Funny Friday

How many members of the Bush Administration are needed to replace a lightbulb?

The Answer is SEVEN:

1. one to deny that a lightbulb needs to be replaced
2. one to attack and question the patriotism of anyone who has questions about the lightbulb,
3. one to blame the previous administration for the need of a new lightbulb,
4. one to arrange the invasion of a country rumored to have a secret stockpile of lightbulbs,
5. one to get together with Vice President Cheney and figure out how to pay Halliburton Industries one million dollars for a lightbulb,
6. one to arrange a photo-op session showing Bush changing the lightbulb while dressed in a flight suit and wrapped in an American flag,
7. and finally one to explain to Bush the difference between screwing a lightbulb and screwing the country.

Shamelessly stolen from here.

 

The Real Shock and Awe

A judge has ruled that a full release of photos and video be made from the Abu Ghraib Torture Scandal. Of course, the Bush Administration would rather sweep this scourge under the proverbial rug instead of face up to the consequences of their policies.

From the AP via Yahoo news:

Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, had maintained in court papers that releasing the photographs would aid al-Qaida recruitment, weaken the Afghan and Iraqi governments and incite riots against U.S. troops.

Hellerstein said in his 50-page opinion that he respected Myers’ arguments. But he added that his job was “not to defer to our worst fears, but to interpret and apply the law, in this case, the Freedom of Information Act, which advances values important to our society, transparency and accountability in government.”

I wrote in a comment at Booman Tribune that “it’s disgusting that these acts occurred to even be photographed. Maybe it will shock some of the coma-induced Bush minions to see what their government has wrought by blurring the lines of torture.”

Far too many Americans have blindly followed the Bush War Council down a path of violence and divisiveness. There is a running “joke” in liberal blogs that short of George eating a baby on live television, his supporters will march behind their emperor. There is just enough truth in that statement to cause alarm.

The photos and videos will cause revulsion; but we can’t erase the fact that these inhumane acts occurred. The lines of torture were blurred by this government, with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales playing a key role. While the release of these additional images may cause an uprising across the world, perhaps they will finally be the zap that shocks this nation out of their Bush Apologist coma.

Accountability will come. It is only a matter of time.

 

Democratic Saboteurs

As many of you know, I have lived in Arizona for the vast majority of my life. My family roots are embedded in the tierra with eight generations of blood, sweat and tears. My ancestors
provided the grunt work for the roadways, the copper mines and the blacksmithing that kept tent cities alive in the 1800s when the rush West was consuming the United States.

Yet today, September 28, 2005, I have absolutely no voice in the United States Senate as a Democrat. Despite John McCain’s “maverick” status, I rarely agree with any of his votes. That’s why I am joining other progressive activists in this state to defeat arch-wingnut Jon Kyl and get Jim Pederson elected to give voice to my values–my Arizonan values, my American values.

This morning I received two emails that brought big smiles to my face. The first was from John Kerry, who still has my admiration despite his horrible candidacy last year:

Jim Pederson is running against Republican incumbent Senator Jon Kyl. Senator Kyl has been Example A of a strict conservative who continues to put partisan politics ahead of Arizona families. As you know, the Arizona tradition is one of independence, of putting the well-being of people ahead of party, ahead of ideology, ahead of big campaign money,
and Jim Pederson will make sure that he brings this tradition with him to Washington.

Make a contribution

As one of the leading Senate challengers in the country, Jim is running a strong campaign built around common sense solutions to immigration reform, increased national security, and greater access to quality education and health care. Your help now can give Jim’s campaign aboost at a critical moment in the campaign.

I thought to myself, “Alright! Some of the big-guns are helping out with Jim’s campaign!”

I got even happier when I checked my email later on today and saw this from Barack Obama, who garners a lot of my respect for his populist messaging:

Democrats nationally are excited about this race for new leadership in Arizona. With your support we can win this race. Please support Jim Pederson by contributing online before the September 30th Federal Elections Commission (FEC) deadline.

The Arizona tradition is one of independence, of putting the well-being of people ahead of party, ahead of ideology, ahead of big campaign money, and Jim will make sure that he brings this tradition with him to Washington. As one of the leading Senate challengers in the country, Jim is running a strong campaign built around common sense solutions to
immigration reform, increased national security, and greater access to quality education and health care.

Contribute

It felt good to see two high-profile Democrats supporting Jim’s candidacy. It gave me a flicker of hope that perhaps we had a shot at deposing the scourge; until I read this:

A list of Democrats supporting the reelection of Republican U.S. Senator Jon Kyl will continue to grow as the 2006 election grows closer, says a spokesman for the Kyl campaign.

On Sept. 14, Jamie Molera, former superintendent of public instruction and a consultant to the Kyl camp, released a list of nearly 50 elected Democrat officials, most of them from rural areas, who say they support Mr. Kyl in his bid for a third term.

[snip]

“It never mattered to me that I was a Democrat. Jon Kyl reached out to work with me,” Ms. Chase said. Mr. Pederson “has no experience and isout of the mainstream of Arizona. His support for Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and Howard Dean shows that he is part of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.” (emphasis mine)

That final quote was from State Rep. Cheryl Chase, Az District 23. She is on a list of 50 Democrats who are trying to sabotage Jim Pederson’s Senate race. I know Ms. Chase’s area very well; she hails from a town that is 30 minutes away from the gravesite of my great, great, great, great grandmother. My family still lives nearby. How dare she undercut the hardworking, labor-supporting citizens in her area by spewing forth Republican talking-points?

I am disgusted with people in our party who insist on cutting the throat of those who are fighting for our values. Unless we make it clear to them that we are sick and tired of their attempts to dilute our message, we will forever be the party that stands for nothing.

“Big Tent” has many connotations. To this Democrat, it means that we will stand up for the equality of all Americans regardless of gender, race, sexuality, etc.; anything that diminishes a person’s right to a full life in this country should be fought against–hard and relentless. I believe Jim Pederson will carry on that fight.

Why people like Cheryl Chase can’t see the harm they are inflicting, I will never know…but I do know that she deserves a barrage of hatemail for her efforts.

Cheryl Chase (DINO-Az District 23)
Email: cchase@azleg.state.az.us
Phone Number: (602) 926-5030
Fax Number: (602) 417-3123
Address: 1700 W. Washington, Room 128, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Have at it, please, on behalf of my family and the rest of the progressive community in Arizona who are searching for a voice in our government. We’ve worked too hard to be silenced in the Senate for another six years.

 

Trifecta of Corruption

The White House – starring Karl Rove in Plamegate:

Several lawyers involved in the case say Fitzgerald was likely to wrap up his inquiry this fall, if not sooner, though they say they have not heard from his office in weeks.

The outcome could have political implications for Bush, whose approval ratings are already the lowest of his presidency.

After initially promising to fire anyone found to have leaked information in the case, Bush in July offered a more qualified pledge: “If someone committed a crime they will no longer work in my administration.”

Prominent Democrats have called on Bush to fire Rove, the architect of his two presidential election victories and now his deputy chief of staff, or block his access to classified information.

Rove’s attorneys said Rove did nothing wrong and has been repeatedly assured he is not a target of Fitzgerald’s investigation.

The United States Senate – starring Bill Frist in Stockgate:

Frist — viewed widely as a potential 2008 presidential candidate — said Monday he had no inside information about the coming profit forecast when he began taking steps in April that led to the HCA stock sale being completed July 8.

He said he would cooperate with investigators, and forecast that an examination of the facts would show he acted properly.

The United States House of Representatives – starring Tom DeLay in Ethicsgate:

A Texas grand jury on Wednesday indicted Rep. Tom DeLay and two political associates on charges of conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, forcing the House majority leader to temporarily relinquish his post. A defiant DeLay insisted he was innocent and called the prosecutor a “partisan fanatic.”

“I have done nothing wrong. … I am innocent,” DeLay told a Capitol Hill news conference during which he criticized the Texas prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, repeatedly. DeLay said the charges amounted to “one of the weakest and most baseless indictments in American history.”

What do these three Republicans have in common, aside from the blatant screwing of our country under their command?

Accountability means nothing to them. I wonder whose lead they follow…

 

Torture Watch

I have some local friends who are adamant pro-lifers who love to shove it in my face that as long as the United States recognizes the legality of abortion then a scourge will remain on our society.

Sadly, they don’t seem to have the same reaction when it involves post-birth human beings.

I have a problem with that…

 

String of Disasters

The levees have been breached in New Orleans…again. Perhaps this country will finally have a discussion about the funding cuts the Bush Administration enacted over the past few years to the Army Core of Engineers’ budget.

As if the bad news wasn’t enough to make a stoic man cry. There is also this:

A bus caught fire and exploded early Friday on a crowded Texas interstate, killing as many as 24 people who were fleeing ahead of Hurricane Rita.

The bus, carrying about 45 elderly evacuees, burst into flames on Interstate 45 south of Dallas. It pulled over and people were getting off when a series of explosions ripped through the bus.

Dallas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Don Peritz said 14 or 15 people got off the bus and said as many as 24 people may have died.

There are no words. All I can picture is the string of headlights stretching for miles upon miles that were shown last night on the cable news networks. Evacuation routes have been clogged and I fear many will choose to ride out the storm rather then get caught on the interstates. This has truly been a disastrous summer in the United States.

 

Roberts Approved

So much for finally getting a chance to clearly define what Democrats stand for:

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday endorsed John Roberts to be the Supreme Court’s next chief justice, sending the nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, scheduled for next week.

The vote was 13 to 5, with the committee’s majority of 10 Republicans united behind Roberts.

Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Sen. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, both of Wisconsin decided to support making the conservative judge the nation’s 17th chief justice.

[snip]

Sens. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Max Baucus of Montana have announced their support for Roberts. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana has indicated she is leaning toward voting for the nominee. Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota is viewed as a possible vote for him, as well.

Haven’t we already received enough proof that George W. Bush’s judgement is not to be trusted? And the Democratic leadership wonders why they lose elections. Here’s an idea: stand up for your core values and let the political stormclouds be damned. This pisses me off to no end. Say good bye to women’s rights, privacy rights, and say hello to the 1930’s.

 

Republican Values

This does nothing for my blood pressure control:

House and Senate tax writers agreed Tuesday on a package of tax breaks designed to help Hurricane Katrina victims recoup their losses and access needed cash.

The Congressional Research Service, an office that provides lawmakers with nonpartisan legislative analysis, said some of those tax breaks could do more for higher income survivors than for the neediest. (emphasis mine)

How about sending some help for the people who didn’t have the option of evacuating the city in their SUV’s? You know, all those “refugees” that baked in the streets of New Orleans as Bush strummed his guitar?

 

Patience is a Virtue…

…but survival is an instinct. Here is a prime example of the disconnect between the government and the everyday citizens on the street:

“Certainly there are some people out there that are frustrated and in need of assistance,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We’ve got to continue working to get them assistance as quickly as we can.”

“There is some level of patience that obviously is going to be required during this time,” he said, “but we are urging everyone to move forward as quickly as they can to get people the help they need.”

These wackos in charge forget that the victims of Hurricane Katrina did not have the luxury of being patient. They were dying. What’s abhorrent is that it didn’t have to be that way. If FEMA would’ve done its f*cking job, then the response would’ve been adequate, the food and water would’ve been delivered, and we wouldn’t be hearing political bullshit like this:

On another front, 21 House Republicans sent a letter demanding that Bush find spending cuts in federal programs to offset the massive cost of rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Conservatives, worried that the deficit will balloon, have been alarmed at the pace of spending with no talk of how to pay for it.

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., suggested dropping the Medicare prescription drug plan, which he has long opposed. “It was supposed to cost $400 billion,” he told CBS Evening News. “It’s now up to $700 billion. We ought to cancel it, go back to square one.”

Bush last week ruled out raising taxes to pay Katrina expenses and said other government spending must be cut. His aides have said, though, that no such cuts have yet been identified and that the hurricane relief effort will temporarily swell the deficit.

Further proof that politics will always trump the greater-good with the Bush misAdministration. Wake me up when their reign of terror is over. I’ve run out of patience. Just like these people:

 

Pesky Liberals

Why do they always have to ruin the Republicans’ fun?

The two Democrats who challenged President George W. Bush for the White House last year said on Monday the devastation of Hurricane Katrina provided a historic chance to reevaluate government priorities and address long-neglected issues including endemic poverty.

In separate speeches, John Kerry and John Edwards said the administration’s inadequate response to the hurricane revealed a failure of competence and values, while the public outpouring of support for storm victims showed Americans wanted more from their government. (emphasis mine)

Despite the constant demonization of Democrats that the White House spews forth, the fact remains that we are the party that gives the poor a fighting chance to live a self-sustaining life. We fight for safety nets such as Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, decent living wages, and the rights of workers to unionize so that they can stand up to the money-hungry corporations of the world.

Call me crazy, but those sound like admirable stances.