Flied Lice...

This is too funny fer words. Thanks, Cleek.

Smurfs or Snorks?

Go read what Riverbend has to say after three years of Bush's War in her country.

I don't think anyone imagined three years ago that things could be quite this bad today. The last few weeks have been ridden with tension. I'm so tired of it all - we're all tired.

Three years and the electricity is worse than ever. The security situation has gone from bad to worse. The country feels like it's on the brink of chaos once more - but a pre-planned, pre-fabricated chaos being led by religious militias and zealots.

My electricity's OK, but the rest sounds a lot like here, huh? Fundies are fundies, crescent or cross.

In the last weeks alone, thousands have died in senseless violence and the American and Iraqi army bomb Samarra as I write this. The sad thing isn't the air raid, which is one of hundreds of air raids we've seen in three years - it's the resignation in the people. They sit in their homes in Samarra because there's no where to go. Before, we'd get refugees in Baghdad and surrounding areas... Now, Baghdadis themselves are looking for ways out of the city... out of the country. The typical Iraqi dream has become to find some safe haven abroad.

Three years later and the nightmares of bombings and of shock and awe have evolved into another sort of nightmare. The difference between now and then was that three years ago, we were still worrying about material things - possessions, houses, cars, electricity, water, fuel... It's difficult to define what worries us most now. Even the most cynical war critics couldn't imagine the country being this bad three years after the war... Allah yistur min il rab3a (God protect us from the fourth year).

I think sometimes when we're denouncing Bush's War as lies, dead American troops, horrendous wasteful expense, and Neocon and Muslim ideology gone mad and out of control, we lose sight of the fact that there's actual normal human beings that are suffering way worse than we are because of it.

Taco Bell Nation

This article in the LATimes West Magazine isn't about politics, but I can politicize anything. Not a particularly complimentary piece, it still made me drain and refill my drool buckets several times. Have fun.

Let me describe the #3 plate at every local authentic Mexican restaurant 50 years ago. Imagine an oval, particularly thick ceramic plate being hustled over straight out of an oven, so hot it can only be delivered with a potholder and a warning to never, ever touch - it's a hot, hot plate each recipient, individually, will be told - that is set down a distance from the edge of the table so it won't burn chest hairs or whatever, and the clothes in between. The refried beans are gurgling, and the "Spanish" rice is reconstituting into its dry grain state, the peas and carrot chunks mutating away from the vegetable category, and the red sauce of the enchiladas is bubbling, the yellow and white cheese topping still sizzling from being on the verge of burning. Wait long enough so the plate can be handled. Then, go on, tip it sideways. Tip it upside down. Toss it to practice dexterity, letting it roll over and over, and catch it. Spin it on a finger like a top, food side down, or roll it on its edge across a long banquet table. Yes, the tablespoon of shredded iceberg lettuce and that thin, very thin slice of a too-green red tomato - colorful garnish - that nobody ever eats anyway, both of them wilted and dehydrated, will fall off. But the rest? Nope. It's a Mexican Frisbee!

And where's the politics, you may well ask? Why, right here:

Taco Bell is to Mexican food what the Bush administration is to Leadership and ethical governance.

The GOP advantages in 2006

By the mighty Kos hisself:

The GOP is in trouble. The president is as popular as dirt at a Superfund site, its agenda has suffered at the hand of reality, Iraq is a disaster, they're about to start executing Christians in our "success story" Afghanistan, Congressional Republicans just raised the debt ceiling, again, movement conservatives are turning against the ideologues running the party, and special prosecutors and investigators are still sniffing around most of the party's and movement's top leadership.

Given the huge leads Dems garner in opinion polls and that Dem fundraising is keeping pace, if not exceeding, GOP efforts, it's time for HUGE gains in November, isn't it? Isn't it?

Maybe. It's an indictment of Democratic ineffectiveness that we can't take these huge GOP liabilities and turn them into sure-thing pickups in the fall. But the GOP still has a lot of things going for it.

Among what they got goin' for 'em are Scared Democrats, a Friendly Press, and Fear and Hate. Kos lines 'em out pretty good. Go read.

Senate To Legalize Watergate Break-In

From Opinions You Should Have

he Senate will vote next week to pass a bill that will retroactively declare the Watergate break-in to be legal.

"If President Nixon felt that spying on the Democratic National Committee headquarters was necessary, that's good enough for me," said Sen. Pat Roberts (R.-Kan.), who elaborated, "It's time for us to stop second-guessing our leaders."

The bill is the first of a number of laws that aims to ensure that the President can do no wrong. Other laws contemplated by the Senate specifically authorize the trading of arms for hostages, manipulating intelligence to make the case for war, misleading the American people, and the use of the word "strategery."

Democrats moved swiftly with an amendment making the truthfulness of grand jury testimony dependent on what the meaning of "is" is.

Republicans also plan to give the White House three "Free Passes" and two get-out-jail-free cards in case White House officials commit crimes before Congress has the opportunity to decriminalize them.

"I am satisfied that these bills increase Congressional oversight of the Executive Branch," said Sen. Olympia Snowe. "After all, we can't insulate the President from the consequences of his wrongdoing unless the President tells us what he is doing wrong."

I'm not even going to try to add to that...

The Mission really Was Accomplished...

Greg Palast

Bush Didn't Bungle Iraq, You Fools
THE MISSION WAS INDEED ACCCOMPLISHED

On the third anniversary of the tanks rolling over Iraq's border, most of the 59 million Homer Simpsons who voted for Bush are beginning to doubt if his mission was accomplished.

But don't kid yourself -- Bush and his co-conspirator, Dick Cheney, accomplished exactly what they set out to do. In case you've forgotten what their real mission was, let me remind you of White House spokesman Ari Fleisher's original announcement, three years ago, launching of what he called,

"Operation

Iraqi

Liberation."

O.I.L. How droll of them, how cute. Then, Karl Rove made the giggling boys in the White House change it to "OIF" -- Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the 101st Airborne wasn't sent to Basra to get its hands on Iraq's OIF.

And what did the USA want Iraq to do with Iraq's oil? The answer will surprise many of you: and it is uglier, more twisted, devilish and devious than anything imagined by the most conspiracy-addicted blogger.

Specifically, the system ordered up by the Bush cabal would keep a lid on Iraq's oil production -- limiting Iraq's oil pumping to the tight quota set by Saudi Arabia and the OPEC cartel.

There you have it. Yes, Bush went in for the oil -- not to get more of Iraq's oil, but to prevent Iraq producing too much of it.

t's Economics 101. The oil industry is run by a cartel, OPEC, and what economists call an "oligopoly" -- a tiny handful of operators who make more money when there's less oil, not more of it. So, every time the "insurgents" blow up a pipeline in Basra, every time Mad Mahmoud in Tehran threatens to cut supply, the price of oil leaps. And Dick and George just love it.

As per Plan Bush, Bahr Al-Ulum became Iraq's occupation oil minister; the conquered nation "enhanced its relationship with OPEC;" and the price of oil, from Clinton peace-time to Bush war-time, shot up 317%.

Please go read in between the quotes. I posted this so we won't lose sight of what's really going on. Always remember and never forget that this administration is all about getting your money into their friends' pockets. They don't care if they ruin us in the process, either. There's China and India waiting in the wings with 2.3 billion potential customers.

You what?

You're making how many million dollars a year to play a game and you refuse? For that money, if the manager says walk out to center field, stand on your head, and make sparks shoot out your ass, you do it. Get out, you spoiled, overpaid piece of shit.

Memes

Can you hear it? The new Repuke line: "If Dems get control of Congress in November, their only agenda is impeaching the President". You see what they're setting up, don't ya? Whiny ass baby Ken Mehlman was on Wolfie's last night pushing just that. Know why? They got nothing.

The Rethugs surely can't run on their record over the past 5 years, can they? The only thing they can do is get the Dems to say, 'no, impeachment isn't foremost on our minds', or get an unequivocal 'we're not going to impeach the President'. If the Dems past perfomance is any indicator, they should roll over shortly and come out on the record vowing not to impeach the Chimp. Wouldn't surprise me.

Me? I'd say 'you're damn straight we're gonna impeach him, first chance we get'. And then proceed to lay out the case why. And then promise to pursue criminal charges after he's tossed out of the White House. But you know what we'll get, don't ya?

The Dems'll say, 'oh, we're taking the high ground' or 'the country doesn't need an impeachment fight in time of war'. Fuck you, pussies. Groveling and sniveling in fear is not taking the high ground. Taking the high ground is getting sprayed with Repuke verbal diarrhea and standing up for what's right, regardless of the amount and intensity. See: "Feingold, Russell" if you're unsure how it's done. This means you Nancy Pelosi.

Do Little

If you're interested in big-time scandals like the Dukester's, go read about my very own congresscritter. Heh.

By the way, I just got an 8 1/2x11 lavishly printed cardboard campaign mailer from him outlining what he will do to illegal immigrants about illegal immigration. Strangely enough, there is no mention made of those who employ them and make them want to come here. Must be a printing error...

Chavez is no shrinking violet...

Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela and more probably democratically elected than Bush, has a few things to say about him:

"You are a donkey, Mr. Bush," said Chavez, speaking in English on his weekly Sunday broadcast.

"You're an alcoholic Mr. Danger, or rather, you're a drunkard," Chavez said, referring to Bush by a nickname he frequently uses to describe the U.S. president.

For once, I wish he had spoken in Spanish because I fear there might have been something lost in his translation. The word asno can mean ass, donkey, or jackass. Mulo or macho can be taken as "mule-headed". The feminine mula is a slang term for "prostitute". Burro, of course, is the gender-neutral offspring of a horse and a mule, and I've seen his parents. Oh, Hell, I guess they all fit.

He's dead on about the other one: Borracho is a lot better fit than alcoholico. Bush is more a stumble-bum drunk than an addict. Ain't we the lucky ones?

"Stop whinin'! Ya wanta grow up to be a sissy like Bush?"

From The Toronto Star, eh?

Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative.

At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals.

Block admits in his paper that liberal Berkeley is not representative of the whole country (G's note: It's known locally as "Berserkeley"). But within his sample, he says, the results hold. He reasons that insecure kids look for the reassurance provided by tradition and authority, and find it in conservative politics. The more confident kids are eager to explore alternatives to the way things are, and find liberal politics more congenial.

In a society that values self-confidence and out-goingness, it's a mostly flattering picture for liberals. It also runs contrary to the American stereotype of wimpy liberals and strong conservatives.

Of course, if you're studying the psychology of politics, you shouldn't be surprised to get a political reaction. Similar work by John T. Jost of Stanford and colleagues in 2003 drew a political backlash. The researchers reviewed 44 years worth of studies into the psychology of conservatism, and concluded that people who are dogmatic, fearful, intolerant of ambiguity and uncertainty, and who crave order and structure are more likely to gravitate to conservatism. Critics branded it the "conservatives are crazy" study and accused the authors of a political bias.

In these times, simply telling the truth or callin' 'em like ya see 'em is considered "political bias".

Programming note

Jane has moved. Adjust accordingly.

What I see...

I know our efforts here are directed toward the tactical. Any strategy we have vaguely has Bush out of the White House and Dem (or progressive) control of Congress. So this morning I'd like to share a bit of what I see for America and the world once we get this nation back on track.

First, domestically, universal health care. Fortunately, the Mrs. recent hospitalization and subsequent treatment didn't wipe us out (thanks to decent insurance and financial stabilty). A good portion of Americans aren't as lucky as we are and are one hospitalization away from financial ruin. This has to be made part of the Democratic platform before '08.

Second, I foresee Peace. I want to live in a world where peace is the norm and wars are only fought in self-defense. I want to see peace and prosperity develop throughout the world, not at the point of a gun but as a result of socio-economics packages that actually do work.

I want the guy on the street, anywhere in the world, to have what we have. I've lived on four continents and hung out with the locals at every occasion. Know what I found? The average guy in Korea, or France, or Turkey, or in Iraq wants the same things Joe Six-pack in the U.S. wants. He wants to work for a living, he wants his family to be safe in their homes and on the street, and he wants his kids to have better lives than he had. If we could do that throughout the world, there would be no need to fight a 'War on Terror'. We could accomplish this, we are in the best position to do that.

I want to see cheap energy. Not cheap oil, a new power source. If the demand for oil evaporated, most of our terror problems would be solved, or the people in the oil producing states would solve them or be cut loose from the international community.

Cheap energy will also bring the Third World into the First World, and that must be done before we can move forward. The gap between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' is getting bigger by the day and that can only lead to more war, death, and destruction. We've seen what people who have no hope for a future are capable of doing. Unless we want an endless war against terror, we have to give the people of the world a better future than the 'martyr's death' promised by the radical Imams. When the promise of Paradise becomes more appealing than life itself, there will always be someone ready to kill themselves, and others, for the cause.

And eventually, probably not in my lifetime, I would like to see global governance. The Earth united under one flag (not the Stars and Stripes) together as one diverse People, looking outward as Columbus looked westward from the Spanish shores. It's time to move on, become explorers once again and conquer the next place where there 'be dragons and dangerous beasts'.

We have the beginnings of it with the U.N. and we have to build on that foundation. We have to realize we are all part of the human family and the sooner we understand that, the better off we'll be. That is the reason for America. God's Plan if you will for all you religious folks. America is the modern Ark, a vessel to a better place, not a place in itself. God has given us an obligation, not to marginalize people who are different but to bring all who are more alike than different into a global family. America is merely the embryo of what could develop throughout the world, not the end of an evolutionary process. It's time to get on with the job God gave us instead of stagnating in the past for that will surely be our downfall.

Games

The Patriot Act board game. Heh...

The Feingold Effect

Jane sez:

...

If you're fighting a war you intend to win, you never. Ever. Say. That. Ever. So when token Democrats like Eleanor Clift step up and say Feingold's actions help the GOP, it can only be reflective of what Digby articulates so well: individuals (not the party) who have decided their lives will be made easier if they just stop resisting, lie back and learn to enjoy being throttled. Russ Feingold's fight -- our fight -- makes it uncomfortable for them to do that. Is there any other reason why they should be oh so much more exasperated with our exasperation than with, say, the President himself?

...

Feingold's actions are not helping the GOP, it's scaring them shitless. An excellent post about what Russ' censure resolution does do for the GOP and it's time the Dems woke to the fact before they fuck up the opportunity they've been given.

"If we all do our parts..."

Ashbah
The ghosts of American soldiers
wander the streets of Balad by night,
unsure of their way home, exhausted,
the desert wind blowing trash
down the narrow alleys as a voice
sounds from the minaret, a soulfull call
reminding them how alone they are,
how lost. And the Iraqi dead,
they watch in silence from rooftops
as date palms line the shore in silhouette,
leaning toward Mecca when the dawn wind blows.
Brian Turner


1 May 2003 Chimpy McFlightsuit declared the Iraq invasion launched 20 March 2003 to be a Mission Accomplished in the long war on terror: "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September 11, 2001, and still goes on", he said. But it wasn't supposed to be going on in Iraq any more. Major combat operations there were supposed to be over and the victory belonged to him. Maybe Fearless Leader was already planning to move east from Baghdad to Tehran in his endless war on terror. Osama bin Laden, who planned and organised the 9/11 attacks, remains free to this day and vows that he won't be captured alive. With Dear Leader leading the offensive I guess bin Laden doesn't have to worry about that happening because this preznit is more focused on his pre-emptive invasion terruh doctrine; despite the utter disaster in Iraq he has reaffirmed his authority to launch a pre-emptive war against countries he deems a threat.

As of today 2318 soldiers have been killed. More than 30,000 Iraqis have been killed. Almost 17,000 troops have been wounded. How many purple hearts have been awarded? (And how many repubs will slap a purple heart bandage on their bods to belittle the Fighting Dems?) Horrible abuses have been perpetrated by Coalition forces and Iraqi fighters. War is a brutal business and without strong leadership the ugliest of the ugly rise to the top. Leadership in Iraq? Despite the preznit and his band of pirates' denials, Iraq is "in the middle of a civil war", says Alawi. Murtha stated the case to his colleagues in the House:

Situation on the Ground
CLAIM: Over the past several months, Administration officials have argued that the situation in Iraq was improving. Recently, General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted on "Meet the Press" [Sunday, March 5, 2006] that the situation in Iraq was going "very, very well."
FACT: Since the last week in February 2006, sectarian violence and death has reached new heights. In the past few weeks alone, over a thousand Iraqi civilians have been killed in the violence.
FACT: Electricity production remains below pre-war levels. Baghdad received an average of 6.4 hours of electricity per day. Oil production was at 1.77 million barrels per day, some 30% below pre-war production rates. [Iraq Weekly Status Report of March 1, 2006 from the U.S.State Department]
FACT: The number of incidents per week have tripled since one year ago [summary of classified information provided by the Central Intelligence Agency]
FACT: Unemployment ranges from 30-60% nation-wide. In Anbar Province -- the epicenter of the insurgency -- unemployment reaches 90%. [summary of estimates by the State Department and U.S. intelligence agencies]

And the only leading this preznit is doing is to take us all down the path of destruction. It's too early for us to say Mission Accomplished, but let's get out the vote for the midterm elections this year. Here are some great candidates who need our support (your state, your vote, your voice):
Fighting Dems
Band of Brothers
Fighting Dems on AirAmerica
Act Blue
Progressive Patriots
Blue Force

"If we do our parts, believe it, we'll be the ones left standing. Here endeth the lesson". Buffy

Theme music for the 3rd anniversary of BushCo's Blunder:
Modest Mouse: Bury me with it
Suicidal Tendencies: Institutionalised
Shriekback: All lined up
No Doubt: Trapped in a box
Green Day: American Idiot
Steve Earl: John Walker's Blues
White Stripes: Seven nation army
Kris Kristoferson: Don't let the bastards get you down
Billy Bragg: Which side are you on?
Dead Kennedys: Holiday in Cambodia
big bonus track that sums it all up: Eric Burdon and the Animals: We got to get out of this place [salute to Gordon]

"Bushevism" is now officially declared a cult

Pensito Review

In an editorial up this morning headlined,"BuzzFlash Now Officially Declares Bushevism a Cult," the editors of one of the most widely read liberal websites write:

Let's face it, there are only three segments left to the much-vaunted GOP Base: the corporate profiteers who wouldn't care if Satan was president, as long as they got their pockets lined with taxpayer funded no-bid contracts; the Stepford Evangelicals; and the Bush cultists...

After all, what is a cult? It's a movement that is comprised of people who believe in a leader contrary to reality and the harm that the person does them.

That sounds like people who support Bush alright, except for the corporate profiteers (who will always be hanging around for the money, no matter who is in power.)

Last December, I had the same thought. It came to me while watching a glassy-eyed Ken Mehlman, the closeted gay chairman of the Republican Party, reciting GOP talking points on television. He reminded me of glassy-eyed defenders of the Unification Church back in the day when they were called "Moonies" - before they began publishing the rightwing Washington Times newspaper.

In Is Bush Worship a Cult, I posted a list of the traits that experts use to define a cult. Here it is again:

Long list follows. Go see.

I don't know about mind-altering practices or the preoccupation with bringing in new members but the rest of it is an uncanny description of the cabal that is running our country.

Yes, it is.

The real reason Bush will attack Iran

Even though Chris Matthews and Pat Buchanan get my blood boilin' from time to time, I still watch 'em. Occasionally, they say something significant. Media Matters has a transcript and video clip.

Summary: On Hardball, Chris Matthews, Dana Milbank, and Pat Buchanan discussed what they agreed were the likely political benefits to President Bush and congressional Republicans if he were to launch a pre-emptive war against Iran.

Short version: A "rallying effect" and the November elections.

Three years on

So, we're here again. Another anniversary of this misbegotten war. In a couple months, we'll be celebrating the anniversary of that great day when our 'war president' touched down on the deck of an aircraft carrier and said 'mission accomplished'. Thing is, I don't know what more I can say that I haven't already.

This nation was led into this war under false pretenses. We were lied to and that makes the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. a murderer. There is the blood of over 2300 American souls on his hands for that alone. There are also 60 - 100,000 Iraqis who have lost their lives for a lie.

This war has also enriched many corporations, most who have strong ties to this administration. They have been allowed to loot our treasury and pay no penalty. They are worse than traitors, more like graverobbers, counting their loot as military families struggle to pay bills and and attempt to make up for the absence of a loved one.

The only people this war serves are the bloodthirsty and the profiteers, the ideologues and the fanatics. We've destroyed a nation that was no threat and we've destroyed our credibility as a nation of principle. Over the last five years, the world has seen the worst of this nation, hopefully not our true character. It is time to get the warmongers out and this November we can begin that process with the Congress. Neither our nation, or our military, can stand another three years of war in Iraq.

Bill Beutel

They don't make newsmen like him anymore. Since I can remember, he came into my house at 6 every day and gave us the world. He was like a trusted uncle and he'll be missed.