From Holden: Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Justice Department Officials met with the eleven FISA judges yesterday to explain why Chimpy thought it was necessary to violate the law and listen in on your conversations without a warrrant. Continue reading Fly On The Wall
From Holden: Check out Arianna’s link-rich post on our original adversary in the GWOT. Continue reading The Forgotten Place
From Holden: The Bush Economy reaches its Oh Shit moment as China decides it no longer wishes to finance our debt. China has resolved to shift some of its foreign exchange reserves — now in excess of $800 billion — away from the U.S. dollar and into other world currencies in a move likely to push down the value of the greenback, a high-level state economist who advises the nation’s economic policymakers said in an interview Monday. As China’s manufacturing industries flood the world with cheap goods, the Chinese central bank has invested roughly three-fourths of its growing foreign currency … Continue reading Bush Boom, We Harldy Knew Ye
From Scout: From WaPo… One of Washington’s top lobbying operations will shut down at the end of the month because of its ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former House majority leader Tom DeLay. Alexander Strategy Group, which had thrived since its founding in 1998 thanks largely to its close connections to DeLay (R-Tex.), will cease to operate except for a relatively small business-development division, Edwin A. Buckham, the former top DeLay aide who owns the company, said yesterday. SNIP “Reports in the press have made it difficult to continue as a lobbying/political entity,” Buckham said. Buckham’s firm employed … Continue reading One Down…..sort of
From Scout: Misty water-colored memories Of the way we were…… Can it be that it was all so simple then? Or has time re-written every line? Jack, be nimble (from US News & World Report March 25, 2002) It’s being dubbed the “battle of the Republican uber-lobbyists,” pitting Haley Barbour, once the face of the GOP, and quiet Jack Abramoff, his biggest competitor. The jockeying for the top spot kicked into high gear this month when Abramoff helped open the posh Signatures restaurant, down the street from Barbour & Co.’s Caucus Room. This place is hot–and booked with GOP fundraisers. … Continue reading Mem’ries, Like the corners of my mind……
From Scout: In need of bodies the Army began mobilizing the Individual Ready Reserve last summer. Some are ignoring the orders… The Army took initial steps Monday to expel dozens of reservists who failed to report for active duty, in effect warning hundreds of others that they too could be penalized if they don’t heed orders to return to active service. SNIP The Army announced that about 80 soldiers will face review panels, known as separation boards, although the number may grow. If the panels conclude they intentionally did not obey a mobilization order, they would face one of three … Continue reading We WILL Not Be Ignored
From Holden: Why is the White House hiding the fact that Dick Cheney has gout from the American People? Q Can you tell us what the pre-existing foot condition is that the Vice President has? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the Vice President’s Office talked about that last week. And I’m sure if there’s more information to share with you, they will do so. Q They didn’t mention anything specific. It’s his — Q Well, we don’t know what it is. MR. McCLELLAN: I would encourage you to direct questions such as that to their office, because they check with his doctors … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle
From Holden: Uh-oh, sounds like he’s hitting the sauce again. Chimpy spoke today to mark the fourth Anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act at North Glen Elementary School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Brownie Watch, Part I I want to thank you for your leadership, Margaret. You’re doing a heck of a job as the Secretary of Education. Brownie Watch, Part II Again, I want to congratulate Julie and Maurine for leading this school. You’ve done a heck of a job, and we’re proud — we’re proud to honor you. Brownie Watch, Part III (!) One of my predecessors … Continue reading Your President Speaks!
From Scout: I have been meaning to write about this for some time. I’ve held off until more Katrina bodies would be found and identified making more definitive stats to be available. However it appears that may take some time as 146 bodies are yet to be identified and officials are now turning to a Bosnian lab for help. Yet conclusions are being drawn which I think need to be addressed now. Knight Ridder is the most recent to report that demographics of the Katrina death toll shows “poor and black residents didn’t suffer inordinately compared with others.” The LA … Continue reading It Just Isn’t That Simple
From Holden: The Nine-Billion Dollar Man spills the beans on troop levels. Pentagon officials acknowledged Monday that Paul Bremer, the senior U.S. official in Iraq during the first year of the war, told Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in May 2004 that a far larger number of U.S. troops were needed to effectively fight the insurgency but his advice was rejected. Larry Di Rita, a Rumsfeld spokesman, told reporters that Bremer made the recommendation in a memorandum and that it was the only time during his 13 months as head of the U.S. civilian occupation authority in Baghdad that he … Continue reading Please Send Help
From Scout: The timimg of this is a bit suspicious. US troops raided the Iraq home of award winning Guardian journalist Ali Fadhil. Fadhil related that troops fired into the bedroom in which he was sleeping with his wife and child. He was hooded, taken for questioning and released hours later though videotapes of a program on which he is working were not released. The program “claims that tens of millions of dollars worth of Iraqi funds held by the Americans and British have been misused or misappropriated.” The director of the film, Callum Macrae, said yesterday: “The timing and … Continue reading Anyone Home?
From Holden: How many of us noticed this blip on the economic radar? Consumers and corporate chieftains alike should check an economic flare the bond market has sent up on the direction of the economy. Late last month, for the first time in five years, yields were higher on U.S. Treasury bonds maturing in two years vs. similar investments due 10 years from now. That’s a noteworthy reversal of the market norm called an “inverted yield curve” by Wall Street types. This market rarity could signal that a recession is around the bend. Continue reading The Second Coming of My Bush Boom
From Holden: Both the Senate Intelligence and Juciciary Committees are eager to hold hearings on Chimpy’s extra-constitutional snooping. Judiciary’s witness list will include Abu Al Gonzales, John Asscroft and James Comey. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday that he has asked Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales to testify publicly on the legality of warrantless eavesdropping on telephone conversations between suspected terrorists and others in the United States. A prominent conservative on the committee said he is troubled by the legal arguments the Bush administration has presented for establishing the National Security Agency program. [snip] GOP Sen. Sam Brownback … Continue reading Let the Games Begin
From Holden: Denny the Meatpuppet is hearing footsteps. In the first sign that even Hastert could be in trouble, Rep. John E. Sweeney (R-N.Y.) said Republicans should consider whether to replace the speaker. “The time is right for us to do some soul-searching and have an open dialogue about the direction of the House.” Continue reading Hastert for Dessert
From Holden: Well, at least the hinges in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room are well-oiled. Insisting that God “certainly needs to be involved” in the Supreme Court confirmation process, three Christian ministers today blessed the doors of the hearing room where Senate Judiciary Committee members will begin considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito on Monday. Capitol Hill police barred them from entering the room to continue what they called a consecration service. But in a bit of one-upsmanship, the three announced that they had let themselves in a day earlier, touching holy oil to the seats where Judge … Continue reading These People Are Flipping Wierd
From Scout: AP reports…. Dick Cheney was taken to George Washington Hospital early Monday experiencing shortness of breath, a spokeswoman said. Lea Anne McBride said that doctors found his EKG unchanged and determined he was retaining fluid because of medication he was taking because of a foot problem. Cheney, who has a long history of heart problems and has a pacemaker in his chest, was placed on a diuretic. McBride said the vice president was expected to be released from the hospital later Monday. A foot ailment forced Vice President Dick Cheney to use a cane on Friday. McBride said … Continue reading Cheney Hospitalized
From Tena: You really have to love this , Josh, says, and I do. I have learned to appreciate the fact that there is no depth to which the Republicans won’t sink. And I’m fascinated by their ability to turn the law inside out. This is a great example of it: Good stuff! Holding Republicans to account violates their rights. You have to love this. Three and a half years ago members of the New Hampshire state Republican party, the Republican National Committee and others entered into a criminal conspiracy to disrupt Democratic get-out-the-vote activities on election day. That’s not … Continue reading And Every Day is Someone’s Unbirthday
From Holden: Horrible. An Army helicopter crashed in northern Iraq shortly before midnight Saturday, killing all 12 passengers and crew, military authorities here reported Sunday. A U.S. military spokesman would not confirm whether all of those killed in the crash were U.S. service members, but said they were all Americans. The cause of the crash was still being investigated, he said. Five Marines also died in several attacks in central Iraq, the military reported. Three Marines were killed by gunfire Sunday morning in separate attacks in the city of Fallujah, about 35 miles west of Baghdad. Two others were killed … Continue reading And the Beat Goes On
From Scout: First may I take a moment to thank Athenae for inviting me to guestblog. I am honored to have the opportunity but I will never fill Athenae’s shoes as she is one of the best writers on all the internets. So I ‘ll do my thing and hope you like it. One area I’ve posted on a great deal at my blog has been post Katrina issues. Here is another…. Even without Brownie FEMA continues to excell at screwing up……. In the shelters and other makeshift evacuee communities around the South, Colorado Springs earned a reputation as a … Continue reading FEMA–You’re Still Doing A Heck Of A Job
From Scout: From Bush’s Mouth Friday ….. In order to make sure this economy grows, we’ve got to have a reasonable health care system. I view the role of the federal government is to help the elderly. And we got good Medicare reforms done. And I believe the role of the federal government is to help the poor. And that’s why we’ve got Medicaid. Today’s Reality….. At least four states – Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Vermont – acted this week to make sure poor people received the drugs they were promised but could not obtain through the federal … Continue reading The Growth Gap–From Bush’s Mouth to Reality
From Scout: In reading of the many twists, turns, and complicated dealings involved in the Abramoff/Delay/Republican Culture of Corruption story I’ve wondered will the press and media be able to present this as an understandable yet compelling narrative to Americans? Will Americans be interested and able to follow it so that they really get what has happened? Then I read this from the Washington Post on the Delay machine……. It worked simply. On one side of the machine, a hose vacuumed the pockets of large corporations, wealthy individuals and legions of lobbyists on K Street, all instructed by DeLay to … Continue reading Distilling Delay
From Tena: As I’m sure every Democrat and Liberal knows by now, Tom Delay resigned his position as majority leader today. His letter to his fellow Republican House members reads in part: Dear Colleague: Today, I have asked Speaker Hastert to convene our conference for the purpose of electing a new majority leader, the position I have been honored to fill these past three years through the trust and confidence of our colleagues. During my time in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner within the rules of our body and the laws of our land. I am … Continue reading My Day with the Republicans
Because I have a book project that really, really, really needs to be done by the end of next month, I’m surrendering next week completely to the ever-widening circle of papers and post-its surrounding me. Scout Prime of the blog of the same name, from which I’ve been cribbing almost daily, has kindly agreed to fill in for me during this time of profound panic and scribbling. I’m counting on y’all to show her where the ferrets usually hide the scotch, and warning you: If you must dance on the pool table, at least take off your stilettos first. See … Continue reading Into The Wild Beige Yonder
As usual, discussion of last night’s episode, plot holes you could drive a bus through, and the hotness of the Starbuck, all inside.
From Holden: Just a few snips from today’s economic cheeleading session. The man who opposes same-sex marriage promotes something really kinky. We cut the taxes on the families by lowering the rates and by doubling the child credit, and by reducing the marriage penalty. I can’t imagine a tax code that penalizes marriage. It seems like to me we ought to be encouraging marriage to our tax code. Doesn’t know his own age. In my case, I turn 60 in 2008 — that’s a convenient date for me — (laughter) — 62 in 2008; 60 this year, unfortunately. We got … Continue reading Your President Speaks! — Part Two
From Holden: Via HuffPo we learn that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a member of the reality-based community. Speaking before a town hall meeting on Iraq in Arlington, Va., hosted by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., Murtha said Pace called him to discuss the war. “Peter Pace told me this last night: They know militarily they can’t win this,” Murtha said. Continue reading “They know militarily they can’t win this.”
From Holden: Via HuffPo we learn that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a member of the reality-based community. Speaking before a town hall meeting on Iraq in Arlington, Va., hosted by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., Murtha said Pace called him to discuss the war. “Peter Pace told me this last night: They know militarily they can’t win this,” Murtha said. Continue reading ”They know militarily they can’t win this.”
From Holden: Chimpy, today at the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education. Christ, what an embarrassment. He realizes he’s a dumbass, but he still has to one-up Condi. I’ve had a little problem with the language in the past, so — (laughter.) If you’ve got room in the initiative for me, let me know. (Laughter.) Condi said, come on by, we’ve got a bunch of university presidents here. And I said, great, just so long as we don’t have to compare transcripts. (Laughter.) She’s the Ph.D., I’m the President. (Laughter and applause.) The Admiral James Stockdale Memorial “Why Am … Continue reading Your President Speaks!
From Holden: A couple of days ago I heard the Bloated Addict complain that the Liberal Media was unfairly portraying Jack Abramoff to be a GOP lobbyist. Any honest person who has been awake for the past five years knows that portrayal is accurate, but E. J. Dionne Jr. has tracked down some juicy quotes for the likes of Limpbutt. On an Oct. 15, 2003, CNBC broadcast, journalist Alan Murray asked Ed Gillespie, then chairman of the Republican National Committee, about fundraising by “people like Jack Abramoff, who represents Indian tribes here,” and another lobbyist whose name I’ll leave out … Continue reading GOP Lobbyist
We are outnumbered in this house.
The expression with which Joe generally greets the vacuum cleaner.
Fox and Stripe photos inside.
A.