Locker Room Huddle For Congress-Critters

I love this part of Lindorff's diary:

As recently as a month ago, it didn’t look like impeachment was in the cards.
Now it’s starting to look like we Cheney’s going to be put in the dock.
It may not be long before we start to see bills of impeachment filed against President Bush too.
The corporate media enjoy making fun of Rep. Kucinich, a height-challenged but dedicated progressive who has made a career of standing tall for his views. If his bill ends up leading to impeachment hearings against Cheney, Kucinich will end up having the last laugh.

Seems like an appropriate time to remind the media of Kucinich's UFO come-back. I believe that he said, "The only UFO's in DC were the Truth."

Feel free to correct me.

In case I don't get back online to say this...Good Luck MonKey! Thinking about you...

NPR reported on the Democratic victory in Virginia today. The analysis was that the Republican "message" of anti-immigrant, anti-gay, pro-rightwing religion is not resonating with suburban voters.

NSA SPYING ON INTERNET TRAFFIC:

CLINTON STATEMENT ON MUKASEY:

Ralpheh

NPR reported on the Democratic victory in Virginia today. The analysis was that the Republican "message" of anti-immigrant, anti-gay, pro-rightwing religion is not resonating with suburban voters.

I'm still waiting for the change in tide to come to my Reagan Country, California surroundings...

Sure, we have tons of immigrants, but they love the Republicans' "pro-entrepreneurship," anti-gay, pro-extremist religion talk. The state Dems are not providing a viable alternative.

Have yall seen rudys 'southern strategy'...?

It is going to work too unless dems figure out how to stop him.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/11/07/a-southern-strategy-for-a-new-generation/

And on an unrelated note, my mom just came in, saw Young Woman with a Pearl Earring, and claimed it for herself!

Now what do I do? I can't say no, she might hit me. It has happened before.

At this rate I will have a collection amassed in 2015.

Christy

All Rudy needs to do is count the number of trannies he killed with the help of the immigrant thugs in NYC.

Ally...

Say huh?

Christy:

That was interesting on the "Southern Strategy" bit (kind of wish Linda and Ira were here to mix it up a bit). It reminds me of an anecdote.

I had just moved back to the states from overseas (I work international oil patch) and secured an apartment in Houston, and my wife and daughter were coming in. I had to do a job in Qatar for a few months -- 28/28. I actually flew out of IAH the day that Katrina hit (I flew around it). Anyway, that's all beside the point.

Anyway, the project had several drilling folks from NOLA/Biloxi area, and we got to know each other pretty well following the progress of Katrina on the web and CNN, etc., from our staff-house in Doha. Plus of course we worked together all day. I'm on a conference call right now so I am going to post this and continue in a minute or two.

Chuck in Houston

Christy,

I think if Obama is the candidate, his strategy may work even better.

What is the solution though when hate is so much easier to manipulate than 'Love thy neighbor'?

Chuck...

THAT is CRUEL and unusual punishment for us!!!

You started a story and then just DROP IT?

C R U E L....

Sparrow:

I'm on a conference call!! Again, again, again....

Chuck

Whew. Finally, off the line. I think I still have a job.

Anyway, on the Southern Strategy bit, here goes again.

Chuck in Houston

"What is the solution though when hate is so much easier to manipulate than 'Love thy neighbor'? "

The solution is to come in and face hatred down. Beat it down. Put your finger in it's face and tell it you will not let it hurt the nieghbors you love anymore.

In other words, instead of preaching to the choir in blue states, you need to rally NOW in the red states. And don't freaking stop until the people can not be divided by the fear.

Chuck, as for Linda being here 'to mix it up' a bit... That is not exactly what I call it when someone tries repeatedly to call me a liar while simultianiously being WRONG about everything herself.

As far as I am concerned, she has no validity whatsoever to speak of my immediate surroundings.

Pretending there is no problem, is actually about 95% of the problem.

A story to us or a job, Chuck....

You think a job is more important?!

Come on...I'm on pins and needles waiting for the rest of the story...

Sparrow/Christy:

So these guys, from the area of NOLA, Ponchartrain (N. side) and Biloxi, used to alway talk about "Democrats this" and "Democrats that" and I just couldn't follow what they meant. Mind you, I am the token liberal (to the lights of some) Democrat in the oil patch (along with four of five others personally known to me).

For example, one time, they were talking about these Democrats ahead of them in the convenience store line all wearing their caps Democrat style and how funny it was when everyone else in the line with caps (ostensibly non-Democrats) turned their caps around to match.

I was sitting there and thinking "what in the heck does 'Democrat' have to do with head-wear, etc., when suddenly it struck me, and how stupid I felt not to have picked up on it immediately. To many years overseas, I guess.

Get it? And to think that up until about 1965 that's what they used to say about the GOP in the South! (Tell me I'm wrong -- Linda -- all my mom's people are Braxton County West Virginia.)

Chuck in Houston

By the way Monkey...

Do you remember the one time Linda tried the hardest to call me a liar and I sent you 12 names and phone numbers to contact any eyewitness you wanted at your leisure?

Well, you can scratch my grandmothers number off, she's the one who passed.

The number still works, but no one will answer anymore.

Not that people overseas are any different, mind you.

Mukasey is confirmed by the Senate.

Did they even debate it at all?

Damn.

Christy:

With respect to Linda, you have me confused there. Me and Linda (from Pensacola) used to argue this issue a lot on the JFK blog and later on this one, and Ira, also a Houstonian, used to kick in on occassion. Hence the allusion from me. Me, I'm in Houston now, but, like Monkey, I'm ultimately an Air Force brat that came up (unlike Moneky I suppose) in Oregon (SE Portland). My dad's people are Chicago (Catholic/Athiest) and my mom's people are Virginia (Presbyterian/Methodist).

So the whole regional and ethnic thing always confuses and confounds me. Plus, like I say, I've lived overseas for about 15 years (out of 46).

Chuck in Houston

I can't even click the button to go check news. I just can not look at it.

Now what?

I actually have another anecdote on that that involves, of all places, Berkeley, CA.

Chuck in Houston

We may be talking about different Lindas, but I don't think we are.

If it is the same one, yes, me and her had such discussions on the Kerry blog as well. And here too.

I'm up for it anywhere really.

Wait. Go back.

I missed 1965 so please do explain wtf wearing a hat has to do with being a democrat or republican?

Christy:

I'm glad you are up for it.

Christy/Sparrow:

Anyway, on the Berkelely anecdote, I have to set the scene for a second, and, now that I don't smoke, which is a real drag, I have to think of some other excuse to go and collect my thoughts for a minute.

Chuck in Houston

I think the hat is an analogy for a thinking cap.

But I admit it...I don't get it, Chuck.

Also, Chuck...glad you gave up smoking.

Christy:

The hat thing is more MTV 1980's and 90's (which I missed) and I think has to do with Rap. In other words, for them, "Democrat" = a back guy in line at the convenience store with a cap on backwards, or "Rap" style. And that is why they think that GWB is a stud and that JFK is a commie fag (guys - dont; beat me up on this, I am trying to honestly report the flavor of the situation -- this in no way represents my views. Vote GOP -- much easier than thinking.)

It confused me too. I sat there, beer in hand, for several conversations, wondering to myself, "what in the heck are they talking about?" until it finally struck me.

Chuck in Houston

Oops -- type. I meant "Democrat = black."

They kept saying "Democrat this" and "Democrat that" and in fact it was code for race.

Christy:

1965 was the Civil Rights act signed by LBJ, after which my yellow-dog Democrat grandma from West Virginia (bless her heart) drifted through Wallace to Reagan to Alzheimers.

Chuck in Houston

It's like code for abortion was "strict Constitutionalist" right?

But getting back to Berkeley, California. There is a guy, very close to me, who is "white" like me. He married a "black" girl, who had a child, from a previous marriage. The dad from that previous marriage was also "white."

The girl's dad, by the way, won't recognize the marriage becuase my buddy is "white."

The girl used to say that people always stared at them (my buddy and her) because of the mix in "races."

Anyhow, one day, we all went to an amusement park in Berkeley, CA (you know, Liberal Central, USA). We went to get some ice cream at a booth.

Now, I appreciate that none of you at DCP have ever met me in person (except Ira), so I'll have to explain that I am "white" and am, I suppose, neither overly fashionable nor a complete reject. As I've said, my background has a lot of cracker in it, so I am quite comfortable in blue-collar red-neck settings.

Christy/Sparrow:

So I am in line to get ice cream with her son, and my buddy is off in the background. I started to talk with the sales-lady at the booth -- middle aged "white" -- about the order. She doesn't seem to understand me. I don't get it, because as a rule I have a fine rapport with middle aged "white" ladies. I looked at her. Her eyes looked at the "black" lady and the kid and back at me with hatred. I looked at my buddy's wife. My buddy's wife looked straight into me like "See what I mean?"

It was a revelation to me. I never realized how deep irrational hatred goes, even though my Grandma, bless her heart, had shown me.

So we've all got a little Southern Strategy in us. And a little Elvis too....

Chuck in Houston

Chuck

The race issue... yes!

Democrats are the "N-word" party, pretty much.

The sad thing is, here in California, where race is far more complicated than black and white, some nonwhites decided to appropriate the white privilege (and its worst aspects, like racism against blacks) for themselves. The worst offenders are Koreans and Vietnamese - thank the "Asians = Model Minority" mentality.

And yes, those groups are even more reliable than whites when it comes to voting Republican.

I'm still waiting for the change in tide to come to my Reagan Country, California surroundings...

Sure, we have tons of immigrants, but they love the Republicans' "pro-entrepreneurship," anti-gay, pro-extremist religion talk. The state Dems are not providing a viable alternative.
November 8, 2007 5:57 PM

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I think the hard rightwing is in disarray. THEY DO NOT HAVE A CONSENSUS CANDIDATE. That candidate WAS George Allen - Southerner, Neanderthal Conservative - but Allen's bid crashed and burned when he made racially offensive slurs THAT WERE CAUGHT VIDEO TAPE. It turns out that Allen is a not very closeted bigot and he has said similar things in past that just weren't recorded on tape. Mitt has the Mormon/abortion/Massachusetts problem and Fred is lazy.

Secondly, I think many religious folks are realizing how anti-Christian Bush's drop bombs/shoot bullets first foreign policy and his "don't tax the rich" domestic policy are. In fact, the guy/expert quoted in NPR piece on Virginia talked about (and I don't want to get my hopes up), a sweeping Democratic victory in 2008.

I don't know what is wrong in California. I do know that in Michigan the Latinos are more afraid than usual, since the anti-immigrant hysteria pumped by Hate/Talk radio for the last year. There were some front page articles about a local woman who was (amazingly and stupidly) deported back to Columbia. Senator Levin intervened and she has returned.

An interesting sidelight - there was video tape of a local farmer complaining that 20% of his apple crop went unpicked because he couldn't find enough labor........

Which, given the thread-header of "locker room huddle," reminds me of my old high school track team and all the race issues we got into back then (1970's).

Christy

Nothing short of a filibuster would've blocked the Mukasey confirmation.

And it looks like nobody wanted to go ahead with one - maybe there were too many sellout Dems, and filibuster was simply not possible.

November 8, 2007 9:04 PM
Ally McRepuke Author Profile Page said:

Mukasey is confirmed by the Senate.

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No filibuster????????????????????

Ally:

That was a very adept turn-of-phrase you had there: "some nonwhites decided to appropriate the white privilege." As I always say, racism is color-blind.

Chuck in Houston

Ralpheh

Things are a wee bit more complicated here, since many rich whites (who should be voting Republican) are Dems, and many nonwhite immigrants (who should be voting Dem) are Repukes.

The Latino and Asian bloc are myths - the voting patterns are simply nowhere near being monolithic.

As for the local farmer, it's proof that immigration policies are not meeting the economic needs of the nation. In construction, the opposite has happened - too many immigrants (legal and illegal) have flooded my area, and wages have crashed. You want to admit the right number of people that the economy can take - no more, no less.

And again, much of the problem here can be attributed to an inept state/local Democratic organizational structure. Also, Southern California has always been historically Republican (and like any good ol' red state, we had segregation laws back in the day).

Christy

Nothing short of a filibuster would've blocked the Mukasey confirmation.

And it looks like nobody wanted to go ahead with one - maybe there were too many sellout Dems, and filibuster was simply not possible.

@@@@@@@@

The Senate Dems are supposed to make it all better - see Hillary and Feinstein's comments on Kennedy's bill banning torture. I assume that the Repubs will filibuster this bill and Bush will veto it...

Chuck

Thanks :)

Seriously though, there was a reason why the rioters in the 1992 Los Angeles riots burned Koreatown, of all places. They wanted to take it out on a nonwhite group that had "sold out" to the whites.

Sadly, I see plenty of Koreans who have learned nothing out of the riots.

The tensions have defused, only because many blacks have left Los Angeles, replaced by socially conservative Latinos. The Latinos and Koreans share social conservatism, Christianity, communal culture (as opposed to individualistic white American culture), homophobia, and many other values - so they get along a bit better.

Ralph,

I think you're right. Nothing short of a filibuster would have stopped it.

However the logic over there awes me. If I were to follow their logic, I wouldn't wash another dish because someone is just going to dirty it anyways.

And I wouldn't sweep the floor because...well, gravity. Stuff just falls.

Why bother showing up in DC other than the fact that they like their $$$ and their health benefits.

Why bother showing up in DC other than the fact that they like their $$$ and their health benefits.

Good point, sparrow. It's all about the money connection. Patriotism and democracy be damned.

Sparrow, btw... It was I who said nothing short of a filibuster would've stopped Mukasey confirmation. Ralph was quoting me, adding that the Senate Dems are working on a legislation to ban all forms of torture (Kennedy).

And of course he has to also ask why nobody bothered to filibuster.

RE: Mukasey

I wanted to call Hillary's (and to a lesser extent Biden, Dodd, and Obama's) bluff about the Mukasey nomination. Frankly I am surprised that MSM, as far as I am aware, did not mention this vote as a test for the presidential candidates in the Senate!!!!!!!

I called Clinton's office (see above video) seeing if she had or would go on the record on Mukasey (Nothing was on her website, of course... LOL). I was somewhat surprised that they had a prepared statement which they read to me opposing the nomination - but this after Schumer and Feinstein had caved.

I thought what a pretty and nice statement from Senator Clinton - I then thought "filibuster" of course Clinton's people chickened out on that one. Feinstein's people directed me to the Biden/Kennedy bill on torture. I called Biden's office and the phone-answerer was unaware of the bill. I ask if he could find out about it. He told me to go look for it on the internet.

At this point, I was quite angry. I said, in effect, what are they paying you to do YOU ARE MEMBER OF BIDEN'S STAFF AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME ABOUT A BILL THAT BIDEN IS SPONSORING????????

Sorry Ally.

I'm still at school waiting for my daughter to get off work. I'm exhausted and will not get home until midnight and then turn around and go back. So I can honestly say that I am so tired, I'm not sure I would recognize my own name.

Ralph,

You should have reminded him that it's your tax dollars that are in his paycheck.

Ally:

You wrote: "communal culture (as opposed to individualistic white American culture)," ....

I think you put your finger on something there -- my old cracker culture (on my mom's side) is very much individualistic, or even antiestablishmentarian. In that sense, it is a non-racist culture. All rednecks are welcome.

There is a tension there, or a contradiction. The one thing I keep trying to draw people's attention to here is that that tension should work in our favor. But it does bring up the racist thing as I mentioned above. If only we could get past that, we could whoop 'em! I know that makes no sense. I hope we can get there from here.

Chuck in Houston

I think I suggested that he get a job more suited to his talents:

like a greeter at Wal-mart!!!!

War Objector's 2nd Court-Martial Blocked (Watada)
Source: Associated Press
Nov 8, 9:35 PM EST
War Objector's 2nd Court-Martial Blocked
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) -- The Army cannot hold a second court-martial for an Iraq war objector until the resolution of the soldier's claim that it would violate his right against double jeopardy, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
The first court-martial for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who is charged with missing his unit's deployment to Iraq in June 2006, ended in a mistrial in February. U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle wrote that the military judge likely abused his discretion in declaring the mistrial.
Watada contends that the war in Iraq is illegal and that he would be party to war crimes if he served there. He is also charged with conduct unbecoming an officer for denouncing President Bush and the war. If convicted, he could be sentenced to six years in prison and be dishonorably discharged.
"This is an enormous victory, but it is not yet over," Watada attorney Kenneth Kagan said in a statement. The federal judge did not indicate what the next steps would be.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WAR_OBJECTOR?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Tidal Wave Heading For England's East Coast Poses 'Extreme Danger To Life'
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23420144-details/Tidal%20wave%20heading%20for%20England/'s%20east%20coast%20poses%20/'extreme%20danger%20to%20life/'/article.do

Five dead in U.S. helicopter crash in Italy:

"Five people are thought to have died and others were injured when a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter crashed on Thursday in northern Italy, Italy's ANSA news agency reported, without citing sources.

The crash took place in the countryside near the city of Treviso, it said. It was not clear whether the helicopter had taken off from the nearby U.S. military base in Aviano.

No one at the U.S. embassy could be immediately reached for comment."
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-11-08T122959Z_01_L08728156_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-ITALY-BLACKHAWK-COL.XML

UPDATE: 6-six dead, 5 wounded (one of them badly injured)
Source ANSA (Italian News Agency)

"TREVISO- Sei morti e cinque feriti, di cui uno grave,"
http://www.ansa.it/opencms/export/site/visualizza_fdg.h...

Rossi...

Your canvas is done. Go look at my site.

Where's your site Christy?

Woz,

Her site is www.christysartblog.blogspot.com

Good morning. (And sadly, got home 6 hours ago and now already have to leave.)

Everyone please make calls regarding impeachment today.

I think we should all promise to write LTE's in support of impeachment.

And regarding the phrase 'waterboarding' I think people should have called it what it was right from the get go. "Controlled (precision) drowning by pouring water into people's lungs."

Sure, it's more than one word but it's the truth.

Sorry, I posted then ran to bed as fast as I could to get 2 hours of sleep that never materialized. I don't think Rossi saw it.

Ummm. Whom are we suppossed to call now regarding impeachment? Seriously,... Conyers?

After watching dems try to kill the motion only for republicans to push it into committee to kill it, honestly has left me more pessimistic than I have ever been.

I feel like they gave me Shaken Baby Syndrome.

And I felt that way even before the sleep deprivation set in.

Thanks, kangaroo, for the Watada update! :-) I particularly noted this sentence:

"He is also charged with conduct unbecoming an officer for denouncing President Bush and the war."

Every sane, rational person denounces Georgie and his illegal war. There's nothing 'unbecoming an officer' for telling the truth. Georgie's and Dickie both told lies to start their war, and their war IS illegal, and a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Since when did it become "conduct unbecoming an officer" to tell the truth about anyone, including "leaders" of this nation...?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SENATE_MUKASEY
Mukasey vows to be independent advocate
{{{If you believe that, I have an authentic historical bridge for sale....}}}

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00407#position

Roll Call Votes for the Mukasey nomination. The presidential candidates who did NOT even bother to show up to vote: Clinton, Obama, Dodd, Biden, McCain.

True, some said they opposed the Mukasey nomination (So what? A lot of people opposed the nomination, especially We The People.), but now the candidates who didn't even bother to show up to vote can change their stories later if they wish.

I see the Senate CAN get things done in record time when they want to do things like approve Mukasey and other monstrous candidates for office that Georgie/Dickie put forth, as well as give away our rights and privileges with things like the Patriot Acts, MCA '06, FISA fixes (although I must admit there was at least some debate and commentary on those three things, even if not much). I missed this swift Mukasey confirmation vote; I laid down for a nap, woke up to this bad news in the middle of the night. Now, if the Senators would just be as quick to march over to their Reps offices and ask them to impeach Georgie and Dickie so they can hold a trial in the Senate....

Will someone hand this retarded monkey a pretzel?

REPORTER: Mr. President, you came down so hard on Burma and other nations for their crackdowns on pro-democracy demonstrators, yet you seem to be giving Musharraf a pass. So, the question is: Why are you going so soft on Musharraf? Is there a double-standard?

BUSH: I spoke to President Musharraf right before I came over here to visit President Sarkozy, and, uh, my message was that we believe strongly--in elections, and you ought to have elections soon. And you need to take off your uniform.

You can't be the president and the head of the military at the same time.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Bush_denies_double_standard_for_dictators_1108.html

BTW, Monkey...

You are probably in surgery right now, but I want you to know my prayers are with you.

God Speed Sir. We love you Monkey.

Can someone please keep us updated?

See Guiliani physically endorsed by Kerik the Crook
http://silencedmajority.blogs.com/silenced_majority_portal/2007/11/bernard-kerik-e.html

Bhutto under house arrest
http://www.earthtoturtle.blogspot.com

Got to run but noticed 2 things so far:
Bhutto under house arrest - that can't be good - saw last night that Kerry & Biden introduced something about Pakistan to the Senate

Apparently Erin Watada can't be Court Martialed twice & that decision was made yesterday

Guess I'll be listening to NPR on the way in & catching little Google glimpses after that. News makes me nervous.

Thanks all - I see that I will be able to read through this blog and get caught up - more on Pakistan, Watada etc. - Thanks again!!

Love you guys!

Hey NMP...

I did another one for Rossi. It has two of the same images from yours in it.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_nh_u4eKaU1k/RzQfk9-XZnI/AAAAAAAAAFY/aZ3sEFt4rzk/s1600-h/family+memorial+056.jpg

Oh. My. God.

Fifty nine children dead in Afghan suicide attack

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Fifty_nine_children_dead_in_Afghan__11092007.html

Oh man. I feel sick.

Bhuttos has been ARRESTED.

She tried to slip past her guards.

'She had attempted to escape with her secretary Naheed Khan but was spotted by some policemen and was again sent back to her residence,' a police official told reporters, adding that now she had been 'formally arrested'.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/139377.html

Today is a good day to freak out I suppose. Oh man it is just getting deeper on all sides and fronts.

Christy

Pakistan is really disgusting now.
But then, I never expected much from a country that condones honor killings of female relatives.

CodePink is sending out an alert today asking members to pressure Pakistan, through its embassy in DC and through the US State Department.

Chuck

When I mentioned communal Latino/Korean culture vs. individualistic white culture, I was putting the individualistic culture in a good light.

The Latino and Korean communities are very sexist and homophobic because they don't believe in individual happiness - they believe in individual sacrifice for the group's good. Cuba and North Korea have taken that theme to the extreme, but they are hardly alone.

When time, will go also to http://www.johnkerry.com.

I have been horrified by this all morning & it's what I heard on NPR (plus falling dollar, another horror), & no time/chance to peruse news, yet -

Got this via press release, from my hero re. another hero(ine):

Kerry Condemns Bhutto House Arrest in Pakistan

Yesterday Introduced Resolution Linking Some Military Aid to Restoring Rule of Law in Pakistan

WASHINGTON D. C. - Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs, which includes Pakistan, urged President Musharraf to release opposition leader Benazir Bhutto today, in response to Musharraf placing Bhutto under House arrest by force.

“Today, President Musharraf took a very troubling and contradictory step away from putting Pakistan back on the path to civilian democracy. One day President Musharraf says he intends to hold elections and restore normalcy, the next day he places Benazir Bhutto under house arrest. The United States needs to send a strong message to the government of Pakistan by using our leverage to push to restore the rule of law and move forward with crucial democratic reforms. That means making it clear we will suspend military aid not related to the fight against Al Qaeda if President Musharraf does not follow through on his pledges to take steps towards restoring civilian democracy.”

Yesterday, Senator Kerry was joined by Senator Biden in calling on President Musharraf to end Pakistan’s state of emergency and reinstate the Constitution. The Kerry-Biden Resolution urges that U.S. military assistance to Pakistan should be carefully reviewed. It further asserts that aid for certain weapons systems not directly related to fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban should be suspended if President Musharraf does not revoke the state of emergency, restore the Constitution, follow through on the pledge to relinquish his position as Chief of the Army and allow for free and fair elections to be held in accordance with the timeframe announced yesterday by the Government of Pakistan.

It doesn't matter though, georgie and his people have pretty much made clear they will continue to give Pakistan money NO MATTER WHAT Musharrif actually does.

I am sick and tired of calling these little 3rd world dictators and thugs georgie keeps dredging up our 'allies'.

It is disgusting.

Christy

If there is anything to be learned from Reagan, Bush Sr., and W, it's that propping up dictatorships around the world is very profitable for the Republican Party's own dictatorial plans.

Reagan profited handsomely from the fascists in Nicaragua and South Korea - the latter provided some of the most influential fascist thinkers to the US, such as Reverend Moon and John Yoo.

The Democrats are not immune either - they propped up South Vietnam, and helped rig an Australian election in the 1970s.

We are witnessing huge and horrible crimes unfold right before our eyes, and We are all completely powerless to stop it.

This next year will be the bloodiest of his reign. There is nothing stopping him in any way, on any issue.

It is getting damn hard to force ourselves to not feel panic.

Another snip from CodePink:

Family Security Matters, a right-wing front group, considers CodePink one of the ten most dangerous groups in America. This is on top of CodePink being mentioned by name by the White House spokesBarbie (thanks to Otter for that title) Dana Perino, as well as W himself.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7vNIi3hFGbl8l5CuBYdH9dv4V8DGxNYK

(Link redirects to Family Security Matters)

Speaking of CodePink, I am trying to arrange a meeting between Communications Goddess Gayle Brandeis, who is in the Baltimore-DC area for the next several days, and our own Karen. Both are MFAs (and have many mutual friends), and should have a great conversation. Looking forward to my two favorite CodePinkers getting together!

WTF is a MFA?

Christy

Master of Fine Arts

Oh. I see.

Good to know those types of people actually exist.

I actually had to go take a refrsher course.

"In the United States, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a terminal graduate degree in an area of visual, plastic, literary or performing arts typically requiring two to three years of study beyond the bachelor level."

Hmmmm.

Karen makes art with plastic...?

So freaking cool.

Another snip from CodePink:

Family Security Matters, a right-wing front group, considers CodePink one of the ten most dangerous groups in America. This is on top of CodePink being mentioned by name by the White House spokesBarbie (thanks to Otter for that title) Dana Perino, as we

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Wait a sec:

I thought Move On Org was the most dangerous group in America!!!! Second most dangerous was Michael Moore, followed closely by the ACLU!!!

Christy she is excellent, thank you posted her with Young Woman with a Pearl Earring, Im going to hang them all in one room, will send pics of finished wall when done.

Christy
Karen is visual arts (dance).
Gayle is literary arts (poetry/novel).

Absolutely Sick, Like the Pervert in Charge

Bush plays video games with recovering war veterans
Fri Nov 9, 10:25 AM ET
WACO, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush had a shoot-out with the "bad guys" in Iraq on Thursday, playing a computer game with war veterans that simulates a firefight in Baghdad, the White House said.
Bush tried his hand at the game with two soldiers during a visit to a rehabilitation center in Texas that treats veterans wounded in Iraq.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush helped "shoot the bad guys" in a Baghdad neighborhood, albeit virtually.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071109/pl_afp/uspoliticsiraqbush_071109152522

Fuel spill closes San Francisco beaches
Four picturesque beaches on both sides of the landmark Golden Gate Bridge -- Baker, Fort Point, China, and Crissy Field -- were closed, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0755968920071108

Free Speech Zoens: Islamabad .. New York

http://silencedmajority.blogs.com/silenced_majority_portal/2007/11/free-speech-zon.html

Thanks, Nyc, Kayakbiker

And the families of Katrina, What about them? they are not toxic for those families.

FEMA to Workers: Stay Out of Trailers

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FEMA_TOXIC_TRAILERS?SITE=PAYOK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Ally:

Yes, I agree on that community vs. individualistic thing. I didn't phrase it well. I meant that one redeeming quality of my redneck ancestors is that, as an individualistic society, any individual, regardless of position of birth, could be accepted, as a rule, as long as they bought into the mentality. Or a least on occasion. The point being that it was theoretically possible, which means that there is hope.

Chuck in Houston

HOUSE HEARING ON TORTURE:

RUMSFELD GETS A JOB (HEY!!! THAT'S WHERE CONDI USED TO HANG....)

STANFORD, California (Reuters) - More than 100 Stanford University students demonstrated on Thursday against a decision to make former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution amid campus discontent over a symbol of U.S. failings in the Iraq war.

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To date, nearly 4,000 Stanford faculty, students and alumni have signed a petition begun by a faculty member to reject Rumsfeld's appointment announced in September, but John Raisian, the institute's director, said Rumsfeld deserved the honor of being a "distinguished visiting fellow."

"Donald Rumsfeld has a remarkable record of achievement," Raisian told the Stanford Faculty Senate. "Like it or not, he has had a distinguished career."

Rumsfeld twice served as defense secretary under President Gerald Ford and President George W. Bush. He also served under President Richard Nixon; in the House of Representatives; as an ambassador to NATO; and as chief executive of two Fortune 500 companies.

"The concern with Secretary Rumsfeld is that he might be distinguished for the wrong reasons," said David Spiegel, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "The fact that he is available for this appointment speaks to his difficulties."

The position does not require

Anyone hear anything on Monkey?

Glad you like it Rossi.

The upright hieroglyph spells Rossi. I will send her through monday (providing my fundage makes it through the weekend. My children are overly expensive at times.)

I have to attend both a karate tournament and arm wrestling tournament in the morning. 3 of my kids are all going to kick some butt tommorrow.

I hope I can watch the two little ones without throwing up. If they start taking hits I really might not be able to take it.

Good thing they are stronger than me.

Kangaroo

I am following the San Francisco spill closely, since it's a California item.

A state of emergency has been issued now.

The ship involved belongs to Hanjin Shipping Company, the same company that runs Korean Air - American neocons' favorite airline.

I hadn't heard about this:

BAGHDAD (AFP) - American and Iraqi forces on Monday launched a massive assault targeting Al-Qaeda fighters in four northern provinces of Iraq, the US military said.

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It said the "Task Force Iron" operation was in the provinces of Diyala, Salaheddin, Kirkuk and Nineveh.

The statement did not give precise numbers of the troops involved, but said three US brigade combat teams and three Iraqi army divisions were taking part.

"This operation is a relentless pursuit of Al-Qaeda, who we have seen attempting to move into new areas and disrupt the security of the local populace," said commander Brigadier General Jim Boozer in the statement.

"Our intent is to continue to pressure this group, disrupt their operations and deny them safe havens in the region."

US and Iraq forces have launched widespread military assaults across much of the war-ravaged country, forcing militants to seek hideouts in remote areas.

Kangaroo

WACO, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush had a shoot-out with the "bad guys" in Iraq on Thursday, playing a computer game with war veterans that simulates a firefight in Baghdad, the White House said.

That rehab center in Waco is privately run - that's where all the money that should've gone to Walter Reed is ending up.

For some, this war is as profitable as it gets.

The SE here is Sybil Edmonds. She is about to go public if the press will give her airtime.

SE: Look, I think that that [the AIPAC investigation] ultimately involves more than just Israelis – I am talking about countries, not a single country here. Because despite however it may appear, this is not just a simple matter of state espionage. If (Patrick) Fitzgerald and his team keep pulling, really pulling, they are going to reel in much more than just a few guys spying for Israel.

CD: A monster, 600-pound catfish, huh? So the Turkish and Israeli investigations had some overlap?

SE: Essentially, there is only one investigation – a very big one, an all-inclusive one. Completely by chance, I, a lowly translator, stumbled over one piece of it.

But I can tell you there are a lot of people involved, a lot of ranking officials, and a lot of illegal activities that include multi-billion-dollar drug-smuggling operations, black-market nuclear sales to terrorists and unsavory regimes, you name it. And of course a lot of people from abroad are involved. It's massive. So to do this investigation, to really do it, they will have to look into everything.

CD: But you can start from anywhere –

SE: That's the beauty of it. You can start from the AIPAC angle. You can start from the Plame case. You can start from my case. They all end up going to the same place, and they revolve around the same nucleus of people. There may be a lot of them, but it is one group. And they are very dangerous for all of us.

http://letsibeledmondsspeak.blogspot.com/2007/11/sibel-edmonds-case-untellable-story-of.html

If it is true and Edmonds caught hasterat laundering drug money for the Turks... do yall realize what that means?

That a literal drug cartel is in charge of our nation. One both georgie and clinton are rumored to have been elevated by.

Those bumper poppy crops in Afghanistan has to be atleat twice as profitable as any war profiteering could be. Who has time to find bin laden, really?

We are seeing what happens when the mafia moves into the White House and is allowed to fight a drug and oil turf war on a global scale.

"you can’t spell ‘Rush Limbaugh’ without the letters L-I-A-R”
(David Wade, John Kerry spokesman)

Click on my name - I am pissed - just walked in the door

NMP, don't get mad. limpball is only worthy of pity and scorn.

I mean, think about it, here he is still desperately trying to justify arguments 3 years later, and still must think John Kerry is the end all be all entity of the democratic party.

Poor ugly bastard has done so many drugs he has dain bramaged himself. The bitterness is just a side effect of being a junkie.

I think he deliberately wanted to get caught with viagra, just to give off the impression he is getting laid.

Speaking of poppy crops, no wonder lush limpball still fully supports the war in Afghanistan. Our soldiers deaths there makes real heroin possible.

Hey All,

We are in NYC, where I performed yesterday and hope to put up some reports and photos on the movement choir we did yesterday. Today was a conference and meetings (and lunch with Richard's old friend, Joe Conason) and dinner with family.

Karen
Looking forward to seeing the photos and reports!

The upright hieroglyph spells Rossi, Thanks Christy for letting me know.

Devaju

Feinstein Now Backs Immunity For Telecoms Involved In Warrantless Spying

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday that she favors legal immunity for telecommunications companies that allegedly shared millions of customers' telephone and e-mail messages and records with the government, a position that could lead to the dismissal of numerous lawsuits pending in San Francisco.

In a statement at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering legislation to extend the Bush administration's electronic surveillance program, Feinstein said the companies should not be "held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities."

She endorsed a recent statement by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W. Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, that companies assured by top administration officials that the surveillance program was legal "should not be dragged through the courts for their help with national security."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/09/BA13T97BN.DTL

Any chance at all, that this witch feinstein will, have her ass trashed, come election time?

I'm thinking the republicans are better off than they were before the 2006 elections, what with Schumer, Feinstein, Lieberman in their back pockets, Pelosi Ried and Conyers on impeachment, what else do they need?

Kangaroo

It won't happen. California is nowhere as liberal as people (and San Francisco) would like you to think, and Feinstein has too much Republican support. And the imbecile state Democrats simply will not replace a sure "bipartisan" winner like Feinstein with someone more liberal, but less palatable to the Republicans. (They figure that Barbara Boxer is one enough already.)

This is the same state Democratic party that left me and my neighborhood completely out to the Republican vultures.

I will continue to vote for good alternative candidates; in 2000, I did just that, by voting for Medea Benjamin of the Green Party (now of CodePink). But the system is so rigged against minor parties, that unless the likes of Medea run in the Democratic primary and get lots of grassroots support, they have no chance.

Court Bars Second Court-Martial for Watada
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/110907R.shtml
Christian Hill for The Olympian reports that "First Lt. Ehren Watada, the Fort Lewis officer who refused to deploy to Iraq last year, might never see another courtroom. US District Judge Benjamin Settle on Thursday imposed a preliminary injunction to temporarily bar the Army from trying Watada a second time, saying the officer likely will prevail on the merits of his pending case."

Thanks Ally, I thought as much

kangaroo said:
I'm thinking the republicans are better off than they were before the 2006 elections, what with Schumer, Feinstein, Lieberman in their back pockets, Pelosi Ried and Conyers on impeachment, what else do they need?

Exactly.

Me too, I can't help but believe they are stonger than ever, they have basically blanket immunity and another year to bomb whatever they want too.

We are seriously f'kd.

Clinton Camp Admits To Planting Questions

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/11/clinton-camp-ad.html

Did anyone watch CNN yesterday? Did they even report the bomb that killed 60 kids and wounded 100 others in the capital building in the middle of our little Freedom experiment in Afghanistan yesterday?

Did they even borther to report it?

I wouldn't know, I can't watch TV news anymore.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071110/ap_on_en_ot/obit_mailer
Pulitzer-winning author Mailer dies

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071110/ap_on_en_ot/broadway_labor
Broadway strike may darken theaters