Bush's 'fuck you' moment

Ezra has an excellent post up. It's time for the Dems to push back harder than they have in the past 5 years.

Hat tip: Shakes

One bad, one good

From HuffPo

Today, for two separate reasons, has been an incredible day in America. First, the United States has legitimized torture and secondly, the President has admitted to an impeachable offense.

The Bush-McCain torture compromise legitimizes torture. It is the first time that has happened in this country. Not in the two World Wars, Korea, the Cold War or Vietnam did the government ever seek or get the power this bill gives them.

The worst part of it is that most of the media missed it and got it wrong.

Secondly, the President in authorizing surveillance without seeking a court order has committed a crime. The Federal Communications Act criminalizes surveillance without a warrant. It is an impeachable offense. This was also totally missed by the media.

"Secondly" is good. "Firstly", hmmm, not so much.

A question

About Bush's order allowing the NSA to spy on American citizens. The Snake Lady asks:

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Now comes the hair-pulling part: Did the New York Times know about this before the 2004 elections? If so, how did they justify keeping it secret from the voters?

How do the editors and publishers of the Times sleep at night?

Update:

DemVet asks his own:

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The Spineless Fucks have probably known about it all along. Oh, and how genuinely good-hearted was all this extra-Constitutional Freedom Fucking?

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Dingell Bells, Dingell Bells, Dingell All The Way...

Congressman Dingell (D-MI) has a Holiday jingle for Bill O'Reilly and the House GOP.

Red card for Arnie

From This Is London

Councillors in the Austrian city of Graz yesterday voted to remove the California governor's name from the local football stadium.

Graz deputy mayor Walter Ferk said: said: 'It is annoying that we are being criticised because of Schwarzenegger's actions in California.

'It is not exactly admirable for us to be connected with the death penalty. Therefore, I am in favour of renaming the stadium.

So Ah-nold's not the hometown hero anymore? Good call, Graz. I don't much care for him either.

Maybe they also saw a good opportunity to sell the naming rights to a schnitzel company as well?

Beisbol, Si! Cuba, No!

EssEffChron

The Bush administration has blocked Cuba from playing in next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic. Now future U.S. Olympic bids may be in trouble as a result.

In Havana, government officials didn't react to the decision, but several Cuban citizens were angry.

"Enough already!" said Antonio Mayeta, whose brother plays for Havana's Industriales baseball team. "It's unbelievable. This is about sports, not politics. In Cuba, baseball is our culture. Everyone was so anxious to see these games."

Pound pointed out the U.S. government allowed Cuba to participate in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Twelve years earlier, Cuba was part of the boycott of the Los Angeles Games.

"Sports should be separated from politics," U.S. Soccer Federation president Bob Contiguglia said. "That's been a FIFA and an IOC philosophy, and we concur with that philosophy. In soccer, we've played Cuba in sport on many occasions and it's never been a problem. We've had teams go to Cuba and they've come here. So it seems kind of shortsighted that the administration would do that."

Hey, "shortsighted" is their middle name. Their heads are so far up their ass they can't see a damn thing. This is just ridiculous.

What's Bush afraid of? Fidel Castro? Nine potential illegal immigrants? That they might beat us at a game that's supposed to be an American pastime?

Heads, up, Washington: it's just a fuckin' game! This just makes you look to the world like the idiots you are.

McClellan Battles Reporters Over Bush Backing DeLay

A follow up to Fixer's post. Editor & Publisher has the transcript.

You could see these questions coming a mile away. After months of refusing to comment on the Plame/CIA probe, and the indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby -- saying he did not want to "prejudge" an "ongoing investigation" -- President Bush on Wednesday night unabashedly told Fox News' Brit Hume that he believed Rep. Tom DeLay was not guilty of charges against him.

This sparked a storm of questioning at the daily briefing on Thursday by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, with NBCs David Gregory leading the way, accusing the administration of being "hypocritical” and "inconsistent" on this matter, "ad nauseum."

Just go read. I call it "The Presstitutes v. the White House Follies" like it's Roller Derby. This one kinda stuck out:

Q I do have a question about White House ethics guidelines --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the American people understand.

Some of us have for a long time, and more folks are starting to every day.

Damn, it must suck to be McClellan!

Dissent? Go to jail

WaPo again

The American Civil Liberties Union raised objections yesterday to a little-noticed provision of the latest version of the USA Patriot Act bill, arguing that it would give the Secret Service wider latitude to charge protesters accused of disrupting major events including political conventions and the Olympics.

The Secret Service is authorized to charge suspects with breaching security or disruptive behavior at National Special Security Events, but only if the president or another person under the protection of the service is in attendance, according to a legislative summary.

The bill adds language prohibiting people from "willfully and knowingly" entering a restricted area "where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting." The measure also applies to security breaches "in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance," according to the bill.

Penalties for such violations would increase from six months to a year in prison.

To the ACLU, the changes would open the door to even tighter security restrictions at major events and would subject protesters to harassment from federal law enforcement officers. The Bush administration has come under sharp criticism from liberal and civil-liberties groups for disputed arrests and security measures at presidential events.

"It's cementing the trend of the Secret Service basically acting to arrest or harass or control dissenters, and now not just at presidential events but at other events," said Timothy H. Edgar, the ACLU's national security counsel.

The SS (Secret Service, but apt initials, I think), the FBI, and other agencies arrested protesters during Vietnam, the last Republican convention, and other places, but they (mostly) always had to let them go unless they were actually breaking a law. Like charging them with 'littering' after a cop knocked a protest sign out of their hands by hitting them in the head with a nightstick.

It looks like that pesky bar against arrest and imprisonment of folks saying stuff in disagreement with the administration, you know, the First Amendment to that "piece of paper", the Constitution, is no longer a drawback.

This is why there's a Second Amendment, folks, to protect the other ones. They'll likely address that one in future, but until then keep 'em clean and oiled and your powder dry, and let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Bush Authorized Domestic Spying

WaPo

President Bush signed a secret order in 2002 authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in the United States, despite previous legal prohibitions against such domestic spying, sources with knowledge of the program said last night.

Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies, said the secret order may amount to the president authorizing criminal activity.

The law governing clandestine surveillance in the United States, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, prohibits conducting electronic surveillance not authorized by statute. A government agent can try to avoid prosecution if he can show he was "engaged in the course of his official duties and the electronic surveillance was authorized by and conducted pursuant to a search warrant or court order of a court of competent jurisdiction," according to the law.

"This is as shocking a revelation as we have ever seen from the Bush administration," said Martin, who has been sharply critical of the administration's surveillance and detention policies. "It is, I believe, the first time a president has authorized government agencies to violate a specific criminal prohibition and eavesdrop on Americans."

"It's clear that the administration has been very willing to sacrifice civil liberties in its effort to exercise its authority on terrorism, to the extent that it authorizes criminal activity," Fredrickson said.

Bush authorizing criminal acts? So what's new? It's obvious he believes more in the rule of man (himself and his criminal cabal) than the rule of law, what with the Constitution being "just a piece of paper" and all. War crimes, torture, Plamegate, depraved indifference (health care, social services, Katrina), drunk driving, whatever, are part of an ongoing pattern of criminal activity by this administration to get what they want and to Hell with the law.

If the arrogance of thinking they own the joint, and contempt for the American people were crimes, they'd be danglin' from a tree limb already.

Bush and his accomplices need to be in jail. Or under it.

Moral Hindsight

From AlterNet

Ralph Reed, the political strategist and candidate for lieutenant governor, said recently that his work for disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff was a mistake that - if given the chance - he wouldn't repeat.

"Had I known then what I know now, I would not have undertaken that work," Reed said, according to the text of a speech posted on his campaign Web site this week.

So what exactly does he know now that he didn't know then?

Easy. That he was gonna get caught being a greedy hypocritical slimebag under cover of fake christianity and that it might affect the outcome of his campaign.

Next time, Ralphie boy, when you pray for guidance, I hope you get it from your cellie.

Well, duh

I love Gillard, I do, but he illustrates a point at which people who've never been in combat finally get it.

...Shootout deals with infantry encounters, and they look really hairy...

It's an excellent post but that line struck me. But Steve does get it and sees what a lot of other vets like me see:

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These aren't hardened killers or patriotic robots. Most of them are kids, doing the job assigned them, but who have developed a dislike for Iraq and Iraqis not seen on the news. You see flashes of it in the print media, but the frustration you don't see, the anger.

The Chairborne Cowards who insist on good news from Iraq probably pass on these shows. Because you can see all of the good intentions beaten out of decent men, and see it replaced with a survival-based sense of fear.

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The situation over there cannot get better, not when most of our guys are going on their 3rd and 4th tours. You think shit over there is ugly now, wait a year or two.

Whine on, you crazy wingnut...

The American Family Association says that Ford Motor Company reneged on some agreements reached in discussions with the automobile giant, and the organization is considering its next move.

"We had an agreement with Ford, worked out in good faith. Unfortunately, some Ford Motor Company officials made the decision to violate the good faith agreement. We are now considering our response to the violation and expect to reach a decision very soon," said Donald E. Wildmon, chairman of AFA.

AFA had called for a boycott of Ford last spring because of Ford's support for the homosexual agenda and homosexual marriage but suspended the boycott for six months at the request of a group of Ford dealers. Wildmon said AFA and Ford officials hammered out an agreement in the interim that was accepted by both parties.

...He stated that because Ford broke the agreement, the option of a boycott is now very much alive.

Bite me, you wingnut assholes. Sucks to be the bully whose bluff has been called, don't it? You got lucky. In my playground, you would have been thrown a beating too. There's a lot of people* at Ford who were put in a very bad position (with regard to their jobs) thanks to this wingnut bullshit. Trust me, the Focus on the Fetus folks would do well not to protest in front of Ford stores, especially where the boys in the shops can see you. You see, mechanics aren't too politically correct to begin with, especially toward lunatics who put their livelihoods in jeopardy.

*In the interest of full disclosure, sourcing on this were a bunch (6) of Ford dealerships on Long Island and NYC (where I have acquaintences) and a few calls I made to friends who work at One American Rd, Dearborn, MI. There was quite a bit of feedback to the dealerships from customers who would refuse to buy a Ford again if this deal with AFA went through. The salesmen were worried and so were the mechanics.

Update:

From the Alternate Brain Mail Bag, Phil writes:

Hey Fixer, I had to put in my 2 cents worth on these fucking assholes. I, like you, worked for Ford . For 10 years i worked @ a Lincoln Mercury Dealership. I'm 46, Graduated w/honors from ASSET when I was 31. Still have insider friends. They are Pissed about this shit. One...just one of these idiots showed up at their dealership and there would'nt be enough left to identify. In my experience, there are three people in this world you seriously do NOT want to piss off, Your Mother, your Lawyer, and your Mechanic. Keep up the good work man. Feel free to use this, just leave out the old e-mail address,'K ?

Busted Knuckles (Phil)

Thanks, Phil. I told ya, that about sums it up.

Bad news, Gord

DeLay's innocent. Preznit say so. Froomkin:

In a Fox News interview aired last night, President Bush declared that he believes indicted former House majority leader Tom DeLay is innocent of the money-laundering charges brought against him in Texas.

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Sorry, pardner. Can you say jury tampering?

Global warming

It's just a theory...no conclusive proof...

It may be the latest evidence of global warming: Polar bears are drowning.

Scientists for the first time have documented multiple deaths of polar bears off Alaska, where they likely drowned after swimming long distances in the ocean amid the melting of the Arctic ice shelf. The bears spend most of their time hunting and raising their young on ice floes.

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But in September 2004, when the polar ice cap had retreated a record 160 miles north of the northern coast of Alaska, researchers counted 10 polar bears swimming as far as 60 miles offshore. Polar bears can swim long distances but have evolved to mainly swim between sheets of ice, scientists say.

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It just gets in the way of our economy. Horseshit, motherfuckers. We're killing this planet faster than we thought.

Blame Canada

Grace at the Reaction has a post up about the Bush administration meddling in the upcoming Canadian elections. Ya think they could pay more attention at home instead of fucking with our friends.

The 21st one will be a charm...

Grandpa Eddie's got a good post up about the twenty ways Bush has waved the white flag to the world.

It's yours. It's your war. You decided to start it, we didn't. You decided to lie to congress and the American people to get your war. We are not surrendering Mr. Bush, you are:

Twenty times. Count 'em.

Let me be clear with you Mr. Bush: This is not our white flag. We are not surrendering to our enemy. Not in the least. What you have failed to understand is who the enemy is; It's you. You are our enemy. You are the enemy of America. We have not surrendered to you Mr. Bush. We are intent upon driving you and your kind from our midst. We're sick of the surrendering of our country by the likes of you. The twenty-first flag will be waved by you Mr. Bush. I have it on twenty to one odds.

Don't miss this one.

Good lord

Imagine if White Power and radical Islam formed an unholy alliance to end all unholy alliances?

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According to Vidino, they're beguiled by Al Qaeda's discipline, field prowess, and heartfelt hatred of Jews. In fact, "there have been reports of contacts between their groups and radical Islamic organizations."

Meanwhile, in America, not only hasn't White Power reached out to radical Muslims, it's jealous of them. Shortly after 9/11, James Ridgeway of the Village Voice recorded a Michigan Nazi Party chairman's complaint that a "bunch of towel head/sand niggers put our great White Movement to SHAME." Still, we wondered, are they destined to intermingle at some point?

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This makes my sphincter pucker. Let's just hope they stick to hating each other more than they hate us collectively. Imagine if our 'homegrown terrorists' swore off Coors Light, Budweiser, and Wild Turkey long enough to gain the discipline of al-Qaeda? We'd be in big trouble.

Thanks: Rising Hegemon

Let's get this straight

When the wingnuts yell and scream about how they 'support' the nation and 'fight' for the nation, you can tell 'em they're full of shit.

Who's lost the most soldiers in Iraq? The 'blue' states.

Who gets the tax revenue?

States Receiving Most in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)

States Receiving Least in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. New Jersey ($0.62)
2. Connecticut ($0.64)
3. New Hampshire ($0.68)
4. Nevada ($0.73)
5. Illinois ($0.77)
6. Minnesota ($0.77)
7. Colorado ($0.79)
8. Massachusetts ($0.79)
9. California ($0.81)
10. New York ($0.81)

Our children are dying for your war and we're paying to support your pathetic, faith-based lives. Just shut the fuck up.

Hat tip: TBogg

The fix is in

Or, why H.R. 550 is muy importante.

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This does not make sense. Diebold, the manufacturers of the infamous "black box" voting machines -- the ones that leave no paper trail -- use software that is not open-source. How is it that the taxpayers have already paid for the NSA to develop what they believe is the most secure operating system in the world, yet they pay again for Diebold machines that use a lower quality OS?

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H.R.550 Update

Froggy:

Liz of Blondesense told me that she wrote to Randi Rhodes of Air America Radio several times about the H.R. 550 petition and Randi Rhodes has said nothing about it on the air.

Well, how about we all write to the show and ask them to publicize it?

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He's even got a sample to help those of us (me) who can't think straight in the morning.