Monday, May 29, 2006

The Dick & the Bush invade Congress; Gonzales stamps his feet


"Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and FBI director Robert S. Mueller III said this week that they were prepared to quit if the White House directed them to relinquish evidence seized in a disputed search of a House member’s office, The New York Times reported Saturday." (For rest of story)

Who knew there would be such extraordinary residual benefits to the Dick and the Bush's invasion of Congress?

Monday, May 22, 2006

Republicans in political trouble, enter anti-gay marriage amendment - again

I am struck by the relation between two recent news stories.

In yesterday's (Sunday) issue the NYT reports that

"Despite polls showing rising support for Democrats and scorn for Republicans, analysts have said Democrats hopes for big gains remain remote,because so few seats are in contention.

That appears to be changing."

The article quotes Andrew Kohut Pew Research Center director:

"Everything is pointing to a pretty big Democratic victory if attitudes toward Congress remain as negative as they are and attitudes toward President Bush remain as negative as they are" ... "It's hard to imagine any way that wouldn't happen."

Unless. And that's where the second story comes in.

Illustration: Mirko Ilic
from Village Voice
"Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard said he hopes this is the year the U.S. Senate will vote for his proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, which cleared a key committee Thursday and is headed to the full Senate in June.

"'Now is the time to send to the states a constitutional amendment that protects traditional marriage and prevents judges from rewriting traditional marriage laws,' said Allard, a Republican.

"Allard and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., sponsored the amendment in 2004, but it failed in both the House and Senate.

"Thursday's party-line vote was a small victory. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure which states, 'Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.'

"But its chances of passing the full Senate are slim. Democrats and opponents of the measure accused Republican leaders of pushing the amendment in an election year, purely for political reasons." (for complete article see The Denver Channel)

Or as the American Agenda blog asserts:

"Senators [Bill] Frist and [Rick] Santorum are feeling threatened. With only six months before the November election, the two Republicans are ready to pull out all the stops to try to save their own asses.

"Play one in the book: marginalize the gays!"


Much needs to be done before the totally opportunistic Republicans try to slip by the first constitutional amendment designed to specifically discriminate against a group of U.S. citizens. And the American Agenda blog gives you much useful information

Also see the Human Rights Campaign against the amendment.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Da Vinci Code blows archdiocese' minds


According to the Washington Post's Kevin Sullivan:

"Christians in many countries denounced the movie The Da Vinci Code as it opened Friday, complaining that the big-screen adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel distorts history and offends Christians.
" 'The Da Vinci Code gratuitously insults Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church,' said Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Birmingham, England. 'It deliberately presents fiction as fact.'"

Hey, it presents fiction as fiction. Yes, it distorts history, that's what fiction does. That's why it's called fiction.

If these people really had faith in their beliefs, they would ignore books and movies like The Da Vinci Code. But then that's what they do best, play the victim.

But then anything that pisses-off William Donoghue can't be all bad. It's so much fun watching the steam come out of his ears on tv.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Deja Vue : Bush says, "He's the right man."


President Bush nominated Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-Fla.), a CIA officer-turned-politician, as director of central intelligence yesterday [August 10, 2004] and said he would rely on Goss's counsel on the politically volatile issue of intelligence reform in the midst of a presidential campaign.

"He knows the CIA inside and out," Bush said in a Rose Garden announcement yesterday morning. "He's the right man to lead this important agency at this critical moment in our nation's history."


"He's the right man to lead the CIA at this critical moment," Bush said in making the announcement [yesterday] with Hayden at his side in the Oval Office.

Hayden, 61, the No. 2 U.S. intelligence official who directed the National Security Agency until last year, would replace Porter Goss. He was forced to resign Friday amid criticism over his ability to lead the espionage agency in an era of post-September 11 reforms.

(Thanks to John Stewart for noting this echo from the past)

Monday, May 08, 2006

May 10: Book event: David Sirota's Hostile Takeover


This is from MoveOn, it looks interesting:

Campaign '06: The Year of the Hostile Takeover?

Join David Sirota, PLAN, and DMI in a conversation about why our middle class is disappearing and who is responsible.

May 10, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

1199 SEIU Serkasky-Davis Conference Center
330 West 42nd Street (bt.8th and 9th Aves)
(42nd St from N, R, W, 1, 2, 9, A, C, E)

Panelists:
David Sirota, author, “Hostile Takeover”
Dr. Elizabeth Warren, Harvard Law and author of The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle Class Mothers and Fathers are Going Broke.
Howard Wolfson, Glover Park Group
Adriano Espaillat, New York State Assembly

Moderated by Andrea Batista Schlesinger, Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy

Please RSVP to dmi@drummajorinstitute.org or 212.909.9663.


Author David Sirota, a veteran political strategist and Capitol Hill operative, has released a new book called "Hostile Takeover" showing how political corruption is creating policies that are intensifying America's middle-class squeeze. Now, with corruption scandals dominating the news and with wages stagnating, pensions being slashed, and health care costs skyrocketing, America is at a boiling point - just in time for the 2006 elections. Will the hostile takeover of America's government by Big Money interests take center stage in the upcoming campaign season? And what are the particularly odious policies that could be economic wedge issues in the upcoming campaign?

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Friday, May 05, 2006

And how better to close than with
the spectacular Missle Dick Chicks
 
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The Grannies once more
 
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The Labor Chorus at Foley Square (Remember May 13 at The people's Voice Cafe) Posted by Picasa
Professor Louis recites poetry
 

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Our old friend Marilyn Clement, National Coordinator, Healthcare-NOW, the leading force in the movement for a national healthcare plan "so that everyone in the country will be covered." Contact them at www.healthcare-now.org or 212-475-8350
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Finally! Foley Square

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Sorry! I just love the "Grannies" 
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The wonderful "Raging Grannies" sing 
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Photo by Dan Cohen  Posted by Picasa