ThinkFast: April 8, 2009
ThinkFast: April 8, 2009
During his first trip to Iraq yesterday, President Obama “elicited cheers and thunderous applause from American troops” as he thanked them for their service and underscored his commitment to withdrawal by 2011. Many Iraqis also “spoke approvingly of Obama,” compared to President Bush’s final visit when he had a shoe thrown at him.
According to the IMF, “[t]oxic debts racked up by banks and insurers could spiral to $4 trillion,” up from the $2.2 trillion predicted by the organization in January. “The IMF’s new forecast…will come as a blow to governments that have already pumped billions into the banking system.”
Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday that Israel’s new government would be “ill-advised” to launch a military strike against Iran. Biden added, “I don’t believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu would do that.” His comment “underscored a gap between the conservative new Israeli government and the Obama White House on a series of questions, including the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and Iran.”
“A federal judge dismissed the ethics conviction of former Senator Ted Stevens” while also “taking the extraordinary step of naming a special prosecutor to investigate whether the government lawyers who ran the Stevens case should themselves be prosecuted for criminal wrongdoing.” Judge Emmet G. Sullivan said that he had “never seen mishandling and misconduct” like what he saw in the Stevens case.
A veteran patient named “Sgt. X” recorded a conversation with a V.A. psychologist last June who told him, “All the clinicians up here are being pressured to not diagnose PTSD.” Salon writes that the Senate Armed Services Committee declined to investigate the matter, and the Army “cleared itself of any wrongdoing” in its own internal investigation. Listen to the recorded conversation here.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said yesterday that the U.S. should invest in so-called “clean coal” technology. “It absolutely is worthwhile to invest in carbon capture and storage because we are not in a vacuum,” Chu said, adding that even if the U.S. and Europe move away from coal, “India and China will not.” “Quite frankly,” he said, “I doubt if the United States will turn its back on coal.”
“Members of Congress and advocates for the armed services pushed back” yesterday against Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ plan to reform the Defense Department budget by cutting some traditional weapons systems while investing in others. Military analysts told the New York Times that the biggest lobbying campaigns will be aimed at stopping Gates’ deep cuts to F-22 and the Future Combat Systems.
“Three members of the Congressional Black Caucus met with ailing former Cuban President Fidel Castro on Tuesday,” marking the first time that “Castro has met with any American officials since he fell ill and had intestinal surgery in 2006.” The lawmakers are interested in relaxing travel and trade restrictions between Cuba and the U.S.
Al Franken (D) “extended his lead over former Sen. Norm Coleman (R) in the ongoing Minnesota Senate recount on Tuesday,” increasing his winning margin to 312 votes. “There are still legal issues to be resolved in recount court, but Coleman can no longer gain enough votes to overtake Franken.” Yesterday, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) called on Coleman to concede.
And finally: Was that First Lady Michelle Obama on F Street in D.C. yesterday? No, it turns out that it was just the unveiling of her wax likeness at Madame Tussauds. Nevertheless, there was a block-long line outside the museum of people itching to glance the new statue. The wax Michelle Obama is dressed in a “custom-designed red sleeveless dress and black cardigan” and “stands in the museum’s replica Oval Office.” One visitor said that the figure was “[e]xactly like her” because it captured her “essence.”
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If Peru can do it, so can the (and should ) the U.S.
Peru’s Ex-President Convicted of Rights Abuses
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/world/americas/08fujimori.html?_r=1&hpw
April 8th, 2009 at 9:05 amIf you want a chuckle, check this out:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090407/COMMENTARY/904079997/-1/RSS?ref=fp6
April 8th, 2009 at 9:11 amPresident Obama elicited cheers and thunderous applause from American troops.
The troops want to come home from this bullshit war. Support our troops and bring them home-NOW!
April 8th, 2009 at 9:15 amAND THAT MEANS YOU, TROLLS!
Oh, come on! “Loyal Bushies” wouldn’t engage in any wrongdoing of sny sort! or would they????
April 8th, 2009 at 9:17 amAl Franken (D) “extended his lead over former Sen. Norm Coleman
Ironic: Franken is the comedian, but Coleman turned the campaign and election into a joke.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:18 amThe whole system is toxic.
Do we really need to tax the act of moving or withdrawing retirement accounts? These places have going concern problems galore.
Why don’t we just have a retirement stimulus and give people new savings, then let the other ones brave the seas?
If a company knew what it was doing it would not be ravaged by credit default swaps AND sub-prime, and other derivatives. Break these companies up if they’re too big to fail.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:19 amSovereign Immunity?
WTF?
State’s Secrets?
Olbermann said some disturbing things about the DOJ last night.
Retroactive immunity is a terrible precedent, and must be addressed.
I don’t care if God himself is President; sovereign immunity is an unacceptable premise for covering up illegal spying.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:22 amI have to agree with that last assessment. So, I would have to support research into creating “clean coal,” although I feel it would more aptly be named “cleaner coal” since burning things can never truly be ‘clean.’ (With the possible exception of burning hydrogen and oxygen)
April 8th, 2009 at 9:22 am“A federal judge dismissed the ethics conviction of former Senator Ted Stevens” while also “taking the extraordinary step of naming a special prosecutor to investigate whether the government lawyers who ran the Stevens case should themselves be prosecuted for criminal wrongdoing.” Judge Emmet G. Sullivan said that he had “never seen mishandling and misconduct” like what he saw in the Stevens case.
It amazes me how the Republicans are using the misconduct of the Bush Administration’s Department of Justice to ask for a new election….
April 8th, 2009 at 9:24 amTP: You left out an important detail:
Editor’s note: Last June, during a medical appointment, a patient named “Sgt. X” recorded an Army psychologist at Fort Carson, Colo., saying that he was under pressure not to diagnose combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Listen to a segment of the tape here.
This taping occured during the Bush Administration, and that should have been noted. Also, an appropriate follow-up would have been to check with current Administration officials for comment.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:26 amI’d love to read that article, but Im not paying $295 for a year of web access.
Eff Roll Call
April 8th, 2009 at 9:27 amI believe the next major crisis for Obama is going to be Israel. Their new government seems to be overly enthusiastic to bomb Iran.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:27 amOh and usury needs to be OUTLAWED even if the rate starts low.
Uptick rule, more tax and reg on short sales, all mortgage forms must be in any language requested, accurately, income required and down payment.
Trim the military-prison-industrial complex and old boy’s network. Male WASP dominance is as old and passe as persecuting the Irish or fighting suffrage.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:30 amZimzone,
Sovereign immunity is the most powerful legal weapon any government has. It’s a holdover from the days of Kings. The doctrine stems from the old notion that the King could do no wrong, and you cannot sue the King without the King’s permission.
Now, in this country, we can sue our government for a wide variety of wrongs. BUT, when the “king” raises the “state secret” defense, and the “sovereign immunity” defense, those defenses are absolute. Our courts lack jurisdiction to go any further.
The only solution is political. Until a law is passed to further limit those defenses, they will always be raised. Unfortunately, during the Bush Administration, the opposite occured, the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act and other laws were passed which increased governmental immunities. Which is why, for example, that perhaps the only forum that can try Bush & Co. for war crimes would be an international court of law.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:32 amthat list i asked for help on yesterday (where was your outrage the past 8 years when ___ ? ) was covered handily, and spectacularly, by jon stewart last night… another great rant!
and thanks for your tip molly…
April 8th, 2009 at 9:32 amSoldiers cheered Obama because they believe/hope/wish/dream he’s gonna bring ‘em home. Of course, they’re applauding him. NOBODY wants to be there. It’s a shit-hole, with live rounds…
I predict: That’s not gonna happen. “Combat” troops will become “force protection/training/security troops,” is all…Those, that is, those who aren’t sent straight to another shit-hole war, in AfPak.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:33 amV.P. Joe Biden seems to be confident of himself when he said that Natanyahu will not attack Iran.
Natanyahu can pull strings in US Congress more than what both Obama and Biden can.
Natanyahu’s buddies who chair the Foreign Relations Committees and Financial Committees and many other places in this government from Rahm to Ross to Hillary Clinton will go for his war plans.
Hillary keeps saying the war option is on the table,and if we are not careful, Bibi Natanyahu might put this country in another war with Iran,that’s more devastating than wars we are in now,with huge economical impact on US and the world.
Didn’t Biden say once that he is a Zionist himself…and proud of it…?!!
April 8th, 2009 at 9:38 amThis taping occured during the Bush Administration, and that should have been noted. Also, an appropriate follow-up would have been to check with current Administration officials for comment.
I’ll believe there’s been a change when there’s an up-tick in the number of PTSD diagnoses…
THe VA is incentivized to IGNORE possible injuries if they compel the Govt to spend money. This has been true for at least 40 years, through EVERY regime since the Nam War started…
April 8th, 2009 at 9:38 amBobwurst Says:
If you want a chuckle, check this out:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/ apps/ pbcs.dll/ article?AID=/ 20090407/ COMMENTARY/ 904079997/ -1/ RSS?ref=fp6
Thanks. Funny.
Note that apparently Oreilly is “calling for an advertising boycott on the Chicago Sun-Times”. Really?
So, I EXPECT to see ALL THOSE Oreilly supporters who whined about how badly he was being treated with the letters to his sponsors… I mean Advertisers… I mean, ‘completely unrelated people spending money that magically goes to the show that they advertise on, but in no way is meant to indicate that the advertised product or its company supports or does not support the views of the show (or newspaper), since they are only trying to sell a product where the viewers for the advertisements are.” (Lawdy, that is one long-@ss excuse.)…
…Anyway, all the Oreilly supporters who did not support capitalism in action against Oreilly, should be around deriding Oreilly for doing the same thing elsewhere… right?… right?…. hello?….. yooo hoooo……
(Chicken-hawk two faced lying hateful unpatriotic crybabies)
(Boy, have I been in a mood lately)
April 8th, 2009 at 9:44 amBriseadh na Firefly Says:Zimzone,
Thanks.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:45 amHow Monarchial! The American Revolution was fought to escape the King’s rule. Why on earth would we want to continue such archaic law? (Rhetorical question, of course.)
Dr. Moth Matt Says
April 8th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Ye, Becky still denies responsibility for Pittsburgh shooting, but adds that Obama “will slowly but surely take away your gun or take away your ability to shoot a gun, carry a gun“
____________________________________________________________
There are a couple of things going on here — one being really, really dangerous. We have blathering wingnuts whose way of making a living is to get people as angry and fired up as possible by manufacturing threats that either don’t exist at all, or are wildly spun out of control. And if a few of these angry, fired up people go off the deep end, the blathering wingnuts claim they are blameless.
The other thing going on is gun manufacturers and gun sellers pushing the “Obama is going to take away your guns” meme in order to sell a lot of guns. This has gone on every single time a Democratic president has been elected, but the gun people are counting on potential customers having short memories.
It might be time to watch “Bowling for Columbine” again. As Michael Moore pointed out, Canada has just as many guns per capita as we do (maybe more), yet the number of people up there getting killed by guns is far less than it is here. The problem doesn’t seem to be having a lot of guns around, the problem seems to be a high level of fear and distrust combined with having a lot of guns around. And a$$holes like Beck are doing their best to feed that paranoia, creating a less safe society.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:48 amtarazan Says: You seem to have a very good crystal ball to say what is going to happen in the middle east. I didn’t know Natanyahu was the real president of the US. I also didn’t know Hillary Clinton took her marching orders from Natanyahu. I do agree that Natanyahu is going to be a problem for US policy, but I think you give him way to much power. Also, please give a link as to Biden saying he was a Zionist.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:49 amBecause wars still happen. Espionage still happens. Manunkind has not yet evolved to a state of being where we can truly trust and be trusted in all our dealings.
Thus we can love our “James Bonds” and yet turn a blind eye to the fact that our governments actually do employ individuals with a “license to kill.” The activities of the Bush Administration, have ended up shining a light on this dirtly little underside of our own country.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:52 amObama getting thunderous applause from the troops must really hurt the Republicans. :)
Xe
April 8th, 2009 at 9:59 amThe lawmakers are interested in relaxing travel and trade restrictions between Cuba and the U.S.
__________________________________________________________
And WHY do we still have trade and travel restrictions between Cuba and the U.S.?
Now that the Soviet Union is no more and the Cold War is over, it’s not like they’re a military threat.
I think we can safely say that one of the original objectives, to squeeze the Cubans to the point where they would overthrow Castro — hasn’t worked.
No, the ONLY reason to continue with this lunacy is to appease the Cuban-Americans — many of whom live in Florida, a key swing state.
It seems insane that a relatively small group of Americans can wield such a large influence over our foreign policy. The only group of Americans wielding larger influence than the Cuban-Americans would be the American Jewish population influencing our position toward Israel and the Middle East.
It’s time to end all embargoes against Cuba. A number of benefits will materialize — Cubans will be better off, there will be fewer boat people trying to reach Florida (and dying in the process), Cuba will become a hot new tourist destination, and cigar smokers will rejoice. It’s win-win all the way around.
If what we want to do is end communism in Cuba, don’t we think the most effective way to do that is to invade them with capitalism?
April 8th, 2009 at 10:01 amPerry logan Says:
Obama getting thunderous applause from the troops must really hurt the Republicans. :)
Watch for Bachmann to claim that our new president is using Iraq as his proving ground for L-RECs (liberal re-education camps)
PEACE
April 8th, 2009 at 10:03 ammisscoleopteramolly, it’s totally hypocritical to allow “communism” to continue to be a part of any argument with respect to Cuba, what with the huge trade deficit with, and willingness to export millions of jobs, in fact entire industries to, China.
And China isn’t even a communist country. It is a totalitarian dictatorship masquerading as communism.
Who allowed the United States to borrow money from China to fund the national debt?
PEACE
April 8th, 2009 at 10:06 amBriseadh na Firefly Says:
Because wars still happen. Espionage still happens. Manunkind has not yet evolved to a state of being where we can truly trust and be trusted in all our dealings.
Thus we can love our “James Bonds” and yet turn a blind eye to the fact that our governments actually do employ individuals with a “license to kill.” The activities of the Bush Administration, have ended up shining a light on this dirtly little underside of our own country.
(The following rant is not an attack on your comment — merely inspired by your comment)
But we already knew all that. The arguments of the defense are ridiculous. Not only do WE know that all these things go on, but foreign nations, large terrorist organizations (etc.) not ONLY have known all this, but know it all far better than we do.
Just to look at Telecom immunity: what great secrets are they hiding? That they look and listen to all communications? That there are comupters processing everything looking for key words or phrases? That they target certain names, or ethnic sounding names?
Telecom immunity is payment for compliance with unconstitutional activities — and if the telecoms did not get immuity, they’d ALL be screaming to the courts with every scrap of evidence that they have in abundance indicating that the government (and specific individuals within the government) acted in clearly unconstitutional and clearly illegal manners with the communications spying (so as to plea bargain for lesser sentencing). And WE ALREADY KNOW ALL THIS. But, for them to open it up opens up the issue to the courts.
There are no great and secret espionage methods being used that would jeapordize the security of the nation if revealed, except for revealing the extent of corruption in our government.
The terrorists and foreign nations are well aware of espionage methods and tools — we the people are not, and it from US, “we the people”, that the government wants to keep this information from.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:07 amGood for Obama for going to Iraq. He did a fine job on this trip.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:09 amWe need to normalize relations with Cuba. It’s time.
Good for Holder for doing the right thing at Justice. While Stevens is probably guilty, if they did not handle the case correctly, Holder needed to do what he did.
Have you all heard and seen the repugs have fits of apoplexy in their desperate search to criticize Obama in this successful trip to Europe and now to Iraq?
April 8th, 2009 at 10:13 amThis morning, they are claiming that only his military “fans” came out for him. That his trip was unsuccessful. That he kowtowed to the Muslims, proving he is secretly a Muslim, and so on and on.
They seem to be just beside themselves to have to admit that Americans like Obama and so does the rest of the world.
After the damage that Bush did over 8 years, to have this turn around in 8 weeks is an accomplishment in and of itself.
THe VA is incentivized to IGNORE possible injuries if they compel the Govt to spend money.
This is a form of pay for performance. It distorts behavior as people optimize the incentive, instead of doing what’s best for the customer/student/patient in front of them.
President Obama endorses pay for performance for education and healthcare. Expect more PTSD stories as the distorter winds it way through those systems.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:13 am1. Dr. Moth Matt Says: Ye, Becky still denies responsibility for Pittsburgh shooting, but adds that Obama “will slowly but surely take away your gun or take away your ability to shoot a gun, carry a gun“
Beck is spearheading the return of RTLM, American version…
April 8th, 2009 at 10:13 amAll you liberal fools followed Obama blindly and uncritically, getting your info from propaganda outlets like CAP. You’re not thinking and, while people in the US are striving to survive in spite of the major set back of having Obama as President, you’re oblivious to what is happening and what needs to be done.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:14 ammisscoleopteramolly Says:
If what we want to do is end communism in Cuba, don’t we think the most effective way to do that is to invade them with capitalism?
____________
That’s been my position for the last THREE DECADES or so.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:14 amGen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
All you liberal fools followed Obama blindly and uncritically…
________
Gee… nice stereotyping.
You’re covering yourself w/ your own spittle, General.
Napkin?
April 8th, 2009 at 10:16 amI knew it! You’re after my pure essential fluids!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:18 amGen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
All you liberal fools followed Obama blindly and uncritically, getting your info from propaganda outlets
Says the idiot who watches faux News… Funny, 6 months ago it was unpatriotic treason to critize the president…what ever could have changed? Oh that’s right, You lost general jackoff. Why don’t you sit down and shut up while the grown ups clean up your mess.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:18 am35. Gen. Jack “P” Ripper Says: All you liberal fools followed Obama blindly and uncritically, getting your info from propaganda outlets like CAP. You’re not thinking and, while people in the US are striving to survive in spite of the major set back of having Obama as President, you’re oblivious to what is happening and what needs to be done.
We’re fixing bush’s massive screwups as fast as we can…there’re just soooo many…
April 8th, 2009 at 10:19 amdeebaser #13
April 8th, 2009 at 10:20 amI think Roll Call is available free, on line.
Gen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
You’re covering yourself w/ your own spittle
I knew it! You’re after my pure essential fluids!
Crap! I got punked. General Jackoff is a parody. Nicely played sir, you had just the right amount of unfocused batshit.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:22 amThat’s just…weird.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:23 am38.Gen. Jack “P” Ripper Says: I knew it! You’re after my pure essential fluids!
While pus is technically an ‘essential fluid, it isn’t something you’d be mined for. You’re of more value to farmers and gardeners for what’s stored in your cranium…
April 8th, 2009 at 10:23 amWe had a small victory in the suburbs of Chicago last night. The College of DuPage (a large community college) had BOT election and the all the incumbent (republican thugs) lost. 3 of the4 IEA-NEA endorsed cantidates won and we wrestled control of the college from the anti-educationalists on the board!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:25 amI am uncomfortable too with the administrations support of immunity – but I will hold fire for this moment. Obama has appointed outsiders to some key positions, and he may not be eager to ruffle too many old-guard feathers (exposing too many wrong doings) involving too many people that he needs on board for the time being to pass his programs.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:26 amBut if this is still in place when things begin to settle down, then I will join with everyone in protest.
Gen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
I knew it! You’re after my pure essential fluids!
_________
Bile?
Urine?
Flopsweat?
You’re a walking biological weapon…
April 8th, 2009 at 10:26 amHey Gen. Jack, do you have a little uniform you wear with little medals on your chest? Did mommy get you a little toy M16 to go along with your uniform? Just wondering.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:27 amGeneral jackoff says:
Project much?
April 8th, 2009 at 10:28 amObama is America’s first global president, historian says
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama “is our first global president,” according to historian Douglas Brinkley.
“Obama came of age, really, after the Cold War, with the Internet being the transformative engine of society, and he now takes his multicultural heritage and the geographical diversity of his upbringing” to the world, Brinkley said in an interview Tuesday as Obama wrapped up his first trip abroad.
Brinkley, who has written about presidents from Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, said Obama “is playing to the world right out of the gates, whereas most presidents have not.”
LINK
Careful trolls, there’s some big words in there.
Wouldn’t want your tiny heads to explode, or would we?
April 8th, 2009 at 10:33 amBobwurst, I think Peter Roskam (R-IL) is on staff at the COD, and neighbors of mine vote for him simply because of that!
I am glad to hear that rethugs lost.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:36 amHere are some links for the election. It’s small, but I believe that change comes slowly. DuPage county is overwhelminly conservative and republican, yet we won.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cod-election-w-zone-03-apr03,0,2792990.story
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=284861&src=2
April 8th, 2009 at 10:36 amIn ultraconservative Bartlett, the outgoing mayor’s choice lost in a landslide to an independent.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:38 amZimzone Says: “The American Revolution was fought to escape the King’s rule.”
Quite wrong.
Britain disestablished “King’s rule” after having fought a civil precisely over that issue. After 1645 the monarch had no power to initiate or decree any laws or demand taxes by royal fiat.
The American Revolution was about taxation and representation. Acts of civil unrest then prompted the imposition of martial laws and the suspension of extant civil rights and legal in the colonies, which turned hat was essentially a protest into outright rebellion against the British Government (and rightly so). .
April 8th, 2009 at 10:38 amWhat did we miss?
C&L has a bit about a Focus on the Family staffer who “found the Lord at age 14″ getting busted for using the internet to lure a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him.
The fundies are prolly cool with it, though. I mean, at least it was a girl.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:39 amGen. Jack “P’d his underoos” Ripper Says:
Nothing, really.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:39 amsorry– a civil war.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:41 amGeneral Jack Pricklicker = Mr. P.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:42 amralph the wonder locust Says:
The fundies are prolly cool with it, though. I mean, at least it was a girl.
______________
Yer statement is short a few key words, ralphie…
“I mean, at least it was a HUMAN girl, FOR ONCE…
April 8th, 2009 at 10:43 amGen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
Talkin’ loud, ain’t sayin’ nothin’
Get stuffed.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:48 amEnergy Secretary Steven Chu said yesterday that the U.S. should invest in so-called “clean coal” technology. “It absolutely is worthwhile to invest in carbon capture and storage because we are not in a vacuum,” Chu said, adding that even if the U.S. and Europe move away from coal, “India and China will not.”
I have to agree with that last assessment. So, I would have to support research into creating “clean coal,” although I feel it would more aptly be named “cleaner coal” since burning things can never truly be ‘clean.’ (With the possible exception of burning hydrogen and oxygen)
Simple solution…..TAX IMPORTS TO THE HILT FROM THESE COUNTRIES. Simple but effective!!!!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:50 amoh and one more comment..
just about all I was officially taught (in the UK) about America over seven years of study was that that was where potatoes and tobacco came from, and then the American’s helped out in the last year of WWI and ummm…the end.
I was taught more about the formation of Italy than of the US. I hope the curriculum has changed because the American Revolution was kind of important, you know> :D
April 8th, 2009 at 10:52 amralph @55: …who “found the Lord at age 14? getting busted for using the internet to lure a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him.
Evidently “finding the Lord at age 14″ is code.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:54 amIt took the VA almost two years to finally admit that my brother, a VIETNAM War veteran, had PTSD and increase his disability. Then it was almost another two years until they finally began paying him. The way the Bush administration ran the VA is ANOTHER national disgrace perpetrated by Cheney-Bush.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:59 amThe doctor said “now the V.A. is jumping on board, saying, ‘Well, these people don’t have PTSD,’ and stuff like that.”
Did the VA have a performance incentive for PTSD?
VA’s requirements for performance plans contained in its 2006 submission and 2007 draft submission show that VA made changes to the policy requirements for its performance plans to reflect a greater emphasis on measurable results.
Specifically, the elements of the job requirement in the 2007 policies provides that each critical element and performance element will be weighted, which was not previously required in 2006. These performance requirements, according to the policy, will be described in terms of specific result(s) with metrics that the SES member must accomplish for the agency to achieve its annual performance goals and represent at least
60 percent of the overall weight of the performance plan. The policy further states that the expected results should be specific, measurable, and aggressive yet achievable, results-oriented, and time-based.
http://www.gao.gov/htext/d07985t.html
April 8th, 2009 at 11:00 amGen. Jack “P” Ripper Says:
You are stupid ripper. A moron. Ignorant beyond human comprehension. Everyone knows its you moron wingnuts that are the hero worshippers. Your post was the projection of an idiot incapable of higher brain function. You regurgitate what you have been told to think because you have no capacity for anythihg else. I pity you. You were stupid yesterday, you are stupid today and tomorrow doesnt look good for you either.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:07 amIn some ways I think the Stevens case is going about as well as could be hoped. Sen. Stevens was punished for his crimes at least by being removed from office. That saves the country the cost of keeping him in his lavish lifestyle for another six years. And, the Bush era prosecutors who did such a bad job working on his case are going to be prosecuted for their misconduct. Hopefully, that will give Holder an opportunity to do a sweep through the Justice Department and remove a swathe of people who have burrowed in from the last administration.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:15 amfletc3her Says: Well said.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:17 amThat “Jack Ripper” is from Dr. Strangelove, and I think he’s a parody.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:21 amGen. Jack “P” Ripper in same crew as Captain Crunch?
April 8th, 2009 at 11:37 amMarie Says:
Bobwurst, I think Peter Roskam (R-IL) is on staff at the COD, and neighbors of mine vote for him simply because of that!
He’s not on staff as far as I know. In fact he chumped our Veterans club. Last January we were putting together our Veterans Benefits Fair and Roskam called us and asked to speak. We said of course and went on with our business confident that our keynote speaker was set. Three weeks ago he called and cancelled on us. We scrambled to find someone else, but as far as I’m concerned, Roskam sucks! If you know any vets out this way please let them know the fair is next Monday, the 13th. We have someone coming from the VA to talk about the changes in the GI Bill, among other attractions.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:39 amYet another shooting: Marie Moore left notes, audio tapes apologizing for murder-suicide
Betta buck: The killer mom was some kind of delusional Xian/Wackloon who thought (or found out) her son was ‘teh ghey’ and blamed herself… So she killed him–”sent him to heaven”–where only the angels are teh ghey…
April 8th, 2009 at 12:00 pmA federal judge dismissed the ethics conviction of former Senator Ted Stevens” while also “taking the extraordinary step of naming a special prosecutor to investigate whether the government lawyers who ran the Stevens case should themselves be prosecuted for criminal wrongdoing.
How sweet would that be, someone in the Bush DOJ being prosecuted. And they will probably roll over on the person who told them to mess up the Stevens prosecution. This could get very interesting.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:06 pmRE: pressure not to diagnose PTSD
Well as long as the Army cleared itself, that certainly closes the matter for me ?
April 8th, 2009 at 12:13 pmRe PTSD: How important is an accurate diagnosis for treatment?
America proves again it couldn’t care less about its fighting men and women. It’s about making bad government executives and hack politicians look good.
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April 18th, 2009 at 5:49 amsac ekimi