force is headed by deputy OSC special counsel James Byrne.

The White House has admitted that roughly 20 agencies have received a PowerPoint briefing created by Karl Rove’s office “that included slides listing Democratic and Republican seats the White House viewed as vulnerable in 2008, a map of contested Senate seats and other information on 2008 election strategy.”

Politicization of the federal government has been illegal for decades. The 1939 Hatch Act specifically prohibits partisan campaign or electoral activities on federal government property, including federal agencies. But in 2005, Ken Mehlman, formerly one of Bush’s top political advisers, outlined the White House’s strategy of utilizing government resources for partisan gain:

One of the things that can happen in Washington when you work in an agency is that you forget who sent you there. And it’s important to remind people that you’re George Bush people. … If there’s one empire I want built, it’s the George Bush empire. [One Party Country, p. 102]

With that imperial partisanship in mind, the Bush White House has engaged in an unprecedented quest to politicize the federal government, giving briefings and PowerPoint presentations everywhere from the Interior Department to NASA on how to secure Republican victories. Said one Interior Department manager, “We were constantly being reminded about how our decisions could affect electoral results” (One Party Country, p. 103). Bush loyalists in federal agencies have also helped generate millions for favored political candidates.

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155 Responses to “Special Counsel Probe Into Rove’s Politicization Of Government Advances”


  1. ToxicEd Says:

    Satan doesn’t need any help, the republicans willingly serve him. Man, the greed and ego that runs this government is nauseating. Fascism wrapped in a flag, carrying a bible.


  2. Sharon Says:

    We know what’s been going on, now start the impeachment’s, dammit…..


  3. Ghost Says:

    Empire.

    What is it with people and empire? Empires come and empires go. Isn’t this exactly what the founding fathers had in mind when they conceived the constitution? To create a system of checks and balances that would protect the people from such self-serving ideology?

    What do you think Mr PRIMUS INTER ARSE urr PARES?

    (rattle rattle)


  4. RUCerious Says:

    This isn’t a special prosecutor, where is that appointment????
    WTF these crooks should be investigate, prosecuted and impeached.


  5. RUCerious Says:

    Every one of theses complicit assclowns should be sentenced to live the rest of their miserable lives in Iraq, working to undo Bush’s dream of Empire.


  6. MsJoanne Says:

    All it takes is one look at the appointees at the head of each agency to see how it’s been politicized. The FDA no longer is allowed to tell us that things are bad for us. NASA no longer will track environmental changes.

    Bush’s executive order to install a political appointee at the head of each agency ensured that everything our government does is for political purposes (codeword: FOR SALE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER).

    If we survive this admin, it will take a generation to fix what they have fu(ked up.


  7. Jay Randal Says:

    Good luck with going after Karl Rove. Bush would throw Gonzales under the bus to protect his brain Rove. Darth Dicky Cheney would throw Rove and Bush under the bus to protect his worthless skin.


  8. barfly Says:

    For a well-deserved hoot, click on the Amazon link, and read a few of the reviews of One Party Country.

    They contain such gems as:

    For anyone who wants to understand why Republicans are winning elections and why they are likely to do so in the foreseeable future, “One Party Country” is a must read.
    —Lee Drutman is co-author of “The People’s Business: Controlling Corporations and Restoring Democracy.” (The Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2006)


  9. SKdeA Says:

    How things can change from August to November…


  10. gregor Says:

    Just like Lurita Doan, Karl Rove will engage the Democratic Congressmen in a discussion on some obscure esoteric rule of grammar and get away scott free, even if the Democrats are able to muster enough courage to exercise their power and force the Presidential advisor to testify under oath in public.

    Methinks Karl Rove and the Republicans are playing the Democrats for the fools that they are, making unforced errors in every play.


  11. jkrogman Says:

    Note that this might be a setup from the Office of Special Counsel to clear Rove. After all, this is the Justice Department of Alberto and Karl, as some documents released by the Justice Department have indicated.

    Nothing from the Bush Justice Department can be trusted. Their high-level adminstrators’ outright and frequent lying has already been exposed.

    We don’t know what perfidy these monsters have been and will be perpetrating. They seem capable, though not yet out of futile desperation, of committing any offense conceivable. The Bushboys are just that evil.


  12. LandSurveyor Says:

    Willfully breaking the law. I don’t get it. I don’t get why these people still have their jobs, esp. since Bush is so profoundly unpopular and the 2006 midterms.


  13. Ghost Says:

    if they ever get Karl on the stand, there’s no way he can get away with the “I don’t recall” dodge. No one, even right wingers, will believe it for a sec.

    Comment by zappatero

    I don’t understand Karls motives and I don’t really think that all Bush people are actually empire builders. Were they simply corrupted by power once they held it? Capitalism and Democracy are not perfect, no political ideology or form of society ever has been for that matter. I don’t want to live in a communistic or monarchial or theocratic society. America became great without being any of these in a short 200 year span.

    As a Nation we are as one, a Republic - as a People we are divided and depend on a neutral center for moderation of mans inherent bias - a Democracy.

    Globally we are humans. Universally we are Life. We are all alone on this lifeboat called Earth. Could we please stop throwing each other over off this merry-go-round?

    “Jane! Stop this crazy thing!” -George Jetson


  14. rege Says:

    Beware the Office of Special Counsel. He may exploit the credibility which he has managed to gain by finding wrong doing with the already exposed Doan to cover-up unexposed wrong doing elsewhere.


  15. plane Says:

    Democratic Presidential candidates must pledge to remove all Bush appointees from the federal government via an executive order when they take office.


  16. GOPcurious Says:

    Ghost: “Could we please stop throwing each other over off this merry-go-round?”. Uh, no. Our resources are finite and conflict over them is inevitable. I’m glad that I am living in the strongest nation on the earth, because we can actually get what we need.


  17. jkrogman Says:

    Gregor,

    As Will Rogers has purportedly said, “I don’t belong to any organized party, I’m a Democrat.”

    On the other hand, doesn’t the media give Dems closer and more negative scrutiny? If so, then the underreporting of the Repubs’ flubs becomes quite revealing of something other than Dem dum-dums.

    Frankly, I think the Dems have been doing OK with the cards that they have been dealt (barely tenable majorities in both the House and Senate, and a Repub Supreme Court that would tilt towards Bush AGAIN). Perhaps if they could free themselves of Lieberman’s blah blah in 2008 by getting a larger Dem majority, then they will have more unity. Right now, they are playing more like Clinton’s music. Lieberman was Al Gore’s running mate, for Vice President, in 2000. We knew what we were getting then, and Gore made a fatal error on his choice for his running mate.

    Sure, the Dems can blow it on our own. But there will be a lot of help from THEIR friends.

    Face it, the US govt has not had a progressive voice for a long, long time, like back to the 60s and 30s. Not for very long during the last century…


  18. GOPcurious Says:

    #16: Nope. You aren’t supposed to hire career bureaucrats based on political considerations, but it also works the other way around: you can’t fire career bureaucrats because of their political affiliation or who appointed them. Only short term political appointees can be handled in such manner.

    So, you’ve got to deal with Bush and Gonzales people for a long, long time.


  19. jkrogman Says:

    rege (15).

    Exactly. Trust no action from the Bush govt. He has committed considerable resources to sponsor politicization of the Federal Government. He endorses such use of his power.

    Nothing can be trusted. Instead, investigate. What do we know about the heads of the Office of Special Counsel, how do they confer and make decisions, etc.? If they are good guys, we should be able to find out.


  20. Rolandc Says:

    # 12 got it the closest… a rule of war -a sad one at that- is if you want to ‘move’ your front line (as in retreating) you must establish your back-up front line first without the guys at the soon-to-be dismantled front line knowing about it or else you end up with a free-for-all debacle and your ‘old’ front line is so busy panicking/running for cover that they run right thru your ‘other soon-to-be’ front line … nice mental picture actually when thinking about 21st century pols -ALL POLS-

    I would not shed a tear if they all died but their deaths would not mean the end of bullshit … there is a future hillary running for a district school board somewhere as I write this and there is no way to stop the whore … oh wait there is!!!
    Nahhh … just wishful thinking!!!

    … that clinton whore is certainly not better than rove or mehlman or w or …..

    Me thought for a while that a Truth machine might help - no skippy not the one we have now, a machine that is proven 100% reliable and useable- … me still thinks as such but me admits defeat in implementing project …. beuh bye!


  21. ROGNM Says:

    Remeber a few years ago the MSM pundits were floating the balloon of axing the Hatch Act?

    Be interesting to assemble their takling points and who pushed it, and when.


  22. angryvietnamvet Says:

    When you steal a presidential election and the public yawns, can you expect any honesty, integrity or accountability from the bush junta ? I have lived in banana republics that respect public opinion more. In fact, I am considering moving to Argentina.


  23. jkrogman Says:

    GOPcurious (19):

    I have a college classmate who was planted into the Labor Dept. during the Reagan era.


  24. PRIMVS INTER PARES Says:

    Empire.

    What is it with people and empire? Empires come and empires go. Isn’t this exactly what the founding fathers had in mind when they conceived the constitution? To create a system of checks and balances that would protect the people from such self-serving ideology?

    What do you think Mr PRIMUS INTER ARSE urr PARES?

    (rattle rattle)

    Comment by Ghost — June 16, 2007 @ 12:58 pm

    Well, “Leader of the Free World,” (my old title) isn’t much different from (my new title) PRIMVS INTER PARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    But you can call me GAIVS JVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS, or AVGVSTVS for short!


  25. PRIMVS INTER PARES Says:

    Erratum: post #25) last two lines should read -

    “But you can call me GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS, or AVGVSTVS for short!”


  26. jimbo DUDE Says:

    WHEN OH WHEN WILL THESE POLITICAL

    - PARASITES
    - SWINDLERS
    - BRIBERS
    - LEECHES
    - HOODLUMS

    C
    R
    O
    O
    K
    S

    STOP THE FRIGGIN CORRUPTION?

    THE
    ANSWER
    IS

    N
    E
    V
    E
    R

    HOODLUMS I SAY


  27. Your Old Friend Cassius Says:

    Comment by PRIMVS INTER PARES

    Surely, you are aware of what happened to Gaivs, are you not?

    “Every woman’s man, and every man’s woman…”


  28. ed stamm Says:

    How many millions did the rethugs spend to investigate whether Gore violated the Hatch act by possibly making some political calls from his white house phone? Geez. Any rethug who whines about this investigation should be reminded of that.


  29. Sven Says:

    Nixon was a tyro compared to these folks. His power grab was absolutely nothing–this is a hostile takeover, plain and simple. We won’t learn the full extent of their misprision until after Bush leaves office. If then. But the headlines will keep coming for years.


  30. unbelievable Says:

    One trick I learned in the Corporate world is that he who whines the loudest gets his own way the most often… I worked a several places where fully grown adults had mastered the art of whining better than an pre-naptime 2 year old I’ve ever met… These conseratives are no different. They’ve learned how well shrill crybabying will work for them, and they use it constantly.


  31. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Nixon was a tyro compared to these folks. His power grab was absolutely nothing–this is a hostile takeover, plain and simple. We won’t learn the full extent of their misprision until after Bush leaves office. If then. But the headlines will keep coming for years.

    Comment by Sven

    In total agreement, Sven.

    Oh, BTW, when they’re buy “probing” KKKarl, any bets as to whether they find Jeff Gannon’s wristwatch?


  32. skinney bones Says:

    Anyone ever notice how much Karl looks like the son Cheney never had? Hmmm…. Plus - they’re almost equally evil.


  33. yonkers DUDE Says:

    I AGREE WITH jimbo DUDE
    THAT DUDE SPEAKS WITH ROCK SOLID INTEGRITY DUDE

    HE’S RIGHT ABOUT THE HOODLUMS AND CROOKS RUNNING OUR GOV’T
    FAGEDABOUDIT DUDE
    WE’D GET BETTER SERVICE FROM OUR LOCAL NATHANS CONEY ISLAND HOTDOG STAND
    FAGEDABOUDIT DUDE

    ROCK ON DUDES AND DUDETTES


  34. PRIMVS INTER PARES Says:

    Surely, you are aware of what happened to Gaivs, are you not?

    “Every woman’s man, and every man’s woman…”

    Comment by Your Old Friend Cassius — June 16, 2007 @ 2:20 pm

    If the Princeps does it, that means it’s not illegal, Res Publica.


  35. ptf Says:

    Probably no coincedence, then, that Ken Mehlman has put his house up for sale on Capitol Hill:

    http://www.homevisit.com/tour/vtour.asp?id=25661

    Next stop, Peru? Israel?


  36. Your Old Friend Cassius Says:

    If the Princeps does it, that means it’s not illegal, Res Publica.

    Comment by PRIMVS INTER PARES

    But Great Caesar, I’m not referring to what yov do, but rather was eventvally what was done to yov…

    The Ides of Jvly will be vpon vs… indeed, what more befitting a fate to befall yov in the month named in yovr honor?


  37. Vato Says:

    Turd blossom is going to be really popular in the pen…


  38. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Turd blossom is going to be really popular in the pen…

    Comment by Vato

    He will get traded around endlessly for a pack of cigarettes, giving new meaning to the phrase, “hey, KKKarl, got a butt?”


  39. PRIMVS INTER PARES Says:

    Comment by Your Old Friend Cassius — June 16, 2007 @ 2:37 pm

    Oh, you’re talking about my adoptive father, GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR.

    I’m GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS, but you can call me AVGVSTVS, or AVGVSTVS CAESAR, or just plain CAESAR for short.


  40. Your Old Friend Cassius Says:

    I’m GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS, but you can call me AVGVSTVS, or AVGVSTVS CAESAR, or just plain CAESAR for short.

    Comment by PRIMVS INTER PARES

    Sorry, I got my “v”s confused w/ my “u”s, Mighty Caesar. Indeed, we did do your adoptive father in, but you lived a long life and were one of the better Emperors, even lending your name to the adjective “avgvstian” and of course, the month “Avgvst”.


  41. QED Says:

    Our resources are finite and conflict over them is inevitable. I’m glad that I am living in the strongest nation on the earth, because we can actually get what we need.

    Comment by GOPcurious — June 16, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

    The idea that human life is a zero sum game and that we need to dominate others and exploit the planet to ensure our comfort, is coming to the end of its long, tortured course. The “meek”, those who won’t participate in overpowering others for their own illusory gains, are coming into ascendancy. A deeper understanding of who we are and what the world is will be necessary for those who wish to accompany Earth as she makes the transition from kindergarten to graduate school. Here’s one source of “Cliff notes” on the subject:

    http://www.abraham-hicks.com/


  42. angryvietnamvet Says:

    Prison for these crooks? Thats too good for the vermin. We must find a more appropriate cure. Hanging? Still too good. Firingsquad?


  43. Your Old Friend Cassius Says:

    We must find a more appropriate cure. Hanging? Still too good. Firingsquad?

    Comment by angryvietnamvet

    Drawn and quartered?


  44. Mimi Schaeffer Says:

    Gotta tell you, I spend all afternoon reading headlines and stories in LexisNexis and to me, it looks like this IG Glenn Fine is in the mold of good ol’ Patrick Fitzgerald.

    In addition to recommending that Lurita Doan be fired, in the past, Fine also opened the inquiry into how the FBI used information from the illegal survellance program; reported his findings that the FBI had overstepped their authority; criticized the Fed’s $5 billion wireless system; reported that the administration had misstated the statistics on their war on terror; criticized the FBI’s handling of the Foley scandal; agreed to investigate hiring bias at Justice; and now the latest.

    Not too shabby; indeed, Fine gives me reason to hope that sometimes there are honest professionals in the seats of government.


  45. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Not too shabby; indeed, Fine gives me reason to hope that sometimes there are honest professionals in the seats of government.

    Comment by Mimi Schaeffer

    It’s just a little hard to get excited when Gonzo is still in charge of the DoJ.


  46. smafdy Says:

    #16: Nope. You aren’t supposed to hire career bureaucrats based on political considerations, but it also works the other way around: you can’t fire career bureaucrats because of their political affiliation or who appointed them. Only short term political appointees can be handled in such manner.

    So, you’ve got to deal with Bush and Gonzales people for a long, long time.

    Comment by GOPcurious — June 16, 2007 @ 1:44 pm

    So? We’ll just take a page out of the GOP playbook and do it anyway. These appointees will be fired for “performance reasons”. Incompetence shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for the avgerage American to believe, considering it’s Bushco’s most defining attribute.


  47. fahrender Says:

    angryvietnamvet (#43):

    too quick….


  48. jimbo DUDE Says:

    WHAT I’M SAYING DUDE IS THESE ARE A BUNCH OF POLITICAL PARASITES
    DUDE

    - HOODLUMS
    - BRIBERS
    - SWINDLERS

    DUDE…

    LIKE…..

    SCRATCH ME
    I SCRATCH YOU
    A NICE FAT JUICY GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
    A “BILL” STUFF WITH PORK COMIN OUT THE YANG YANG

    LIKE….

    DRACULA AND PREZ/CHENEY TWISTING ARMS WITH DRACULA AT THE
    WEE WEE HOURS ALL DURING THE 109TH

    LIKE….

    A COMPLETE CESSPOOL OF CRIMINALS DUDE LEAVING IOU’S FOR SS

    MAGGOTS ROACHES, RATS, TICKS,… A FRIGGIN COMPLETE CESSPOOL

    OF CRIMINALS

    DUDE

    AND WE THE FRIGGIN PEOPLE GET FRIGGIN THE DUMPS FOR ALL THOSE
    WONDERFUL SERVICES WE ALL DESPERATELY NEED AND PAY 66%

    WE GET THE FRIGGIN DUMP DUDE… A COMPLETE CESSPOOL DUMP
    FILLED WITH FRIGGIN CORRUPTION DUDE

    THE FRIGGIN GREASE PITS DUDE

    AND WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BELIEVE THESE SERVANTS ARE SOME GOD
    APPOINTED FATHFULLY CARESSED ROCK SOLID ELDER WITH THE

    UTMOST INTEGRITY AND WISDOM DUDE…

    FRIGGIN HOODLUMS DUDE

    WHITE CLASS HOUSE OF THE LAND

    TOTALLY CORRUPT

    DEPT OF UTMOST INTEGRITY/TRUTH DEPT OF JUSTICE

    SHIFTY EYED FAST SMOOTH TALKING CROOKS

    DEPT OF DEFENSE

    TOTALLY CORRUPTED

    DEPT OF DOA, DOB, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOF, DOH……………

    ALL FRIGGIN CORRUPTED

    THEY EVEN FRIGGIN CORRUPT UTMOST WISDOM.. DEPT OF ED

    AND FOR THIS FRIGGIN MESS DUDE

    WE THE PEOPLE GET THE FRIGGIN DUMPS FOR SERVICE DUDE - CESSPOOL,
    GREASE DUMP DUDE - FRIGGIN CORRUPTION DUDE

    AND WE THE PEOPLE GET FRIGGIN FAR A+ SERVICE FROM A FRIGGIN
    DUMP CALLED MCDONALDS = WORST QUALITY FOOD, 4TH RATE DUMP
    YET FAR FAR SUPERIOR A+ SERVICE DUDE

    SOMETHIN AIN’T RIGHT HERE DUDES/DUDETTES

    JIMBO DUDE ALWAYS SPEAKS ROCK SOLID TRUTH ROCK SOLID INTEGRITY

    JIMBO DUDE ROCKS :)


  49. ScrewBush Says:

    Boy oh boy, it couldn’t happen to a nicer ankle grabber — I mean Karl not Mehlman. I must say Mehlman’s use of “Empire” and Karl’s wet dream of “A Permanent Republican Majority” certainly remind me of another phrase, and equally Un-American: “A Thousand Year Empire”. The third Reich lasted barely 12 years into that thousand year empire. Karl and company may not make it a full 8 years into their permanent empire.

    Meanwhile, America continues without any real leadership. Everyday these ass-clowns are in charge is another day we’re all at risk from a variety of evils.


  50. jimbo DUDE Says:

    IT’S
    ALL
    FRIGGIN
    RIGGED

    A
    COMPLETE
    CESSPOOL
    FILLED
    WITH
    HOODLUMS
    BRIBERS/SWINDLERS
    FAST SMOOTH SHIFTY EYED DUDE

    LITEALLY A BUNCH OF
    HOODLUMS DUDE


  51. Shirley Says:

    CAN ANYONE GUESS HOW MANY COLUMN INCHES OF NEWSPRINT THE L.A . TIMES DEVOTED TO ANY OF THE ONGOING CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS IN TODAY”S SATURDAY PAPER? Either the ROVE inquiries, the Gonzalez U.S. Attorneys scandal, LORITA DOAN violation of the Hatch Act? ANYONE CARE TO GUESS?
    ZERO.
    NOT A SINGLE STORY in the nation’s second largest paper about ANY of the Congressional investigations ongoing.


  52. GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS DUDE Says:

    Comment by jimbo DUDE — June 16, 2007 @ 3:13 pm

    DUDE!


  53. upside00 Says:

    Wonder what will happen to PudgeBoy Rover when the Rapture comes, as he is an aethiest (as well as a spineless war criminal).


  54. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Wonder what will happen to PudgeBoy Rover when the Rapture comes, as he is an aethiest (as well as a spineless war criminal).

    Comment by upside00

    Somewhere there’s a bad joke waiting to be made about the Emperor’s New Clothes and the Rapture. Aren’t people supposed to be “raptured” up, when the time comes, leaving even their clothes behind? Could explain why the Emperor has already taken his off… he’s convinced he’s not gonna need them much longer.


  55. Wayne A. Schneider Says:

    Wonder what will happen to PudgeBoy Rover when the Rapture comes, as he is an aethiest (as well as a spineless war criminal).

    Comment by upside00 — June 16, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

    Like all of us Atheists, he won’t care, because we don’t believe there will ever be a “Rapture” (not counting the Blondie song).

    You mean to tell me that I have something in common with Karl Rove (besides a high IQ)?


  56. upside00 Says:

    #56 Let’s hope that is ALL you have in common with that sub-species!


  57. Comment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR OCTAVIANVS DVDE Says:

    Comment by jimbo DUDE — June 16, 2007 @ 3:13 pm

    DVDE!


  58. GOPcurious Says:

    #42 (QED): Heh. You’re into that new age harmonic convergence nonsense?


  59. Wayne A. Schneider Says:

    #56 Let’s hope that is ALL you have in common with that sub-species!

    Comment by upside00 — June 16, 2007 @ 3:33 pm

    I confess that I’m a little overweight, too. UGHH!

    I guess it just goes to show that we all have something in common even with people we personally despise. We are more alike than unalike.

    Oh, and I wear glasses, too. Now I’m getting depressed.

    At least I never tried to suppress anyone’s vote! In fact, merely through educating a life-long Republican co-worker in her mid-fifties about how the GOP has been lying to the American people, I convinced her to vote Democratic for the first time in her life this past November. (More specifically, I convinced her not to vote for the GOP; she chose to vote for the Democrats.) She even voted for my new Congressman, John Hall, over Sue Kelly. And she was happy to do it, too!

    I did my part to help the Dems take over Congress.

    Now I’m starting to feel better.


  60. Mimi Schaeffer Says:

    Oh, and one more item of interest that should really make Bushies happy, they didn’t get rid of EVERYONE. Both Justice Inspector General Glenn Find and head of the Office of Professional Responsibility, H. Marshall Jarrett were Clinton appointees.


  61. QED Says:

    #42 (QED): Heh. You’re into that new age harmonic convergence nonsense?

    Comment by GOPcurious — June 16, 2007 @ 3:43 pm

    Text messaged from the Creation Museum…


  62. Jane E. Schneider Says:

    “Jane! Stop this crazy thing!” -George Jetson

    Comment by Ghost — June 16, 2007 @ 1:37 pm

    I’m trying, I’m trying!:-D


  63. El Tonno Says:

    > I’m glad that I am living in the strongest nation on the earth,
    > because we can actually get what we need.

    > Comment by GOPcurious

    Beavis: “Huh…huh huh yeah.. strong nation. We are. Huh?”

    Butthead: “Yeah.. Huh Huh Huh.”


  64. Peter Principle Says:

    The current congressional hearings and subpoenas are sideshows. But if a Democratic president takes office in 2009, a Democratically run Justice Department is going to find a “target-rich environment” in the remnants of the Rove machine.

    Will the Dems have the balls to follow the evidence where ever it leads? They haven’t in the past. But I guess there’s a first time for everything.


  65. GRT Says:

    CIA needs to be investigated too. It’s jobs for x military and families of employees.


  66. Kate Henry Says:

    Well, after all, according to Bush it is “his” government. I don’t know, I kind of thought it was our government, you know “we the people”.

    We have to take back our government now before the Bush Crime Family and the Republics do any more damage to this once great nation.


  67. AboveTheClouds Says:

    You really have to give Karl Rove a lot of credit–he did get the dumbest man on earth elected President twice. Rove has been good for the GOP politicly, but an unmitigated disaster for them with policy.


  68. Kate Henry Says:

    “you can’t fire career bureaucrats because of their political affiliation or who appointed them. Only short term political appointees can be handled in such manner. So, you’ve got to deal with Bush and Gonzales people for a long, long time.”

    I disagree. I believe a new Democratic administration can clean house and get rid of the Bush appointments. 6 years is hardly a “career” and most of them were recently appointed. I certainly hope that the new Democratic president clears the snakes out of this government. I hope that he/she fires each and every one of them that were hired by Bush and his minions.


  69. PRIMVS INTER PARES Says:

    Wonder what will happen to PudgeBoy Rover when the Rapture comes, as he is an aethiest (as well as a spineless war criminal).
    Comment by upside00 — June 16, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

    Rove’s an aesthete?

    Who knew?


  70. mz Says:

    #1 — No one believes it for Gonzales either, and yet he gets away with it. Congress needs to start ensuring that perjury and obstruction of justice charges are pursued based on testimony given to it. The whole thing is becoming a farce.


  71. toasterhead Says:

    I disagree. I believe a new Democratic administration can clean house and get rid of the Bush appointments. 6 years is hardly a “career” and most of them were recently appointed. I certainly hope that the new Democratic president clears the snakes out of this government. I hope that he/she fires each and every one of them that were hired by Bush and his minions.

    Comment by Kate Henry — June 16, 2007 @ 4:37 pm

    There’s a big difference between direct-hire career employees and appointments, and we shouldn’t confuse the two. Presidential appointees are the ones that serve “at the pleasure of the President.” Career staff are neither appointed by the President nor confirmed by the Senate - they apply for the job like any other job.

    It is actually quite hard to fire direct-hire government career employees except for performance reasons. You really can’t fire them for political reasons, but you can make early retirement offers and whatnot. I don’t think the new president should fire any career staff - it’s time to stop that practice once and for all.

    Appointments are different matter - they go when the President goes, unless they’ve made a lot of friends in the new administration and have had a sudden change of political ideology.


  72. mark Says:

    Why waste time? Just drag out all the rats, and hang them along penn. ave for all to see. It worked for Italy.


  73. Rolandc Says:

    to # 42 .. ‘accompany the Earth.. ?

    Tough shit pal this is definitely NOT your choice!!!!


  74. jimbo DUDE Says:

    WHAT I’M SAYING DUDE

    IS
    THESE
    ARE
    SUPPOSE
    TO
    BE
    ROCK
    SOLID
    INTEGRITY
    HARD
    WORKERS
    UTMOST
    HONESTY
    FAITHFULLY
    CARESSED
    BY
    GOD
    HIMSELF
    TO
    SERVE
    US

    LIKE
    ELDER
    UTMOST
    INTEGRITY
    WISDOM
    ROCK
    SOLID
    INTEGRITY
    DUDE

    INSTEAD

    WE GET A FRIGGIN CESSPOOL OF CORRUPTION LIKE SNAKE OIL DUDE
    A BUNCH OF PARASITES SCUM BAGS

    THAT EVEN SCREW UP NEW ORLEANS

    AND STIFF THE VICTIMS OF ENRON AS EVERYONE KNOWS RECENTLY

    AND THEY LEECH AND BECOME RICH BECAUSE OF YOU

    FRIGGIN A+ SERVICE AT MCDONALDS

    AND THE FRIGGIN DUMP FOR US.

    ROVE…… A COMPLETE DISASTER

    SAME WITH BUSH, CHENEY, GONZALES, FRIST, JEFFERSON, ABRAMHOFF,
    DELAY, POLUMBO, SANTORUM, … THERE’S FRIGGIN JUST

    TOO MANY OF THEM

    ONE OF BUSH’S APPOINTIES EVEN GOT CAUGHT STEALING AT WALMART
    BUYING AN ITEM, TAKING IT OUT OF THE STORE, COMIN WITH THE
    RECEIPT, PULLIN THE SAME ITEM AND TAKING IT TO THE REFUND DESK

    WHAT I’M SAYING IS FRIGGIN POLITICAL HOODLUMS DUDE, LEECHES,
    SWINDLERS, BRIBERY DUDE

    CRIMINALS - FRIGGIN IDIOTS.. YEAH RIGHT THEY SERVE US ALL RIGHT

    WHAT A COMPLETE MESS OF CORRUPTION

    AND LETS HOPE THERE’S LIGHT AT THE TUNNEL WITH THE DEMOCRATS
    BUT THE CAMPAIGN PROMISES BIGGEST TRICK IN THE BOOK, INSTEAD
    THEY BRING ON THE PORK AND RAID OUR ELF’S POT AND LEAVE MORE
    IOU’S AND I GUESS 60 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT IF THE BOOKS
    WEREN’T COOKED OR IS IT 9 TRILLION… EITHER WAY SOME ESTIMATES
    STATE FOR EACH PERSON THEY OWE $300,000 EACH ON PAST SERVICES
    RENDERED, JUST ON THE FRIGGIN DEBT !!

    WHAT A BUNCH OF SHISTERS, OH YEAH THEY SERVE THE PEOPLE ALL RIGHT

    LIKE WITH A FRIGGIN BLANK CHECK DUDE


  75. Jackie Says:

    Karl Rove’s plan just showed the world how dumb Americans are. This has been going on for over 7 years and it was started when Bill Clinton was in office. As we see Americans would rather impeach a President for having an Affair then say a word about a President and his crimes time that are destroying the United States of America. When American cheer support our troops the allow those same American soldiers to be put to death based on lies. I wonder what the soldiers who are minorities think of the Bush/Rove plan of having one party and no rights for minorities. You tell young minorities to risk their lives for the US while denying them their rights. Karl Rove is continuing his attack for the new one party system because he knows the American people will sit on their butts and do nothing about it. As crimes continue in each government department and lies fly out of the White House, Americans will do nothing.


  76. QED Says:

    Tough shit pal this is definitely NOT your choice!!!!

    Comment by Rolandc — June 16, 2007 @ 5:37 pm

    Elaborate…


  77. jimbo DUDE Says:

    DUDE.. WHITE WATER WAS A SWINDLE. PEOPLE WERE SO SICK
    AND TIRED OF THE DEMOCRATS, WAS IT 1994 OR 1998

    THE OLDEST AND MOST COMMON TRICK IN THE BOOK

    BROKEN
    CAMPAIGN
    PROMISES

    AND THAT SWINDLE HAS GONE ON SINCE NIXON… IT GOES
    WAY WAY BACK A CENTURY AGO

    WHAT WE NEED IS TO HAVE PEOPLE DEMAND ROCK SOLID
    INTEGRITY/SERVICE

    AS INTENDED

    NOT A BUNCH OF SHIFTY EYED FAST SMOOTH TALKING SWINDLER DUDE


  78. jimbo DUDE Says:

    WHAT I’M TELLING YOU

    IF THEY LIE BY CAMPAIGN PROMISES

    RIGHT TO THE FRIGGIN SLAMMER, NOT A MINOR ETHICAL ISSUE, BUT
    A SERIOUS CRIME

    BUT DUDE… THAT’S BEEN RIGGED TOO, THE SUPREME COURT GOT
    RIGGED :) …. SO THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY PLEASE

    BUT WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD DEMAND ROCK SOLID INTEGRITY AND
    HONESTY

    NOT THEM RIGGING JUSTICE THEN APPEALING IT SO IT GOES AWAY
    FOREVER. MY GUESS IS AT THAT LEVEL, THERE ARE MANY LAWSUITS
    THEY SIMPLY APPEAL IT FOREVER OR RIG THE SYSTEM THEMSELVES

    IF THEY MAKE CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND LIE, UNLESS BEYOND THEIR
    CONTROL, FRIGGIN RIGHT TO THE SLAMMER

    AND REGARDING K STREET, BULLDOZE IT DOWN, THAT’S THE FIRST THING
    TO GO DUDE… NEXT NO FRIGGIN REVOLVING DOOR, NO CONFLICT OF
    INTEREST

    NO LATE NIGHT HOLDING VOTES OPEN WITH ARMTWISTING RIGGIN, NO
    CAMPAIGN SWINDLING/BRIBERY, NO FRIGGIN LOBBYIST WRITTEN LEGISLATION, NO FRIGGIN STUFFING PORK WITH YANG YANG TILL IT’S
    FRIGGIN SPILLING GREASEPITS ALL OVER THE DUMP DUDE, WHICH WE
    TAKE ON THIS CRAZY DEBT, NO BLANK CHECKS

    FULL DISCLOUSURE, HONESTY, INTEGRITY

    NO RIGGIN, NO BRIBERY/SWINDLING, NO BLANK CHECK, NO POLITICAL LEECHING DUDE

    DON’T FRIGGIN MATTER REPUBLICIANS OR DEMOCRATS

    OH YEAH, THEIR GOD APPOINTED ELDERS WITH UTMOST WISDOM, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BECAUSE OF THEIR HARD WORK

    HOODLUMS I SAY, FRIGGIN A BUNCH OF SWINDLERS DUDE

    JIMBO DUDE ALWAYS SPEAKS ROCK SOLID INTEGRITY/TRUTH

    AND WE GET THE FRIGGIN DUMPS FOR SERVICE DUDE, TELL ME ONE
    FRIGGIN THING BUSH HAS DONE FOR YOU?

    EVEN STIFFED THE ENRON VICTIMS


  79. Bonnie Says:

    I’m not going to hold my breath until something substantive happens regarding these criminals. It seems no one has the guts to take them on.


  80. veritas Says:

    SICKO II - Coming to theatres around you soon!


  81. JMOHR Says:

    No 19 responded to No 16 by suggesting that the Bush career civil service employees will be in place a long time. The reasoning is that we are not permitted to fire them for political reasons. I am sorry but that thinking will have to change. One of the weapons utilized by the Republicans to turn this country into a one part state as the NAZI’s, Italian fascists, Communists and Baathists learned was to infiltrate the executive with long term fifth columnists. This prevents a return to democracy even in the event of an electoral reversal.

    1. The career civil service appointments are suspect due to the significant amount of direct (Goodling and others) and circumstantial evidence (clearly unqualified persons selected for appointments with little more than political connection to recommend them) that federal civil service law and the Hatch Act were violated.

    2. The appointments should be set aside and the improper party appointments purged as was done after WWII, the fall of Iraq and so forth.

    3. Failure to purge these improper appointments will result in the high jacking of federal agencies by the Republican party. Note- the Republicans will insist that future appointment of career officials be done through hiring committees of career civil servants. These will be controlled by Republican ideologues appointed by the Bush syndicate.

    4. The Republican appointees would continue to use a political and ideological screen (probably not as obvious as currently done) to continue a steady drift of thinking to the hard right.

    Why do you think that the Republicans thought they could establish a one party state? Their policies are so great? No, they intended to create a ruling cabal integrating the religious right, corporate interests and the wealthiest Americans. The Repbulican elite hoped to have sufficient control of the judiciary (through their legitimate appointments of right wing conservatives), legislative branch (corruption and K Street) and the bureacracy (co-option of career civil servants) to prevent an effective democracy after the failure of their governmental abilities were discovered.


  82. G Smith Says:

    This is really getting scary. I went to Vietnam .. but I must admit I did consider Canadian Citizenship. I guess I need to be considering that again. J. Edgar was pretty scary but this is starting to make him look like a rank amateur.


  83. chuck Says:

    Ghost: “Could we please stop throwing each other over off this merry-go-round?”. Uh, no. Our resources are finite and conflict over them is inevitable. I’m glad that I am living in the strongest nation on the earth, because we can actually get what we need. Comment by GOPcurious — June 16, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

    What a tool you are, GOP-curious. Ghost was actually expressing the noble and rational idea that we can work out our problems without killing each other, an idea which begins with the recognition that we all belong to the human family.

    WTF does “GOP Curious” mean, anyway? Is that like “gay-curious” (ala Mehlman, Haggerty, and all the assorted other closet homosexuals that make up most of the party)?


  84. disgusted Says:

    Lets see a few months back I remember reading that even slick Willie admired this piece of human feces and wished he was a Dem instead of a RACIST NAZIS COMMITTEE (RNC), with thoughts like that coming from so high up is this piece of garbage going to have secret admiresers on the other side of the aisle.

    I can only wonder how effective this is going to be as they are dragging their feet and are in effective in anything they do a example is the pardoning of the LOW LIFE libby, that pardon is being pushed by the GUTLESS, SPINELESS ,COWARD, and TRAITOR cheney, yet I read nor hear any LOUD up rising from the opposite side of the aisle on the circumvention of the Judicial SYstem. Do pardon me if I do not get excited I will as soon as the TRAITOR is behind bars, the GUTLESS,SPINELESS,COWARD and TRAITOR cheney is IMPEACHED, the PATRIOT ACT and the WARS ACT are rescinded and a CRIMMINAL INVESTIGASTION is started on the TALKING MONKEY with IMPEACHMENT of the IDIOT in the WH.


  85. janine Says:

    Oh, goody.

    Another website full of sufferers of Bush Derangement Syndrome.

    I chuckle at you democrats waiting for ‘impeachment’.

    You don’t even have enough votes so stop the war all of you claim is illegal. You want impeachment?

    *chuckle*

    Anyhow, Karl Rove was supposed to be ‘indicted’ about a year ago.

    Bush Derangement Syndrome - it keeps you dems off the streets and gives us something to watch - your meltdown.


  86. Willard Says:

    Pelosi and Reid must go, they’re spineless. When they came in they should of started impeachment process, instead she come’s in talking about it’s off the table. Weak, Weak, Weak.

    Will


  87. Had Enough Yet? Says:

    What would the Founders do?
    There are 3 types of people. Those that choose not to think, regardless the overwhelming evidence; those that believe that (mere) vocalization is the greatest sacrifice that can be safely taken, lest disruption to their programmed comfort zone incur assail . . . and those that are willing to literally wipe this scourge off the face. Where do you stand where protection of this Democracy is concerned?
    This is not a movie. There is no happy ending unless we command the meme, the script, the production and the box-office . . . with unassailable and fearless intent. Nothing will change unless we demand it. Now! Get on the phone to your representatives and remind them, with heightened passion, that they work for you and to get off their soft, misdirected asses!


  88. George Costalas Says:

    If the democrats actually had the guts to do the will of the people Kings George, Divk and Karl would have been impeached and indicted and imprisoned long ago.


  89. heyzeus Says:

    Comment by janine

    What, did you just graduate near the bottom of your c(r)ass from Regent University, and come here to get some fodder for your resume?


  90. Shrodingers cat Says:

    Oh, goody
    I chuckle at you
    *chuckle*
    ……gives us something to watch….
    Comment by janine — June 16, 2007 @ 9:53 pm

    Thanks janine, you’ve brought some really cutting commentary here. Fox news could use a mind like yours. And let me be the first to say they could do a lot worse.
    I’ll look forward to your next nuggets of wisdom.


  91. Shrodingers cat Says:

    If some of you would read just a part of the constituiton you would realize that it takes 60, that sixty, six zero, votes to do anything meaningful. As long as we’ve got goose stepping repukes voting the party line, Nothing Will Get Done that Dumbya doesn’t want to get done. Educate yourselves people, before it’s to late to matter ……..please.


  92. Pea Scott Says:

    Remember this was the administration that was suppose to restore dignity to the oval office. Nixon looks like an saint compared to these guys!


  93. Had Enough Yet? Says:

    Janine fits the great American profile. Never an honor student, no follower of global human history, let alone American history or the U.S. Constitution, derives her opinions from what she hears and not through critical thinking . . . and mirrors the directives from some media “father figure” (collectives) due to remarkable and overwhelming lack of personal accomplishment and failed expectations. “Meltdown”? Sunshine, you’ve already had yours . . . and that’s the only thing you actually “own”.

    The Democratic Leadership, though weak within real “fall on their sword” patriotic dedication, have done, to this point all that can be done considering the continued support of the GOP fascist (Congressional) enablers. I will however say that shutting down the House and the Senate through holding parallel bills hostage against supplemental spending for this war and literally commandeering the process using all the tools available to them under procedural rules will prove to most Americans that they indeed do have the stones to stop these idiots . . . and would/should start the tide turning. This is not a game . . . and Janine will never know the difference. Sad Busheep!


  94. felix random Says:

    all of the rove appointees in all of the various agencies need to be removed and a real effort made to rehire to people who were forced out by the administration. those individuals were surely honest and competent; a condition sleaze, greed and treachery find unworkable. the holy hires, loyal bushies, the karl krop as it were, to a person, must be removed.

    we can have an empire or a democracy. as long as business owns the congress only sustained war can hide that massive a theft. certainly from abe to eisenhower that’s been obvious.

    permanent war let’s you suspend even the pretext of civil liberties and let’s you extend the police state that was perfected against the blacks to the whites, 9/11 squawk, 9/11 squawk, while you’re killing your best citizens first. one generation after the next


  95. david schell Says:

    I hope it will be jail time for all involved.


  96. Maurice Epley Says:

    You can forget about “Impeachment”, who would want Cheney in office and if they went after him, then Pelosi would be Pres., I don’t think either side would want that. Just turn up the heat up high and make them walk on the hot coals.


  97. plages Says:

    In time, scooter will have to move over, as he’ll be having lots of company, for a very long time!


  98. cal1942 Says:

    “2. The appointments should be set aside and the improper party appointments purged as was done after WWII, the fall of Iraq and so forth.

    #82 comment by JMOHR”

    It should be noted that those actions were forced on foreign nations. That would be something like inflicting a civil war in our own nation.

    Democrats can’t simply walk in and dump civil servants for what would, technically, be political reasons even though the fired employees were hired for political reasons. The employees could only be dismissed if they used some subterfuge to get hired. The employee is not responsible for the motives of those who hired them.

    That’s what makes this such a serious matter, it’s like a chronic disease was implanted and is inoperable.

    Retribution is no answer because the other side retaliates when they take office and then we end up with what amounts to a spoils system not to mention throwing out the rule of law.

    Remember that a President was assassinated over Civil Service.

    The only solution is to marginalize those employees by hiring staff in a legitimate fashion and then giving the legitimately hired staff all assignments.

    It would mean that a number of employees would sit around doing nothing and yes, Republicans would squeal like pigs, but that’s a small price to pay for placing a nasty disease in quarantine.


  99. cal1942 Says:

    In my comment above (#99) I was addressing the preferential hiring of GOP stalwarts to civil service positions most visibly in the Justice Dept. and in other executive departments as well.

    The issue of Rove style politicization, that is, directing appointed staff to use their positions to affect day to day agency policy for partisan political purposes will be cleared out if a Democrat is elected President.

    If Democrats control both houses of Congress and the White House after the 2008 elections a series of laws should be enacted to criminalize violations of the Hatch Act and by statute to sharply reduce the number of appointed positions in every department and to radically reduce that numvber in the Justice Department. Laws are also necessary to insure that civil service employees are hired only by panels of civil servants without approval of appointed officers.


  100. jimmyaj Says:

    Re: 32

    “In total agreement, Sven.
    Oh, BTW, when they’re buy “probing” KKKarl, any bets as to whether they find Jeff Gannon’s wristwatch?”

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 16, 2007 @ 2:27 pm

    Wasn’t that the wristwatch that got lifted off Il Chimpe’s hand while he was in Albania?


  101. Marly Says:

    Rove being probed 20 different ways. What fun!


  102. IMPEACHMENT Says:

    The question is, who WOULDN’T want impeachment?

    http://kucinich.house.gov/SpotlightIssues/documents.htm

    It is time to get just that!!!!!

    And for all those whining about Inspector Glenn Fine or the Special Counsel, let me remind you they have the authority and [b]power[/b] to pursue criminal prosecution and prosecute the criminals in any fashion.

    They also have the authority of Grand Juries.

    While your Congress, the Democrats, certainly do not. And if they do, they would have referred numerous criminal prosecutions already against the Attorney General and he’d be gone.

    If for a fact as stated by the law, Perjury and Obstruction is a crime, then you must refer it to a sitting Grand Jury for prosecution. Not just call them names, and make a fuss over it.

    The New Congress is going to be browbeat into doing the real work and getting its job done. So sit back and relax, because we’re the ones driving the bus. Not anyone else, we got the impeachment resolution moving…

    http://kucinich.house.gov/SpotlightIssues/documents.htm


  103. Novista Says:

    @ 46

    “It’s just a little hard to get excited when Gonzo is still in charge of the DoJ.”

    OH, you must have missed it in the transcript of the last hearing testimony:

    Q: Are you in charge of the DoJ or not?

    A: I don’t recall.


  104. parkmom Says:

    If theres in justice in the universe, Karl will be shoveling “sheet” in hell.


  105. Twenty Eighth percentile Says:

    Da Preznit was choosed by Gawd. The Bible says so (I caint read it but Uncle Bubba told me).

    He is gittin dem tehrists like Obama and locking dem up for life.

    Dat makes us safer. Plus Preznit is sposed to be like a King, so we should all do whut he says. Bubba says that is in the Constitution.

    Plus da Preznit likes guns and he is a fighter pilot ace. I saw him on da teevee wit his pilot stuff. He said we won the war. That is good, huh?

    If Gawd choosered de Preznit, we should all obey him. Otherwise we could go to hell. That is really scary.


  106. party-of-one Says:

    It is becoming very clear that the Bush administration has used every facet of government to partisan political gain and its efforts to assure that Republicans control all of government - federal and state - forever. In this context, is there any doubt that they are using NSA, FBI and CIA investigative authority to research their political enemies? This is why the circumvention of court authorization for wire-tapping such a threat. The courts must hold the Bush Administration accountable, brushing aside its politically self-serving cries of “national security” and “executive privilege.” The Bushies are dismanteling our democracy.


  107. ace Says:

    Read all about Karl Rove, the world’s #1 Terrorist, here:

    http://plungerspeaks.blogspot.com

    The most vile of individuals.


  108. Thomas Payne Says:

    That so far as we approve as monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.

    P.S. I wrote these words a long time ago, however, if the shoe fits……


  109. Dragonetti Says:

    “The science” says he “of the politician consists in fixing the true point of happiness and freedom. Those men would deserve the gratitude of ages, who should discover a mode of government that contained the greatest sum of individual happiness, with the least national expense.”

    ‘on virtue and rewards’


  110. E Z Rider Says:

    “One trick I learned in the Corporate world is that he who whines the loudest gets his own way the most often… ”

    My experience in the Corporate world has been that what goes around comes around, in fact that is the way it is in all of live.
    Each of these people will pay in some way.


  111. Rob Zeleniak Says:

    In a democracy, transparency is the monarch. The Bush administration has redacted the concept via Orwellian tactics while Americans watch Katie Couric speculating about Paris Hilton. Employing a league of Borg-like neocons who relish their own power, they do and say anything on message to reinforce the trip. Tolerance for this pandering to right wing zealots who supply the cash to keep it relevant seems to be slowly waning. Let’s hope when we finally open the coffin in the light-of-day, the blood-suckers don’t react too drastically.


  112. Com-n-sense Says:

    Do we need anymore proof that our system of elections are a joke and that the representatives placed in office do NOT listen to us?

    In the 06′ elections people overwhelmingly voted to end the`occupation of Iraq. What happened? The occupation was INCREASED!

    A vast majority want Universal Health Care. The politicians have it, but deny us, saying it would be “socialism”.

    These are just two blaring examples of the people being ignored over the will of the corporations that stuff the pockets of the so-called representatives of the people.

    Why, since the debacle of the 2000 elections have we not passed a uniform, verifiable election system and reform? How hard can it be to have each persons vote counted?

    There is only one answer to these questions. Our government has been corrupted to the core by corporations that have nothing to do with democracy.


  113. JTyroler Says:

    As much as Bush, Cheney, et al should be impeached, it will never happen. The Democrats don’t have the balls to do it. After the Clinton impreachment attempt, Bush was basically given carte blanche to ignore as many laws as he wanted. 9/11 guaranteed that he no longer had to actually defend the “quaint” Constitution with all those pesky “guaranteed” rights.


  114. ann Says:

    ANYONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW THAT ROVE IS THE CORRUPT BEHIND THE SCENES SCEAMER AT THE WHITE HOUSE MUST BE DEAD FROM THE SHOULDERS UP. BU$H IS PINOCHIO TO ROVE’S GEPEDO!


  115. sa Says:

    when bush was “elected” and the supreme court stepped in, and his brother’s state put him over the top - and ohio rigged the votes the second time, and florida had nontracable computer voting records, and all this - the fact it was EVEN CLOSE tells more than you want to know about america. when bush was “elected” - twice, not once - all bets were off.

    we’re reaping what we’ve sewn. take a good look america: bush is you,
    and you are him.

    bush=american karma=fall of rome.


  116. Eyeball Kid Says:

    “Willfully breaking the law. I don’t get it. I don’t get why these people still have their jobs, esp. since Bush is so profoundly unpopular and the 2006 midterms.
    Comment by LandSurveyor — June 16, 2007 @ 1:33 pm”

    L.S., what’s to get is that Bush and Rove have saturated the government with corruption, until there’s no one person or agency to oppose their objectives. They know that theirs is the only way to establish One Party Rule. They know that it’s not a system of fairness, democracy, and open dialog. They know that, in order to constitute One Party Rule, you have to deceive, be ruthless, and totally commit yourself to the “greater good” of neo-con autocracy. Truth becomes operationally defined. If creating a policy is consistent with One Party Rule, then it’s the Truth, simply enough.

    The Office of Special Counsel is, indeed, under the wing of the person, and the people being investigated. There’s no way that the investigations can be taken seriously. I agree with a previous poster that the OSC is running interference for Rove and Gonzales.

    If it’s truly an independent endeavor, then Gonzales would not have the option to call the Special Counsel into his office, close the door, and have a “conversation” on how his investigation is going, all under the guise of “professionalism.”

    It’s all a cheap trick, as are all expressions of greed and power, minimized and obfuscated by corporate media bosses who collude with the Beltway neo-cons because they, too, stand to profit from their dirty work. And all of us pay our taxes that pays for their corruption in a massive Bait and Switch operation worth billions upon billions. And we’re the suckers, who are constantly given the message by government and media that it’s not wise to express outrage, and it can be dangerous to your own personal security if you actually DO anything to oppose the actions of government.

    To all of you Bush supporters to voted this evil regime into office, what can you ever do to compensate for this mistake– one so grievous that it can destroy our Constitutional form of government? Or do you simply don’t care?


  117. Charles Bowman Says:

    The White House is lawyering up. With this damning information coming at them, they should start hiring lawyers by the dozen! This is the unspeakable crime that will be their legacy even as Watergate was Nixon’s. They also committed innumerable obstructions along the way and witness intimidations by the score! We’d better watch Bush closely on these foreign junkets! He may leave the country for good!


  118. Ken Says:

    Congress have already enough evidence to impeach bush and cheney and kicked their asses out of office, And to put Gonzy and Rove in Prison for what they have done for bush. Ried and Pelosi needs to shit or get off the pot so someone with some balls can get the job done.


  119. JD Says:

    Has there been a comparison made of the slide show targeted districts to the US Attorney appointments?


  120. r m reddicks Says:

    37? “Probably no coincedence, then, that Ken Mehlman has put his house up for sale on Capitol Hill:
    ….
    Next stop, Peru? Israel?”

    What about that Paraguay?

    This Rove/Cheney administration was nothing less than an effort to set up a parallel government. We’ve seen fascism and we’re probably not through with it yet.


  121. Lona Says:

    Toxic Ed said it all, and it bears repeating: “the greed and ego that runs this government is nauseating. Fascism wrapped in a flag, carrying a bible.”


  122. Carole Says:

    Toxic Ed brilliantly called it….Fascism, wrapped in a flag, carrying a bible! And yet, here we all sit, waiting and fiddling while Rome is burning! Perhaps we will wake up “Impeachment is off the table” indeed, Mrs. Pelosi! Our constitution is being cleared off as well.


  123. r m reddicks Says:

    sorry that was 36.

    Beyond my mistake.

    The Dems just don’t have the votes. It’s realpolitik and it allows more people to die. Allows more criminals to stay free. The Dems do have a bully pulpit and it’s criminal that they aren’t using it more.

    God forbid these “front runners”, well, just god forbid these front runners. Even Biden made more sense on the ABC morning show with G.S. When will they let Kucinich get a little air time? He’s got some issues I disagree with, but hell, name someone you don’t have issues with. And at least he’s funny.


  124. TheIndependenceParty Says:

    There will come a day in America when we will have to “De-Bush-ify” the United States Government, as Bush “de-Baathified” Iraq, to restore the rule of law and remove the stench left by these men on our Land. To expedite the process we will require a Tribunal to be convened and try these criminals together, and sentence them together. Then, convicted of the felonies they have committed, they will not be able to vote or serve again in their lifetimes.

    The only consolation is that there truly WILL COME A DAY


  125. r m reddicks Says:

    43 & 44

    #

    Prison for these crooks? Thats too good for the vermin. We must find a more appropriate cure. Hanging? Still too good. Firingsquad?

    Comment by angryvietnamvet — June 16, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
    #

    We must find a more appropriate cure. Hanging? Still too good. Firingsquad?

    Comment by angryvietnamvet

    Drawn and quartered?

    Comment by Your Old Friend Cassius — June 16, 2007 @ 2:58 pm

    Give ‘em to Al-Qeada. Just make them work rebuilding Iraq first. Their families and money, too.


  126. civil behavior Says:

    I heard Dennis Kucinich speak yesterday. All I’d heard up until then was he was some kind of kook.

    If you want a real statesman for the presidency you’ll work your balls off for this man.

    Otherwise in Clinton, or Obama or Edwards you get the same old hash.

    If you have a chance to hear him speak do yourself a favor …..don’t miss him.


  127. nagamaki Says:

    Ha, people believe this above the law crappola and neoconism is something of recent times. This country was founded upon wiping out the American Indian, and then slavery. The civil war never ended. Neocons began their march to take over the republican party with the bullet that killed Lincoln. But, it didn’t stop there, JFK, RFK, Martin Luther, and now the march to the WH and total corruption is complete. Corporate America, fascism, greed, are all natural partners to the neocon cause. Bush and Rove both have nazi lineage, authoritarian dictatorship is in their genes, and they found the perfect set of executioners in Dick, Wolfowitz, Pearle, Rummy, and the rest. All for one, and all for one! This steamrolling partisan politics has taken place in local republican politics forever, the dems for the most part have always turned a blind eye to it.
    Just look what they’ve done to the EPA, corporate lobbyists for the energy companies are now regulating the energy companies. King Ronny and Jame Watt are barbecuing in hell for sure.

    I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.
    Unknown, Often attributed to Abraham Lincoln


  128. PopeRatzo Says:

    “So, you’ve got to deal with Bush and Gonzales people for a long, long time.”

    Not really. A good, healthy purge may be due. We can start by seeing whose houses are paid off, whose kids are in expensive private schools.

    The marxists weren’t all wrong. Sometimes you have to start with a clean slate.


  129. Shivas Says:

    A traitor is someone who puts loyalty to their party over loyalty to their country.

    Spread the Meme


  130. r m reddicks Says:

    We’re all dealing in words here. Other than venting, what’s the point?


  131. kevkev Says:

    The Ruling Class Always Wins The Punch & Judy Show


  132. Loonesta Says:

    Please, what is this Constitution I keep reading of? Is it some brand of toilet tissue? I have been given this impression ever since the people’s glorious November 2000 coup d’etat .


  133. joshua Says:

    Rove should fry in hell for this and it goes without saying that Bush and Cheney should be impeached and imprisoned for their complete lack of morals and criminal activity. Somebody wake up the media, please. They are just as responsible for the bullcrap going on around the nation. People in desolate parts of the country, as a result havent got a clue the great peril our nation is in, and will continue ignorantly supporting the Bush Administration. Thank god for the likes of John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich.


  134. nagamaki Says:

    Re: “We’re all dealing in words here. Other than venting, what’s the point?” - rm reddicks

    You are correct.

    “Here today, here tomorrow”


  135. fitzmas Says:

    Karl sure be illin’

    Dr. Patrick J. Fitzgerald can help.



  136. TOTALVICTORY Says:

    To whoever said the “Office of Special Counsel” meets with Alberto Gonzales.

    This is totally false. They are not in “any way” connected to Gonzales office, anyone in Gonzales’ office, and they are a fully independent agency.

    The agency director, Scott Bloch was a political appointee.

    But that situation has been taken care of, as Bloch has to answer to James Byrne.

    Bloch is under the command of career officers and James Byrne is the one managing the investigations, meaning completely independent. It WILL find wrong-doing, and it will reccomend punishment for it in the harshest way.


  137. pat anderson Says:

    “The White House has admitted that roughly 20 agencies have received a PowerPoint briefing created by Karl Rove’s office “that included slides listing Democratic and Republican seats the White House viewed as vulnerable in 2008, a map of contested Senate seats and other information on 2008 election strategy.”

    WHY GO THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION THAT WILL JUST COST MILLIONS, GET PEOPLE IN THE HOT SEAT THAT “CAN’T RECALL” WHEN THIS PARAGRAPH IS AN ADMISSION THAT ROVE VIOLATED THE HATCH ACT. NOW, WHAT NEEDS INVESTIGATING IS WHAT AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED. WHO HEADED THEM AT THE TIME AND HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WERE INVOLVED.


  138. makesenseofit Says:

    If all is done well the House will fall. A winning hand may be 3 aces or a full house. The 3 aces
    Bush Cheney and Rove.


  139. JNagarya Says:

    Just like Lurita Doan, Karl Rove will engage the Democratic Congressmen in a discussion on some obscure esoteric rule of grammar and get away scott free, even if the Democrats are able to muster enough courage to exercise their power and force the Presidential advisor to testify under oath in public.

    Methinks Karl Rove and the Republicans are playing the Democrats for the fools that they are, making unforced errors in every play.

    Comment by gregor — June 16, 2007 @ 1:29 pm

    Inform yourself, kknow-it-all: the Democrats don’t yet have sufficient votes to do as you demand. Why? Because the Republicans are foot-dragging. So who do you bash? The Democrats.


  140. JNagarya Says:

    Note that this might be a setup from the Office of Special Counsel to clear Rove. After all, this is the Justice Department of Alberto and Karl, as some documents released by the Justice Department have indicated.

    Nothing from the Bush Justice Department can be trusted. Their high-level adminstrators’ outright and frequent lying has already been exposed.

    We don’t know what perfidy these monsters have been and will be perpetrating. They seem capable, though not yet out of futile desperation, of committing any offense conceivable. The Bushboys are just that evil.

    Comment by jkrogman — June 16, 2007 @ 1:32 pm

    The Office of Special Counsel is not located in the DOJ. It would be wise for you to inform yourself of the facts before popping off.


  141. Stephen Pitt Says:

    It’s end-of-semester time, democratic representatives.

    Divorce the self from all entanglements and focus. Nothing else matters. Don’t ask if Pinky’s a genius: Act like he is. Failure can not be an opti