Collective Sigh

The fractured administration....

From Business Week -

"I am George Bush. You tried to kill my father. Prepare to die."

Sound familiar? It's based on a famous line from The Princess Bride, a gently fractured fairy tale of a movie from 1987, and I'd argue that it gets to the heart of why many Americans think George W. Bush went to war in Iraq. The Princess Bride features an accomplished swordsman named Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin. Montoya's life mission is to track down the evildoer of a lord who killed his dad. He practices over and over the exact words he'll say when he finally confronts the villain: "I am Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

(more)

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All is revealed!

(Courtesy of Retrogrouch via American Footprint) -

The Bush/Cheney04 campaign strategy

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More messin' with the vets

Okay, I agree with restructuring to save money and increase efficiency. But at the moment, we are racking up injured troops by the boatload in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At this point, it seems a little premature to be talking about closing or drastically downsizing VA hospitals.

From CBS -

A commission that reviewed a Bush administration proposal to overhaul Veterans Affairs health care facilities wants the government to close hospitals in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Mississippi and scale back most operations at a Texas facility.

The panel rejected the VA's proposal to close hospitals in Canandaigua, N.Y., Lexington, Ky. and Livermore, Calif., according to a copy of the commission's report obtained by The Associated Press.

The 16-member panel agreed that a new hospital should be opened in Orlando, Fla., but disagreed with opening a new hospital in Las Vegas. Instead, the commission recommended the VA continue partnering with Nellis Air Force Base for care.

Snark of the day.....

While googling around for further info, I came across the Veterans For Peace website, with a handy link that might be of interest to the White House....

Need a DD214?

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Health care - overhead and out of control

Ever been in a hospital billing office?

"Office" is quite an understatement. At our local hospital, it's located in a separate building, with probably a hundred offices.

Each office is marked with the name of the insurance provider, and the first letter of the last names covered, such as "Medicare A-B", "Medicare C-D", "Blue Cross/Blue Shield E-F" and so on.

It's a four-story building; I can't even begin to estimate how many people are employed to file claims with all the different health insurance companies.

As Paul Krugman, writing in the NY Times says -

A recent study found that private insurance companies spend 11.7 cents of every health care dollar on administrative costs, mainly advertising and underwriting, compared with 3.6 cents for Medicare and 1.3 cents for Canada's government-run system.

When you pay your health insurance premium.....assuming you have health insurance....part of that money goes to pay the salaries of the clerical workers, the building that houses the insurance company and it's upkeep, the advertising that tells us how wonderful and caring they are, and inflated executive salaries.

Just for starters, Michael McCallister - president and CEO of Humana, Inc., makes $1.65 million a year. John Rowe, chairman and CEO of Aetna pulls down a cool $6.68 million.

The health care industry is sitting on a gold mine, and they know it. Anyone who proposes changes in the way Americans pay for health care risks the wrath of their powerful lobby. Presidential candidates who advocate a single-payer system are brushed off as "fringe".

John Kerry's plan, which would allow all Americans to buy into the Federal Employees Health Care Benefits program (FEHBP), is an improvement on the haphazard, Russian-roulette system we have now. It's not enough, but perhaps would get a foot in the door toward making health care a right, not a privilege, for all Americans.

(cross posted at etalkinghead

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George Bush, the last bastion in the fight against TV porn

Our local news station - FAUX affiliate, unfortunately - just reported that Franklin Graham is supporting Dubya (no surprise there) and encouraging other religious broadcasters to do so, too.

Because, according to Franklin (Billy-the-Lesser), if Bush doesn't win, we'll be bombarded with porn on TV.

Can't find a link to this on the web; but, ummm....it wouldn't be worth looking at anyway.

If you aren't convinced yet to vote Anybody But Bush, that oughtta do it.
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Five reasons I should be terrified of gay marriages

Here

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Therapeutic cloning and stem cell research, continued

For those who are interested in learning more about these related subjects, here are some pertinent links - pro and con....

Religious Tolerance.org - Therapeutic Cloning, Ethics, public opinion, Ethics, public opinion
A good place to start for definitions and various opinion.

Diabetes Daily News, Human Embryos Created Through Cloning
Contains a little more information on the South Korean process, and statement by Bush's President's Council on Bioethics.

NPR, Morning Edition with Joe Palca,Britain Pushes Forward with Stem-Cell Work
Science-In-Society award winning three-part series, contrasting research in the United States and Britain.

Newsmax, Dec. 21, 2000 - Britain OKs 'Therapeutic' Human Embryo Cloning

From Australia "The World Today" - Britain approves embryo cloning for research
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Matt, get a life

My man Matt Drudge has posted another one of his hot flashes -

KERRY MYSTERY WOMAN DATED CAMPAIGN FINANCE CHIEF!!!!

I guess that's close enough to Kerry for a Drudge-smear.

And a bit further down, in un-capitalized letters, there's a link to the statement by the lady in question.

"For the last several days I have seen Internet and tabloid rumors relating to me and Senator John Kerry. Because these stories were false, I assumed the media would ignore them. It seems that efforts to peddle these lies continue, so I feel compelled to address them. I have never had a relationship with Senator Kerry, and the rumors in the press are completely false. Whoever is spreading these rumors and allegations does not know me, but should know the pain they have caused me and my family. I am in Kenya with my fiance visiting his family, and we ask that the press respect our privacy and leave all of us alone."

A statement by Terry and Donna Polier, the parents of Alexandra Polier:

"We have spoken to our daughter and the allegations that have been made regarding her are completely false and unsubstantiated. We love and support her 100 percent and these unfounded rumors are hurtful to our entire family. We appreciate the way Senator Kerry has handled the situation, and intend on voting for him for president of the United States."

(emphasis mine, and intended solely to make fun of Drudge)

Directly below the link to the above statement, is Matt's last gasp at notoriety -

FLASHBACK: Dad: "I think he's a sleazeball".

Do you get the feeling Dad was probably talking about Matt Drudge?

Matt, as a favor to you, here's the next headline for you, conveniently pre-written -

I'M A TOTAL JACKASS AND TOOL OF THE REPUBLICAN SMEAR MACHINE!!!

Put one of those flashing lights next to it, just to be sure the wingnuts read it.

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.....and with that turpentine, I'd like a side order of sewage

(From the Chicago Tribune)

When it rains, EPA would let waste pour; Plan could boost dumping into lake

The Bush administration wants to make it easier for cities to release partially treated sewage during heavy rains and snowmelts, a policy shift that could boost levels of disease-causing pathogens in Lake Michigan and other waterways.

Sewage spills into the lake already are a source of E. coli and other bacterial "bugs" that frequently lead to beach closings during the summer. Chicago banned swimming at Lake Michigan beaches 130 times last year; there were 178 beach closings in Lake County.

Icky.

Stay tuned to American Footprint for all the crappy details.

The punchline?

Plant operators and business interests have continued to lobby for the practice, which they call "sewage blending."

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Yummm, gimme some of that turpentine-flavored water, please!

(or...."What a difference a couple million bucks makes")

(From the Washington Post)

I've never tried it, but I've heard absinthe tastes somewhat like turpentine.

And in the near future, absinthe may be tastier than the water from your kitchen faucet.

Just ask the folks in Santa Monica, Calif., where complaints of a turpentine taste in their drinking water has resulted in the oil industry being ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars after the gasoline additive MTBE contaminated their fair city's water supply.

"We're the poster child for MTBE, and it could take decades to clean this up," said Joseph Lawrence, the assistant city attorney.

Back in January 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency made a regulatory recommendation to the last elected President of the United States, President Bill Clinton -

It said: "The use of MTBE as an additive in gasoline presents an unreasonable risk to the environment."

Seems the MTBE's have a nasty habit of seeping into the ground water, which is worse than any beneficial effect the additive produced in cleaner air.

The EPA document went on to say that "low levels of MTBE can render drinking water supplies unpotable due to its offensive taste and odor," and the additive should be phased out over four years.

"Unlike other components of gasoline, MTBE dissolves and spreads readily in the ground water ... resists biodegradation and is more difficult and costly to remove."

Enter three big Republican campaign contributors; Texas-based Lyondell Chemical and Valero Energy, and the Huntsman companies of Salt Lake City.

The three contributed $338,000 to George W. Bush's presidential campaign, the Republican Party and Republican congressional candidates in 1999 and 2000, twice what they gave Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Since then, the three producers have given just over $1 million to Republicans.

Now you know the rest of the story.

The Bush administration obligingly let the proposed MTBE regulations fade quietly away, down into the memory hole.

The story of nasty-tasting, undrinkable water (coming soon to a water supply near you) isn't without it's moment of humor -

Huntsman spokesman Don Olsen, echoing comments by other MTBE producers, said, "We were not a huge campaign contributor and this has absolutely nothing to do with campaign donations. It has to do with good public policy."

A sense of humor and generous with their millions - for George W. Bush, it's a marriage made in heaven.
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Ruh-roh

(Via Atrios)

Not willing to sit idly by as Michael Powell and the FCC grab all the glory, the Department of Education has denied federal grant money to those who provide close-captioning for immoral, filthy, disgusting television programming.

Such as What's New, Scooby-Doo?".

Thank God the DoE is on the job, protecting the hard of hearing and deaf from the vast television wasteland and offensive programming.

From the Palm Beach Post -

"The department made its decisions based on the recommendations of a five-member panel. Who the five members are, only the government seems to know, and it isn't saying. But the shows they censored suggest a perspective that is Talibanesque."

Actually, I think we can make some pretty good guesses as to the panel's identity.

For banning Scooby-Doo, we probably can thank Senator Rick Santorum. Too much potential for man-on-dog action.

Bewitched - piece of cake; Ann Coulter. Good & beautiful witches make witches like Ann snort fire and brimstone.

I Dream of Jeannie - George W. Bush, who doesn't want comparisons to the way he's gone through life with a wink and an every-wish-is-my-command mindset.

Law & Order - Attorney General John Ashcroft. Episodes occasionally portray the feds as heavies. The Law & Order folks are lucky to still be alive and at liberty.

JAG - Honorably discharged Lt. George W. Bush.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Powderpuff Girls, and Power Rangers - Donald Rumsfeld. How dare those terrorist animators give away the latest neocon plans for new weapons and world dominion?

Judge Wapner's Animal Court - see above, Senator Rick Santorm.

The Loretta Young Show - this one had me stumped until a filmography revealed she once starred in a movie called "He Stayed For Breakfast". Obviously a case for national morals czar William Bennett.

Sanford and Son - Charles Pickering, determined to protect the deaf and hard-of-hearing from the spectacle of uppity negroes. Or perhaps the last request of Sen. Strom Thurmond.

For a list of all the "approved" and "disapproved" programs, click here, and amuse yourself.

The management of Collective Sigh suggests stations provide a little crawl across the screen when airing "disapproved" programs -

Lack of closed-captioning ordered by the Bush administration

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Reason #11,593 to eject Bush and the Republicans

Theraputic cloning and stem cell research

She worked for over thirty years as bookkeeper at a small company. When she came home, it was to another full-time job – a farmer’s wife and the mother of several children. In all her “spare time”, she was active in her church and community, donating her time and talents to many volunteer organizations.

Retirement was just a few years away. Thanks to a frugal, simple lifestyle and a lifetime of hard work, she and her husband would be able to enjoy their “golden years in financial security. She looked forward to retiring from her bookkeeping job and spending more time with her grandchildren, volunteer work, and a little travel.

That was then – this is now. A few years before her retirement date, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

These days, she is never left alone. She depends on someone else to dress her, feed her, take her to the bathroom, and give her a bath. Her mind is still active, but her depression is profound.

Along with the ravages of Parkinson’s, she is now in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Her “golden years” have become a living hell.

Otherwise, her health is fine. She will probably live - and continue deteriorating - for many years to come.

The good news is that there IS a successful treatment. Dr. Paul Myers (associate professor of biology at the University of Minnesota-Morris) and brilliantly blogging at Pharyngula, spells it out -

”One treatment that has been successful is that new dopaminergic cells can be injected into the brain; the only problem is finding a good source of such cells. With this technique, doctors could take a few cells from you, reset them to an embryonic state, stimulate them to grow into a dish full of nothing but dopaminergic cells, and inject your own tissue into your brain to correct the problem.”

There’s good news for sufferers of juvenile-onset diabetes, too. A similar procedure would restore function to the pancreas.

The bad news – these treatments hit the brickwall of “Bush Science” and the brouhaha over cloning and stem cells.

Speaking with the Guardian, Superman (the real one, Christopher Reeve) said -

'If embryonic stem-cell research had been allowed to flourish in this country,' he says, 'from its beginnings at the University of Wisconsin in 1998, I believe we'd be seeing treatments and cures by now. Including mine.' But he's working away: at state level, California recently passed a bill allowing research. 'So I have been working to introduce the same legislation in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin, with the aim of creating a grass-roots movement. And when federal legislators see the humanitarian and economic benefits, I don't think they will vote to ban it.'

In the meantime, those with debilitating diseases and injuries are doomed to what amounts to warehouse treatment.

As Reeve says -

”...they end up 'in state-run nursing homes that are little more than a human parking garage, with no physical therapy, surrounded by pensioners. They deteriorate quite quickly.'”

My friend is fortunate enough to be in her own home, with her husband as her caregiver, but the toll on him is devastating.

I can't sum it up better than Dr. Myers -

"It's yet another instance of this administration allowing the ideology of the most backwards-looking, uninformed special interest group dictate science policy, crippling one of the most advanced and productive research establishments on earth. Chalk up another boneheaded science policy decision to those morons in the Bush administration."

Chalk it up as another reason to vote Bush and the Republicans out of office in November.

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The threat of gay marriages

I'm concerned about a lot of things, I'm a woman, and I'm an American. So, I thought I should check out the website of the Concerned Women of America.

After all, who better to tell me why gay marriages and/or civil unions are a threat to my marriage and family?

The CWA has a helpful page entitled "The Real Costs of 'Gay Marriage' and Civil Unions". Let's take a look at the looming threat -

1) Further weakens the family, by creating a counterfeit variety of marriage.

When I think of a "counterfeit" marriage, it's usually a man and woman living together without the benefit of a marriage license. Which often results in a breakup or desertion, leaving the woman and any children of the union in a definitely weakened version of a family and on the public dole.

2. Entices children to experiment with homosexuality.

Going out on a limb here, but every gay person I know is the product of a loving, married heterosexual couple. I'm sure there are exceptions, but apparently the sexual orientation of the parents isn't a determining factor.

There are no statistics at all given to back up this CWA assumption, only the warning that experimenting with homosexuality can result in increased incidence of sexually-transmitted diseases and domestic violence.

I appreciate CWA's concern for my child's health, but sexually-transmitted diseases and domestic violence are hardly the sole province of homosexual relationships.

3. Puts more children at risk as adoption agencies decline to favor married homes and place more children in motherless or fatherless households

If I read this correctly, CWA says that adoption agencies will place children in motherless or fatherless homes rather than in married homes.

Truly concerned women of America should be concerned that adoption agencies will continue to place children in loving, nurturing homes, regardless of the number or sexual orientations of the parents.

4. Encourages more people to remain trapped in homosexuality rather than seek to re-channel their desires toward normal, healthy sexuality.

This, of course, is the true source of CWA's "concern" - the belief that homosexualtiy is not normal or healthy.

Even if God Himself descended from the heavens to declare homosexuality normal and healthy, there would still be people who refuse to believe it.

It's tempting to just shrug and move on, but it's worth noting that attitudes do change. It takes time - sometimes generations - and true changes don't generally occur overnight.

As ThatColoredFellow says - "My father was born in the early 1900s' in the South. He was not sure if he would see equal rights for Blacks, in his lifetime. But, they came, step by step and certainly not all at once."

5. Pits the law and government against the beliefs of millions of Massachusetts citizens who believe homosexuality is wrong.

See number four, above.

There are millions of people in the world who believe a woman's unveiled face is wrong, and still millions of people in the world who believe people of color are inferior and undeserving of equal rights.

Where law meets belief, the law must tread a fine line - respecting the rights of all citizens. Fierce belief has no such restriction.

In the meantime, I'm not in the least bit afraid that allowing gay marriages and/or civil unions poses any threat to my own marriage and family. Those who see the threat should perhaps examine their own feelings of insecurity, and strengthen their own relationships.

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Blogiversary!

Satire god Tom Burka of "Opinions You Should Have" is celebrating his first "blogiversary" today.

Go throw him some well-deserved laurels!
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Bring them home with honor

First, the flag-draped coffins are slyly termed "transfer tubes". Then the well-deserved military honors are a no-no for the media.

But why in God's name can't they honor the living?

The Disabled American Veterans has gone on the warpath -

" How about at least 9,000 servicemen and women wounded, sickened or injured? How about 6,891 troops medically evacuated for non-combat conditions between March 19 and Oct. 30, 2003?

"There are about 2,500 combat casualties," Dave Autry said on the phone from the Disabled American Veterans offices in Washington. "The rest are attempted suicides, vehicle accidents, other accidents, illness. Something that's becoming a big concern is lesions caused by exposure to sand fleas that carry a particularly virulent bacteria."

The nature of the injury makes no difference whatsoever; these men and women did their duty, and are being denied counseling and the DAV's advice and guidance through the veteran's benefit application maze.

The Department of Defense has offered a vague "concern for privacy and security".

Privacy and security, my butt. It's their own privacy and security they're worried about - keeping the administration's folly private, and securing another election. And possibly, they don't want a deluge of applications for benefits.

"The DAV's executive director, David Gorman, who left both his legs in a stinking Southeast Asian jungle more than 30 years ago, took up the subject early last month in a letter to Secretary of Offense Donald Rumsfeld.

"For more than six decades," Gorman wrote, "the DAV has always been granted access to military hospitals so our professionally trained and fully accredited representatives could provide such crucial information and counseling to service members to help smooth their transition from military to civilian life. Sadly, that is no longer the case. The current policies of the Department of Defense citing the Privacy Act and security are preventing our skilled representatives from carrying out our congressionally chartered mission.

"At one facility in particular -- Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. -- our efforts to visit with wounded patients have been severely restricted. For example, all requests to visit patients must now be made through headquarters, which then selects the patients we may visit and strictly limits information about the patients. Even the patient's name and the nature of the injury are withheld without express permission."

All contact with patients is closely monitored, he adds. "This is particularly unnerving and inappropriate, as all conversations between a representative and client are confidential in nature.

"The American public would be outraged if these restrictions become public knowledge."

Any leader worth his salt would not send young men and women into peril without accepting the responsibility of caring for the dead and wounded.

Whether or not Geoge Bush was "AWOL" from his military obligation is a trivial matter - being AWOL from the responsibilities of a "war president" is immoral.

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Shivering, sniffling, and rambling

The weather is crummy, and so are my sinuses and throat. I blow my nose about every 30 seconds (where does all that stuff come from?). Feeling too blah to blog, though there's certainly plenty to gripe about.

Before I overdose on NyQuil and go back to bed, a few thoughts of the day.....

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I'm enjoying watching the White House squirm and twist over the "did he or didn't he" stuff. It's not like Bush's duty (or lack of it) influenced the Vietnam war outcome, but covering up and weaseling at this point in his life speaks volumes about his character. Or lack thereof.

Democrats won't drive Bush out of the White House on the basis of what happened long ago, but maybe - just maybe - people will begin to wonder what else should be questioned.

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I'm sorry, sort of, to see Wes Clark leave the primary race. I was one of those that was excited by the prospect of his candidacy, and even sent him a dab of money. He's a fine public speaker, and was growing as a campaigner. Just not quite ready this time, I guess.

After 34 years of service to his country, he deserves to make a little money. I hope he goes back to his business interests, but keeps his hand into the political race and continues to speak out for change.

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Did you ever wonder if the Jackson family is the Bush administration's secret weapon? Every time the Bushies get caught screwing up, one of the Jacksons is accused of child molestation or gets clothes torn off, or whatever.

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The rightwingers are trying to slime Kerry's anti-war activities. I'm so glad they brought that up.

Along with the decorations he won for his service in Vietnam, John Kerry should wear his subsequent anti-war stance as a badge of honor.

He served, he fought, he was wounded, he saw what was happening there, he returned to question the administration's lack of any coherent plan, and had the courage to speak out about it.

Good for him. Let the chickenhawks bring it on.

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And finally, a friend e-mailed me a little slogan that amused me. If I don't survive this cold, here's what I want on my tombstone -

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a beautiful and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ......... WOW !!!!! What a Ride!"

Yee-haw!

****

Update - I forgot to include one of my vague Thoughts of the Day; it probably slipped my mind as I was blowing my nose.

I see "Men's Journal" magazine has included Hillary Rodham Clinton on their "Tough Guy" list. Kudos to William Safire for single-handedly putting her there.

Another Update For the definitive analysis of Scottie's twisty-squirmy press conference act, see World O' Crap.

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No pooping on Dubya's party

Forbes Magazine reports today that "'Economic leaders' who met Bush are also donors".

Somehow, this doesn't surprise me much.

"Billed by the White House as a round-table of "economic leaders" on U.S. policy, several of the CEOs who huddled with President George W. Bush on Tuesday were also major contributors to his and other Republican campaigns, records show."

A sample of the "round table of economic leaders" and their contributions to the Bush campaign war chest and other Republican causes -

Goldman-Sachs CEO Henry Paulson - $17,000
Dell CEO Michael Dell - $266,000
Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina - $2,000
General Motors Corp.'s CEO Rick Wagoner - $2,000
Marilyn Carlson Nelson of Carlson Cos. - $2,000

Among the subjects NOT discussed -

"American corporations really should start paying their fair share in taxes."

"Those tax cuts were a little over the top, Mr. President. We don't need the money, but the lower and middle classes could sure use it."

"Mr. President, if we raise the minimum wage, we can lift thousands of people out of poverty!"

"Mr. President, these hyper-inflated executive salaries are getting way out of line with the average wage of employees. We're cutting our own salaries and making sure our employees have affordable health care."

One subject really not discussed was the deficit. Perhaps everyone noted the absence of Ed McKelvey, senior economist at Goldman Sachs, who botched his chances at an invitation when he warned last year "the U.S. federal budget is out of control."

As every good member of the "Hurray For Dubya!" bunch knows, his bestest buddies tell him what he wants to hear, and nobody wants to be a party-pooper.

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Service in the Guard

From guest poster - Bryan [from a report on www.wuwf.org Monday 02/09/04]

When Jason Crawford entered the National Guard he was looking for a way to pay for college, but he was also aware that in the Florida Panhandle, with understaffed sheriff's departments and hurricane season, it isn't just going to a meeting once a month and camping out for two weeks in the summer.

The members of his unit, Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 124 Infantry, are expected to wade through wetlands that harbor alligators and cottonmouths (the bears aren't all that dangerous) looking for the lost; they are expected to stand out in 60mph winds and pouring rain to direct traffic as people flee hurricanes; and they are expected to be there after the storm to help people put their lives back together.

After September 11th, they were dispatched to airports and military installations to perform guard duty, although they were infantry, not military police.

Like the others in his unit, Jason worked his life as a student at the University of West Florida around this increasingly hectic schedule and even managed to run a winning campaign to become the president of the student government.

Then in the winter of 2002 he had a new task, going to Iraq. Initially believing they were going for a few months, Bravo Company was there for a year.

Jason's next challenge came in December of 2003; he was shot in the face during an attack on his unit. He received medical attention in Iraq and stayed with his unit.

Jason came back with Sergeant stripes, a Combat Infantry Badge, a Purple Heart, at least one service medal, and a still healing wound.

Now he has to plan for the future, beginning with his return to the University next semester. He will have to re-apply for his financial aid, see if he can find a job, and all of those other minor details of a life interrupted.

While his service in the National Guard turned out to be much different than he expected, he did his duty and isn't complaining about it.

If he runs for student president again, I don't think he will object to making his National Guard service records public, although his opponents might.

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White House Council of Economic Advisors Strikes Again

Earlier, I posted that the White House Council of Economic Advisors (sometimes known as Moe, Larry, and Curly) projected job creation of 2.6 million in 2004.

Seems we jumped the gun, and the management of Collective Sigh regrets the error. Before you go out and hang yourself, the White House has issued a revised estimate -

"In order to achieve that number, a White House source explained Tuesday, the President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) is forecasting about 320,000 new jobs will be created every month this year. That would be about 3.8 million in total, or about 2.9 percent higher than the December 2003 total estimated by the Labor Department".

(Emphasis mine because, you know, I don't believe it)

As Bryan, one of my favorite commenters has said -

"They didn't say where those 2.6 million jobs would be.

Non-Taxpaying US companies will benefit and increase the salaries of non-taxpaying US executives. The stocks will increase in value for the non-taxpaying investors who will receive the tax-free dividends.

Of course, this only works until someone notices that there is no one left in the US with the money to shop in Wal-Mart."

I suspect he's exactly right, but as Moe, Larry, and Curly the White House Council of Economic Advisors says - outsourcing is good for us.

It might take the edge off a bit if some of those non-taxpaying U.S. companies, executives, and investors would pay a little bit in taxes. After all, someone has to support all those lazy slackers collecting unemployment checks. Or at least fund language courses for those who want to follow their jobs overseas.

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More damage control

In an earlier post, I said - "(Bush) blew off his flight physical. Bush was handed about $200K-worth of training at taxpayer expense, and flushed it down the toilet. Speaking as a taxpayer at the time, I want my money back."

(One of the beauties of blogging is being able to quote yourself)

The management of Collective Sigh would like to make it perfectly clear that this in no way assumes responsibility for the boy.

We thought going into the military would be good for him - teach him to accept responsibility and maybe even improve his language skills. But then some fool stuck him in a "Champagne Unit".

In fact - keep the money. Put him back in the Guard. A little extended tour of duty in Iraq might pull him through after all.

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A big, fat kiss and pat on the back

....to Richard Cohen, for telling it like it was in the Vietnam-era National Guard.

"For two years or so, I played a perfectly legal form of hooky. To show you what a mess the Guard was at the time, I even got paid for all the meetings I missed."

Exquisite timing. Sort of takes the shine off Bush's newly released pay records, huh?

Look - who cares if Bush showed up or not? Here's what bothers me -

1) Using his family name and political connections, he leap-frogged about 500 on the waiting list. That's disgusting enough, but I have wondered if any of those 500 ended up being sent home in a flag-draped coffin.

2) He blew off his flight physical. Bush was handed about $200K-worth of training at taxpayer expense, and flushed it down the toilet.

Speaking as a taxpayer at the time, I want my money back.

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Meet the Press, Romper Room, and Old Farts

I've read portions of the Feb. 8th "Meet The Press" interview here and there, which I realize is not a good way to research a post - I have the attention span of a gnat and no stomach for Bush.

But I've finally steeled myself, girded my loins, etc. to read the whole thing. So far, I've gotten all the way through the first question and "answer" - when, lo and behold! - my attention is drawn elsewhere.

"Elsewhere" is back to my childhood and the pre-school TV show "Romper Room". Fellow old-geezers and old farts might enjoy clicking that link for a trip down Memory Lane.

Incidentally, Old Fartism is not exclusive to age, race, gender, or religion. I'm a middle-aged, white Quaker female, but I easily qualify as an "Old Fart", mainly because I say so.

"Opinionated" and "Grumpy" are the main qualifications. Teenaged boys can be the biggest old farts on the block; in fact, my teenage daughter was born with it. It's all just a matter of mindset and maybe genetics.

Back to the important subject - which, at the moment is Romper Room.

Romper Room was basically a franchise; the concept was sold to different media markets, and the local station supplied their own hostess. My local market, as a pre-schooler, was the Washington D.C. area; if I remember correctly, my "hostess" was Miss Connie.

(In the finest Old Fart tradition, I can see her face plain-as-day, but am not sure of the name)

Miss Connie, in her best gentle-kindergarten-teacher, "now, boys and girls" voice, would lead a handful of squeaky-clean preschoolers in naming the days of the week, counting, singing simple songs, discussing manners ("Do-Bees" vs. "Don't Bees"), and reading a story.

They even had a milk-and-cookie break, complete with reciting "God is Great, God is good, and we thank him for our food." Then it was "Clean Up Time", and the show always ended with the hostess looking straight at the camera, saying -

"Romper Bomper Stomper Boo, Tell me, Tell me Tell me Do....Magic Mirror, tell me today, are all my friends at home at play?".

And she'd call out several common names of all the kids she "saw".

"I see Mary, and Jimmy, and Frank, and all you boys and girls out there!"

She said my name once, and I almost fainted from excitement.

My mother used it as a threat - "you know, Miss Connie can see you!!" - which was every bit as threatening as Santa Claus and God having their eyes on me. Obviously, Miss Connie left no child behind.

So, I suppose I should tie all this in with the Bush interview on Meet the Press.

Reading the answers The Leader of the World gave, I kept hearing Miss Connie's voice.

"Now boys and girls, it's time to talk about intelligence. All the Do-Bees must learn all we can about the Don't-Bees. The Don't-Bees have really good hiding places. Today, we are playing Hide And Seek! Won't that be fun? If you see a Don't-Be, what will you do?...."

And so on.

Is it just me being an old fart, or does Bush sound like he's talking to pre-schoolers? It may not always be obvious, but I can handle words with two, three, or even four syllables, and I don't consider "yeah" a sufficient answer to the Important Questions of the Day.

I understand that some people think (or were hoodwinked into thinking) that Bush is "down to earth", and "just like us". However, I still tend to think "a rising tide lifts all boats", and would prefer just a teensy bit more eloquence from our Fearless Leader.

I get the feeling Mr. Bush reached his flood-level somewhere around his Romper Room years, and has been ebbing ever since.
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Bush determined to lose election

....which is the only thing I can figure from this L.A. Times headline - "Report: Exporting Jobs Overseas Will Help U.S."

Jobs have been dropping like flies here in North Carolina, and South Carolina has it even worse. Everyone blames NAFTA and "outsourcing". Right or wrong, nobody around here will buy "Outsourcing Is Good For You".

I guess the Bushies figure we're a safe state -

"The movement of American factory jobs and white-collar work to other countries is part of a positive transformation that will enrich the U.S. economy over time, even if it causes short-term pain and dislocation, the Bush administration said today."

It's all a part of that "creating 2.6 million jobs in 2004" fantasy, and BushCo's determination to put a cheery spin on the lousy economy.

Coming from a bunch of folks that have never felt "short term pain and dislocation" in their lives, it's pretty laughable.

"Outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade," said Gregory Mankiw, chairman of Bush's Council of Economic Advisors, which prepared the report. "More things are tradable than were tradable in the past. And that's a good thing."

I wonder if Mr. Mankiw realizes his job is "tradable" in November.....

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Reading no evil

From Howie Kurtz, we learn that "Pentagon Clip Service's Clips Clipped".

Which is just a cute, tongue-twisty way of saying that Early Bird - the clipping service "devoured by Pentagon brass, lawmakers, journalists and military personnel around the world" - has had it's wings clipped for being too fair and balanced.

Early Bird (I'd provide a link, but then I'd have to kill you), was "told to eliminate all newsmagazine articles last October -- four days after the publication of a Newsweek cover story on Iraq that included "Rummy's New Headaches" and a Time piece titled "Is Rumsfeld Losing His Mojo?".

"A senior Pentagon official says the Early Bird staff may occasionally "get guidance to put in pieces in which the leadership made an extra effort to get the message out to show that we've had a success. It's a clipping service for our leadership. We might say, 'Hey, make sure that gets in the Bird because we want so-and-so to see it.' "

Isn't one of the current WMD theories that Saddam ordered all the stuff cooked up, and his scientists joshed along with him, cleverly hiding the fact that there were none? Like, they just told him what he wanted to hear?

Is anyone in this administration getting a dose of reality from anywhere?

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Macleans, with comments

Last week, Macleans magazine (Canadian) asked the question - "If you could, would you vote for George W. Bush in the next U.S. presidential election?".

George W. Bush lost to an unnamed opponent, 86%-14%.

Here are the responses from the (mostly) Canadian "voters". A good many of that 14% are included.

Comments making my hit parade -

My 'no' vote only tells half the story--you really should have given us another choice... something like "definitely not" or "not in this lifetime" or "when hell freezes over!"
Bob & Joan Kay, Bancroft, Ont.

Most people in America didn't vote for Bush the first time...
Katy Roberts, London, England

There wouldn't be a chance in hell that I would vote for Mr. Bush. Thanks, but I prefer world peace, not a world in pieces.
Cait Jago, Peterborough, Ont.

Sure I'd vote for him. And while I'm at it, I'd also spend all of my money, get into serious debt, pick fights with kids who are smaller than me and stick my nose in where it doesn't belong.
Cheryl, Waterloo, Ont.

I am a Republican and a Conservative, and I never thought I would want to see a Democrat in the White House. Must be getting cold in hell. The world is not as simple as it used to be and Bush has made it even more convoluted.
Pastor Rick Chase, Surrey, B.C.

Thanks for your article, "Hope You Lose, Eh." I'm glad my country has true friends who are willing to speak the truth to friends who've gone wrong.
J. R. Taylor, Washington, D.C.

Amen.

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Who needs to comment on the MTP interview?


'I'm not going to change', says Bush

(and you can't make me, so there - NYAH)

Between beastofsound and the New Zealand Herald, the only thing left to say is, "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Gore"

(with a little nod of approval to those who vote-swapped or voted Nader in a "safe" state).

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From The Arizona Republic


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Ron Susskind lays it out

Susskind, author of "The Price of Loyalty", said he'd be putting all his source documents on-line.

He's a man of his word.
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ARF?

Army (or Air?) Reserve Force - possibly the missing piece in the Resident's National Guard "fulfilled" commitment.

Kevin Drum has the documents posted....if you can contribute anything or shed some light on the discussion, get over there right away.

(Update - AIR Reserve Force - andante, 2/9/2004
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Prince Charles making surprise visit to British troops in Basra, wearing uniform he's entitled to wear, talking with the troops for six hours, and sharing a cuppa. No plastic turkeys sighted.

"Charles also discussed the political and economic problems plaguing postwar Iraq with Shi'ite clerics, Christian clergymen, the governor of Basra and a prominent tribal leader.

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Happy February 8th

Following the illustrious tradition of Happy Furry Flappy Crappy Poopie at Norbizness, here are some of the fine folks with whom I share a birthday.

Most are still living, including me.




Gary "Pretender To The Throne Of California" Coleman




Ted "It Is NOT A Toupee!" Koppel




Nick "Suave Man-About-Town" Nolte




James "Too Hot To Be Dead" Dean



Jack "Grumpier Old Felix Unger" Lemmon


<

John "You'll Never Want To Swim In The Ocean Again" Williams




Future Coulter & Ollie Storm Troopers, The Boy Scouts of America




Lana "My God, She Looks Just Like Me" Turner

Thus proving the great diversity of those born on February 8th. We're all either incredibly good-looking or exceedingly homely; abundantly talented or astoundingly inept; unbelievably intelligent or amazingly stupid.

Those of us born on the wrong side of the day still plan to celebrate another day of life.

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Don't ask, don't misbehave

Cross-posted at Etalkinghead

The Secretary of Defense has properly ordered a review of sexual assaults alleged to have committed against female soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait.

Sexual assault against women in the military - and against civilians - is an ongoing problem and certainly not confined to Iraq and Kuwait. Though it will never be eliminated entirely, the Pentagon can and should take steps to deal with it as it occurs.

One investigation comes on the heels of another; the Navy's 1991"Tailhook" scandal, the U.S. Air Force Academy scandal, sexual assault charges made by Okinawan civilians; one gets the feeling these incidents are just the tip of the iceberg.

The Pentagon is to be commended for acting quickly, realizing after the Air Force Academy scandal that a cover-up only makes things worse

WomensENews reports -

"Though reports to criminal investigation authorities are difficult to find, a common estimate among advocates and health care experts is about one quarter of women in the military say they have been sexually assaulted during their careers.

Some might see the pervasive problem as opening the door to a discussion of women's role in the military. But women are not the source of the problem, any more than gays are the source of "gay bashing" or discrimination.

Military leaders (and some politicians) have argued that "allowing gay people to serve openly would harm military readiness by destroying troops' morale and disrupting order and discipline."

Dismissing women and gays from military service is obviously not the core of the problem. Order and discipline might be better preserved by improving the conduct of heterosexual men, through swift punishment for those who choose to disrupt the order.

Some have argued that the military is not the place for "social engineering". However, the military does a good job of teaching men and women to show respect for superior officers - teaching respect for everyone, regardless of race, gender, or religion should be a part of the training. That isn't "social engineering", but common sense.

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Bumper sticker of the day

(thanks to The 18-1/2 Minute Gap)

George W. Bush
The President Quayle We Never Had
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An honorable discharge, good for you

First of all, I want to make it crystal-clear that I honor those men and women severing in the National Guard and other military services today - they are doing a difficult job, under difficult circumstances, and serving their country with honor.

Today's National Guard is composed of men and women from every walk of life who want to serve their country. It wasn't always so.

During the VIetnam years, the Guard was the means for the rich and/or politically powerful to escape the horrors of the war. Anyone who was a teenager or older at the time either knows it or simply refuses to recognize it.

On May 27, 1968 George W. Bush enlisted in the Texas Air National Guard, going straight to the top of the waiting list with the help of Texas House Speaker Ben Barnes and his father - U.S. Representative George H.W. Bush, who served on the Ways and Means Committee.

It's hardly surprising that the son of a Congressman (1966-1970), Ambassador to the United Nations (1971-1973), and Chairman of the Republican Party (1973-1974) should also receive an honorable discharge on October 1, 1973.

As Intel Dump notes -

"a reader who served in the 1970s military reports that an honorable discharge was the default type given to any serviceperson without formal UCMJ action on his/her record."

As a friend of mine, who enlisted for three years in Germany (1968-1971) said - "It means you didn't rape the General's daughter. Or didn't get caught." In short, an honorable discharge only proves a serviceperson stayed out of trouble.

If President Bush wants to lay the matter of his service to rest, he could fairly easily produce the proof. Documents would include attendance records, pay records, and income tax records, just for starters.

Does he have to produce proof? Of course not.

Should he? Absolutely.

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Etalkinghead

I will be posting occasionally to Etalkinghead, a "multi-author opinion site with writers from across the political spectrum," founded and edited by Dustin Frelich.

In his invitation, Dustin said -

"The idea behind Etalkinghead is simple: bloggers from across the political spectrum get together to discuss important issues of the day. Personal attacks, flaming and derogatory language is frowned upon because, after all, our arguments should speak for themselves. Etalkinghead isn't a place where we see who can yell the loudest, but instead who has the soundest or most persuasive argument."

Sounds like a winner to me, and I'm proud to be a part of the effort.

Not that I haven't done my share of loud, obnoxious blogging in the past, and surely will in the future. On many issues, I find it extremely difficult to comment without ranting and swearing. But I welcome the challenge to dig out the reasoning behind my yelling, and attempt to present the argument rationally.

I invite you to stop by, sample opinion from all over the political spectrum, and add your comments. A link is on the sidebar to the right, under "daily reads".

And speaking of my sidebar, if someone can tell me how to make "daily reads", "listen up" and "news" fonts larger, I'd sure appreciate it. They're all excellent, and deserve a bigger font.

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From The Truth Laid Bear's New Webblog Showcase:


American Amnesia: Insurgency in Iraq - an assessment.
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Waiting for Melanie

I'm anxiously waiting to hear what Melanie has to say regarding the Tenet's speech defending the CIA -

"If there is time on Friday, I'll try to offer a little meditation on George Tenet's speech at Georgetown University yesterday. Directors of Central Intelligence don't give speeches. This was a clap of thunder and yet another shot over the bow of the good ship W: the CIA never plays defense and it now has a hand in three investigations. If I were Karl Rove, I'd be heading out to join Karen Hughes and the family right about now."

Yep.

Stay tuned to Just a Bump in the Beltway.

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Roy Moore for president?

Such a nice rumor to warm the heart on a cold, rainy day.

From WorldNetDaily, so for what it's worth -

"Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore is focused on trying to get his job back but will not rule out a third-party run for the presidency that could threaten President Bush's re-election chances."

Don't say I didn't warn you, back on November 14, 2003.

"According to the Associated Press, "Moore said he had consulted with his attorneys and with political and religious leaders and would make an announcement next week which he said "could alter the course of this country." (Online NewsHour, Nov. 13, 2003)

We never got that course-altering announcement, as far as I can tell, but who knows? Maybe the ex-judge has been biding his time.

According to WSJ's John Fund -

""Not right now," Moore said, according to Fund, who noted Moore's friends say he is undecided about whether to run for president or to wait two years and seek Alabama's governorship.

Moore has been hitting some of the "test the water" spots, such as speaking at a dinner sponsored by the Constitution Party, and as featured speaker at the Christian Coalition's "Family and Freedom" rally in Atlanta.

Too early to speculate on rumor, but it's still irresistable - "Karl Rove; can you say 'Ross Perot?'"

Heh-heh.

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Today is John Edwards Day

(Update: hyper-alert readers might note that the original post was marked "2:41 a.m.". After some sleep, the following has been edited slightly for "brevity". And on second thought, I'll break it into two posts).

From my own discussions with fellow progressives, the "negatives" appear to be - 1) So young! and 2) Not enough experience.

I'll take a look at those perceived negatives first, the "oppo research" later.

Age

John Edwards was born on June 10, 1953 - which makes him 51 years old. Should he become president, he would be 52 years old when inaugurated.

George Bush was born in July 6, 1946, and became President of the United States at the age of 54.

Bob Dole was 53 in 1976, when he first entered presidential politics (losing to Gerald Ford).

Jimmy Carter became president at the age of 52.

Bill Clinton was 46 when he was elected president.

John F. Kennedy was elected at the age of 43.

Conclusion? Age is irrelevant; he looks young, and if you put his picture alongside the other former presidents mentioned above - even Kennedy and Clinton - he looks even younger. In addition to his youthful looks, he has an abundance of energy and a "boyish" smile.

Legislative/governing/elective experience

Increasingly, as people have a chance to hear Edwards speak in debates, interviews, and "on the stump", they come away impressed with his intelligence, quick-thinking, and demeanor.

Perhaps the Des Moines Register (Jan. 11, 2004) said it best -

"When we first met John Edwards, we were inclined to write him off as the possible Democratic presidential nominee. The North Carolina senator is short on experience in public office. Nearly all his rivals are far more seasoned.

(snip)

The more we watched him, the more we read his speeches and studied his positions, the more we saw him comport himself in debate, the more we learned about his life story, the more our editorial board came to conclude he's a cut above the others.

John Edwards is one of those rare, naturally gifted politicians who doesn't need a long record of public service to inspire confidence in his abilities. His life has been one of accomplishing the unexpected, amid flashes of brilliance."

U.S. Senator John Edwards was elected to his first (and only) public office in 1998; at present, this represents about 5-1/2 years of service in the Senate.

George W. Bush became governor of Texas in 1994, and was re-elected in 1998, resigning in December 2000 to pursue the presidency - 6 years of governing experience.

His father, George H.W. Bush, served for 4 years in the House of Representatives before serving 8 years as vice-president.

Richard Nixon served for 6 years in the House and Senate before being selected as Dwight Eisenhower's vice-presidential running mate (Eisenhower himself had no elective experience).

Conclusion? None; another Senate term under his belt would be nice, but lack of political experience hasn't stopped others from striving for the Oval Office.

Personally, I'll file the age issue under "you can't always have everything you want".

Cherry-picking a few issues that are important to me -

First, let's remind ourselves of a political reality. John Edwards serves a very conservative-leaning constituency, and some of his votes reflect that.

See "On The Issues" for further information.

Edwards voted "no" on the Bush tax cuts.

He initially supported the Patriot Act (as did John Kerry and many other Democrats).

Preserving abortion rights is very important to me. Edwards voted "no" on maintaining the ban on military base abortions, "no" on banning "partial-birth" abortions, and "no" on disallowing overseas military abortions.

Gay marriage and civil unions - Edwards is a bit fuzzy here, but has said he believes the matter should be left up to the states; would have voted against the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, as it took away the power of the states.

Edwards supports the death penalty for heinous crimes, but qualifies the support -

"I believe the death penalty is the most fitting punishment for the most heinous crimes, and I support it. But we need reforms in the death penalty to ensure that defendants receive fair trials, with zealous and competent lawyers, and with full access to DNA testing."

Edwards supported the "No Child Left Behind Act", as did many others (including John Kerry and Edward Kennedy)

Edwards voted to authorize the war in Iraq, something with which I can come to terms (see my previous post on John Kerry).

(continued)

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(continued) On to the GOP attack line....John Edwards

"Who is John Edwards? An Unaccomplished Liberal In Moderate Clothing And A Friend To His Fellow Personal Injury Trial Lawyers"

Liberal? Moderately so.

A trial lawyer? The GOP has sneered at "trial lawyers" for a long time, but they have met their match in John Edwards.

The best analysis of John Edwards' career I've come across is from the Washington Monthly, October 2001 - "John Edwards, Esq." by Joshua Green. It is a "must read" for anyone interested in learning more about Edwards, a review of some of his cases, and a fascinating account of his upset win over a Republican incumbent in 1998.

An incumbent, incidentally, who was fully backed by the Jesse Helms machine, and who pushed the "trial lawyer smear" to the max.

And failed.

"Edwards hadn't cleaned out Mom and Pop. He'd targeted corporations like Sta-Rite and negligent hospitals that had injured small children, and he'd won the unanimous jury decisions state law requires. What's more, he responded to Faircloth's criticism by inviting the public to scrutinize his legal record. Faircloth's campaign strategists considered making a commercial featuring a doctor whom Edwards had put out of business, but thought better of it when they realized Edwards would retaliate by putting forward the little girl who'd suffered at the doctor's hands."

(snip)

A close friend and fellow attorney says that, before running for Senate, Edwards had a team of doctors and nurses privately screen his record to make sure that no case he'd brought to trial could be considered frivolous: When they got significantly into [their review], they decided he'd never come close to violating the standard.'

(snip>

Republicans can undoubtedly get some mileage out of exploiting the general notion of lawyerly excess. What they don't seem to realize is how quickly public opinion is apt to shift once their campaign turns to specific legal issues, and a specific lawyer. As it happens, Edwards' professional biography bears a much closer resemblance to the crusading protagonist of a John Grisham novel than to the ambulance-chasers who solicit on late-night cable."

Unaccomplished? Not quite. Edwards hasn't spit out legislation right and left - hardly unusual for a freshman senator - but he has either helped write or co-sponsored many bills.

A partial list of legislation either written or co-sponsored by Edwards -(John Edwards 2004 )-

1999 - Military Health Care Improvement Amendment and Medicare Home Health Equity Act, and the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act,

2000 - The Spyware Control Act, the Telehealth Improvement and Modernization Act, and Fragile X Research Breakthrough Act of 2000 (Fragile X is a genetic defect that causes an underproduction of a protein critical for mental development. It is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation. Edwards' legislation directs an expansion of research on Fragile X, and also authorizes the development of coordinated research centers to study the syndrome that causes mental retardation).

2001 - Patient Protection Act

2002 - Women in Trauma Act

2003 - Protect America Scholarships Act, Foreign Intelligence Collection Improvement Act

In 1973, the draft was abolished in favor of the all-volunteer military. John Edwards would have been eligible for the draft in 1971. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University in 1974, and presumably received a student deferment. A brief search turned up nothing; however, for the first time in many years military service (or lack thereof) will not be an issue in the presidential race.

Doesn't bother me a bit, as a "warrior" president is near the bottom of my list of priorities. I prefer a warrior for health care, civil rights, and fiscal responsibility.

John Edwards seems to get better and better....and he just might be the candidate I can support.

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Tenet defends CIA WMD intelligence

The transcript

All you really need to know -

"Let me be clear: Analysts differed on several important aspects of these programs and those debates were spelled out in the estimate.

They never said there was an imminent threat. Rather, they painted an objective assessment for our policy-makers of a brutal dictator who was continuing his efforts to deceive and build programs that might constantly surprise us and threaten our interests."

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A little Kerry musing

The lack of posts recently has been due to some soul-searching and the resulting internet surfing.

I have been asking myself - "could I support John Kerry?"

There's no question about my vote in November's general election - I will vote for the candidate most likely to defeat Bush, which almost certainly means the Democrat.

But can I support John Kerry? Could I knock on doors for him? Could I man a phone bank? Could I convince an "undecided" voter to vote for John Kerry?

Good grief, where to begin? My main objection to Kerry has been his initial support of the war, but I actually knew very little else about him other than his support for key Democratic issues - pro-choice, preserve affirmative action, protect Social Security, etc.

While strolling through my blogroll, I came across Bohemian Mama's post - "I Might Like John Kerry as Nominee More If..." (also posted on her Daily Kos Diary with many good comments)

That sounded like a good starting place - looking at the potential problems.

(For an in-depth look at Kerry's life and career, see John F. Kerry, Candidate In The Making)

Voting record (or lack thereof) in the past year.

Per GOP.com, Kerry missed 63% of all votes; Edwards missed 38% of all votes; Gephart missed 91% of all votes in the House.

While missing some votes would be necessary for a legislator running a presidential campaign, it should probably be noted that many of these votes were "foregone conclusions"; those occasions when his vote would not have made any difference.

Kerry was there for the important filibusters against right-wing judges, and voted against the May 2001 tax cut.

My admittedly brief search for similar statistics on, for example, Bob Dole and John McCain, came up empty.

"Exploiting" Vietnam service, protesting the Vietnam war, "throwing away" his medals.

I don't have a problem with this. His service record is legitimate, and probably necessary to counter Bush claims to superiority when it comes to defense.

Nor do I see protesting the Vietnam war as a problem - rather, it was an act of courage during volatile times.

The "throwing his medals in the trash" story is bogus. Per the Boston Globe

"In an interview, he said that he had previously met two veterans, one from the Vietnam War and another from World War II, who had asked Kerry to return their medals to the military. Kerry said he stuffed them into his jacket.

He said that when he prepared to throw his ribbons over the fence, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the medals from those two veterans. He said his own medals remained in safekeeping"(emphasis mine)

Money raised from lobbyists (per Knight-Ridder)

"The top donors to Kerry's campaigns over the years have come from lawyers and the securities and investment industries. Lawyers and law firms have contributed nearly $6 million to Kerry since 1990 and executives with securities and investment firms have donated nearly $2.3 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, an independent group that monitors campaign money.

In his presidential campaign, Kerry collected a total of $20 million as of the end of the third quarter last year. New totals were due to the Federal Election Commission on Saturday, but the Kerry camp would not release them publicly. Of the $20 million, the securities and investment industries accounted for $1 million. Companies whose executives top his list of donors include Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

The Center for Public Integrity, another independent watchdog group, examined Kerry's relationship to a Boston law firm that employs Kerry's brother, Cameron. The firm - Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo - lobbies for the telecommunications industry. Members of the firm as a group have given Kerry $224,000 over his Senate career, making the firm's members, as a group, his single largest donor.

Kerry DID vote for the Patriot Act
As did 98 of 99 other Senators. Including Senator Paul Wellstone.

Kerry DID vote for the "No Child Left Behind Act"
...along with Senator Edward Kennedy. It should be remembered that NCLB was seen as an improvement until the funding was drastically reduced. Should Kerry, Kennedy, and all the other Democrats who voted for NCLB have foreseen the "compassionate conservative's" move?

As to Kerry's initial support for the Iraq resolution
I have been trying to recall my own thoughts at the time. Deeply distrustful of the Bush administration, I was very suspicious that something fishy might be going on. I was fully in favor of continuing inspections; and, as a last resort, building a coaltion through the U.N. for any military intervention.

Though they've tried their best to deny it, the Bush administration continually pounded on the war drums, listing the horrors of WMD stockpiles with supreme confidence, and warning of the consequences if we didn't act NOW.

Was the Bush administration sharing their "inside" information and sources with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which John Kerry was a ranking member? Statements at the time indicate a resounding "NO". Two Republican members of the committee spoke out -

Senator Chuck Hagel -

"Â Republican senator said he did not believe Saddam had nuclear weapons and warned U.S. officials against 'scaring'' the American public with predictions that he is about to get them.

`My bottom line is that I don't think he does possess nuclear capability,'' Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said of the Iraqi president on CNN. ``Is he attempting to do that? You have to assume he is.

"But to scare the American public by saying this guy is a couple of months away from not only possessing nuclear weapons but a ballistic missile to deliver those, that's dangerous stuff here,'' Hagel told CNN's ``Novak, Hunt & Shields.'' (Truthout.org)

Senator Richard Lugar, chairman Foreign Relations Committee, also expressed his misgivings -

"You are talking about a lot of money and a lot of risk and no precedent," Lugar complained. "This is a whole lot more than I hear anybody in our administration talking about."

Lugar's skepticism points to a big problem this administration is going to have with selling its Iraq policy to the public and Congress. The very way the policy has been promoted so far raises doubts about the administration's ability to handle another Iraq war."

My "soul searching" isn't over, but I feel a bit more positive about John Kerry. Most of my neutral or negative feelings are resolved. He will have my vote, should he be the eventual nominee.

My support, however, isn't something any candidate can take for granted. Whether or not he can earn my enthusiastic support remains to be seen.

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No wonder we're losing the PR war

Once upon a time, I looked forward to the Super Bowl commercials as the main redeeming feature of the whole event. Unless, of course, my Redskins were playing.

After all, the teams are often a mismatch and the outcome is hardly in doubt (exceptions, of course). Game play was for bathroom time and refreshment reload; commercials were for avid watching.

So - where did they go? I do recall one or two that were mildly amusing this year, but that's about it.

I guess all the ad-whiz folks are hard at work trying to convince Muslim countries the United States really has their very best oil interests at heart. I just hope they're not using farting horses or leering chimps.

But farting horses and leering chimps are hardly the worst the advertising agencies have to offer. You can enjoy some of the world's WORST and rejected at the Ad Graveyard (click "more" to navigate). Greatest worst hits include -




When you're through viewing the worst, enjoy some of the best. An unzip application and video player software for wmv files (Windows Media Player, for example) required.
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While we're investigating embarrassing public displays...

Isn't it time this one gets another smackdown?


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Lest We Forget




So, CBS and the NFL expect MTV to put on a nice, clean, family-suitable halftime show?

Give me a break. Sex sells, and they couldn't wait for the dollars to roll in.
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Can't stand it any longer

So with foot firmly in mouth, I'll make ONE predication for today's primaries.

John Edwards will surprise; by soundly winning one and possibly two states, with very strong 2nd or 3rd place finishes in the rest.

He's intelligent, articulate, charismatic, and a ball of energy. He's not as young as he looks (I wish I looked that young for the age), his heart's in the right place, and he's a nice man with a nice family.

As I keep saying, I don't have a dog in the fight - yet. But I've been proud to call John Edwards my senator, and sure wouldn't mind calling him my president.

I wouldn't mind calling my cat's litter box the president, either - anything would be better than what we've got.

So - regardless of who comes in on top or bottom today - keep your eyes on the prize. Anybody But Bush!
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Another one bites the dust....

From CNN - Judge overturns late-term abortion law

"A federal judge has ruled Virginia's ban on a type of late-term abortion is unconstitutional, striking down a law that uses language mirroring the federal ban signed into law last year.

(snip)

(U.S. District Judge Richard L.) Williams said the law violated privacy rights and failed to make an exception for the health of the woman. He also challenged the use of the term "partial birth infanticide" by the law's backers, saying it was an attempt to alarm the public. "

Good. Another blow to "Bush science".

For real science, see - Statement on So-Called "Partial Birth Abortion" Laws By The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - Feb. 13, 2002

Per the Associated Press, the limited federal ban "is already being challenged in Nebraska, New York and California. About 30 states have enacted versions of so-called partial birth abortion bans, but in many cases they have been overturned in court."

Even better.

Don't mess with me on this one, folks. My cousin and his wife underwent pure hell when it was discovered their third child suffered hydrocephaly plus several other non-survivable deformities.

Because of the law at the time, she was forced to carry the fetus until two weeks before the due date, when it was deemed a caesarian section could be performed (major surgery, btw - no walk in the park).

Instead of planning a nursery, they had to plan a funeral. The baby lived for about two hours after the birth.

Like all such "Bush science", the so-called partial birth abortion ban is full of baloney, only designed to appeal to "the base", and endangers women's health everywhere.

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Swift move, Joe

I've always said I thought Joe Lieberman was the kind of guy I'd like to have for a neighbor, but not the type I'd cast a vote for in a presidential election.

Now I'm not even sure about having him for a neighbor. I've got enough rightwing nuts around here already -

Bill Would Give 9/11 Panel Time

Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced legislation yesterday to postpone the deadline for an independent commission studying the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to complete its work, proposing to give the panel until January 2005.

Bye, bye AGAIN, Joe.

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Revising those retirement plans

On one of those wacky items in the budget, via Norbizness -

"Baby boomers start retiring in 2011, the year after the effect of permanent tax cuts would double the size of the deficit. Hopefully, the Rapture will have taken place by then (in fact, I think they're counting on it).

My new retirement plan -

1) Start being extra-nice to my kid and any potential, future grandchildren
2) Invest in company printing bumper stickers - "Don't blame me, I voted ABB"
2) Get saved

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Lookee over there! A non-partisan commission!

Via the Asia Times - Bush barking up the CIA's tree

"Wounded by the total collapse of its prewar contentions that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, the administration of US President George W Bush has embarked on a strategy of diversion and delay."

He can bark all he wants, but I have a feeling it's not a possum up that tree, but a mountain lion.
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Investigations and bets

I leave town for a couple of days, and come back to find that everybody is either investigating or betting.

***Dubya takes a page from the Schwarzenegger manual and decides to investigate himself. Not to be outdone, Tony Blair initiates his own investigation into himself, too.

Dubya's hand-picked panel will undoubtedly be tasked with finding a suitable scapegoat without revealing anything of substance regarding Miserable Failure's lack of judgment.

I foresee the name "James Baker" appearing prominently among the panel members. And perhaps "Dr. Henry Kissinger".

Do NOT look for the answer to the question - "when given cherry-picked, cooked-up intelligence, why were we dumb enough to go along with it?".

***Via the NY Times - Bush Bets America Agrees With His Fiscal Priorities.

"To that end, Mr. Bush's $2.4 trillion budget provides the back-up material to the re-election theme that the president first set forth in his State of the Union address: He is the national security candidate to take care of America's fears.

Looks like we're in store for more cherry-picked, cooked-up test results on the old "Star Wars" missile defense system. Vastly more important, of course, than mundane things like jobs, health care, and education. Blake at American Footprint has a short-list of budget losers.

As FDR said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself", and the Bush/Cheney04 crowd apparently is counting on currying plenty of fear.

***More hypocrisy in high places -

The FCC and NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue are shocked - SHOCKED - that a halftime show produced by MTV would include suggestive lyrics, lewd dancing, and semi-nudity.

Best line, from a Jeannie Moos "man on the street" -

"At least it wasn't Michael's breast".

I'm quite sure the young man meant "Michael Jackson", and not "Michael Powell". As we all KNOW, Powell is a bastion of decency whose main concern is consolidating the media into the vast right-wing conspiracy. Besides, the mere thought of Michael Powell dancing lewdly and baring his breasts is, shall we say - yucky.

Via the Washington Post -

"Michael Powell, the chairman of the FCC, blasted MTV and CBS, both owned by Viacom, and said the federal regulator would launch a swift and immediate investigation. He called the incident, "a classless, crass and deplorable stunt."

Obviously, a man with his finger on the pulse of American pop culture.

As the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins points out -

"All this shock and horror and moral outrage were tough to understand. Does Powell not watch American television? Sex is everywhere. Sex sells. Especially in the music business; whether it's Lil Kim exposing her breast on the red carpet, or Britney French-kissing Madonna, or Nelly imploring young women to take off all their clothes.

And the Super Bowl, the most watched television event of the year, symbolizes the nexus between commerce and spectacle. For $19.99, viewers could have even purchased a half-time package that included the Lingerie Bowl, a tackle-football game between two teams of scantily clad female models.

There were commercials Sunday night featuring lesbian kisses, farting horses, and spots for erection-enhancing drugs. (Paraphrase of a tagline warning: "An erection that lasts more than 4 hours is not normal and you should seek immediate medical attention.")

Daddy, what's an erection?"

Now, THERE'S a mixed message if ever I heard one - four hour erections are okay for our kids to contemplate, but the only suitable sex education is "abstinence only".

The NFL got the "sex sells" message long ago. Shame on them for getting caught passing the word along.

***I am NOT predicting any primary results today, as I can easily make a fool of myself without touching the computer keyboard.

The U.K. Guardian - which often seems to have a better grip on American politics than our SCLM - doesn't make a prediction, either, but has this interesting item -

"The religious war that is of most concern to George Bush these days has nothing to do with Wahabi, Shia or Sunni Muslims.

It involves Roman Catholics, and particularly those in the five swing states of Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Judging by the enthusiasm that Catholics are showing for Senator John Kerry, Mr Bush may be in greater jeopardy than he ever expected.

For clues about the November election, watch today's results from Arizona, New Mexico and, particularly, Missouri. The heavier the vote, the more disturbing the results for the Bush-Cheney campaign.

If the German Catholics of Missouri towns such as Hermann are angry enough to go to the polls, and if they cast a ballot for Mr Kerry, Mr Bush could be on his way to becoming the second one-term president in his family."

I enjoy watching a co-worker - a solid Bush supporter who nervously scans the Dow Jones average several times a day, because "President Bush needs some good news".

I'm getting a lot of MY good news lately at Daily Kos . My browser doesn't like his site, apparently, and goes all fuzzy with the complexity of it all. But I do enjoy a daily peek at the "Poll Watch" - sidebar, a little down to the right. All those little red "down" arrows on the Bush approval ratings cheer my heart.

***Finally, Tom Burka has the definitive word on ricin, and how much safer we all are.

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DVD of the evening

Tonight, we popped in "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" (1949; John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar; directed by John Ford).

We're suckers for old westerns, and we've watched "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" at least a dozen times, along with the "bookends" of the trilogy - "Fort Apache" and "Rio Grande".

This time, I noticed something I'd never paid much attention to before - John Wayne's line ""Never apologize, Mr. Pennell, it's a sign of weakness."

I've heard the line three times now, and the movie is barely into the first hour. I'm pretty sure it occurs at least once more.

So, I guess Paul Krugman is right - the Bush administration has sunk to the John Wayne School of Public Policy.

Apologize, hell! It's a sign of weakness!

"So where are the apologies? Where are the resignations? Where is the investigation of this intelligence debacle? All we have is bluster from Dick Cheney, evasive W.M.D.-related-program-activity language from Mr. Bush — and a determined effort to prevent an independent inquiry.

When the history is written, the G.W. Bush administration will be seen to have been the most dishonest in the nation's annals. In modern history, the Nixon administration is the benchmark - but nobody died because of the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up.

Don't hold your breath waiting for an apology. In the Testosterone Wing of the Republican party, it's a sign of weakness in already-weak people.

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I'm in love

Haven't made up my own mind on the candidate yet, but I love every blessed "Bubba" that is willing to proudly support a Democrat.

Anybody But Bush!
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An evening's entertainment

Things can get awful lonely sometimes for a progressive down here in rightwing heaven, so I really appreciate Rubber Hose for providing a link to "BushFlash's "animations .

Some powerful stuff here, so be forewarned. But I particularly enjoyed "Idiot Son Of An Asshole".
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It's a matter of respect

Blogging will be light and occasionally non-existent for several days.... I am preoccupied with some expensive, crappy dental work and then - and THEN - a "weekend getaway" with my significant other.

My "significant other" and I have been married for 25 years on Monday, Feb. 2nd. That's a long time; and yet, sometimes it seems like we just met a couple of weeks ago.

In many ways, we're as different as night and day. Our taste in music, movies, food, and many other things is totally different. Over the years, we've made compromises, learned to appreciate our differences, and sometimes gone down our own paths.

Why should I force my country-music-loving husband to listen to my classical music? He would resent it, and his snores wouldn't please me, either. Life is too short for bickering over petty things.

Twenty-five years is a long time, and another twenty-five would suit me just fine. Those who know us often refer to us as the "odd couple", but our lives would be awfully dull without our "oddness". There's no "secret formula" for getting along - it's all just a matter of common courtesy to each other and respect.

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A few facts from Jonah Goldberg, National Review

"A few quick facts. George W. Bush has:

Increased federal spending on education by 60.8 percent;

Iincreased federal spending on labor by 56 percent;

Increased federal spending on the interior by 23.4 percent;

Increased federal spending on defense by 27.6 percent.

And of course he has:

Created a massive department of homeland security;

Signed a campaign-finance bill he pretty much said he thought was unconstitutional (thereby violating his oath to uphold, protect, and defend the constitution);

Signed the farm bill, which was a non-kosher piñata filled with enough pork to bend space and time;

Pushed through a Medicare plan which starts with a price tag of $400 billion but will — according to every expert who studies the issue — go up a gazillion-bajillion dollars over the next decade;

Torched Republican — and American — credibility on trade, in both agriculture and steel;

Got more people working for the federal government since the end of the Cold War;

Not vetoed a single spending — or any other bill, and he has no intention of eliminating a single department;

Sold out like a fire sale at Filene's on Title IX

Pushed to send more Americans to Mars while inviting a lot more illegal immigrants to hang out here in America."

In addition to the above, as beastofsound very eloquently points out, Bush proposes increasing funding to the National Endowment of the Arts by $18 million in 2005.

Is it just me, or has George Bush single-handedly betrayed the conservative agenda?

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