Oops...

I've had a couple "where are you?!" emails...forgot to post this.

I'll be on vacation starting within hours - a bunch of friends and I have a house rented on an island off the coast of Maine. Fishing, boating, and drinking will be accomplished in nearly dangerous quantities, but of course only 2 of the 3 at the same time.

In the meantime, be sure to visit as many “fellow blogger” links on the right hand side of the page – it’s the only place you can actually get news these days.

Cheers.

Some Weekend Fun 'n Games

If you live near coastal New England, you know we’re about to endure our 6th completely rain-soaked washout in the past 8 weekends (yep, 75% of the weekends up here since May 1st have been completely useless…yay). So, I thought I’d queue up some fun and games for everyone through the end of the weekend:

First, listen to Bill O-Reallly? hurl personal insults at various people, groups, and nations – keeping in mind Bill swears up and down he doesn’t hurl personal insults (click here to view the video of O’Reilly not telling people to shut up). You can hear Al Franken in the background, commenting on which person or group Bill was insulting during the audio clip. Listen here:

Next, listen to a clip of John Stewart’s interview with Republican party chair Ken Mehlman, where Mehlman admits from the corruption in his party stems. Listen here:

Next, I have a clip from the Daily Show from the day Bush returned from Iraq and was a little over-excited in dealing with the press. I have NO idea why Crooks & Liars didn’t post this, so if anyone has the video please email me. Listen here:

Rounding out the audio is a clip of Randi Rhodes interviewing Justin Frank, the author of “Bush on the Couch,” where he tries to dissect where Bush’s twisted, strange, juvenile behavior comes from. Frank, a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at George Washington University Medical Center and a teaching analyst at the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, and if anything else, provides an entertaining look into Bush’s brain (not Rove, his real brain). Listen here:

And finally – in order to test your own brain, Moxiegrrrl has posted a link to a quiz on her site, to see if you can tell if specific quotes were uttered by Adolf Hitler, or Ann Coulter. Good luck, and post your scores in the comments. I didn’t do so well. Go here for the quiz.

Report: Most of Hot Air Coming From Bush

More bad news for the Bush administration. They’re not big fans of the whole fancy book-learnin’ global warming evidence that just about which every single legitmate scientist has been warning us for well over a decade. Allow us to count the ways:

Well, we’ve pulled out of Kyoto (one of the only polluting nations in the world to do so).

We have actually hired members of the energy industry to re-write, edit and completely falsify reports released by scientists issued through the Environmental Protection Agency.

When asked the National Academy of Sciences to look into the issue and publish its findings, embarrassingly so for Bush, they agreed that yes the phenomenon is very real, very much a threat, and very much caused in large part by humans.

When the EPA did actually issue a reversal on the issue, Bush was asked why his administration flip-flopped: “I don’t think we have,” he said. (He obviously wasn’t aware of the report, and then when someone told him he responded, “Oh, OK, well, that's got to be true.")

The Bush administration has even gone out of its way to intimidate some of the leading NASA scientists on the issue, until those scientists went public with the allegations, while Faux news has actually put together Bush cheerleading documentaries dismissing the work of Al Gore and other leading Global Warming solution advocates (you may recall that Bush used to mock Al Gore around the debates when it came to alternative fuels for the country that’s “addicted to oil.”) Woops.

But honestly – ask yourselves how you’d expect anything different from an administration that is full of oil men, energy people, a Secretary of State with an oil tanker named for her, and a president who thinks the jury is out on evolution and sex education. Yep – this administration has the scientific progressiveness and depth of a grossed-out 6th grader dissecting their first frog in biology class.

Here’s the latest in Bush’s losing war on Global Warming awareness:

A panel convened by the National Research Council reached that conclusion in a broad review of scientific studies, reporting that the evidence indicates “recent warmth is unprecedented for at least the last 400 years.” The panel of top climate scientists told lawmakers that the Earth is running a fever and that “human activities are responsible for much of the recent warming.”

The report was requested last November by the chairman of the House Science Committee, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., to address naysayers who question whether global warming is a major threat.

Last year, when the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, launched an investigation of three climate scientists, Boehlert said Barton should try to learn from scientists, not intimidate them. Read on.

These top scientists however are omitting one obvious flaw in their studies. I believe it was newly minted Bush-supporter liberal Hollywood type Dennis Miller who said in all seriousness, that there is no way we could know the Earth’s temperature that far back due to the fact that we didn’t have thermometers.

By the same token, I honestly have Bush supporters at work citing the fact that it has been an unusually chilly May in Maine as their own counter to global warming evidence.

Sometimes the humor found in the line of reasoning from anti-evolutionists, anti-environmentalists, and the flat-Earthers is enough to offset the overwhelming urge to un-superglue their heads from their asses.

Iran? North Korea? Oil Prices? Nah, Flag Burning!

In the past, I’ve written about today’s Republican campaign and greater political strategies, and now that it’s in full swing, I thought I’d highlight the stupidity.

North Korea is officially poised to test a missile that is packed with enough boost and thrust to hit the United States. We’re currently engaged in one headline-starving, less prioritized war (Afghanistan), and another occupation where nearly 20,000 American soldiers have suffered injury, and to which another 2,500 have given their lives. We have incredible, gaping holes in our national security here at home, most notably at our nation’s ports, as well as an Iranian regime that is moving along quite nicely with its nuclear facilities – you know because the nation sitting on the 3rd largest oil reserve on the world needs to turn to nuclear power for its financial precedence. The national debt and federal government expansion, both led by the small-government, fiscally responsible Republicans, are the largest in American history, and those in the gulf and southeast coasts are wondering how well FEMA and local governments will respond during this, the start of Hurricane season.

So to what can we attribute the focus of the RepubliFear Congress? Gay marriage, and flag burning (priorities apparently listed in that order).

We all know the Gay marriage amendment, having been the first amendment in history to limit the freedom of a particular group rather than to broaden liberties for Americans, didn’t even make it to the floor for a Constitutional vote.

So, the Republicans have decided they’d take advantage of the national hyper-patriotic mood. They’re going to protect the actual symbol of the United States, instead of protecting the actual freedoms for which that symbol stands.

Now of course, Bush-supporters who read this site need thing broken down to a very simplistic, black and white level, so allow me to indulge them for just a second, and perhaps pre-emptively disarm these people of their obnoxious retorts ahead of time (this part isn’t for the progressives – you can simply skip down 2 paragraphs):

I’m not IN FAVOR of flag-burning. I’ve never burned an American flag, nor would I. When I see people burn the American flag, I’m not happy, proud or supportive – similar to when I see someone performing other unappealing, yet perfectly legal acts – say spanking their kid, or smoking while pregnant (both of which aren’t against the law, but actually affect another person physically, as opposed to flag desecration). What I am in favor of, as kooky as it sounds, is freedom of speech and expression, and to me, discarding a piece of cloth made in china, however vulgar the means, is much less destructive than discarding the freedoms, protections and history that particular cloth symbolizes. That cloth flag burned in San Francisco’s Haight district was not in the South Pacific sacrificing its life during WWII – my grandfather however was, so I’d rather honor him and the freedoms he helped secured, rather than that cloth sewn in 2005.

(Progressives and critical thinkers may now rejoin).

The Senate has projected it has 66 votes in favor of an anti-flag desecration amendment, which reads “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." To those Senators, I would like to make the following points:

How exactly do you define desecration, and who holds the definition? Should we limit it just to burning the flag? What about taking the flag and tearing it in half? My grandmother wore a sweatshirt with an American flag on it this weekend – she didn’t wash it in the gentle cycle and some of the material ripped off. Technically, she ripped an American flag by her own actions. What should we do with her? What if I ripped it off intentionally, or if I had sewn a patch over it? What if I burned her sweatshirt while it still had a flag on it? What if I have a flag on my wall and spray pain a swastika on it? What if my flag outside my door gets old, worn, and is falling apart? That way I’m not desecrating it but I’m allowing it to be desecrated. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Again like the failed gay marriage amendment, this will be the first time in CENTURIES of Constitutional law, that the Bill of Rights will be infringed upon, and in essence scaled back.

The Supreme Court, in 1989 settled this debate and ruled that flag desecration is protected act under the First Amendment. Does that make the Senators trying to circumvent the law, “activist?”

Freedom of speech has never been curtailed based on the fact that it offends people. Flag burning may be offensive to only to some, but to most – however that doesn’t pass the First Amendment test of when specific speech should be censored.

Throughout history, the Constitution has been amended to expand freedoms and legally define pressing issues that need protections. Have we had a surge of flag burning in the past 30 years, and has that activity threatened our liberties in freedoms in any way? Conversely, can you think of some things President Bush has done to circumvent the law and threaten our liberties and freedoms?

I realize I’ve been accused by Bush supporters of not supporting the troops, so I’m a bad example – but explain for me again how this Amendment helps our troops in Iraq & Afghanistan? Could we perhaps be debating and expanding benefits for soldiers, talking about their pay, security, health care, and medical treatment, or doing more to help their families back home? Perhaps even advocate Rush’s brilliant idea to support our troops?

I have been criticized by some in the past of not hammering on the Democrats enough on this web site. Well, allow me to bask in the opportunity. I think the 13 Democrats that would support this bill are not only in the wrong, they should be ashamed of themselves. We have all come to expect this type of political maneuvering and pandering by Republicans. We knew this would be the summer of flag burning, gay marriage, fetal pain and any other bills that rally the conservative base. (After all, conservatives in this great nation have been ignored for too long! ) However, the Democrats should know better, and the fact that they are joining hands on this wedge issue, this non-issue and non-threat “during a time of war” is absolutely inexcusable.

So yes, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton et all, you’re a bunch of sellouts. Welcome to the wedge issue summer of ’06, and thanks for bowing down to political pressure before bowing to the Constitution. Reason #4,212 I will not support any kind of Hillary primary win is due to the fact that she’ll move more and more to the right like some sort of Sean Hannity cocktail party whore, and this will be on record with all of the other concessions she’s made.

Either way, with or without Democratic support, it’s predicted that this Amendment will at least past the Senate, and become the law of the land before too long, so perhaps it’s wise to ask, just as I did with the death penalty, which nations will be keeping us company philosophically speaking. Here are some of note:

Nazi Germany
China
The former Soviet Union
Iraq (under Saddam)
Iran
Cuba
North Korea

As you ponder joining that stellar group, consider a quote I saw somewhere: "I would rather someone was wrapped in the Constitution burning the flag than wrapped in the flag burning the Constitution."

Or, perhaps Title 1, Chapter 4, Section 8 of the U.S. Code ("Respect for flag") might shed some light on the subject:

"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."

Which Man is More Blind?

Welcome to the Bush Insensitivity Training and Humor Seminar -
Listen:

Bush's giddyness is now officially out of control. Of course the liberal media is touting the two recent Bush "victories."

1). The man that never really had much power, fame, or state support before we invaded Iraq, and subsequently gained all three after our invasion is now dead. That's right, we just killed one of the boogie men we in part, created. Sweet.

2). This is perhaps my favorite - Karl Rove will apparently NOT be indicted. Think about this for a second. It's a good week for the Bush administration when one of them NARROWLY ESCAPES INDICTMENT. Wow.

Still energized by drinks from the good news fountain, Bush held a press conference regarding his visit to Iraq. You remember, the one Rummy projected would last...well, I'll let him tell you:

Listen:

And of course, Bush went on to explain to us why he took such an important mission...to find out what the hell them little critters we're bombin' are thinkin' and what they're really like!

Listen:

And finally, the one that takes the cake...click the image, above/right, for the video. And then read here.

(Ok, so everyone has probably seen the video already, but I can't help myself - the more audio and video I stack on my server, the more we can all forward to that asshole Republican uncle of ours. )

Absolut Corruption

I wanted to take a minute and share my updated list of Republican corruption. The skeleton from which I worked can be found all over the web at progressive sites. Due to that fact, I cannot figure out who initially compiled the list, but they deserve an amazing amount of credit because keeping track of this kind of thing is very difficult and time consuming.

A few days ago, I addressed some comments from a couple of people, specifically one “anonymous” commenter who said that the “(Democrats)… (are)just as (corrupt),’ it's been proven so many times.”

I’m here to say that I truly believe that theory is invalid, on many different levels, and I’m using the list below to highlight my point.

DISCLAIMER:
Let me first start by making what I’m NOT saying crystal clear.

I am not saying there isn’t corruption in the Democratic, Green, Independent, Communist, Social, Libertarian, and (insert party here) camps.

I believe that the disdain and skepticism of American government has grown steadily over the past few decades, to the point where politicians share the same punch line with lawyers and Priests, and frankly many of them deserve it. One could easily rattle off some of the Kennedy antics from 30 years ago, and scream “Bill Clinton’s infidelity” until they’re blue in the face.

What I am highlighting here, however, is the absolutely noticeable, measurable and obvious imbalance of political corruption, hypocrisy, and indictments in the today’s Republican party, when compared to their Democratic counterparts. I will be the first to admit that it’s not necessary Republicanism that corrupts, but rather power, which makes both parties susceptible. However, I would ask that people keep two things in mind when reading the list:

1. Almost all of the indictments, investigations, and criminal probes have come during the time when the very party of these politicians is in absolute, total, unchecked control of the law. Had there been some sort of accountability and balance in government, I believe this list would be much, much more expansive.

2. Since the 1960’s and catalyzed during the Reagan era, Republicans have always tried to associate themselves with Christianity, the moral majority, the party of God, the family values group, and the ethical elite. They constantly seek wedge issues to rally their base of holier-than-thou constituents that have hijacked the right wing of their party. Do not forget this is the party of corrupt Christian conservatives such as James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Bob Jones, Gary Bauer, etc etc. For that alone, you shouldn’t need this, but hey, someone challenged me and I accepted.

Many of you with progressive web sites have seen this list and are well aware of its circulation, in its more condensed form. However, I have looked up each scandal, read a few articles to both learn and refresh my memory, added a lot more detailed description, additional information, and where possible, links to the stories that back the allegation. Feel free to circulate this version or any other you find helpful.

Put the kids to bed – here we go:

Alaska state Senator Ben Stevens: Investigated for accepting consulting fees from oil services firm Veco. Semco Energy, the corporation that owns Alaska's largest natural gas utility, gives $70,000 a year in cash and stock to sit on its board of directors and was undisclosed by Stevens. He may be subject to a recall vote.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Ethics probe for accepting salary from two men’s fitness magazines while governor, possible kickback from American Media publisher to Schwarzenegger charity and silence money to a woman who had an extramarital affair with Schwarzenegger. There may be a criminal investigation. Arnold has also been in court for sexual harassment from one Rhonda Miller. The law suit alleges the Schwarzenegger "grabbed me, put me on his lap and started feeling my breasts, so I hit him in the head again. He got mad and pushed me away."

Bill O’Reilly: Settled sexual harassment suit out of court

Rush Limbaugh: Turned himself in for charges of committing fraud to obtain prescription drugs. Drugs include OxyContin, Hydrocodone, and Xanax. This of course occurred after Rush called Jerry Garcia a druggie stating that we are whackos for honoring a drug addict, and that drug users ought to be
convicted and they ought to be sent up.

California Rep Duke Cunningham: Faced bribery allegations regarding defense firm MZM, Inc, and was investigated by the Pentagon. Pleaded guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy, Nov. 28, 2005. In exchange for defense contracts, Cunningham received money and mortgage help on a few different mansions in California.

California Rep Dana Rohrabacher: Received trips to the Mariana Islands, the territory in which there has been rape and forced abortions tied heavily to Abramoff and Tom DeLay, from college friend Jack Abramoff, as well as free dinners at Abramoff’s restaurant.

Connecticut Gov. John Rowland: Accused, convicted, and imprisoned for accepting free renovations to his vacation cottage as well as charter flights and vacations from a state contractor, and of defrauding the IRS by not paying taxes on the free services. He was released from prison this past February after time served.

Delaware Atty General Jane Brady: Accused of helping MBNA Bank of Wilmington skirt campaign finance laws.

Jack Abramoff, GOP lobbyist, Bush Fund Raiser Pioneer, Bush/Cheney transition team member: Pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Currently naming other Republicans coinciding with his indictment to reduce his prison sentence.

Adam Kidan: College Republican member with Abramoff, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and fraud in December of last year.

Michael Scanlon, Chief of Staff to Tom Delay: Indicted Nov. 18, 2005 for conspiracy to defraud Indian tribes. Pleaded guilty 3 days later. Scanlon's public relations firm, Capitol Campaign Strategies, received millions of dollars from tribes involved in gambling casinos, funneling the money to conservative causes and Republican Party organizations

Steve Rosen, (AIPAC): Indicted for the leak of classified Pentagon information.

Keith Weissman (AIPAC): Same as above, turned himself in for arrest last May.

Larry Franklin: Pentagon official who leaked classified information about Iraq to the above men.

Scooter Libby, aid to VP Dick Cheney: Probed for illegal disclosure of CIA classified information. Indicted on 5 charges including, obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury. Trial pending.

Karl Rove: Probed for illegal disclosure of CIA classified information. New Grand Jury investigating Rove, possible indictment pending. Back in Texas, Rove was accused of bugging his own office and blaming it on the Democrats. While the evidence shows this was probably the case, he was never arrested.

David H. Safavian, Head of Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget: Arrested for made repeated false statements to government officials and investigators about a golf trip with Abramoff to Scotland in 2002. The indictment also accuses him of concealed his efforts to help Jack Abramoff acquire control of two federally managed properties in Washington.

Kenneth Tomlinson, Broadcasting Board of Governors member: Member of PBS who tried to inject more conservative bias into public broadcasting, now under investigation for violating the Public Broadcasting Act. The investigation found that Tomlinson broke the law. He was also found to be exchanging emails with Karl Rove.

Patricia Harrison, President Corporation for Public Broadcasting: This former Republican Party co-chairwoman was under investigation with Tomlinson for the same violations, and is the person Tomlinson hired, which was part of the indictment.

Dick Cheney, Vice President: Part of investigation for the Valerie Plame leak. Arrested for DWI in the early 1960’s in Wyoming. Twice. In Two years.

George W. Bush, President: Arrested at age 30 in Kennebunkport for DWI.
Katherine Harris, Florida Congresswoman: Probed for receiving illegal donations from MZM Inc (see Duke Cunningham) totaling $10,000.

Tom Feeney, Florida Congressman: Probed for corporate ties to Yang Enterprises, involved in over-billing the state of Florida. Feeney was Jeb Bush’s 1994 running mate for Lt. Gov.

Ralph Reed, Southeast regional chairman of the Bush-Cheney '04 and former Christian Coalition Head: Arrested but not prosecuted for staging a protest outside of an abortion clinic, (where mock baby funerals were held), after bursting into front doors of the Fleming clinic. He was under investigation in 1997 for charges that stemmed from “marking up” the Coalition’s bills. He resigned in April of that year. He is also associated with Jack Abramoff in many of the Casino scandals, and accepted more than $1 million in fees from the lobbyist on behalf of American Indian casinos and prompted a federal investigation. He is considered one of the principle players in the Abramoff scandal.

Guam Gov. Felix Camacho: Probed for demoting Acting US Attorney for Guam Frederick Black. Black had been supervising a grand jury investigation into lobbyist Jack Abramoff's secret arrangement with Guam Superior Court officials to lobby against a court revision bill then pending in Congress. An ethics team is investigating under the assumption the demotion was done in retaliation for investigating Abramoff.

Dalton Tanonaka, former Lt. gubernatorial and congressional candidate (and former anchor for liberal CNN): Under FEC investigation for campaign contribution violations. Also investigated for possible illegal foreign funding from Hong Kong and Japan. He pleaded guilty in July to a series of charges stemming for the campaign fraud, and making false statement on a loan application. He was sentenced to three months in federal prison.

Galen Fox, Republican House Minority Leader, Hawaii: Convicted on federal charges in Los Angeles of sexual battery on a woman during a Honolulu to LAX flight. He resigned in November 2005.

Dennis Hastert, Republican House Speaker: Probed for having been the recipient of tens of thousands of dollars of secret payments from Turkish officials in exchange for political favors and information.

Bob Kjellander , Republican National Treasurer, headed President Bush's re-election campaign in three states: Under Federal probe for steering investment contracts, specifically one for 4.5 million to Illinois Teachers Retirement Fund.

Lee Daniels, Former Illinois Republican House Leader: Subpoenaed by a federal grand jury conducting a criminal investigation for misuse of state employees for political activity and state contract kickbacks.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, Indiana: Under investigation for violating the “open records law” in return for Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts. The investigation also includes the following Republicans:

Thomas Sharp, INDOT Commissioner – See above

Jim Kittle, GOP state chairman - See above

Indiana Rep. Chris Chocola - See above

Adam Taff, Republican congressional candidate: Indicted last August for allegedly using campaign contributions to fraudulently obtain a loan for a $1.2 million home.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher, Kentucky: On May 11, 2006 a special grand jury indicted Fletcher on three misdemeanor charges for conspiracy, official misconduct and political discrimination. The following KY Republicans were indicted with him:

Transportation Commissioner Dan Druen: See above

Deputy Personnel Secretary Bob Wilson: See above

Darrell Brock, Chairman of Kentucky GOP: See above

Gov. Personnel Adviser Basil Turbyfill: See above

Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert: See above

Dick Murgatroyd, Gov. Deputy Chief of Staff: See above

Jim Adams, Deputy Transportation Secretary: See above

Cory Meadows, Executive Director, Transportation Dept.: See above

Kentucky GOP Treasurer Dave Disponett: Indicted on three counts of criminal conspiracy to commit political discrimination.

J. Marshall Hughes, Kentucky GOP party chairman: Indicted on two counts of the same conspiracy charge.

Senator David Vitter, Louisiana Senator: With lose ties to Abramoff, he inserted a provision into a Department of Interior spending bill for one of Abramoff's clients, the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, which prevented a competing casino from opening. He initially lied when he claimed he never met the lobbyist, despite having used Abramoff's restaurant, Signatures, for a September 2003 fundraiser.

Joseph Steffen, aide to Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich: Tasked by the governor to attend meetings in order to root people out not loyal to Ehrlich. He later resigned for writing e-mails and Web site postings that spread false rumors about the private life of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Mitt Romney, Mass governor: Awarded a $10,000 contract to a conservative Boston Herald op-ed columnist to promote the governor's environmental policies.

Lawrence Novak, Vice Chair, Mass GOP, Republican State Treasurer: Arrested in September ’05 after making a deposit in a Brockton bank, for money laundering.

Mike Cox, Michigan Atty General: Refused to investigate Graceland Fruit Inc. and its owner Don Nugent on potential felony pollution charges. He refused to say why.

Rep. Roy Blunt, Missouri House Majority Leader: Deeply connected to Abramoff, investigated for trading illegal PAC money with Tom DeLay through Blunt's Rely on Your Beliefs Fund.

Trent Lott, former Senate Majority Leader: In may of 2000, The Washington Post reported that Senate Majority Leader Lott may have pressured high-tech lobbyists for contributions to a non-profit organization, Americans for Job Security, to assist the re-election efforts of Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI), in exchange for legislative action on an immigration bill. Resigned from leadership post after making the comment that United States would be a better place if Strom Thurmond, who campaigned on a platform of racial segregation, was elected President.

Gene Chandler, NH Republican House Speaker: Stepped down from his post after being charged with violating the Legislature’s Ethics Guidelines. He failed to report $64,000 he received in gifts over a four year period, and pleaded guilty.

James Tobin, Northeast political director National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee: Indicted, conspiracy, orchestrated a plot to jam telephone lines set up by the Democratic party in New Hampshire on Election Day 2002. Convicted Dec. 15, on 2 telephone harassment charges. Sentenced to 7 months in federal prison. The presiding judge made the following statement on sentencing day: "I'm not sure you recognize that the nature of this offense is extraordinary. It was a direct assault on free and fair elections. ... Our democracy is fragile, it cannot afford assaults on the integrity of that process… We'll never know if the wrong people are sitting in government.” Other Republicans pleading guilty:

Chuck McGee, former Exec. Dir. New Hampshire Republican Party: See above

Allen Raymond, GOP Marketplace President: See above

Tom Wilson, New Jersey GOP State Chairman: Probed for his firm receiving $2.7 million from the Burlington County Bridge Commission.

Mike Furguson, Rep from NJ: A close friend of Jack Abramoff, Rep. Ferguson has accepted $54,413 directly from DeLay and his political action committee known as ARMPAC since 1998. The Ferguson campaign has also accepted close to $200,000 from fundraising programs run by former DeLay employees embroiled in corruption scandals.

Jeanine Pirro, Westchester County District Attorney and Republican US Senate candidate: Probed for campaign donations from mobsters. Signed joint tax returns for which her husband, Albert J. Pirro, was convicted. In 2000, he was convicted on 66 counts of federal tax fraud. Pirro had hidden $1 million in income from the Federal Government between 1988 and 1997, claiming dozens of personal luxuries as business expenses, including his $123,000 Ferrari and his wife's Mercedes-Benz. He served 17 months in prison.

Charles Taylor, Rep, NC: Investigation pending into Taylor’s investments, based on testimony in a criminal prosecution of three men involved with making fraudulent loans at Blue Ridge Savings Bank in Asheville, N.C, of which Taylor is the vice chairman.

Hayes Martin, Taylor’s Campaign Treasurer: Indicted for fraud and money laundering. He pleaded guilty last April and is currently on probation.

Ohio Gov. Bob Taft: Convicted, (pleaded no contest), and was the first Ohio governor convicted with a crime. $4000 fine and public apology, two Federal Grand Juries, one state Grand Jury still investigating Taft. Taft's conviction is grounds under the Ohio Constitution for impeachment and removal from office by the Ohio General Assembly. However, since both chambers are currently controlled by Republicans and impeachment is highly unlikely.

Thomas Noe, Bush-Cheney 04 campaign chair: Noe has been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for laundering money into the Bush/Cheney 04 campaign. In February ’05, Noe was indicted on 53 felonies including money laundering, theft, tampering with records and forgery. $50 million was missing from the State Workers Pension Plan when all was said and done due to a risky rare coin investment scandal.

Bernadette Noe, wife of Tom Noe, chair of the Lucas County Republican Party: A report by Ken Blackwell found gross failures on the part of Ms. Noe’s board in preparation for the administration of Nov ’04 elections. She is accused of failing to lock and secure ballots and voting machines; manipulating the three percent hand recount; and failing to properly remove Ralph Nader from county ballots.

Ohio Rep Rep. Bob Ney: Strongly tied to the Abramoff scandal with Tom DeLay, and is expecting federal indictment based on financial transactions in the Abramoff scandal.

Ohio Rep Jean Schmidt: Cut-and-run Jean subject of a probe regarding financial ties to Games, Inc., and proposal to put Ohio State Lottery on the Internet.

Douglas Moormann, Gov. Taft's Executive Assistant for Business and Industry: Charged with failing to report a $5,000 loan from Noe in 2004, under criminal investigation.

Douglass Talbot, Aide to Gove Taft: Failed to report a $39,000 loan from Noe in 2002 and made illegal contributions of $1,000 each to three Ohio Supreme Court justices.

Walden W. O'Dell, Chairman & CEO of Diebold (Voting Machines), major Bush-Cheney campaign contributor: After promising to "deliver" Ohio to Bush in 2004, he resigned in late 2005 after initiation of a class action lawsuit against Diebold for securities fraud.

Oregon Rep. Dan Doyle: Convicted and sentenced to 10 months in jail in October 2005 for falsifying campaign-finance reports. Doyle also was fined $127,185.

Pennsylvania Rep. Don Sherwood: Investigated by DC police for assaulting and choking a 29-year old Maryland woman.

Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick: Closely linked to the Abramoff scandal. Federal Elections Commission records show that Fitzpatrick has received $15,000 from the DeLay controlled Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (ARMPAC) since 2004. DeLay has been indicted in Texas for money laundering and accepting illegal contributions to one of his “leadership PACs.”

Mike Battles, 2002 Rhode Island House Candidate: Half of a firm called Custer Battles, disbarred from Iraq contracts after allegations of over charging and money laundering. Custer Battles LLC of Fairfax was paid approximately $15 million to provide security for civilian flights at Baghdad International Airport, even though no planes flew during the contract term. Custer Battles is one of the most underreported scandals in the current Iraq war. If you haven’t read about the firm, please look it up.

Vince Cianci Providence, RI Mayor: Indicted in April 2001 on federal criminal charges of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. Currently serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix. He is scheduled to be released in December of 2007. In August 2005, Cianci was denied a request for early release.

Bill Janklow, South Dakota Rep: In January ’02, convicted of second-degree manslaughter, speeding, running a stop sign and reckless driving.

Bill Frist, Senate majority leader: In September, ’05, SEC prosecutors issued a subpoena for documents HCA Inc believes may be related to the sale of its stock by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. He is accused of insider trading.

Former House Leader Tom Delay: Where to start? Admonished several times by the House Ethics committee, including bribery, threatening, misappropriation of tax dollars, money laundering, etc (click the link to read the list). Probed for campaign finance fraud, ties to Abramoff/Kidan, Saipan sweat shops. Grand Jury, Travis County prosecutor, and House Ethics Committee probing DeLay. Indicted by Travis County District Attorney for 1 count of criminal conspiracy and 2 counts of money laundering. Arrested and booked at Harris County jail October 20, 2005. One of the principal partners in the Jack Abramoff scandal. Conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering charges still stand after Texas Judge dropped the one count of criminal conspiracy on December 5, 2005. Also tied to Delay in terms of their indictments are the following:

Jim Ellis, Director Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) PAC tied to DeLay and Abramoff: Indicted, See above

John Colyandro, Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), DeLay associate: Indicted, See above

Warren RoBold, Lobbyist and DeLay associate: Indicted, See above

Tom Craddick, Texas Speaker of the House: Closely tied to Delay, Accepted $152,000 from Tom DeLay’s Texans for a Republican Majority PAC, which Craddick’s campaign aides then distributed to 14 Republican House candidates crucial to Craddick’s election as Speaker. He also spent more than $1,200 of his donors’ money on tickets to the 2004 Super Bowl.

Sam Walls, Republican Texas House Candidate: Has appeared in several photos dressed as a woman, and has acknowledged he is a cross-dresser (note: this in and of itself doesn’t make anyone corrupt in the least – however a Texas Republican cross-dresser is in and of itself a punch-line worthy of mentioning.)

Todd Baxter, Texas State Rep: Resigned from office after Baxter took $35,000 in illegal corporate cash from Tom DeLay during his first legislative campaign in 2002. That contribution is still being examined by a Travis Co. grand jury.

Kevin Brady, Texas Rep: Arrested for DWI the night he received an Alumni Achievement Award at the University of South Dakota.

Virgil Goode, Virginia Rep: Directly tied to the Duke Cunningham MZM scandal, as MZM was his top campaign contributor. $627,000 is tied to MZM and good in sweetheart deals.
Jim West, Spokane Mayor: A fervent anti-gay legislation Republican, admitted to luring what he thought was a young adult man to his office but denied allegations that he molested two young boys more than 20 years ago. West confirmed to The Spokesman-Review of Spokane that he offered gifts, favors and a City Hall internship during Internet chats with a man he believed was 18. He was recalled by a 2 to 1 margin.

Kenneth Lay, Enron Executive: Major Bush contributor and friend, Kenny-boy was recently convicted on all six counts against him, including conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud related to Enron. He faces a maximum of 45 years in prison. Lay also faces 120 years in prison in a separate case. Lay was quoted after his trial, saying “"I firmly believe I'm innocent of the charges against me. We believe that God in fact is in control and indeed he does work all things for good for those who love the lord." Hope your cell mate feels the same way Ken.

Jeffrey Skilling, Enron Executive: Convicted on 19 counts of conspiracy and fraud. Combined with his conviction on one count of insider trading, he faces a maximum of 185 years in prison. God has not commented on his case.

Macy's Loses its Pride

The Macy’s Department store removed a display including two male mannequins, due to the demands of a fringe, gay-bashing group whose web site has “had enough…of homosexual activist recruitment of our children in the public schools!”

The group who freaked out, Mass Resistance, list of links on their site gives shout-outs to one Michael Heath, leader of the Maine Christian Civic League here in Maine. Heath is best known for starting his own web site to voluntarily “out” all local politicians “suspected” of being gay so everyone knows who they are. Such a cute little close-knit group of homophobes, these people are.

The reason why Macy’s had what appeared to be two gay mannequins in the window? It’s Boston’s gay pride week.

Macy's department store has removed a window display marking Boston's gay pride week after a group that opposes gay marriage complained it was offensive.

The display at the downtown Boston store featured two male mannequins, with one wearing a gay pride rainbow flag around his waist, next to a list of several planned Boston Pride Week events (see the image, above right, thanks to AmericaBlog).

MassResistance, formerly the Article 8 Alliance, which has campaigned against gay marriage and gay-themed textbooks in public schools, objected to the display...Read on.

Americablog has a picture of the visual metaphor. Because after all, if the gay pride displays are removed, people will stop being gay, right? Right?

Although this group is certainly an outlier on the scale of politics, I would suggest there is a strong connection between our political leaders devaluing gays, lesbians and their relationships, and the bacteria-like breeding of groups such as MassResistance. Despite the fact that we’ve already got the 1997 Defense of Marriage Act on the books, Senator Vitter of Louisiana has this to say about his political priorities.

Hurricane season is upon us Senator. Thousands of people are still desperate, homeless or dead, but thank fucking God boys aren’t legally kissing under a shared roof. That would just be wrong.

Ann Coulter and Her Giant Adam's Apple

Ann Coulter, who has become one of the best selling authors for the conservative movement, says stupid things sometimes all the time.

While most people have heard the news by now, I honestly don’t think she’s getting her boney ass kicked enough in the media. I realize all she wants is the attention, as she’s currently #3 on the Amazon list, but the only tough reaction I’ve seen to what she said so far has been from Keith Olberman, and Air America.

I’ve been trying to gather the words to respond to this hateful scumbag, because many in the Republican party have certainly clammed up about it. Instead of just ranting and raving about how offensive her comments were, and how this is reason #1,392 why liberals continue to raise eyebrows at conservatives who think the response to 9/11 and the war on terror is best associated with Republicans, and that Democrats are missing the point on both issues – I will instead respond via video, audio, and text. After all, there’s nothing I could say that most others aren’t thinking. The information below paints enough of a picture for now.


Thanks to Crooks and Liars, the Olberman response can be seen here .

Today on the Jerry Springer Show (I know), a caller, who was so enraged her voice was shaking, puts a personal touch on the level of offense Coulter achieved. Listen here:

And finally, for Ann Coulter’s thoughts on some other issues:

-"To expiate the pain of losing her first-born son in the Iraq war, Cindy Sheehan decided to cheer herself up by engaging in Stalinist agitprop outside President Bush's Crawford ranch. ... After your third profile on 'Entertainment Tonight,' you're no longer a grieving mom; you're a C-list celebrity trolling for a book deal or a reality show," Coulter wrote in her TownHall.com column on Aug. 18, 2005.

-"Even if corners were cut, (Iran-Contra) was a brilliant scheme. There is no possibility that anyone in any Democratic administration would have gone to such lengths to fund anti-communist forces. When Democrats scheme from the White House, it's to cover up the president's affair with an intern. When Republicans scheme, it's to support embattled anti-communist freedom fighters sold out by the Democrats," she wrote in 2003's "Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism."

-"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building," The New York Observer quoted her as saying on Aug. 20, 2002. She clarified those remarks with RightWingNews.com: "Of course I regret it. I should have added, 'after everyone had left the building except the editors and reporters.'"

-"After all other suitable office space in Manhattan had dried up - and also after spending the weekend golfing at an all-white club in Florida - Clinton announced he would take an office in Harlem. ... As one of my friends remarked, that should be nice: Having escaped a mugging on the way to work, Clinton's female employees will then have to face an accused rapist in the office," Coulter wrote on Feb. 19, 2001.

-"The Americanization of Iraq proceeds at an astonishing pace, the Iraqis are taking to freedom like fish to water, and the possibilities for this nation are endless. It's hard to say who's more upset about these developments: the last vestiges of pro-Hussein Baathist resistance in Iraq or John Kerry's campaign manager," Coulter wrote in a June 30, 2004, column posted on her Web site.

-"(Liberals) are always accusing us of repressing their speech. I say let's do it. Let's repress them. ... Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the First Amendment," Coulter said during an Oct. 21, 2005, speech at the University of Florida.

-"Abortion is the sacrament and Roe v. Wade is Holy Writ," she wrote in "Godless: The Church of Liberalism," published Tuesday.

-"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war," Coulter wrote in a column published by the National Review Online on Sept. 13, 2001.

-"The portrayal of Senator Joe McCarthy as a wild-eyed demagogue destroying innocent lives is sheer liberal hobgoblinism. Liberals weren't cowering in fear during the McCarthy era. They were systematically undermining the nation's ability to defend itself while waging a bellicose campaign of lies to blacken McCarthy's name. Everything you think you know about McCarthy is a hegemonic lie. Liberals denounced McCarthy because they were afraid of getting caught, so they fought back like animals to hide their own collaboration with a regime as evil as the Nazis," she wrote in "Treason."

-"Mostly the Witches of East Brunswick wanted George Bush to apologize for not being Bill Clinton," she wrote in "Godless." She was referring to the New Jersey town where two of the Sept. 11 widows live.

-"We need somebody to put rat poison in Justice Stevens' creme brulee," Coulter said in a Jan. 27 appearance at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Ark., regarding Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. She later explained she was joking about the justice, whose votes have upheld Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision legalizing abortion.

-"You want to be careful not to become just a blowhard," she said in The Washington Post on October 16, 1998.

Watada

Add First Lieutenant Ehren Watada to the list of those who hate the troops (see other groups here, and please do what you can to stop them).

Lt. Watada, despite facing court martial, has decided to voice his opinion about the legality and legitimacy of the war in Iraq.

This of course has brought forth the “support the troops - but only when they support this war” crowd, who are waiting like airlines backed up on a runway at O’hare to get on cable news to bash this guy (It’s the same crowd that hates Cindy Sheehan, think some 9/11 widows enjoyed their husband’s deaths, and thinks Max Cleeland is a traitor for only offering only three of his limbs in Vietnam, instead of all four):

"I feel that we have been lied to and betrayed by this administration," Watada said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Fort Lewis. "It is the duty, the obligation of every soldier, and specifically the officers, to evaluate the legality, the truth behind every order — including the order to go to war."

In making his decision, Watada has reached out to peace groups, including clergy, students, some veterans opposed to Iraq and others. Some war critics are raising money for his legal defense as they seek to galvanize broader opposition to Bush administration policy in Iraq.

Among the enlisted ranks at Fort Lewis, Sgt. Kevin Benderman is serving a 15-month sentence at a base correctional facility for refusing a second tour of duty in Iraq. Benderman, an Army mechanic for 10 years, served in Iraq in 2003 but refused to board a plane for a return trip in January 2005. He did not, however, consider himself a conscientious objector, since he was willing to fight in wars that were justified, legal and in defense of the nation.

As to the question of whether or not individual captains, lieutenants, etc have the right to question orders, and directly disobey them? I just don’t know. One need not be in the military to understand the extreme importance of conformity, obedience to authority, and unquestionable sacrifice that goes along with having an effective army. Individual soldiers calling their own shots about what is right and what is not, seems almost like an oxymoron to me. If one enlists, one has an obligation to follow all orders…or do they?

Many would argue it’s the duty of those who serve to refute illegal orders. In other words, if those at Abu Ghraib refused to carry out the naked pyramid pile order issued by their superiors at the prison, they’d have been lauded, not court-martialed. I have no idea what military law states about whose determination makes a particular order illegal, however.

One thing is for certain – the Swift-Boating of this guy will begin faster than you can say “Cheney had 5 deferments during Vietnam.” This is not the time when free thought, dissent, or going against the grain for what you believe in are rewarded, especially if you’re military. Those are, after all, commie-liberal characteristics.

Bring on the Virgins!

I often snicker when I hear of an Islamic extremist who has murdered people, getting knocked off. They are told they'll be greeted with dozens of virgins in heaven (which by the way is some of the worst sex you can have...I've heard).

I only wish I could see the look on their face when they are in fact greeted properly, wherever they end up. Yesterday, al-Zarkawi got his chance.

According to the Pentagon, only about 2 to 3% of the attacks in Iraq are actually coming from foreign al-Qaeda. Most are from Iraqis who want the U.S. out. We will now get to see how accurate this theory is, and whether or not the attacks will slow down now that a major Al Qaeda leader has been snuffed.

Even the Captains Like Kool-Aid

While most polls continue to show Bush still kicking the 30% can down the road of presidential approval, in conjunction with support for the Iraq war well below 50% and still dropping (before Haditha really has a chance to resonate), I find myself wondering how people could actually think Iraq was worth it, that is it going well, or that it has an end in site.

In talking to the few people left who still support this war and somehow believe the mission is clear (yet still can't answer the "why are we there question") I have discovered something: There are a small minority of people who believe Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11. I'm not kidding. We on the left must be in the dark, because just when we thought that the Iraq/September 11th connection was as openly defeated, and just as bungled as our assumption that Iraq had WMD's when we invaded, I have made the discovery that people still connect Iraq to 9/11.

So there's your answer.

If you're asking yourself, as most of the country apparently is, how could anyone still think Iraq was a necessary or even smart move, this will help you understand. If one believes bitter enemies like Saddam and bin Laden cooperated in the horror we saw nearly 5 years ago, despite having directly clashing philosophies, despite the historical absence of a working relationship, despite the CIA dismissing it, despite other world intelligence agencies dismissing it, despite the 9/11 commission dismissing it, despite no one really having a shred of evidence proving otherwise, despite Germany having a greater relationship to Al Qaeda than Iraq, despite everyone in the world but this handful of people closing the book about 4 years ago and moving on - then one must believe the war in Iraq is justified. It's really that simple.

I'm currently reading Richard Clarke's book, Against all Enemies. By only the third chapter, the reader certainly has a sense of the significant role Clarke played - for decades - in terms of geopolitical power through several presidents to track, monitor, and mobilize several administrations toward combating not only terrorism but any threat to our country from the Cold War forward.

What is striking, however, is how Clarke takes the reader through the initial 9/11 attack, and the absolute dumbfoundedness, confusion and outright jaw-on-the-floor shock that he and other counter-terrorism experts felt as they watched officials in this administration, most of which are signed members of PNAC, focus their attention away from fundamentalist Islamic terrorists, to a nation that wasn't even on the radar screen as far as terrorism goes, when compared to about 15 other African and Asian nations.

When those who argue for the merits of the Iraq war mention 9/11, it's easy to feel a little nauseous, and I suspect that Randi Rhodes is no exception. Last Thursday she took a call from a captain in the Army regarding the Iraq war, who wasn't sure about the 9/11 --> Saddam connection.

Randi is not always polite to her callers, but in a time where liberals and Democrats are criticized for not having a pair, I believe she is needed. If you find her annoying, I would direct you to the tuning selector on your radio that enables you to travel the frequencies of the FM and AM spectrums to find about 46 other hosts with different opinions.

As for me, I think our side needs a bit more outrage while calling others on their bullshit. After all, this isn't a debate about tax cuts - people are dying.

And before Bush-supporters feign outrage that Randi is lecturing someine in armed forces, please cut her a little slack. Randi does have more credibility than most in the current administration when it comes to military knowledge – after all, she achieved Airman First Class in the United States Air Force.

Listen to the call:

And Now For Some Shock and Awe

Today's entry calls for another round of Lying or Stupid...
Listen:

Even though study after study shows that abstinence-only education isn't effective, and can actually increase ignorance of teens toward safe, and more important, healthy and informed attitudes toward sex, funding for this type of education in public schools has increased almost 3,000% since Bush took office (no, that's not a typo). As part of a recruitment tool, the Bush administration has directed this funding not only to schools, but to Churches and other anti-abortion groups.

Nevermind that abstinence-only educated kids are much less likely to practice safe sex and more likely to have anal sex than kids who've actually been educated regarding safe sex...that's fancy pants science hogwash!

In keeping with the Bush administration's theme of ignoring science and pushing misinformation, one documented lecture by Pam Stenzel, an abstinence instructor told a class of eighth graders that:

no one has ever had sex with more than one partner without paying a price

birth control pills make you ten times more susceptible to death

abortion causes long-term psychological damage

condoms are unsafe

boys don't get hurt by premarital sex while girls suffer for life (I know - a sexist, anti-female message from religiouss sex education - I'm shocked!)

large numbers of 18 to 20-year- old women are having radical hysterectomies because of cervical cancer caused by early sexual activity

Now, one study has found that kids who are observed after taking "the pledge" are probably not the best sources of info anyway. Why? Well, because they're lying...duh!


Here's the latest:

Teenagers who take pledges to remain virgins until marriage are likely to deny having taken the pledge if they later become sexually active. Conversely, those who were sexual active before taking the pledge frequency deny their sexual history, according to new study findings.

...In addition, these teens may also underestimate their risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.

"Teenagers do not report their past sexual activity accurately, with virginity pledgers giving more inaccurate reports of their past sexual activity," study author Janet Rosenbaum, of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told Reuters Health.

Read on.

So you know, the hope here is that Billy might have his first case chlamydia by 16, and be left with the impression that girls who like sex are "dirty" and will make Jesus mad and give them cancer because of it...at least he wasn't exposed to his teacher putting a rubber on a cucumber in health class. Whew.